[roadrash]

Hi all! I currently own an '11 F-150 3.5 EB SuperCrew. I'm looking to get a newer tow vehicle. I started off the journey this spring when our current truck started throwing up roadblock after roadblock to getting it legally on the road for the year. It's just that year.

Anyways, that got me started looking, which forced me to take a closer look at what we're doing now, and I've got to tell you, I was shocked. The trailer I'm towing isn't all that heavy - 4705lb dry, 7000lb max. The kicker though was the tongue weight - 635lb. I didn't think anything of it at the time when we bought the '11 4 years ago to replace our '04 Expedition. I mean, newer vehicle, better tow rating than the Expedition, I should be a-ok, right? Well, 4 years ago I probably was when the kids were still little. Between them getting larger (teenagers, tall) and us gaining a bit of weight from increased sedentariness (thank you covid!), I'm a bit over payload if 635lb is correct on the tongue weight. Interestingly, our '04 Expedition Eddie Bauer with the tow package had a better payload # than our '11 F-150 Lariat does. I'd actually still be OK there.

So, I've been spending the summer looking at my options. I haven't pulled the trigger yet because, well, crazy times, right? One of the things I've been pondering is whether to go for diesel or not, would it be worth it in my situation? Hence my checking this forum out.

So, I need to be able to tow, as per above. SuperCrew (tall kids). 4x4 (new england). Most of our driving - whether wife or I end up this truck - is mostly local. Seriously, my commute is 12 miles all backroads (or will be again once I actually can go back to the office).

My experience with modern diesel is none. I have no feel for how the DEF consumption would be affected by mostly local drives with the occasional tow. When we do go camping, we generally go all out. Nova Scotia at least once a year (wife is from there, so it's a must normally), Pennsylvania, Virginia. I hope to head out to ND at some point to see my sister as well.

Given that we're mostly local, does diesel even make sense?

Thanks everyone

 

[Dunrollin]

Welcome to the forum! Those are interesting questions and hopefully others will have input for you. I can offer a few observations. First, DEF usage is intersting. Your truck will gulp it during towing and a full day of heavy towing will be noticable on the DEF gauge. On the other hand your 12 mile commute will use almost no DEF. Now the DPF is the opposite, heavy towing will allow the engine to passively regenerate and clean the filter just by the heat alone but the 12 mile commute will build up soot fast and you will not get the 300 miles between regens. Not a big deal as the truck takes care of regens almost invisibly.

Some people have used these trucks to tow very heavy loads but I have experience with just upward of 5,000 pounds. it did a great job.

It seems you keep your trucks for several years and on this the diesel should do better than gas (what the bean counters call life cycle costing).

Edited to add: There are several upgrades you csn do easily to make working with regens and such much easier and they are all done with Forscan. Site administrator @jmperlik wrote the bible on getting started with Forscan, just go here: Start Here

 

[hydrex]

Modern diesels are not great for short trips, they need to be driven enough to come up to temperature as they take longer, as a rule than gassers. Also , at least, imho, it's important, when they do a regen, let the truck finish. So, the good news: they love to work, DEF usage is not really a big deal and mpgs will be maybe 30% higher than a gasser. I drive a Ram Ecodiesel, btw and my solution, at least in winter is to drive my old 1998 Subaru OB to the post office, beer store, etc and drive the diesel any place where it will have time to warm up. Also keeps the truck out of our Maine salt . I'd say go for it!

 

[roadrash]

Modern diesels are not great for short trips, they need to be driven enough to come up to temperature as they take longer, as a rule than gassers. Also , at least, imho, it's important, when they do a regen, let the truck finish. So, the good news: they love to work, DEF usage is not really a big deal and mpgs will be maybe 30% higher than a gasser. I drive a Ram Ecodiesel, btw and my solution, at least in winter is to drive my old 1998 Subaru OB to the post office, beer store, etc and drive the diesel any place where it will have time to warm up. Also keeps the truck out of our Maine salt . I'd say go for it!

Thanks. We ended up ordering a gasser F-250 6.2l. Speaking of Maine, my brother-in-law hails from there. He said they used to start their trucks late fall and just leave them running. All. Winter. Long.

 

[hydrex]

Thanks. We ended up ordering a gasser F-250 6.2l. Speaking of Maine, my brother-in-law hails from there. He said they used to start their trucks late fall and just leave them running. All. Winter. Long.

F250 will make you a great truck! BTW, Maine winters are highly overblown, as far as severity! Probably because Mainers are some of the biggest BS'ers , haha.

 

[roadrash]

F250 will make you a great truck! BTW, Maine winters are highly overblown, as far as severity! Probably because Mainers are some of the biggest BS'ers , haha.

Yeah, looking forward to it! We got our VIN number this week. Supposedly slotted to be built November 8. From what I've been reading online, unless I luck out that's going to come and go without a build. It is what it is.

They lived as far north as you can get in Maine - RT-1N turns south again after passing through their town. Mainers B.S.ing - maybe. My sister - lets just say I've never found her to be prone to hyperbole. Never found my BIL to be blowhard either. For sure not the same environment as what my SIL goes through living a few hours north of Jasper National Park in Canada, but still don't want to migrate there if I don't have to.