[Zeroroadkill]

OK folks I finally figured out what to do with an F150 eco-boost while towing a trailer to reduce the chances of the temperature gage zipping up to hot and getting an overheating alarm. I’ve done some testing pulling a 7500 pound 26 foot cougar trailer up some pretty good grades in Idaho and come to the conclusion you cannot leave it in automatic shift it tends to over revved the engine past 3000 RPMs heating up the turbos significant and causing an overheat issue immediately! So here’s what I found we have a 2011 F150 eco-boost it says it can tow 11,500 pounds obviously that’s on a downhill grade but if you go into manual shift mode and keep the RPMs between 2200 & 3200 RPMs she will pull just fine and be happy temperature wise anything below 2200 RPMs she’ll bog anything over 3200 RPMs the temperature gage will go max quickly! So what I do is shift between fifth gear and fourth gear to keep the RPMs as close to 2500 RPMs as possible I can maintain 60 to 75 miles an hour pulling a 7500 pound travel trailer upgrades. Don’t try to pass a semi going uphill you will hit max temp within 15 seconds!!! The eco-boost loves 2500 RPMs! If you push her to 3000 or 3500 or even 4000 RPMs you will see the red light come on quickly!So manual shift keep RPMs between 2200 RPMs and 3200 RPMs nothing more.

 

[Arkansas Eco]

Turbos vs gearing.

You can also slow down and use lower gears like 4th with 12th gen. 6th/7th with 10 speeds.
Why the need to run 75 while pulling 7500 pounds ?
Are you sure your particular truck is rated to tow 11.5k ?

 

[mass-hole]

Turbos vs gearing.

You can also slow down and use lower gears like 4th with 12th gen. 6th/7th with 10 speeds.
Why the need to run 75 while pulling 7500 pounds ?
Are you sure your particular truck is rated to tow 11.5k ?

Going much slower than 70mph here in UT, ID, and WY(probably MT too) can get a little sketchy. The 18 wheelers are doing 75-80 in some cases and things start to get weird when you hold them up and people start acting crazy.

I try to not go any faster than 70, but sometimes I find myself with the cruise at 75 too. Its not weird to be getting passed by guys towing at 80+. Especially the folks with the HD diesels.

 

[Zeroroadkill]

Going much slower than 70mph here in UT, ID, and WY(probably MT too) can get a little sketchy. The 18 wheelers are doing 75-80 in some cases and things start to get weird when you hold them up and people start acting crazy.

I try to not go any faster than 70, but sometimes I find myself with the cruise at 75 too. Its not weird to be getting passed by guys towing at 80+. Especially the folks with the HD diesels.

Exactly!!! Hwy 84 is 80mph, trucks 70mph, but always do 75mph. If you don't do at least 70mph which is not a difficult thing to do towing 7500lbs you can find yourself in a troublesome situation with semi-trucks etc. I've seen too many people do stupid things when coming up on slow RV'ers. Go with the flow...

The F150 4WD Ecoboost with tow package is rated for 11,500lbs, but like I mentioned that is on flat ground or downhill! This truck will not tow 11,500lbs up a grade!!! Many people complain about their Ecoboost overheating when towing pulling a grade, it's happened to me too in "tow mode" and I have discovered how to eliminate that problem. It just takes a little effort on your part and monitoring your rpm's. In "tow mode" auto, the truck will try to keep the rpm's up for longer and higher than necessary causing the turbo's to get really hot and causing the engine to overheat. Notice when this happens if you back off the ****** pedal the temp drops immediately? If you don't believe me just try it. Manual mode and keep rpm's between 2200 and 3200 max. The truck likes 2500rpm's, runs cool, and pulls great.

 

[Zeroroadkill]

...and this is with the AC on and 95° out!!!🙂

 

[NickG80]

...and this is with the AC on and 95° out!!!🙂

Do you live in ID? If so lets compare Ecoboost because mine will not hold 70moh when it’s 95 out. This afternoon(1 ish) combing up 84 headed west from Idaho city. I was lucky to hold 65 when the ext temp showed 86. Temps were fluctuating between 230 and 231 A/C off. Plus the grooved pavement sucks there!

 

[Zeroroadkill]

Do you live in ID? If so lets compare Ecoboost because mine will not hold 70moh when it’s 95 out. This afternoon(1 ish) combing up 84 headed west from Idaho city. I was lucky to hold 65 when the ext temp showed 86. Temps were fluctuating between 230 and 231 A/C off. Plus the grooved pavement sucks there!

Yup, Boise. Just came back from Hagerman today, 93° out towing 26' trailer against a headwind (always there!!!)
AC on (most of the way) except on longest grades, kept WOT in manual mode, M4-M5 gears, 2200rpm to a max of 3200rpm 60-75mph. I just stay with the semi's. They have more torque!!! LOL! I hate passing a semi just to have him blow my doors off up a hill!!! As soon as rpm's reach 3300-4000 rpm's it heats goes up quickly! 2500rpm's is the sweet spot. 89,000 miles, 2011 F150 4WD long bed Ecoboost running premium gas.

