After about three months of hard looking and selling his truck privately, my dad closed in on a deal yesterday afternoon. He ended up purchasing a 2010 Ford F-150 Lariat with a 5.4L v8 and a 3.73 axle ratio. I knew going into his shopping my dad was partial to Fords because the truck he just sold was a ford and it ran strong for 10 years straight.

After test driving the Toyota Tundra, Dodge Ram, and Ford F-150, he couldn't get over how refined the new Ford was. He just felt it looked the most classy, and least immature looking. Of course he knew I owned a dodge so he knew deep down I wanted him to get a new Ram, but they just don't do it for him. I questioned why dodge is so far behind in the half ton department with towing, and why Tundra is so chincy. Although the Ford isn't "fast", it's extremely powerful and feels like a tank when your driving it. I can literally feel how his truck could tow 11,200 pounds, it's a monster. The last truck he owned was just a 4.6L v8. He didn't know much about motor sizes or gear ratios, so I made sure I went with him. I told my dad if he was going to get the Ford, it had to have the 5.4L v8 and the 3.73 axle ratio, besides those are the drivetrain options that enable it to tow at its maximum capability. The dodges are great looking, drive amazing, and are powerful, but towing just doesn't match up, and at the end of the day isn't that what a truck is for....work?

I wish dodge would take their towing more seriously, I think it would allow true truck buyers who drive half tons and three quarter tons to consider their trucks more often. Although the F-150 is a half ton, it can tow as much as the three quarter tons could of yesteryear. The ford isn't a performance truck, but it really does impress me with its all around quality, rugged frame, and tough truck look. I can see the market being in trouble when Ford offers a high horsepower motor like the Hemi and I-Force if the Ram doesn't up the towing capacity by at least 2,000 pounds.

 

I gotta admit, Furds are great tow vehicles, especially compared to the 4th Gen Ram 1500s. My 3rd Gen does well, especially with the mods I've done to it, such as 4.56 gears. I've towed a 7700 lbs. tractor/box blade combo on a very heavy 21' dual axle trailer and it felt solid. But a Furd with 100 HP less, feels just as capable as a tow vehicle in it's stock form to me.

Recently four of us took our ATVs to a privately owned off road park in south Ga. We used the above mentioned trailer with all four ATVs on it. I'm guessing in the 4500 lb. range with trailer. Two trucks went, one of my buddies in his brand spanking new '09 Ram 1500 QCSB 4x4 and another buddy took his '07 Furd extra cab F150 w/5.4 V8.

We pulled the trailer there with the Dodge and back with the Furd. I rode in the passenger seat of the pulling truck both ways, because it was mainly my suggestion that I wanted to see which would tow better.
It was no contest! Even with a major HP and fairly considerable TQ advantage, the Dodge kinda felt like you had to "work" to keep the trailer tracking straight and took a good bit more driver awareness of the load being back there. With the Furd, basically, it was like the load wasn't even there.

I don't know if it's the frame of the Furd, the coils at all four corners now on the 4th Gen Rams or what, but towing with the Furd is without a doubt much more effortless.

I've had two full size Furd trucks, a diesel about 16 years ago, and a new '97 F150 4x4 that had a major engine failure with only 14k miles on it. I never really trusted the truck after that and soon got rid of it for my first Dodge, a new '98 1500 RCSB 4x4. Because of the experience with the Furd and the issues I had with the dealer over it's repair, I'll probably NEVER own another Furd. But I can't deny they build 'em better for towing than Nissan, Toyota, GM or Dodge...

 

That's strange that you had a motor problem like that so early on. From all of the ford vehicles we have owned, the motors have always ran great for us. I guess I'm a little bummed about all of the truck companies these days, it seems like where one manufacturer rules it lacks in another. The fords tow the best but aren't quick like the tundra and ram. The Tundras are the fastest but they are overrated and priced, wound up sounding and appear to be cheap. The dodges are fast, and look the best, but they don't tow that great and add in the coil-link suspension in the rear and who knows if that will be a laughing matter 10 years from now.

The Tundra seems to have the all around best specs with performance and towing capabilities, but after driving them numerous times, the interiors aren't very inviting, the c-frame bothers me, and their exterior is much too bloated for my taste. I like the look of the dodge, but then again, I couldn't see someone like my dad driving a Ram, they just seem a little too spunky for a middle aged man. I guess it just all comes down to preferance and what your willing to sacrifice. Someone like myself typically just drives a lot, and occasionally I will tow a 5,000 pound load, and my truck does it handily. While I'm not towing though, I want to go fast.

 

My previous F-150 was a 1997 with 4.6 liter. I traded that truck in on my wifes 2005 with 265,000 miles on the clock and besides regular maintenance and ball joints, tie rod ends and a clutch no trouble. Somewhere in 1999 Ford back spec'd 5w20 oil for all of their modular motors and that is what I used in the truck most of its life.

 

If I gave a crap about towing anything significant I would get a diesel. Ford, Dodge, doesn't matter.

However, I have towed my friends 20ft trailer with his backhoe and 2 riding tractors on it with my ram 1500 hemi 3.92 gearing, weighing it at roughly 7800 lbs and while it did to work tow that much, I didnt feel uncomfortable, and I didn't feel like It was trying to hard, I was able to get and maintain 75mph even as high as 80mph without any issues at all. That was from springfield to Harrison, Arkansas over several very steep long grades. Thats the most I will ever tow, more than likely never tow that much again. So I must say, personally I am very happy with my dodges performance.

**Edit**
I was using airbags to shore up the rear at the time.

 

I get spoiled by diesels so much towing with a gas truck has been ruined for me now . My truck handles the trailer just fine and the brakes and suspension are on par but them Hemi really struggles when pulling 7500-8000lbs plus its own weight thank god I have 4.56's. I have driven the ford trucks with the 5.4 Triton. Unladen that is one disappointing power train but hook up a trailer and it doesn't even seem affected. How the hell do they do that? I guess that's where ford uses tuning and proper gears ratios to their advantage then flaunts it against the competition

 

fords have pretty solid trannys, and great gear ratios. thats how they tow so effortlessly.

 

True, but heck, the tranny on my garden tractor has to be better most the dodges out there. lol. Heck, thought about doing that swap once or twice, lol.

But I have to say the DSP makes it a touch better.

 

You just about need a CDL to drive a new F150 they are so darn heavy.
There is no reason to tow 11K with a 1/2 ton pick-up. That's what 2500 and 3500 series trucks are for. If I am towing that kind of load, I would want dual rear tires anyway. I think 9000lbs it more than enough for a 1/2 ton truck. My 08 Ram has more than enough power to tow 11K, but I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't do it with the F160 either.
I do not like the dash of the new F150, it has way too many buttons where the radio/ HVAC controls are. Why does everything have to be so complicated these days. I prefer the 3 **** set-up myself. I don't want a electronically controlled automotive HVAC system. I like to be able to control what my system does.
I've been a Ford guy most of my life. I recently went to Dodge and I am quite happy. The new F150 is not a pretty truck and is too big and bulky for me. You shouldn't need a ladder to be able to put something in the bed. The rails are way to tall.
I do agree, Dodge needs to get their heads out of their butts and get a durable 6 speed auto for the gas powered 1500's. The 310hp 5.4L probably puts more power to the ground than the 390hp Hemi because of the tranny!!!!

 

Do you use the 91 or 93 tune for towing? What tranny settings do you use?