Tow Vehicle Recommendation - 3.5 EB F150 or 6.0 Chevrolet 2500

[Jreagan3525]

I am in the market for a new Tow Vehicle and would like to get some recommendations from you all.

A little background - my family and I recently bought a 2020 Imagine 2400BH. We travel light and have yet to exceed 7,000 lbs fully loaded. My current Tow Vehicle is a 2012 5.3 Chevrolet Silverado that has a max payload of 1,500lbs. I have upgraded to E rated tires as well as Bilstein 5100 shocks. While my current Silverado tows very stable with little sway, I would like to have some additional power and torque for longer tows to Colorado and Florida. My Tow Vehicle will also be used as my daily driver and fuel mileage is not a high priority. I have narrowed down my two choices to a 2019 F150 with the 3.5 EcoBoost and Max Tow Package that provides for 1,800 lbs of max payload or a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 with the 6.0 vortec.

I am leaning towards the F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost due to the 10 speed transmission and for the comfort of daily driving. From the research I have seen online and from talking to a few folks, the Ecoboost seems to provide plenty of torque in a 1/2 ton package. If I did choose the F150 I would immediately upgrade to E rated tires and Bilstein 5100s to help with towing stability. The 2500 with the 6.0 is a proven powertrain but I do not think that I would enjoy it as much for daily driving. One positive for the 2500 is that while my wife and I have no current plans to upgrade to a larger trailer, the 2500 3/4 ton would be a nice assurance in the event that we do choose to upgrade to a larger trailer in the future.

Thanks for all of your input!

[Heavy Half Ton]

Hopefully you are not in a hurry and can order the best 150 for towing anything - a 3.5 EB HDPP. With 2500 lbs of payload it lays just about any 1/2 in the dust, and 3/4 ton diesels as well. Worth the 8 to 12 week wait.

Payload is the first number blown out by most accounts. The hitch is rated for 1320 lbs tongue weight as well. That is the most I’ve seen in a class IV hitch.

The HDPP can only be had by special order. It is not normally found on a dealers lot. With the 301a package XLT, geezer tailgate, and running boards, nav, etc, I still got a 2500lb payload.

[ncitro]

I am in the market for a new Tow Vehicle and would like to get some recommendations from you all.

A little background - my family and I recently bought a 2020 Imagine 2400BH. We travel light and have yet to exceed 7,000 lbs fully loaded. My current Tow Vehicle is a 2012 5.3 Chevrolet Silverado that has a max payload of 1,500lbs. I have upgraded to E rated tires as well as Bilstein 5100 shocks. While my current Silverado tows very stable with little sway, I would like to have some additional power and torque for longer tows to Colorado and Florida. My Tow Vehicle will also be used as my daily driver and fuel mileage is not a high priority. I have narrowed down my two choices to a 2019 F150 with the 3.5 EcoBoost and Max Tow Package that provides for 1,800 lbs of max payload or a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 with the 6.0 vortec.

I am leaning towards the F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost due to the 10 speed transmission and for the comfort of daily driving. From the research I have seen online and from talking to a few folks, the Ecoboost seems to provide plenty of torque in a 1/2 ton package. If I did choose the F150 I would immediately upgrade to E rated tires and Bilstein 5100s to help with towing stability. The 2500 with the 6.0 is a proven powertrain but I do not think that I would enjoy it as much for daily driving. One positive for the 2500 is that while my wife and I have no current plans to upgrade to a larger trailer, the 2500 3/4 ton would be a nice assurance in the event that we do choose to upgrade to a larger trailer in the future.

Thanks for all of your input!

If you are looking at a new F150 and thinking of changing the tires out right away anyway I would steer you to the HDPP (Heavy Duty Payload Package) that includes LT tires from the factory and will have an even higher payload rating.

[Rapid1]

I am in the market for a new Tow Vehicle and would like to get some recommendations from you all.

A little background - my family and I recently bought a 2020 Imagine 2400BH. We travel light and have yet to exceed 7,000 lbs fully loaded. My current Tow Vehicle is a 2012 5.3 Chevrolet Silverado that has a max payload of 1,500lbs. I have upgraded to E rated tires as well as Bilstein 5100 shocks. While my current Silverado tows very stable with little sway, I would like to have some additional power and torque for longer tows to Colorado and Florida. My Tow Vehicle will also be used as my daily driver and fuel mileage is not a high priority. I have narrowed down my two choices to a 2019 F150 with the 3.5 EcoBoost and Max Tow Package that provides for 1,800 lbs of max payload or a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 with the 6.0 vortec.

