You believe it's overkill for a 6.2L in a F-150?

You either a) have never towed a heavy load with one, or b) never looked at what the competition offers. If I want closer to 400 hp than 300 hp I can go buy a Toyota, a GM, or a Dodge. (or a Nissan that pulls like one). Ford considers itself a leader in the truck market, I'd think they would want to offer a engine that is competitive. Currently they do not.

I would too buy a eccoboost, If I didn't tow a lot.

But having those two extra cylinders and a bigger, beefier bottom end is a wise choice if I'm towing a heavy rv around...

 

No haven't towed with one, they are not in production yet. BTW they will be a V-8.

I tow 7k worth of tractor and trailer (plus gear) with my lowly 260hp 5.4 and 3.31 gears and maintain the speed limit (55mph) with ease. As fuel prices climb and the economy continues to go into the dump, people will give alot more thought as to what they really need when buying a pickup. Sorry, but yes I do think 400hp is overkill for a half ton pickup, besides, whatever a decked out half ton can do a base 3/4 ton will do better for less money.

I can see a Lighting style sport truck, but I don't see them being a huge seller. Chevy even dropped the 6.0 in the half ton line, now the biggest they offer is the 5.3 (my 2002 5.4 still has more torque than the 2008 5.3 BTW)

There is more to towing than just an engine: drivetrain strength, frame, springs, gearing, all that probably has more to do with how well a truck tows than what is under the hood, plus they are coming out with a 6 speed for the F-150.


On top of that Dodge is pushing 400hp with their pushrod 5.7, if Ford wanted to I would think they could as well with their OHC 5.4. Lets not forget with the 6.2 there is also a 5.8 coming out.

 

I can't agree more... my 4.10's helped out greatly as far as towing. I can tow stuff with no problem. I've towed 4k lbs on a trailer, and it was like driving with nothing behind me.

 

OK So Ford offers a truck your happy with, now lets let them offer a truck I'd be happy with. I had a 98 5.4 with 3.55's and the fact you tow with 2v 5.4L with even flatter gears is puzzling to me. You must never be in a hurry. (BTW I meant tow with a 04+ model)

GM does offer a 6.0L vortec max in their new 07+ trucks, and never mind that its going to be replaced possibly as soon as this fall with a 6.2L and 6 speed. In the half ton. I don't like the 5.3l any more than you do, but based on numerous tests I've read a 07+ 5.3L with 3.73's never mind the available 4.10s will out pull empty OR loaded a 07-08 5.4l with more advertised tq. And from my buddy who runs a fleet of various 5.3Ls , they get better mpg with 4.10's than 3.73s or 3.55's cause then they run in the sweet spot.
For the six times a year I pull a heavy RV, I don’t want to give up my tighter turning radius, my ability to fit in parking garages, the ability to fit in my garage, or pay more for a F-250. I'm not sure why you pick a loaded 150 vs. a base 250? Why would I want to drop options?
I honestly believe a 09/'10 F150 w/6.2l and the new 6 speed will do every bit as good or (negligibly close) as my current 04 5.4L, IF I drive the same way. IF I rip up the pavement in the 6.2L cause its do fun to punch the pedal on that unit, wells thats a different matter.

 

I rode in a '06 F-150 once, but have never driven or obviously towed withone.

I comfortably run the speed limit of 55 mph, I see no point in drawing attention to myself trying to set speed records to get to a tractor pull due to lack of foresight. I plan ahead so I have enough time to make the trip safely, and the reasons not to speed with a 5000lb object strapped down to a flat-bed behind me are numerous.

I have towed with a '99 5.3, which is why I got a 5.4. I have never been around a new one but I did get a chucklewhen I saw their rating.

If I had the need (I don't pull any more than you at maybe 5 pulls per summer) I would opt for a nice mid level F-250 (AC, PW, PL, Cruise, Ext cab, cloth seats, pretty much just like my F-150) with a V-10 (measly $600 option over the 5.4) and I would thrash any half ton built for about the same money. With the F-250 you get bigger brakes, stronger frame, stronger tranny,better cooling, pretty much bigger and better everything. I think if you are towing a lot these things would mean more than a fancy radio or leather seats, or at least it would for me.

 

I tow a 5500-6500 lb. (loaded) travel trailer with my '05 SuperCrew 4x4 with the 5.4. It tows like a dream. In fact, my '99 with the 5.4 towed it rather well too, but the new one does a better job.

As far as being in a hurry, why do you need to be in a hurry when towing that kind of weight? That's a bad combination if you ask me. My truck will pull my travel trailer at whatever speed I want to drive, but I almost always keep it at or below the speed limit. It will maintain 70 on the interstate all day long, but pull down to 65 or even 60 on some long hills in the Ozarks of southern Missouri. But that's OK with me as I'm not in any drag race. Some states even have lower speed limits when trailering for safety reasons.

