Input, take 2, & leave the politics out!

[BobUnkefer]

Originally Posted by Jeff Teuton

Let's revert to good old common sense. Do you really think that a 213 CID engine pulling a 24 ft enclosed trailer with a heavy *** old camaro plus parts, tools, beer, and who knows what else is gonna do the job? You think that thing just goes down the road and rolls along easily with all that load? Unk, you been in the tower too long in that thin air. At least get the big Ford motor. Think going down the road with no vacuum that activates all the power adders in that thing to make it work. It ain't made to work that hard for that long. Sorta like me. This is tireing me out here.

Did I ever think that I'd be having this discussion? Nope, but then I look @ new technology Mustangs running 140mph+ at 67% throttle, and Challengers running in the 10.40's (off the throttle?) when the cars they compete against go 10.90's on a good day, down hill, with a tail wind.

Technology marches on, if it works in race cars, why can't it work in other vehicles? Case in point....We've got ways to provide the vacuum we need in race cars, certainly woulldn't be that hard to do in a street vehicle would it?

Yea, I'd like to hook one up to my trailer too see for myself, but right now I'm studying, and asking questions.

Besides, I don't haul beer in my trailer....... Crown Royal & Grey Goose yes, but beer no. Lighter weight ya know.......

[james schaechter]

I would be more worried about stopping. I know you have horses too. I have seen some of my wife's friends got all excited about the euro style Brenderup trailers. They are very light. They did the math and hooked them up to V6 blazers and Ford explores, etc. They were scared plenty in any wind and dropped trannies like mad. All I am saying is that to them, it looked good on paper. In reality, not so good.

If it is possible, maybe you could keep the race rig separate and buy a little Ford Focus for driving around the city?

I drive my Duramax daily in the Chicago suburbs. It pisses me off that the diesel is as high as premium and there isn't really a good reason for it. That being said, I get 21-22 mpg and it's paid for. Pretty low cost per mile. It pulls our old trailer great as well.Not bad for 240,000 truck.

Originally Posted by BobUnkefer

Did I ever think that I'd be having this discussion? Nope, but then I look @ new technology Mustangs running 140mph+ at 67% throttle, and Challengers running in the 10.40's (off the throttle?) when the cars they compete against go 10.90's on a good day, down hill, with a tail wind.

Technology marches on, if it works in race cars, why can't it work in other vehicles? Case in point....We've got ways to provide the vacuum we need in race cars, certainly woulldn't be that hard to do in a street vehicle would it?

Yea, I'd like to hook one up to my trailer too see for myself, but right now I'm studying, and asking questions.

Besides, I don't haul beer in my trailer....... Crown Royal & Grey Goose yes, but beer no. Lighter weight ya know.......

[Ken Miele]

Looks like a lot of old thinking here. With all do respect to everyone who thinks the new 1/2 tons are incapable of handling a 10000 lbs trailer safely. You guys are looking at these vehicle from the old school view of 1/2 ton's. If your towing 15000 lbs plus, I can see going with a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck, but for a 10000 lbs trailer, its not needed. Has anyone here driven a 2011 1/2 ton, Ford, GM, Dodge that's properly equipped, towing a trailer? They are all rated to tow 10000 lbs trailers.

The truck Bob is looking at has a tow rating of 11,300 lbs. Do you think Ford would overrate there towing capability, or GM and Dodge for that matter.

The chassis is thicker, the trans is better, the brakes are much better. The Ford engine makes peak torque at 2500 rpm. They come with sway control and a trailer brake controller. These trucks are made to tow. You guys need to open your mind to new technology, it blows the old stuff away.

[FED 387]

Just find it hard to believe that a 231 v6 is gonna move a 7-10000 pound trailer with a 3:15 gear gotta take ya a half hour to get up to 60 MPH---I dont care what Ford says----Take one home from the dealer and load up all yer stuff and take it out on the hiway see if it makes ya happy--If it does buy it if it doesnt do the job look at something else--Got 204000 on my 2000 Ford Super Duty---replaced some stuff but man this thing has some balls---it will move my 10000 pound trailer across the parking lot at an idle cannot believe that V6 is gonna do that--Comp

[Jeff Lee]

My initial concern is detonation on a non-diesel block and heads. I'm sure there are all kinds of safe-guards there to protect it from that.

Is that the same as the FLEX and SHO engine? I keep saying it, Ford sure has some cool stuff on the market!

Off subject, did any body see the 1 hour presentation on Speed Channel on the new Boss 302? Oh man...!

OK, I just watched all the video's...That HEMI gets eaten for breakfast and the 5.3 Chebby gets eaten for lunch AND diner! Wholly crap!

[283nova]

dont go with a 1/2 ton esp a v6.

i borrowed a friends 1/2 ton 4x4 dodge, 2001, with the 360 automatic, with a 1500lbs trailer and my 2900lbs nova that thing acted like you were trying to pull a semi with triples behind it, 1/2's suck for towing period end of story.

get or keep the diesel.

[Dgal]

The new Ford combo certainly sounds interesting, but it still doesn't sound like something I would want to tow heavy with. In my opinion, anything over 5,000 that is a bumper pull is heavy.

I don't care for unneeded stress when I am driving. I want to tow with a 1 ton dually when towing heavy. I don't care how technologically advanced that Ecoboost engine or the new 1/2 tons, it isn't a dually. A dually or even a truck doesn't make as good a daily driver as a nice passenger car in our local Metromess. Fuel mileage isn't everything and ranks down the list for me.

I think you are going to end up with a so, so tow vehicle and a so, so daily driver. It is your money and your blood pressure. Please let us know how it works out if you do decide to get the new Ford.

Don

[Ron E]

Originally Posted by Ken Miele

Looks like a lot of old thinking here. With all do respect to everyone who thinks the new 1/2 tons are incapable of handling a 10000 lbs trailer safely. You guys are looking at these vehicle from the old school view of 1/2 ton's. If your towing 15000 lbs plus, I can see going with a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck, but for a 10000 lbs trailer, its not needed. Has anyone here driven a 2011 1/2 ton, Ford, GM, Dodge that's properly equipped, towing a trailer? They are all rated to tow 10000 lbs trailers.

The truck Bob is looking at has a tow rating of 11,300 lbs. Do you think Ford would overrate there towing capability, or GM and Dodge for that matter.

The chassis is thicker, the trans is better, the brakes are much better. The Ford engine makes peak torque at 2500 rpm. They come with sway control and a trailer brake controller. These trucks are made to tow. You guys need to open your mind to new technology, it blows the old stuff away.

Ken, it's not a case of being closed minded. Personally, for the price of these trucks, I would only buy something with a proven track record. Not just "will it do the job", but will it do it for years to come. Will it still be doing it a 300K? If somebody trades up every year or two, it's a different story.

[Ed Wright]

I can't see buying anything new. Makes no money sense. I'm not poor, but I never buy new vehicles. Unless you pay cash or make a big down payment your upside down in that sucker for a good while. Finding a nice one a couple years old makes a lot more money sense. Let somebody else take that first depreciation hit. Long term supercharged or turbo charged engine have more problems. The more you stress a smaller engine the more likely it is to have problems.

My experience with customers who bought 1/2 ton " towing package" vehicles for towing their travel/camper trailers has been they have not been that happy. They will tow the weight for which they are rated, but not as easily as people like.