HD F-150 or 3/4 ton truck?

[gladehound]

F150 with the Ecoboost will be running in much lower RPMs than a F250 with the larger gas engine. I have a v8 in my F150 and I love it, but my next truck will probably have an Ecoboost.
For your truck, I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I have the Heavy Payload package and really like having over a ton payload capacity, along with the comfort of a half ton. If I was towing more a new diesel would be great, but not quite the same comfort.

Sounds like the F150 with HD payload package still rides better than an F250. Is that correct? I just haven't been able to drive an F150 with HD payload package.

Makes sense that the ecoboost will run lower RPMs - more torque down low, less weight to move, more gears to choose from.

 

[gladehound]

I think Ford is coming out with a diesel F150 in 2018. If not in a rush, sit back and wait a few months.

Yea, this has been on the back of my mind. However, I'd like to get the truck before my next camping vacation (next June) and with the problems many new diesels have had, I wouldn't be comfortable buying one until I see a few years of good reliability.

 

[Diamondpilot]

"Would a 3/4 ton gas hold the RPMs lower than my 5.7 hemi jeep when towing"
My 6.2L gas F250 tows our 9k trailer fine, but the rpms in particular are much higher than one would expect. I can be down in 3rd or 4th on the highway at 5000 rpm going up hills. I don't imagine the gas engines in the 150's are going to be much different rpm-wise.

That's a Hemi thing. My 2500 5.7 Ram did the same thing.

In comparison my Nissan Titan with the 5.6 and my F150 with the 3.5 EB never saw 3,500 rpm and ate the Hemi up on the hills pulling 10,000# loads.

Chris

 

[Poke]

I deal with 3/4 ton trucks and up all day at work, I can give you my perspective on this. 85% of people that buy a 3/4 ton diesel don't pull half the weight of what you do on a regular basis, they buy it so they can say they have a diesel. My personal rig is a 14 F250 gas with 4:30 gears, and my truck/tractor/trailer and all gear tipped the Cat scales at 18,600 and pulls like a champ. It doesn't get over 3500 rpm going south on I30, which has a few mild hills on it, so screaming isn't an issue. Today's diesels are meant to be worked every day, and even with that you're lucky to get 60,000 trouble free miles out of them. It sounds like you're along the same lines as me, you don't tow a lot , but when you do you want to be comfortable doing it. A max tow 1/2 ton isn't the same as towing with a 3/4 ton, it's not the same no matter how you work the numbers, plus the price difference in the 2 is non existent, and 3/4 tons hold a much better resale then 1/2 tons. Just my .02, but I'm sure others will add too it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I agree, I own a Chevy 3/4 ton 6.0 gas, and if you like low RPM's pulling a hill with a trailer, a gas truck isn't the answer. Not a big deal, the engine is built for it and that is where the power band is compared to a diesel. If you are one of those people that like a little saftey margin, a 3/4 ton might fit the bill for you, but I don't see you listing anything that a half ton will equipped wouldn't handle. A diesel? Great trucks but bring a large premimum over gas trucks.

The 6.0 GM and 5.7 Hemi are just built this way but the offerings from Nissan, Ford, and Toyota make their power, max torque, at much lower rpm's with flat torque curves.

For example the GM 6.0 makes 380 lb ft of torque at 4400 rpm's. The Ram 5.7 makes 410 lb ft at 3950 rpm's. The torque curves are linear.

The Nissan 5.6 makes 401 lb ft of torque at 4000 rpm's. The Ford 3.5 EB makes 470 lb ft at 2500 rpm's. Toyota 5.7 V8 makes 401 lb ft at 3600 rpm's. Their torque curves are a little more "peaks", with the Ecoboost making over 400 lb ft at only 1700 rpm!

 

[ning]

(TL;DR) 1/2 w/ heavy duty towing vs 3/4 ton?

I suspect there's a bit more heavy duty bits in the 3/4 ton.
The HD 1/2ton is probably intended for those who don't tow a lot but want the truck ready for those times they do; if you're going to do a decent amount of towing, the 3/4 ton probably has a better setup for brakes, transmission, suspension, etc...

Caveat: I realize newer trucks have higher capacities than older ones, and I haven't checked the specs on the trucks you're looking at - but there's a reason why the 3/4 ton category exists.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I suspect there's a bit more heavy duty bits in the 3/4 ton.
The HD 1/2ton is probably intended for those who don't tow a lot but want the truck ready for those times they do; if you're going to do a decent amount of towing, the 3/4 ton probably has a better setup for brakes, transmission, suspension, etc...

Caveat: I realize newer trucks have higher capacities than older ones, and I haven't checked the specs on the trucks you're looking at - but there's a reason why the 3/4 ton category exists.

That 3/4 ton category is actually kind off fading fast. To me the 1 ton SRW is a much better choice having usually 2,000# more payload with no other real penalty.

The 1/2 tons are knocking on the 3/4 ton gas trucks doors.

Chris

 

[coobie]

I went with the 2016 Ram 2500 6.4 hemi engine with 410 horsepower.Priced a Ford F150 V-8 engine lariat model 1/2 ton with comparable options and went with the Ram 3/4 ton for the same price.

 

[coobie]

That 3/4 ton category is actually kind off fading fast. To me the 1 ton SRW is a much better choice having usually 2,000# more payload with no other real penalty.

The 1/2 tons are knocking on the 3/4 ton gas trucks doors.

Chris

Really?Post your facts that the 3/4 tons are fading fast?

 

[gladehound]

I suspect there's a bit more heavy duty bits in the 3/4 ton.
The HD 1/2ton is probably intended for those who don't tow a lot but want the truck ready for those times they do; if you're going to do a decent amount of towing, the 3/4 ton probably has a better setup for brakes, transmission, suspension, etc...

Caveat: I realize newer trucks have higher capacities than older ones, and I haven't checked the specs on the trucks you're looking at - but there's a reason why the 3/4 ton category exists.

No doubt any 3/4 ton is built stronger than an F150 HD regardless of payload ratings. However, I'm sure both are strong enough for my use. The F150 HD EB is rated to tow ~12,000 pounds and has ~2,600 pound payload. It's attractive over a 3/4 ton because of the engine torque of the EB and the unloaded MPG compared to a 3/4 ton gas. I'm starting to think there is too much risk in getting a diesel these days and the EB is the next best thing.

On the other hand, the next time I get surprised by a wind storm with the Travel trailer in tow, the weight and structural stability of a 3/4 ton would be nice.

Brakes on today's trucks are huge! I think the braking race has escalated as fast as the HP race. Even my 2011 Mustang had bigger brakes than my 1999 F250 PSD! Even the Grand Cherokee's brakes are as big as those on that 1999 F250 PSD. And in 1999, the F250 had big brakes for that time. I once lost brakes on the travel trailer with the Grand Cherokee and found out when I had to make a panic stop. The Grand Cherokee did just fine. Based on that, I'd say any modern truck probably has enough brakes for what I'm doing.