I'm presently pulling around a 5000lb TT with a '96 F150 and small V8. I not only need more engine but I need more truck. It has been my intention to purchase a used, 2002 or 2003, F250 with the 5.4 V8. BUT, after talking and reading about this set up, it is my understanding the 5.4 has alot less pep in the heavier 250 than the 150.

I know in recent years Wards Automotive ranked the 5.4 V8 as one of the ten best engines in the world. Being that the 6.8 V10 is an extension of the 5.4, I am therefore giving it alot of consideration. My question is to you V10 folks is do think it is overkill to pull a 5000lb load with the V10? I do pull in the Cascade mountains and the truck will not be my everyday driver.

While fuel mileage isn't my main consideration, it is a consideration, but 5.4 owners seem to complain about their mileage too and diesel trucks, if I read it right, get about 2 to 3 miles per gallon better than the V10. Heck, my small V8 with K&N, cat back, and chipped only gets 15 to 16 running empty in mixed driving. It seems if you have a large truck, no matter the engine, it's going to take some serious gas to move it down the road.

One last question. In a truck the size of a F250 with the V10, what would be your estimate of the difference in gas mileage between the 4X4 and 4X2? And what would be the weight difference between these two set ups?

Thanks alot.

 

Speaking for myself, I don't think you're talking overkill. To tow 5,000 lb on flat land at low elevation is one thing, but you start climbing mountains and you start to loose a lot available power due to altitude. I have towed for a long time, a lot of that towing takes me into the Rockies and occasionally to the Sierras and all I've ever towed with is a 3/4 or 1 ton due to the fact that the larger brakes, heavier springs and tires make for a much more stable tow. I don't get into the white knuckle feeling, wondering what would happen if the trailer brakes were to fail or if I started getting into gale force winds or passing semis causing the trailer to sway. That being said, the Superduty line of trucks are much heavier than the 1/2 ton conterpart, so right off the bat the 5.4 is at a disadvantage. It only goes downhill from there when you start trying to make those 7 and 10% grades for 2-15 miles.

I've got a 6,500 lb Airstream. The trailer is not that heavy, but you fill it with gear, people, generator and hook a 6,900 lb truck to it and then try to tow at 65-75 mph to keep up with interstate traffic - it takes a V10. And some mountain passes - say Slumgullion Pass coming out of Lake City, CO - the truck with that load will pull 30-35 mph in 3rd with the pedal on the floor. I believe that particular grade is 7-10 miles long starting at 7,700 ft and topping out at over 11,000 ft of elevation.

Don't know the difference in weights or economies between 2wd and 4x4. Mine is 4x4 and towing I get right at 10 mpg and empty highway about 14.

 

Thanks paulm for your two cents. Being somewhat of a novice hauler in the mountains the last two summers, I learned quickly getting the load up the mountain is only half the battle. To me, having a more substantial truck than my present F150 seems most critical when in fact you come down the back side with your load. I towed my trailer for several years just on the flat land, so it was quite a shock to take it up in the mountains for the first time and realize its a different ballgame up there with winds, bad weather, lack of engine efficiency, need for stability and power.

Other than the power boost the V10 received 2005, when was the engine power increased previously to that?

 

I believe if was raised from 265 to 310 hp in 2000. My first V10 was a 2000 and it had the 310 hp motor. I think torque was the same at 425 ft/lb for all years - but I'm not sure. They must have made some other refinements because my 03 runs a lot quieter than my 2000.

 

Howdy, You can never have too much truck when it comes to towing. I have a 02 F250 CC SB 4X4 with 3:73's and tow a 7500 lb. TT all around Ca. with no problems at ALL! My father -in-law had a 02 F350 SC LB 2X4 with the 5.4L with 3:73 gears when he bought his new 5th wheel trailer (7300 lb). Right after getting back from their first trip, he went down to the Ford dealer and got a 04 F350 SC LB 2X4 V10 with the 4:30 gears.....now he's a much happier camper I think my father-in-law gets around 1-2 mpg more than me when towing.....if that? I hope this helps you out. Like the saying goes..........its better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

 

Thanks for the feedback, Roach. That 1 to 2 mpg difference between your truck's 3.73's and your father-in-laws 4.30's sounds consistent from what I have read. I used to think these different axle ratios meant more to fuel mileage, but an article I read a while back in a Trailer Life magazine indicated that 1 to 2 mpg was a high difference and that most differences were much less.

 

The V10 went from 275hp/410tq to 310hp/425 tq in 2000. A 5.4L 4.10 truck will get just about the same MPG as a V10 3.73 truck. The V10 is much better for towing IMO. 4x4 will cost you about 1mpg maybe a tad more. I think for an overall better towing experience the V10 is the way to go.