I am leaning towards the F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost due to the 10 speed transmission and for the comfort of daily driving. From the research I have seen online and from talking to a few folks, the Ecoboost seems to provide plenty of torque in a 1/2 ton package. If I did choose the F150 I would immediately upgrade to E rated tires and Bilstein 5100s to help with towing stability. The 2500 with the 6.0 is a proven powertrain but I do not think that I would enjoy it as much for daily driving. One positive for the 2500 is that while my wife and I have no current plans to upgrade to a larger trailer, the 2500 3/4 ton would be a nice assurance in the event that we do choose to upgrade to a larger trailer in the future.

Thanks for all of your input!

If all you need is more power for towing, having already upgraded tires and shocks, visit Blackbearperformance.com. I have had their tune in my current daily driver since 2004 and I used to pull a 6500lb TT with it. I was extremely happy with their tuning services in my former 2500 Suburban. In GM's, the engine and transmission are controlled by the PCM and recalibration is based on your driving and sending an EFILive file back to Justin for a tune that works for how you operate. $400 beats who knows how much you will spend on another truck if all you are looking for is a bit more power and are happy with what you have. Another 1/2ton is a sideways move and you may decide to upgrade to a trailer that the Ford is even too little for. Go take a look, could be just what you need...

[JeffD68]

For years, I towed a trailer (2008 Pacific Coachworks Tango 299BHS) very similar to the 2400BH. My 2016 F-150 Max Tow did a fine job of it. The 3.5 EB is a beast with or without a trailer hanging off the truck, but it was not my preferred TV at the time. I also owned a 2005 Long Bed Crew Cab V10 Gas F-250. The F-150 was loaded with all of the latest tow technology. The F-250 was a sledgehammer. When it came time to do some towing, the technologically advanced F-150 sat in my driveway and the simpleton F-250 got to work. Even in the heaviest duty F-150, most components are less robust. The brakes are significantly smaller, the wheelbase is shorter, and the truck will just weigh less. All of those things conspire against any 1/2 ton truck no matter how it is optioned. All that being said, the F-150 you are considering would make easy work of pulling your trailer and the turbos would be great if towing at elevation. The 2500 would almost certainly make for a more stable and composed towing experience.

[Buckskin]

Rear end gear ratio and size of brakes on TV make huge difference. I have Toyota Tundra 5.7 engine with 4.30 rear end and it will out tow my friends new 2019 Silverado 2500 with 6.0 gas engine and 4.10 rear end but his has larger brakes rotors and will haul a lot more in bed of truck. Too bad they don't make a pickup truck with 2 speed rear end, one gear ratio for towing and one for MPG. Remember driving old gas engine box trucks with 2 speed rear end and when loaded it could climb a hill.

[Bamaman]

The old 6.0 is a tried and true cast iron LS motor. But I like the 6.2 aluminum LS motor in the 1/2 ton better. It revs a little higher, but gets far better fuel mileage unloaded. I've seen some of the 6.0's getting dismal fuel mileage.

My preferred would be the Max Tow F150 with the 3.5 liter E/B, and they come with the 3.73 gear ratio I prefer. It's a beast.

[Walkdog]

Its just plain common sense to buy more truck! If you know you will never need a 3/4 ton get it, if you know you will never need a 1 ton dually, get it! Especially when you tow a lot.

[Wicked ace]

Another pitch for an F150 w/HDPP & max tow package. You won't regret it. Look at my sig below

[Brother_Bluto]

I'm a Ford convert (from 25yrs with GM trucks). GM was getting too far behind (cabin comforts, electronics, headlamps, mirrors, etc). I do think GM'S 2020 models will chip away at most of my gripes in the HD line, but still a bit behind IMO. Both will pull a 2400. But note
Note however that the 2400 will likely be the smallest trailer you will own/tow. I kicked myself for not going with the 1T with my last GM truck back in 2015 (hence the 2017 F350 For our 28BH), and now I kick myself for not just going with a DRW back then. I now have an F450 on order so we can look at Momentums down the road. it will be my daily driver as well.