Which engine for camper use ?

[snyce1]

Hey All, about to place an order for an f150 lariat 6.5 bed. Was curious what everyone’s recommendation is for a camper setup. We will be running around 900 pounds of constant weight in the bed. Similar style to a 4 wheel camper.

Our primary concerns are mpg, reliability and payload as we are coming from a Tacoma. . Torn between the 5.0 and the 3.5. Have heard both good and bad things for both engines. (5.0 consuming oil, 3.5 cam phasers and shorter lifespan)

also recommendations on gearing would be great!

3.5 pb hybrid . Can run a camper off grid . Use utilities from bed power . Pulls strong .

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[Mtnman1]

Right, the larger brakes are on the 9.75HD, which also means you can't run 17s*.

*not pertinent to this discussion, but for posterity

To be clear. Max tow only for the bigger brakes.

Not all 9.75 rears have the larger brakes.

 

[SteveP150]

With 900lbs dry weight, I wouldn't get a Powerboost. Most of those are around 1400-1600 capacity. Add a couple full size adults, gas and water, and you have very little left for gear.

Also, I thought to max out payload, if you're not towing, you don't want max tow...just get HDPP. Max tow helps your towing capacity, but it weighs more so doesn't also benefit payload.

 

[OneTrueMoose]

With 900lbs dry weight, I wouldn't get a Powerboost. Most of those are around 1400-1600 capacity. Add a couple full size adults, gas and water, and you have very little left for gear.

Also, I thought to max out payload, if you're not towing, you don't want max tow...just get HDPP. Max tow helps your towing capacity, but it weighs more so doesn't also benefit payload.

I believe HDPP requires Max Tow....

My truck (details in sig) came with a sheet warning that the truck was not advised for use with campers. Is that the case for all F-150s? The F250/350s look to have a specific option for camper certification.

 

[hotrodmex]

Also, I thought to max out payload, if you're not towing, you don't want max tow...just get HDPP

I believe HDPP requires Max Tow....

Easy way to think about it is HDPP gets you the frame, MaxTow gets you the axle (+brakes), and both are needed for the GVWR increase.

I think Ford could increase the GVWR some with just the 3/4-float from MaxTow, but then who would buy HDPP?

 

[OneTrueMoose]

Easy way to think about it is HDPP gets you the frame, MaxTow gets you the axle (+brakes), and both are needed for the GVWR increase.

I think Ford could increase the GVWR some with just the 3/4-float from MaxTow, but then who would buy HDPP?

And the 3 steel springs instead of the single composite spring (with HDPP providing a high spring rate.)

But if you ignore the camper warning, you might as well ignore the GVWR by a couple hundred pounds. I'm not a lawyer but I suspect ignoring either one would give the insurance companies a reason not to pay out and perhaps even automatically fault you in any accident. Ignoring both might not make anything worse: in for a penny, in for a pound... Just something to consider.

(Apologies for going off topic! And no meanness intended toward anyone either!)

 

[Atlee]

And the 3 steel springs instead of the single composite spring (with HDPP providing a high spring rate.)

But if you ignore the camper warning, you might as well ignore the GVWR by a couple hundred pounds. I'm not a lawyer but I suspect ignoring either one would give the insurance companies a reason not to pay out and perhaps even automatically fault you in any accident. Ignoring both might not make anything worse: in for a penny, in for a pound... Just something to consider.

(Apologies for going off topic! And no meanness intended toward anyone either!)

My previous 2014 HDPP truck had 4 leaf springs. My current 2022 Power Boost has 3 leaf springs.

 

[OneTrueMoose]

My previous 2014 HDPP truck had 4 leaf springs. My current 2022 Power Boost has 3 leaf springs.

Mea culpa, the springs may go with the 7350/7850 GVWR packages and not the Max Tow.

 

[hotrodmex]

But if you ignore the camper warning, you might as well ignore the GVWR by a couple hundred pounds. I'm not a lawyer but I suspect ignoring either one would give the insurance companies a reason not to pay out and perhaps even automatically fault you in any accident. Ignoring both might not make anything worse: in for a penny, in for a pound... Just something to consider.

This is always the consideration, but as these discussion go there is yet to be even anecdotal evidence of someone being denied any insurance coverage based on a weight investigation. Aside from the logistics of putting a weight back together from a "yard sale," it's also more likely that other factors contributed to the accident.

Considering GVWR is a factor of not only suspension/frame, but also engine power and brake capability, then there is the likelihood that one or two of those things is more capable than the others. That means the real capability can be higher than the label will allow. Can the springs and frame really be made stronger if I reduce the unsprung tire weight by 100lbs? By normal calculations, this makes the curb weight less, which would make the payload capability higher, without adding any spring or frame reinforcement. If I put on really heavy E rated tires and unsprung tire weight goes up 200lbs, is the frame weaker and the suspension not able to handle the weight?

