[HiHoStevo]

I am looking to replace my wife's '03 Honda Pilot (which gets 16mpg city/20 hwy) with a vehicle with additional towing capacity.

We don't know exactly what we will be towing yet, so flexibility would be helpful.

I am not sure my bank account will support a new truck right now so I was curious if there have been any improvements or updates to the EB engine/drive train since it was introduced in mid-2011??

trailering folks tell me that I need at least a 6' bed to mount a 5th wheel hitch, although as I mentioned the "boss" and I have not settled on exactly what type or size of a trailer we are going to purchase.

I am also curious as to what "real world" difference in fuel mileage folks are seeing between the 3.73 rear end and 3.55 gear set??

Thank you for your assistance

 

[jared]

I dont think there is much of a difference in mileage between rear end ratios ive gotten 22+ with mine on several trips. However, if you are planning on a travel trailer I would definitely go with the 3.73. I just towed my dads 29ft about 250 miles round trip and the truck would tow it in overdrive with very little downshifting. I went up high rise bridges in 5th gear at 2k it was an impressive display of lowend power. I got the 373 so that it would have no trouble with my little 3k lb boat In overdrive I had no idea it would pull a 6k lb camper in od.

 

[SPPD]

Welcome to the forum Stevo!

As far as I know the only difference between the 11-12 and the 13 EcoBeast is that the earlier pre 13s had an issue with the CAC (intercooler). Ford has a TSB fix and it seems to have resolved the issue for most. All the other differences seem to be trim such as grill and stereo options.

If you want flexibility for towing that will still return decent mpgs the 373 with MaxTow and max payload will be the perfect choice. You have to get the longer beds to tow a 5th wheel, but some have had success with the short box and a slider hitch.

I am towing a 9k 36' travel trailer and it tows great back there. I have gotten 13mpg towing, but it wind I have gotten as low as 6. Usually right around 11 average. Without towing I have seen as high as 24mpg on the highway but closer to 20-21 average. Around town I get 16-18.

On the EcoBeast good fuel economy doesn't come without some changes in driving style and a little slower highway speeds. The sweet spot for highway economy seems to be between 62 and 67 mph. Once you push over 70 the economy dives quickly.

There are several threads on this forum on how to get the most mpg out of these trucks. If you want towing flexibility but still want decent mpg there is no better choice than the EcoBeast!

Just a bit of advice from people that have made the mistake before. Pick your trailer first and then shop for a Tow Vehicle that can handle it. Don't trust the trailer dealer to tell you what you can tow. Do the research yourself. Some trailer dealers will tell you a Ranger will tow a 40' travel trailer just to make the sale.

Good luck on your truck hunt and the EcoBeast is a great choice for most applications.

SPPD

 

[AK-KingBoost]

Welcome to the Forum! I agree with SPPD and it is always best to select the trailer you will be towing first and then the tow vehicle.

Like SPPD had mentioned Ford has done some minor changes with each model year to keep the EcoBeast rolling strong and ahead of the game.

2011 model year is when Ford unleashed the beast and did a game changer with the EcoBeast. Max towing was 11,300lbs (2wd) and 11,100lbs (4wd). But I believe only a 22 gal fuel tank was standard on the Eco with no bigger tank as a option... something to consider if you are towing long distances.

2012 - addressed the request for more fuel tank capacity with a 36 gal tank and added a few trim levels options. Also added the two speed transfer case option on select upper trim levels (2wd, Auto 4wd, 4High, & 4Low) which can also be engaged at any speed and be operated on dry pavement.

2013- Ford added the Power folding and retracting Tow mirrors (2011-12s were manual folding and extending/retracting if you have a narrow garage door something to consider), projector headlights on upper trim level models, Payload increase on some trim levels, the option to combined max payload, and max tow pkg. And the Blow of Valve (BOV) was changed from mechanical to electrical operated, also within this model the MyTouch replaced the older touch screen NAV and HAVC controls on upper trim levels. Also redesigned grills and a few color options where added.

Either way and no matter what year you decided to go with your going to end up with a amazing daily driver and a tow monster of a truck. Most all issues that have come up Ford has addressed and fixed on all model years. Good Luck!

 

[HiHoStevo]

Thank you very much for your comments and information... I will let you know how the search goes.

Have any of you folks used "Tuning" on your trucks... as the vast majority of the time the truck will just be commuting around town it would seem helpful to have a "tune" that would de-rate the power output towards an economy setting of some kind??

 

[13'TwinScrew]

2013's have larger turbos, too. 51mm vs 48mm. Geoff at Full-race has confirmed that they can also make a slight bit more power than pre 2013's. I would assume a tune would be needed. Mike at 5star posted dyno numbers for the 2013 and it didn't max as high but held an overall flatter curve.

 

[FordFan]

I have the 2011 ecoboost and am very happy with the truck. I tow a 35ft trailer that is about 9000 lbs, and the truck has no trouble. I installed a bully dog tune and found gas mileage to decrease with day to day driving but it was much better when towing. I only install the tune now when towing. Stock the rest of the time. I think some of the bad fuel mileage during the day to day was caused by me wanting to punch it all the time because this truck goes like stink with a tune.

 

[skeet]

I have a 2011, and my only complaint is the smaller fuel tank.

 

[SPPD]

I have a 2011, and my only complaint is the smaller fuel tank.

I have a 2013 and it only has a 26 gallon tank. I had no idea that the 38 gallon was an option. It seems pretty counter intuitive that they would put the max tow package on a truck without the larger tank.

SPPD

 

[AK-KingBoost]

I have a 2013 and it only has a 26 gallon tank. I had no idea that the 38 gallon was an option. It seems pretty counter intuitive that they would put the max tow package on a truck without the larger tank.

SPPD

Yeah I agree in that if you check max tow or payload pkg the 36 gal tank should come with it lol... Makes a big difference for me up here where gas stations are 100s of miles apart.