 

[Arkansas Eco]

Going much slower than 70mph here in UT, ID, and WY(probably MT too) can get a little sketchy. The 18 wheelers are doing 75-80 in some cases and things start to get weird when you hold them up and people start acting crazy.

I try to not go any faster than 70, but sometimes I find myself with the cruise at 75 too. Its not weird to be getting passed by guys towing at 80+. Especially the folks with the HD diesels.

LOL I don't mind getting passed if my engine might overheat if I don't slow down and increase revs.

 

[Arkansas Eco]

Exactly!!! Hwy 84 is 80mph, trucks 70mph, but always do 75mph. If you don't do at least 70mph which is not a difficult thing to do towing 7500lbs you can find yourself in a troublesome situation with semi-trucks etc. I've seen too many people do stupid things when coming up on slow RV'ers. Go with the flow...

The F150 4WD Ecoboost with tow package is rated for 11,500lbs, but like I mentioned that is on flat ground or downhill! This truck will not tow 11,500lbs up a grade!!! Many people complain about their Ecoboost overheating when towing pulling a grade, it's happened to me too in "tow mode" and I have discovered how to eliminate that problem. It just takes a little effort on your part and monitoring your rpm's. In "tow mode" auto, the truck will try to keep the rpm's up for longer and higher than necessary causing the turbo's to get really hot and causing the engine to overheat. Notice when this happens if you back off the ****** pedal the temp drops immediately? If you don't believe me just try it. Manual mode and keep rpm's between 2200 and 3200 max. The truck likes 2500rpm's, runs cool, and pulls great.

You're the one complaining about your engine overheating for trying to boost too much to go fast while towing LOL Heckfire ! All ya gotta do is slow down to 70 in 4th (if 6 speed) and you will be in that sweet spot 🤷🏻‍♂️
Not all the trucks with that combo you mention are rated to tow 11.5k. Where did you read that ? Has to be a certain frame size, gearing, engine, hitch rating, low options, etc., then it has to have enough payload rating. What's your payload sticker say ?
You can't tell me anything about towing with any truck, including a cabover tractor. I been doing all the above 45 years, if you don't count dragging a log trailer out of the muddy woods being towed by a log skidder on tracks.

 

[Arkansas Eco]

Do you live in ID? If so lets compare Ecoboost because mine will not hold 70moh when it’s 95 out. This afternoon(1 ish) combing up 84 headed west from Idaho city. I was lucky to hold 65 when the ext temp showed 86. Temps were fluctuating between 230 and 231 A/C off. Plus the grooved pavement sucks there!

What are your truck specs ? You can list them as your signature for all posts.
Have you tried slowing down and increasing revs with the gearing or locking out the OD gears ?

 

[NickG80]

Yup, Boise. Just came back from Hagerman today, 93° out towing 26' trailer against a headwind (always there!!!)
AC on (most of the way) except on longest grades, kept WOT in manual mode, M4-M5 gears, 2200rpm to a max of 3200rpm 60-75mph. I just stay with the semi's. They have more torque!!! LOL! I hate passing a semi just to have him blow my doors off up a hill!!! As soon as rpm's reach 3300-4000 rpm's it heats goes up quickly! 2500rpm's is the sweet spot. 89,000 miles, 2011 F150 4WD long bed Ecoboost running premium gas.

What are your truck specs ? You can list them as your signature for all posts.
Have you tried slowing down and increasing revs with the gearing or locking out the OD gears ?

I have 2014 Screw 6.5’ bed max tow, 7700 with 3:73 gear ratio. I have taken it to twin falls and back when it was high 70’s truck did okay but it went 3/4 up gauge coming out of hagerman. Probably cause I’m driving wrong, I’ve always had pushrod GM’s the new LS motors just scream to pull anything up a hill, older trucks wanted to be around 3k. Guess I just have a learning curve. Climbing highway 21 out of Lowman to Idaho City was fine highest I saw was 228 . I’ve just been told to stay out of the boost. So I always downshift and hold 3500 and make sure the boost is low (2-3 psi).

 

[Zeroroadkill]

Truck is rated at 11.5k! Says so! I doubt it! Anyway there’s no need to slow down as long as you keep the RPMs at 2500 you can go as fast as you damn well please and the truck will run just fine it’s when you’re on the boost and you get above 3200 RPMs the turbos will get very hot and the truck will overheat end of story. Not going to debate this! I did the testing. Try it yourself. Pulled 7000lbs trailer to Sturgis 80-85mph all the way and back, no problems. Been towing for 60+ years. Good luck!👍

 

[Arkansas Eco]

I highly doubt the truck is rated to tow 11.5k but also not gonna argue LOL

 

[mass-hole]

Mines rated to tow 11,100 lbs, I do know that, but it struggles with temperature at literally 1/2 of that rating towing my 5500 lb GVWR trailer.