The PowerBoost is the perfect example of sticker engineering. It gets the same frame as other SCrews, gets the same 3-leaf pack as MaxTow, but somehow gets 200-300 lbs more GVWR than a EB/5.0L MaxTow truck? Is that from the 50 extra HP?

GVWR is a rating. In all my research on this due to my own camper considerations, I have yet to see a reference to a specific Vehicle Code that cites GVWR rating as a hard line.

IANAL, YMMV, Caveat Emptor, things in mirror are closer than they appear, tip your waitstaff.

Welcome to my brain.

 

[780]

Others may disagree but my experience with the 5.0 for towing was not good, it was not a good experience in the 5.3 Chevy V8 (axle ration 3.42) I had before the Fords either. The V8's need to rev higher to create the torque to tow anything and I did not like the V8 engines revving up & down, roaring, transmission shifting up & down all the time.

This is what made me switch from a 5.0L to a 3.5.

 

[OneTrueMoose]

[....snip...]
GVWR is a rating. In all my research on this due to my own camper considerations, I have yet to see a reference to a specific Vehicle Code that cites GVWR rating as a hard line.

IANAL, YMMV, Caveat Emptor, things in mirror are closer than they appear, tip your waitstaff.

Welcome to my brain.

All too true, and to the point of the thread, a PB and/or MaxTow option could a better choice for a camper. Not from the listed GVWR or such, but the actual extra capacity of the springs/axle at least might less the concerns one might have. Aside from the relatively spartan HDPP configurations, that is.

 

[hardlymoving]

And the 3 steel springs instead of the single composite spring (with HDPP providing a high spring rate.)

But if you ignore the camper warning, you might as well ignore the GVWR by a couple hundred pounds. I'm not a lawyer but I suspect ignoring either one would give the insurance companies a reason not to pay out and perhaps even automatically fault you in any accident. Ignoring both might not make anything worse: in for a penny, in for a pound... Just something to consider.

(Apologies for going off topic! And no meanness intended toward anyone either!)

The single spring setup on the F150 is NOT of composite construction, it is spring steel. But the overload leaf spring that is part of the package is composite.

 

[Bullitt4859]

I live at 6k feet and frequent mountain passes up to 10k feet weekly. Coming from a Toyota reliability is important for me not so much performance..

i don’t like the complexity of the power boost and how you need to idle the truck for power. I have a pretty good solar setup.

a concern I have with the 3.5 is the mpg will drop quite a bit since the camper will cause wind drag and you’ll be in boost all the time.

With your situation of driving in elevation. Any naturally aspirated engine will have to work harder than the turbo application. My suggestion would be the 3.5L Ecoboost and while going up in elevation lock out the last 3 gears (8,9,10) (Very simple to do). This will keep you out of boost.

 

[DBL R]

I have a 2021 PB 6.5 with trailer tow package as max tow reduces payload. Currently have a roamin’ chariot camper weighting approximately 600lbs. With the riser base I built, probably closer to 700lbs in the bed. Currently I’m seeing fuel economy reduce from 21 mpg mixed driving to 18 mpg mixed driving. City highway is almost identical as it still goes into electric, but with the larger surface area to hit wind, highway mileage has taken a big hit.

it’s just my wife and I, so payload isn’t a huge concern. Plus we are running all cooking, heating, and power needs off the truck/generator. You can save a lot of weight getting rid of other fuel sources.

depends what you are trying to get out of your payload and setup. But the PB has more than enough power. Drives comfortably with the load, and the generator is second to none for boondocking in comfort.

 

[bigman6166]

If payload is a priority you will need heavy duty payload package.You will want to stay with a xl or xlt with as little extras as possible to get the highest payload.Also get the max tow package.If you decide on 3.5 it will come with 3.55 gears in the rear and a 5.0 I believe gets the 3.73 rear gears.My current truck is a 3.5 and I am averaging 19.4 mpg with a mix of city and highway.I have towed my travel trailer with it yet so I could tell what it will drop to but it sure has some low end torque.My previous truck was a 2020 5.0 with 3.55 and I like the 5.0 also.The 5.0 was right there mpg wise with the 3.5 without any trailer.Towing with the 5.0 was around 12 mpg.Where I go it’s all flat but there are a lot of stoplights and stop signs to contend with.The 5.0 needs to rev to get into the power.If your in a mountainous area I would go with 3.5 the turbos will help out.

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