Ford F150 with a 3.5 L turbo and the 3.31 rear.

bentmettle said:
Level ground highway towing, you care about the trailer front area / drag. Weight doesn't matter.
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Will offer a different perspective where weight does matter: slowing the load. Even on flat terrain. This is where there is no replacement for displacement. While the brakes are in place to slow and technically do put a check-in-that-box, in practice the engine turns into a component of energy management. The 3.5 and 2.7 just don't have the volume to offer any real resistance until they spin rather fast. Not bashing, just saying.

Actually, there is a replacement for displacement in slowing the load. But am not seeing manufacturers rushing to install driveline retarders as a mitigation to the smaller engine displacements.
 
SkyGazer said:
Actually, there is a replacement for displacement in slowing the load. But am not seeing manufacturers rushing to install driveline retarders as a mitigation to the smaller engine displacements.
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I can honestly say I’ve never heard engine braking come up directly. I don’t directly work on towing, so this is more anecdotal than anything.

I’m sure it’s a reason people like the super duties.
 
I’ve towed everything under the sun for the last 35+ years. Starting with a couple of Rangers, I got my first 1/2-ton in 2005. Major improvement. In 2011 I got my first 3/4 ton (7.3). Vast improvement over the previous trucks. In 2014, I got a new 3/4 ton (6.7 diesel) = game changer. She’s been running strong ever since.

I’ve owned many 3.5 EB over the years as well - mostly cars. I do have the 3.5 in my Navigator now, and it’s a killer at 450 hp / 510 tq, but the high RPM and anemic transmission cooling in the 10-speed is not conducive to towing anything of consequential weight.
 
From my perspective, most consumers in the 1/2 ton market focus on two things when shopping for a tow vehicle: power and trailer capacity. Cost is certainly a factor, but it is not really a discriminator when going the monthly payment route as long as the payment does not bust the paycheck. Using the entire vehicle for speed control is a foreign concept at this level. Cannot completely blame the manufacturers for scratching those itches and ignoring the rest of realities as the focus is on selling product. I do call into question the standards which allow manufacturers to limit the scope of what is acceptable when it comes to stability and energy management. While the test loop is definitely a good start, it arguably does not capture the whole real-world picture.

Were I engaged by an auto manufacturer to run the tow portion of the test, have high confidence that the corporate accountants would eject me upon submission of the first analysis report.


kep5niner said:
In 2014, I got a new 3/4 ton (6.7 diesel) = game changer. She’s been running strong ever since.
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If not already aware, make sure to get ahead of the CP4. While the preventative fix is not inexpensive, the unmitigated repair is a much bigger bill. And, even though the '14 does not have a recall on the CP4, this does not mean it is in the clear.
 
Good tip on the CP4, I’ve been reading about it for years. The truck is bone stock (EGR, DPF, et al), and I’ve put all 150,000 miles on it. So far so good. Like you said, it’s not a small amount of money for the mitigation, but the alternative can be catastrophic.

Owning boats make trucks look cheap. Owning airplanes make boats look cheap. Maybe I should just pony up before I have to pay the piper.;)
 
I have towed enclosed race car trailers since 1988.
First tow vehicle was 1500 87 ramcharger 360 with 4:11 gears(I installed the gears front and back) and 33" tires. I used to tow a 21' boat at first and then a 26' enclosed car trailer. It had the power but the wheelbase was too short for a 26' car trailer. I only towed the car trailer a few miles to the race track(4.5 miles) I could get to the race track on the back roads and no traffic lights. It would not be safe on the highway.

Then bought a 1993 C3500 4 wheel crew cab 8' bed 2wheel drive chevy to tow race car trailers for 128K miles. It was a good truck.

Next I bought a 1999 C3500 crew cab dually 8' bed, 2 wheel drive and towed up to a 49' enclosed race car trailer. Drove it everyday for 13 years and 130K miles. It was a good truck until the rear end broke at 125K miles.

Then I switched to a 2014 ford F250 crew cab, 4 wheel drive 8' bed and drove it everyday for 12 years for another 137K miles. It was a good truck. Didn't tow any enclosed trailers with it.

Back in Sept 2025 I ordered a F150 6.5' bed 5.0 engine. I still don't have it today. On 11-10-2025 they had to reorder a 2026 model with slightly different packages and can't get blue anymore in 26. So this new one will be red.
6.5' beds are hard to find even if you order it. My truck was finally built 2-18-2026 and I am waiting for it to be delivered to my dealer. It is going to have 3:73 gears but I wanted 3:55 but to get a tow receiver, it had to have the 3:73. It's hard to understand the packages available to get certain things you may want. I sat down with the salesman for over an hour and he had me totally confused by the end even after I studied the online ordering ahead of time. Anyway not happy with how long it is taking to get the truck.
Will let you know down the road on how good of a truck it is. I don't plan on towing much with it but wanted the most the most capable truck in a F150.
Tired of the C3500 F250 rides, want something smoother but will always have a truck.

In 2002 I bought the ultimate tow truck, a FL112 Freightliner toterhome with a Cat 505 HP engine. Still have it. It has never broke down. I kept it after my racing days and we have taken it all over the country on vacations. That's the red dually that used to pull that 49' trailer. It was too much for the dually. The dually pulled the dragster and tools to the starting line.
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Cant speak for the F150, but as someone who has put a 3.5tt explorer (well PIU) though it’s motions, that engine puts in work
 
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