None of these trucks(F150 or otherwise) get their tow ratings assuming its a travel trailer. If you watch the SAE J2807 tow tests, its usually a flat bed trailer with iron plates on it that have little to no aerodynamic drag. The effort the trucks have to put in to not only tow that weight but also pull a box(travel trailer) through the air at freeways speeds is immense. Thats where the problem lies and why I have been eyeballing the 7' wide Winnebago MicroMinnies.

I am almost certain if I was towing around 5500 lbs worth of polaris rzrs or a boat, I would have zero issue.

 

[Arkansas Eco]

Very few of these trucks are rated as high as yours, then there is the payload rating issue.
These Arkansas curvy roads limit towing speed alot LOL
I might be too tall and wide to feel comfy in a camper any smaller than mine. I would like to have a lighter made newer and longer with at least 1 slide tho, for retirement purposes.

 

[NickG80]

Mines rated at the 11.5k also. I have the 7700 gvwr with 1765 payload. I searched and searched for the highest payload. I’d imagine if mine didn’t have the 6.5’ bed it be even higher. Plus I think I’ve noticed trucks are optioned different out here. I’m originally from Georgia so I have some east coast experience LOL!

 

[Mitchf150]

Details in signature... Mitch

 

[mass-hole]

Mines rated at the 11.5k also. I have the 7700 gvwr with 1765 payload. I searched and searched for the highest payload. I’d imagine if mine didn’t have the 6.5’ bed it be even higher. Plus I think I’ve noticed trucks are optioned different out here. I’m originally from Georgia so I have some east coast experience LOL!

My truck is an East Coast truck. I bought it in MA shortly before I move to UT. Finding a 6.5’ bed there was not easy. My truck was the only one i found in the Screw, 6.5’, Lariat, max tow combo.

In UT it seems like half the crew cabs have 6.5’ beds.

 

[sms4Hou]

I have a 2013 ecoboost with towing package, modified, programmed, etc. (dual exhaust, larger throttle body, much larger full aluminum turbo intercooler, extra intercoolers, etc) I find at 6K lbs (2 horses + a 3500 lbs trailer) it really really notices a load, even with a towing program. That's why I got a used 2012 F250 6.7, all my problems magically went away, and I get better gas mileage pulling a 12K lb gooseneck horse trailer, than I do pulling a 3 horse slant steel trailer with the EcoBoost. No lie. HW mileage with no load is a wash, or maybe the diesel wins there too.

the 11K lbs towing on an 2011-2016 or 17 Ecoboost, to my understanding is only for the single cab, no frills model, that weighs, 1000-1500 lbs less than a super cab or a crew cab with all the bells and whistles.

OK folks I finally figured out what to do with an F150 eco-boost while towing a trailer to reduce the chances of the temperature gage zipping up to hot and getting an overheating alarm. I’ve done some testing pulling a 7500 pound 26 foot cougar trailer up some pretty good grades in Idaho and come to the conclusion you cannot leave it in automatic shift it tends to over revved the engine past 3000 RPMs heating up the turbos significant and causing an overheat issue immediately! So here’s what I found we have a 2011 F150 eco-boost it says it can tow 11,500 pounds obviously that’s on a downhill grade but if you go into manual shift mode and keep the RPMs between 2200 & 3200 RPMs she will pull just fine and be happy temperature wise anything below 2200 RPMs she’ll bog anything over 3200 RPMs the temperature gage will go max quickly! So what I do is shift between fifth gear and fourth gear to keep the RPMs as close to 2500 RPMs as possible I can maintain 60 to 75 miles an hour pulling a 7500 pound travel trailer upgrades. Don’t try to pass a semi going uphill you will hit max temp within 15 seconds!!! The eco-boost loves 2500 RPMs! If you push her to 3000 or 3500 or even 4000 RPMs you will see the red light come on quickly!So manual shift keep RPMs between 2200 RPMs and 3200 RPMs nothing more.

I

 

[mass-hole]

I have a 2013 ecoboost with towing package, modified, programmed, etc. (dual exhaust, larger throttle body, much larger full aluminum turbo intercooler, extra intercoolers, etc) I find at 6K lbs (2 horses + a 3500 lbs trailer) it really really notices a load, even with a towing program. That's why I got a used 2012 F250 6.7, all my problems magically went away, and I get better gas mileage pulling a 12K lb gooseneck horse trailer, than I do pulling a 3 horse slant steel trailer with the EcoBoost. No lie. HW mileage with no load is a wash, or maybe the diesel wins there too.

the 11K lbs towing on an 2011-2016 or 17 Ecoboost, to my understanding is only for the single cab, no frills model, that weighs, 1000-1500 lbs less than a super cab or a crew cab with all the bells and whistles.

Sounds like something was wrong, because mine tows my 5500 lb travel trailer like a freight train unless its to hot outside. Even then, it still pulls well, I just have to be careful on the hills.