F250 6.2 V8 vs F150 Ecoboost

[94BULLITT]

Did you ever get a honk?

 

[Green Power]

How many miles are on your pickup Eric?

 

[MinnesotaEric]

How many miles are on your pickup Eric?

72,900ish.

 

[mo1]

I sure miss the 15" - 17" wheels where the tire added a lot to suspension characteristics. I have 18" wheels on my new Ram 2500 diesel, CC, 4WD- the smallest aluminum wheel diameter available, and told all dealers I would not accept wheels any larger. As far as I am concerned, low profile tires and large diameter wheels are only appropriate on performance vehicles on the track with modified suspensions, where they can truly take advantage of the shorter, stiffer sidewall. Street vehicles typically can't as long as they are obeying traffic regulations and provide a harsher ride. I don't get it. Especially on a heavy duty truck.

FYI, heavy duty trucks typically have 22.5" rims, and some older ones have 24.5" rims. The heaviest (medium-duty) Ram trucks run low-profile (70 aspect) 19.5s which are about the same overall diameter as old-school 235/85R16s or newer 235/80R17s.

The main reason the wheel rims on these tires are relatively large are because they are based on 1930s-era truck wheel sizes, which ran by today's standards narrow tires on relatively large rims, but with a "traditional" 83-aspect tire. After WWII, the wide width, small-rim "balloon" tires became common for light trucks and cars, but trucks continued on with the older-sized wheels and rims. The Ram 4500/5500's (and Chevrolet's 1990s 3500HD and later 4500/5500 series, and the Ford F-450/550) 70 aspect 19.5s are actually a modern development as the 225/70R19.5s are much wider and two inches smaller in overall diameter than the old 9R19.5 which would be something like 195/83R19.5.

I do agree with you though, on light-duty trucks, the rapper-inspired large wheel rim/low-profile tires are less preferable to the older type smaller-rim, larger-aspect tires. My '11 F-150 wears the cheapest rubber they offered, 17 inch rims and 235/75R17 tires. They are crappy tires but not as bad as some that were offered. For example, I didn't get stuck in the snow while a friend with 22" Pirelli summer tires on her F-150 Limited had to get winter tires or she would get stuck if it snowed more than a flurry.

 

[deere5105]

As an update to this thread, I have sold my F150. Due to position changes at work and receiving a company vehicle, I no longer could justify keeping a brand new truck only to stay in the garage most of the time. By far the F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost with the 3.55 axle ratio has been the best towing set up I have owned to date. The 5.4 with the 3.73 axle ratio also did well, but I am left wondering if the six speed transmission versus the four speed transmission wasn't also a big factor too. As many 5.0 configurations as there are on the road, I have ran into several that are disappointed in their towing performance. In particular one coming from a 5.4 and one from a 3.5 Ecoboost. If going with another F150 again it would be with a 3.5 Ecoboost.

 

[Green Power]

How many miles did you have on it when you sold it? Did you have any problems with it?

 

[deere5105]

How many miles did you have on it when you sold it? Did you have any problems with it?

9800 miles. Owned it approximately six months.

Had transmission issue fixed under warranty. It would make a growl noise sometimes shifting between second and third. Read about it first on a forum and gave TSB to dealer. They ordered part and changed it while in for oil change. Wasn't an noticeable performance change just the noise.

If buying another truck tomorrow I would very likely be in another 3.5 Ecoboost F150.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Didn't you buy it to haul your tractor around sometimes? How are you going to do that now?

 

[deere5105]

Didn't you buy it to haul your tractor around sometimes? How are you going to do that now?

That is something I am working through. So far, managed to get most of my trailering done before selling. Drove tractor to location usually trailered once and help came later and pulled trailer for return trip. Trip distance probably 8-10 miles. Was able to stay on shoulder probably half that distance to keep down tire wear. With my providing tractor and trailer for work being done on hunting lease, don't anticipate a big issue being towed to location so long as a little planning is done. Will likely look for an older decent shape pick up once things settle down and see how the final arrangements are going to shape up. Company vehicle will be a 5.0 F150 so won't be like having a car.