 

Absolutely not overkill. I guess if you are trying to squeeze every ounce of fuel mileage out of a truck, maybe the 5.4 is a better decision. For me though, all the positives outweigh a slight decrease in mileage.

I tow an open trailer weighing 4-5000lbs on flat ground so the 5.4 would have done fine. I just think the V10 does better For $510 (invoice in 2004) it's a bargain. I went from a 95 F150 with a V8 and manual transmission to this truck. Towing is a night and day difference. With the 150 I always felt the trailer had a little more control than the truck. And you could forget about pulling out into traffic unless you had a very large gap to jump in. With the V10, you stomp it and it's gone.

My F150 had a 302 and a 5 speed and was a 4x2 regular cab shortbed. Towing, they get about the same mileage. The 150 could maybe get 10.2 on a good day. That is towing around town without much more than a mile of straight road that you don't have to stop. The V10 gets about 9.5, it's a crewcab 4x4 with an auto and 4.30's. On the highway the 150 would get about 16 unloaded. The 350 has gotten almost 14 on the interstate. Around town is where the real difference is. The 150 would get about 14.5 unloaded and the 350 gets about 10.5 doing the same thing.

As far as the 4x4 vs. 4x2, I couldn't give you any info on differences in mileage. I will say this though. About 2 years ago the 150 got stuck in some sand with the trailer hooked to it. Just up the road was a guy with a tractor. He said he would not pull me out but he would let us use the phone. A wrecker came out, after waiting nearly two hours, dragged us 10 feet then gave us a bill for $90. Right then and there I decided this was not going to happen again. It's also fun being bigger than 95% of vehicles on the road

 

Your experience, keith w, with your 302 F150 towing and mpg is exactly the same as mine. In the mountains, especially, I would get to wondering, between the truck and the trailer, who was controlling who.

And you are right about mpg with these lighter powered trucks, they don't get any better mpg than a larger rig when towing, plus the equipment is working so much harder to get the job done. Not to mention the safety factor of having more truck and more muscle when you need it.

Notice how I'm talking myself into getting that V10 real soon.

Actually, I drove my first V10 at work last night. I usually drive an F350 CC LB with a 5.4 V8. But that truck was being used so I ended up with the F350 dually, V10 CC 4X4, that is used to tow around a big 14,000 lb research boat. After the 5.4, this V10 was impressive. The power was right there and it came on so smooth and just stayed there. Those two extra cylinders mean alot. The Hemi may be sweet, but I'm thinking this V10 is even "sweeter."

 

Another point to consider - the new F150 will "tow" over 9,000 when its configured right....but it still doesn't have the payload capacity as a Super Duty. I didn't have a trailer that I needed to tow that my '93 F150 wouldn't handle, but I did need something that would carry more weight in the bed than that 150 would handle.

 

As far as tow engines go, the Hemi isn't even in the same class as the V10. The 2000 to 2003 V10s make more torque at 1900rpm than the Hemi does at it's peak torque output all the way up over 5000rpm! The Hemi might be fast and flashy but the V10 is a way better tow engine, especially in a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup.

The one thing I wanted to mention is that I'd be willing to bet that if you pulled your 5000lb trailer in equally eqipped F250s with the 5.4L and 6.8L, the 6.8L will get better mileage. The reason being that the V10 will not have to keep the rpm as high as the V8 to maintain speed. The 5.4L may get slightly better mileage not towing but if you're going to use the truck mostly for towing the V10 might save alot of gas $$ over the long term. Just something to think about.

Mine's an '03 4x4 supercab with 3.73s and I get 11/12mpg average mixed driving, a little over 14mpg for highway trips and 9mpg to 10mpg towing on the highway up to 6500lbs.

As far as 2wd vs. 4wd, it would never even occur to me to own a 2wd pickup. With the the time my truck spends off road running errands on my property and the winter road conditions where I live a 2wd pickup would be worthless. If your truck never leaves pavement then the 2wd would be worthwhile for the mpg gains-it seems like 2wd average anyhere from 2 to 4 mpg better.

 

i just pulled my 7500 lb boat down to the shore here with my 05 v10. that truck did not even know it was back there. i know i should not have since its only got 500 miles on it .i'll say the v10 is the only way to go. if you can swing a 05 that 355 hp is unreal.
good luck with your choice man.

 

If you buy too much truck, you can always do less with it but, if you buy less truck, you can't do more. Get the V10, you won't be sorry.

 

my 95 f150 4x4 with a worked 302 with 410's in it towing got just over 10 while my new f250 v10 also with 410's gets the same and its not fully broken in yet. when i filled the tank i figured 10.7 and have to say a 7500 lb cuddy cabin hard top boat on a tri axle trailer is a lot of friction and this truck never knew it had it along, 600 msrp for the v10 is worth it.
i for one am glad for this site and the advise of these v10 owners . they have made this ride one of enjoyment. the other men have said how i feel.they speek the truth.