bhall 115 Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 I think you would be better off purchasing new, and trying to keep it for 10 or 15 years. At least you know it's history.If you can swing it, this is your best option. This truck was new and the one before it was 2 months old. The piece of mind alone is priceless Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 New would be good, if we could get it... we've also found a couple of F250s with under 30k (one was that "buy-back" which turned out to be a minor starter issue...but I guess the customer was a thorn in Ford's side, so they bought it back from him). Question, there are two different sizes for the rear axle: 3.31 and 3.55 The specs show the towing capacity the same at each axle so... is there a reason to search out the 3.55 over the 3.31? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rtguy007 74 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 New would be good, if we could get it... we've also found a couple of F250s with under 30k (one was that "buy-back" which turned out to be a minor starter issue...but I guess the customer was a thorn in Ford's side, so they bought it back from him). Question, there are two different sizes for the rear axle: 3.31 and 3.55 The specs show the towing capacity the same at each axle so... is there a reason to search out the 3.55 over the 3.31? You want the 3.55 over the 3.31. Moves your torque lower in the rpm range and will help with the get up and go. Downside to the larger gears is that you will lose a little bit on your mpg. It would probably be very minimal but still a small loss. The 3.55 may also have a slightly higher towing capacity. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LONE-STAR 370 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 New would be good, if we could get it... we've also found a couple of F250s with under 30k (one was that "buy-back" which turned out to be a minor starter issue...but I guess the customer was a thorn in Ford's side, so they bought it back from him). Question, there are two different sizes for the rear axle: 3.31 and 3.55 The specs show the towing capacity the same at each axle so... is there a reason to search out the 3.55 over the 3.31?As you said they are both rated to pull the same. Mine has the 3:55 in it and I don't even know my trailer is back there. I have never driven one with a 3:31 in it there hard to find. The 3:31 should give you better mpg. It may not hold 6th gear as well while towing but it will just drop into 5th and keep pulling. That said your trailer is a lot lighter then mine so it will pull easy. I wanted a 3:31 but couldn't find one. If you're trailer was 14,000 pounds I would want the 3:55 but at 7,000 pounds I would want the 3:31 for the better mpg. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LONE-STAR 370 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 New would be good, if we could get it... we've also found a couple of F250s with under 30k (one was that "buy-back" which turned out to be a minor starter issue...but I guess the customer was a thorn in Ford's side, so they bought it back from him). Question, there are two different sizes for the rear axle: 3.31 and 3.55 The specs show the towing capacity the same at each axle so... is there a reason to search out the 3.55 over the 3.31?As you said they are both rated to pull the same. Mine has the 3:55 in it and I don't even know my trailer is back there. I have never driven one with a 3:31 in it there hard to find. The 3:31 should give you better mpg. It may not hold 6th gear as well while towing but it will just drop into 5th and keep pulling. That said your trailer is a lot lighter then mine so it will pull easy. I wanted a 3:31 but couldn't find one. If you're trailer was 14,000 pounds I would want the 3:55 but at 7,000 pounds I would want the 3:31 for the better mpg. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bhall 115 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 You want the 3.55 over the 3.31. Moves your torque lower in the rpm range and will help with the get up and go. Downside to the larger gears is that you will lose a little bit on your mpg. It would probably be very minimal but still a small loss. The 3.55 may also have a slightly higher towing capacity.Slowing down will also be better in the 3.55 over 3.31. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rtguy007 74 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 You want the 3.55 over the 3.31. Moves your torque lower in the rpm range and will help with the get up and go. Downside to the larger gears is that you will lose a little bit on your mpg. It would probably be very minimal but still a small loss. The 3.55 may also have a slightly higher towing capacity. Slowing down will also be better in the 3.55 over 3.31. Forgot about that. Good point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Slowing down... help me understand how the axle plays a part there? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rtguy007 74 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Slowing down... help me understand how the axle plays a part there? These are not actual numbers but should give you an idea. Say at 70 mph you are doing 2400rpm on the 3.31 gears. With the 3.55 gears you may be doing 2600rpm. The vehicle naturally will want to slow down when at a higher rpm and you take your foot off of the gas. It is a kind of like an engine brake. Now if your truck has an engine brake on it, that will add to the controlled slow down when you remove your foot from the gas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Okay... gotcha. Thank you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 These are not actual numbers but should give you an idea. Say at 70 mph you are doing 2400rpm on the 3.31 gears. With the 3.55 gears you may be doing 2600rpm. The vehicle naturally will want to slow down when at a higher rpm and you take your foot off of the gas. It is a kind of like an engine brake. Now if your truck has an engine brake on it, that will add to the controlled slow down when you remove your foot from the gas.Also, at lower RPM's you are using less fuel, at least that's how it works on gas engines, diesel may be different.