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Old 10-20-2014, 07:54 AM   #21
Redtail Cruiser
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The new 2015 F150 will weigh 700 pounds less than the '14. It will sport aluminum body panels and the second generation Ecoboost engine, a 2.7 liter V6 that produces 325 HP and 375# of torque.

The aluminum body has really impacted the window sticker. I just did a "build and price" of the '15 and came up with a $4,000 higher price, for the same model and options as I purchased last year.

The smaller version ecoboost is expected to raise MPG by 10 to 15% and still tow up to 8,500#. The 3.5L Eco is also still available and should perform even better in the new lighter truck.
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Old 10-20-2014, 08:53 AM   #22
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So you drop the weight by 700 lbs, but still get the same capacity??? It must be the smaller engine???
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Old 10-20-2014, 10:00 AM   #23
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Key is direct injection that lets gas engines approach diesel torque. I used to believe that boost was the province of diesels because of the detonation issue. Direct injection cures that. Only caveat is that such a gas engine must be built to diesel specs and really only makes sense where diesel costs the same or more than gasoline.
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Old 10-20-2014, 10:59 AM   #24
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Originally Posted by tentcamper View Post
So you drop the weight by 700 lbs, but still get the same capacity??? It must be the smaller engine???
Not exactly, the 3.5L has a tow capacity of 11,000#. It produces 365 HP w/ 420 # of torque at 2400 RPM. Haven't seen all the new specs, but they may have raised the tow capacity of the '15 with the 3.5L Eco.
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Old 10-20-2014, 01:42 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Redtail Cruiser View Post
Not exactly, the 3.5L has a tow capacity of 11,000#. It produces 365 HP w/ 420 # of torque at 2400 RPM. Haven't seen all the new specs, but they may have raised the tow capacity of the '15 with the 3.5L Eco.
The F150 may be able to tow 11,000# but what about stopping?

Reading the Ford site the weight reduction of the F150 with aluminum body panels is the "midterm phase in our Blueprint of Sustainability" and the improvements to powerplants was the "first phase".
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Old 10-20-2014, 02:00 PM   #26
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The F150 may be able to tow 11,000# but what about stopping?
Mark,You won't find me towing anything heavier than about 7,000 LBS. You're right, I wouldn't want to try a panic stop with anywhere near the max tow load capacity of any vehicle.
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Old 10-20-2014, 02:40 PM   #27
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When I lived in England, all we saw on the road were small TVs pulling large trailers. Think RAV4 pulling a 25-foot conventional travel trailer. Yes, diesel engines are much more commonplace there, perhaps even the norm, so even if those engines provided adequate power for pulling, that doesn't help handling or stopping. Looked like most of the braking was via surge brakes via a tongue-mounted actuator. I don't understand how they can safely get away with these kinds of setups. They have fast highways, mountainous terrain, and curvy narrow windy roads, so it's not like they're towing in the flatlands of Kansas.

I was always tempted to go into a dealer and ask, but I never made it.

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Old 10-20-2014, 04:44 PM   #28
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That is the key and is nothing wrong with surge brakes, U-Haul uses them on everything. TMs use electric brakes which have pros and cons (if you lose TV brakes the electric trailer brakes will still work). OTOH if the hitch breaks with a surge brake you may have a problem.

My tow dolly has surge brakes and they work just fine. Are a good choice if you do not have a Bargman and a controller.

Major advantage to electric brakes is that on a slippery surface if the TV starts to slide a little drag from the back end can really help straighten things out.

ps with low enough gears you do not need much power, my 6300 lb class A RV had a 2.4 liter 115 hp TD and was no slouch on the Interstate.
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Old 10-30-2014, 10:36 AM   #29
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Default Surge brakes vs electric brakes

Surge brakes totally depend on the stopping resistance of the tow vehicle. So as the TV skids, the trailer makes less stopping effort at the most inconvenient time. Electric brakes have less of this problem because the brake controller always knows that you have your foot on the brake pedal as it guesses what to do.

Modern tow vehicle skid control and anti-lock brakes help a lot, but we don't have those on our trailer wheels.
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Old 10-30-2014, 10:49 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito View Post
...Think RAV4 pulling a 25-foot conventional travel trailer...
Maybe if you go slow enough, sumo wrestlers can pull airplanes and Ford Pintos can pull travel trailers.
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