Does it tow great? Yes it does. This truck tows awesome, not just due to the engine or tranny, but a lot is attributable to the frame and overall build of the truck.

Now, with that being said, would I like a few more HP? Yeah, but would I buy another make just because it has more HP? No, because that isn't the only thing that makes a truck tow well. I don't need to go any faster than what my current truck will take me, so it is a moot point. What I would really like is a 6 speed tranny to help keep the engine in it's sweet spot with smaller variations in RPM.

Personally, I think the best combination in an F150 would be a 6 speed tranny with a diesel pushing about 300 HP and 400 lb ft of torque. That should tow super well and get excellent fuel economy in the process. The only thing my truck won't pass while towing my tralier is a gas station. At 10 MPG and 3.09 / gallon gas, that's 31 cents per mile.

So, yeah, I think a 400 HP 6.2 is overkill for a half-ton truck engine. I think they should concentrate on fuel economy and forget the "mine is bigger than yours" BS. Those days are coming folks...

 

I can't believe you guys come on here and say you tow 4-5000 pounds with an F 150 and don't feel it behind you. The F 150 will have to work very hard with thay type of weight and it is very easy to notice that behind you. I tow a Key West boat a lot lighter than that and I feel it plenty!!

 

Exactly what I was thinking I pull 3,000 every now and then and it tows it fine but you definitely know its there.

 

If I am wrong then I will go ahead and apologize, but isn't your truck a v-6 with a stick? If so then there is no way you pull 4k and don't know it, absolutely no way. I had a 97 model v-6 with 3.73s in it and it wouldn't pull a hat off your head.

 

I agree. I can definitely tell my travel trailer is behind me when I'm towing it. It tows very well, but I can tell it's there. But, occasionally, on long flat stretches on the interstate with the cruise set on about 65 - 70, I can honestly say that I cannot tell it is behind me. As soon as the next hill shows up though, or a semi blows by me, I can tell it is there.

About the only thing I tow that I can't tell is behind me is my 12' utility trailer. Not sure what it weighs, but when it is empty, it really does tow like there is nothing behind me. Of course, that much additional weight is like me walking around with a hat on my head.

 

All credibility of your post from now on will be knull and void with that statement.

I'm sorry, I have a reg cab 4.11 gear, 450rwhp 450rwtq 5.4 truck, and towing 4-5k lbs on a trailer I can feel it.

These trucks have plenty of power to tow, they were pulling the same loads with 150hp straight 6's 20 years ago. They will all do the job, it would just be nice if they can do the job even better.

 

The longer wheel base truck makes a much better tow vehicle. It's not all about the power you put to the pavement. The chassis IS the key.

 

I know a longer wheel base is going to tow/ride better. Thats with any vehicle. I'm not talking about tow quality, I am talking about tow power. I can tell a trailer is back there by the power the truck has.

Whichever way you want to argue, he is claiming his 2 foot longer V6 truck can pull a 5000lb trailer like it's not even hooked up voids all future statements on this forum.

 

I pull about 3K very frequently with my 4.2. It's definitely there, but my truck doesn't mind it at all. It's not like towing a 5000lb boat with my 2.3L Ranger. That wasn't any fun.

The reason manufacturer's make motors bigger and better is because everyone wants to have the biggest most powerful truck. The 5.4L isn't that great of a motor, but most people opt up from the 4.6 because it seems better.

*shrug* what do I know?

 

I think everyone will just have to wait and see what comes out. I drove every 07' make and model 1/2 ton truck before I bought the F-150, and I know alot of you out there are a bit unhappy with the power, but I'm telling you no other make is much better. The new tundra's are great on power when I drove it, but they get horrible gas mileage and cost about as much as a Diesel. The dodge's 5.7L has great power, but again terrible gas mileage, our work trucks are 2wd RCLB Ram 1500's with 5.7L with cylinder deactivation, they get a whopping 11.2 MPG no load no trailer, and around 7 mpg with a decent load/small trailer. My dad had an 04 ECSB Silverado 1500 LT with the 5.3L, honestly its a great little engine and towed decent, but gm's are more for show and your everday garbage run than work, they just aren't built very stout. The trucks are good quality, just not tough. Now onto the F-150, I didn't buy the F-150 because it says FORD, after around 3 months of research, driving all makes and models, reading forums, the F-150 really is the best bang for the buck in my opinion. Great frame, pretty solid tranny, decent motor, ok gas mileage, decent towing, decent resale value, and the truck is built tough. For a 1/2 ton they really are great trucks.