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Helmsey......Todd 134 Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Oh... shut up (not you). Tom looked at the site last week and it said diesel... now (as you pointed out) it says gas. Called them, it's gas. I'm tired. Looking the tachometer is always an easy way to tell gas\diesel, that's actually where I realized it on that truck. Not to put more on your plate, but this is the time to decide if you think you want to ever go to a fifth wheel. If you do, forget about the 250/2500 if you want a diesel. Head straight for the 350/3500. I wish I would have went with the 2500. I will be adding the 3500 rear springs to my truck and going to the 18" wheels and tires that the 3500 come equipped with. I see so many of the 3/4 ton diesels going down the road with fifth wheels hooked up and their headlights up in the air. Mostly Fords look like this from what I've seen. I don't know if it's because of mushy suspension and low payloads or the fact that the drivers think just because they have a diesel they can hook up a 15k pound 5th wheel - or both. We use Chevy and Ford and sometimes John Deere for towing here at the Auction service. Once upon a time we had a 2009 2500 Dodge but after 2 tranny rebuilds it got auctioned off. Here in Gettysburg the state police have been pulling over trucks and campers that look like this. The newer Fords seem to be pretty squishy. My old 2004 model Chevy 2500 barely squatted when I hooked up our current 5th wheel to bring it home from the dealer. When I got my current truck I was surprised to see it squat like it did when I hooked the same camper up, still empty like when I brought it home. Hang in there Nacole, searching for the right truck can definitely take some time. But once you get it, it will be soooo worth it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted July 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Hang in there Nacole, searching for the right truck can definitely take some time. But once you get it, it will be soooo worth it. I hope so. We really want a Ford (2011 or newer) but supply is really low and each time we thought we might have found one... we call and it's already sold. The only one that wasn't sold (at the time) we tried to work a deal on and we were $4k apart Turns out, there was a lady in the showroom who had already agreed to pay $300 under list so... they already knew they had a sale. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted July 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 http://m.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=399301929 Are we foolish to rule out the F150 Ecoboost? A part of us thinks so... but it's been so hard to find a decent diesel. Up until this point, we have said no on the Ecoboost, but we ran into a guy camping this weekend who had the F150 and he was pulling a 10k 5th wheel HOWEVER... only on flat land. I think we should stick with diesel, Tom feels that way too.... we're just frustrated over the diesel shopping and want to make sure we're not making a bad choice by ruling out the F150 Ecoboost. Thoughts?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jmaul 65 Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 http://m.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=399301929 Are we foolish to rule out the F150 Ecoboost? A part of us thinks so... but it's been so hard to find a decent diesel. Up until this point, we have said no on the Ecoboost, but we ran into a guy camping this weekend who had the F150 and he was pulling a 10k 5th wheel HOWEVER... only on flat land. I think we should stick with diesel, Tom feels that way too.... we're just frustrated over the diesel shopping and want to make sure we're not making a bad choice by ruling out the F150 Ecoboost. Thoughts?? I wouldn't rule out the ecoboost unless you want to go fiver down the line (unlike your experience last weekend). Will this be a daily driver, or dedicated for towing. Eco's are getting great non-towing mileage but drop fast when hitched up. Something to help you in your search is a website for Ford window stickers. http://researchmaniacs.com/VIN-Number-Lookup/WindowSticker/Ford.html Just plug in the VIN. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 My plans are to replace our Explorer with an F-150 with the 3.5L Ecoboost and max tow package (3.73 rear end). This gives a towing capacity of 11K-12K lbs. Based on trailers we've looked at recently our guess is our next trailer will be in the 6K-7K GVW range so this should give us plenty towing/cargo capacity. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bhall 115 Posted July 1, 2015 Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 http://m.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=399301929 Are we foolish to rule out the F150 Ecoboost? A part of us thinks so... but it's been so hard to find a decent diesel. Up until this point, we have said no on the Ecoboost, but we ran into a guy camping this weekend who had the F150 and he was pulling a 10k 5th wheel HOWEVER... only on flat land. I think we should stick with diesel, Tom feels that way too.... we're just frustrated over the diesel shopping and want to make sure we're not making a bad choice by ruling out the F150 Ecoboost. Thoughts??I hope that F-150 was a 2015, 4x2 Crew Cab with base trim and Heavy Duty Payload Package w/18" wheels. Other wise he was overweight as the pin weight for that weight is 2000-2500lbs for a dry weight of 10k lbs. If he had another 1k lbs of camping stuff in it, add another 200-250lbs to that pin weight. Then you have to add in the weight from the driver, passengers, pets and other gear.The vast majority of 1/2 tons on the road as they are loaded with tons of options can not safely handle payload weights in that range. There's a big number of 3/4 ton guys on the road who are blowing out their payload ratings with a 5er that size. Just remember, just because you see someone or a group of people at a campground "doing it', It doesn't make it a good idea. Sometimes, common sense is just not so....common. :) Remember, Towing Capacity and Payload Capacity are two different animals. Also, Don't expect gas mileage while towing to be near the diesel. A guy I know and sometime co-worker has a 2013 Ecoboost Crew Cab