I agree with Padgett on his number 5. Short bed / crew cab is the right combination. I speak from experience - I bought the Super cab (cab-and-a-half) and regular bed, and it is not a good combo. If you get to the point where you would like details, PM me.
As for Padgett's number 6, I have no personal experience with the Ecoboost, and I'm not sure Padgett does either. But although I have heard some good things about it, the reports are not universally good. Perhaps those negatives are from the early years, and Ford has worked out the bugs by now. Almost by chance, we ended up with the Ford 5.0L conventional non-sexy Detroit iron, and we love it.
As for your wife and trucks, perhaps you could try this. Since you are in Arizona, arrange to take a casual day trip up I-17 from Phoenix to Flagstaff. Halfway up you will go through the Verde Valley. Seven miles of 6+% grade, complete with tight turns, runaway truck ramps, and 18-wheelers and motor homes pulled off to the side with overheated engines and blown transmissions. If that doesn't convince her (and you) that a more-than-"adequate" vehicle is a good thing, you are a hard sell. And remember that this is Interstate! If you are in some other part of Arizona, find a place where the road climbs over the Mogollon Rim - say northbound route 87 out of Payson, or northbound route 191 from Morenci to Springerville. Both have miles of 7% grade. They are exciting in both the up and down directions, of course.
Needless to say, there are many places in the west with tougher roads. I point out these particular ones because you live in Arizona, and you can expect to encounter these. That is a bad time to discover that your tow vehicle is not quite up to the task. Restricting yourself to the flatlands of Arizona is a shame.
Bill
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