Will Gen 3 Tow Better than Gen 1?

Regarding F-150s vs Tacoma and efficiency/MPG while towing. This is not apples-to-apples in any way, but for data's sake, the IKE Gauntlet results are:

- 2016 Ford F-150 Crew 4x4 5.0L -- 8:12 up @ 3.8 MPG (9,000lb trailer)
- 2015 Ford F-15 SuperCab 4x4 2.7L -- 7:38 up @ 4.3 MPG (7,700lb load)
- 2013 Ford F-150 Crew 4x4 EcoBoost -- 7:50 up @ 11.3 MPG (8,000lb load)
- 2013 Ford F-150 Crew 4x4 Ecoboost -- 7:36 up @ 2.9 MPG (10,000lb load)
- 2015 Toyota Tacoma DCab 4x4 4.0L -- 8:50 up @ unk MPG (6,100lb load)
- 2016 Toyota Tacoma DCab 4x4 3.5L -- 8:05 up @ 4.5 MPG (5,600lb trailer)


http://www.tfltruck.com/2016-ike-gauntlet-highway-mpg/

 

Lol oh my god... I pulled a full 6x12 UHAUL trailer over I-70 West that way in my '99. Floored in first or second gear half the time. Never again. Of course, I was at Max GVW. Oy, gives me a shudder thinking about it again.

 

When I tow my single jet ski I find myself looking down at the emergency brake thinking I didn't release it. Seriously. Manual mode in 4th.

 

I believe there are several threads on towing with the 2016's.

Some, not all, are not pretty with trips to the shop afterwards.

 

Just a single jet ski?... Sorry to hear that.

I tow a 16' flats boat that weighs approx #1500 (loaded with gear incl. trailer) plus the boat console has an above cab profile. Truck pulls it fine even with my mods... 5100's and 1.5" lift and 16x8 wheels with 265/75/16 tires. Of course I use etc and s4 and I have trailering pkg. Seems to tow as well as my 2nd gen did with same lift and wheels /tires. Towed the same boat with my 2nd gen for 6 years for many many miles and the 3rd gen seems to tow it just as well. This is mostly flat land towing. Does suck bucking a 30mph head wind but also did in the 2nd gen.

 

If you need to tow, buy something appropriate to tow what you need to tow for the area you need to tow in.

 

Not with the right drive train and suspension... I know it was a lot weaker (and older), but if the Dakotas could fit a 5.9 magnum, why not a 5.7 Taco?

 

I don't know if towing 10x per year or less warrants a full size truck.

 

Better than 2nd gen too.

 

Understood. Depends on many factors. Too many to even list.

But. If you have the wrong tow vehicle for the load, you can ruin the vehicle. Or die from an accident that the right vehicle would have prevented.

If my number crunching showed more tow was needed to be safe and reliable, but I didn't feel the solutions for that were affordable, I'd be looking for something smaller to tow.

 

I think I will only ever tow my 3,000 lb trailer + some mountain bikes. Maybe pull a flatbed to help a friend move furniture etc. I'd hope a Tacoma could handle that.