and routinely pulling a 7k 10' tall trailer around here and is getting 7-8mpg towing it. I have noticed that he likes to accelerate harder than I do. As for me, the biggest reason I wouldn't consider any 1/2 ton anymore is towing stability and stopping. My new 2500 handled our old travel trailer so much better then the 2011 1500 it was even noticeable to my wife in the passenger seat. Stopping was much easier too. djsamuel 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted July 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 I hope that F-150 was a 2015, 4x2 Crew Cab with base trim and Heavy Duty Payload Package w/18" wheels. Other wise he was overweight as the pin weight for that weight is 2000-2500lbs for a dry weight of 10k lbs. If he had another 1k lbs of camping stuff in it, add another 200-250lbs to that pin weight. Then you have to add in the weight from the driver, passengers, pets and other gear.The vast majority of 1/2 tons on the road as they are loaded with tons of options can not safely handle payload weights in that range. There's a big number of 3/4 ton guys on the road who are blowing out their payload ratings with a 5er that size. Just remember, just because you see someone or a group of people at a campground "doing it', It doesn't make it a good idea. Sometimes, common sense is just not so....common. :) Remember, Towing Capacity and Payload Capacity are two different animals. Also, Don't expect gas mileage while towing to be near the diesel. A guy I know and sometime co-worker has a 2013 Ecoboost Crew Cab and routinely pulling a 7k 10' tall trailer around here and is getting 7-8mpg towing it. I have noticed that he likes to accelerate harder than I do. As for me, the biggest reason I wouldn't consider any 1/2 ton anymore is towing stability and stopping. My new 2500 handled our old travel trailer so much better then the 2011 1500 it was even noticeable to my wife in the passenger seat. Stopping was much easier too. See that ^ is exactly why I feel uneasy even looking at the F150. I'm afraid we'll be just about where we are with our Armada (a 1/2 ton with a 9100# tow capacity). I don't want to feel the camper push us (which I do currently) and I want to be able to take the mountains without sweating it. Even though the truck will be a daily driver for Tom, I still think we're better off finding a diesel. Just (really) stinks as we had searched hard for (what we thought) was a camper that our current TV could comfortably tow. I had even searched several forums and found many others (with the same TV) towing larger and (they said) comfortably. Who knows... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bhall 115 Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Tom or Nacole, I tow dump trailers, open car trailers, enclosed car trailers, box trailers for work as well as personal, even though I'm gas, everything is much better to tow all around now with the 2500. The only thing limiting me on the highway is the 60-65mph speed rating of the trailer tires but at highway speeds, tractor trailers don't affect me like before. I don't think you'd gain anything with an Ecoboost other then a higher car payment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rtguy007 74 Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Stick with what your gut tells you. I agree with others, you may not gain anything with any half ton. Don't settle because you are frustrated. You will find what you guys want. 30k is a lot of money to make the wrong decision. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swimmarz 72 Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 you could always fly down here, Ill pick you up and take you to see thishttp://sgallowayford.com/Fort-Myers/For-Sale/Used/Ford/F-250/2015-XLT-Red-Truck/41108078/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LONE-STAR 370 Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 you could always fly down here, Ill pick you up and take you to see thishttp://sgallowayford.com/Fort-Myers/For-Sale/Used/Ford/F-250/2015-XLT-Red-Truck/41108078/It's gas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted July 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 It's gas.Sadly... yep. you could always fly down here, Ill pick you up and take you to see thishttp://sgallowayford.com/Fort-Myers/For-Sale/Used/Ford/F-250/2015-XLT-Red-Truck/41108078/Thanks for the offer! Tom grew up in Ft. Meyers :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swimmarz 72 Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 there was mention of Ecoboost, I wasn't clear that gas is out completely There are a few "truck only" dealers down in the area, Ft Myers, Arcadia, LaBelle and some just out side of TampaLike others have said its a $30,000 decision, so if you have to spend some $$ to fly and drive back that may not be bad option to get what you really want. http://www.gatorford.com/http://www.labelleford.com/http://sgallowayford.com/ and you have options for airports to fly into MCO, TPA, RSW Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted July 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 there was mention of Ecoboost, I wasn't clear that gas is out completely There are a few "truck only" dealers down in the area, Ft Myers, Arcadia, LaBelle and some just out side of TampaLike others have said its a $30,000 decision, so if you have to spend some $$ to fly and drive back that may not be bad option to get what you really want. http://www.gatorford.com/http://www.labelleford.com/http://sgallowayford.com/ and you have options for airports to fly into MCO, TPA, RSW Yep... unfortunately, out of those 3 dealerships, there is only one possibility for a diesel F250... but it's a 2008 which was a new model for Ford, but also the worst out of the '08 - '10. Also, we would prefer an '11 because of the increased torque and the addition of using the DEF fluid (which, from the research we've done) helps with gas mileage. As I've said, it's very frustrating as they are very tough to find... and when you do find an '11, the price is typically pretty high because supply is low. We've spent hours searching. Appreciate the help though!! :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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