New truck

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elf

Well-known member
Been starting to plan for the end of the working life stage and go to the enjoying life stage. One of the things we want to do is camp/travel more and move up to a 5th wheel and the old 2016 F150 wasn't going to be up to the task so we went big. Its a 2023 F350 with the 7.3 gas engine. Only took 2 months from the time I ordered it until we got it. Haven't drove it much yet but really do like the 10 speed transmission. Hooking it up to the sled trailer tonight and heading for the cabin. Curious to see how it feels pulling that vs the 1/2 ton. IMG_0863S.jpg
 
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600_RMK_144

Active member
Beautiful truck! Did you have the EchoBoost or 5.0 v8 in the F150? I've got a 2019 5.0 and love the truck, but for towing our little two place it sure doesn't get very good fuel mileage! I suppose cruising at 85mph probably doesn't help either. LOL!

You won't know the trailer is back there with the f350!!!!
 

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elf

Well-known member
600_RMK_144 said:
Beautiful truck! Did you have the EchoBoost or 5.0 v8 in the F150? I've got a 2019 5.0 and love the truck, but for towing our little two place it sure doesn't get very good fuel mileage! I suppose cruising at 85mph probably doesn't help either. LOL!

You won't know the trailer is back there with the f350!!!!
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My F150 had the 5.0. My sled trailer is a 4
Place enclosed and we got about 10 pulling it but never ran more than 70 with it. It just pushed the truck around more than I liked.
 
snoden

snoden

Active member
elf my brother has a 22 250 with the 7.3, towing an inline 4 place @ 70mph he gets 10.5 when bumped up to 75mph it dropped to 8.5 but that was also in the upper hillier section of lower Michigan. Any big truck (250 or larger) tows like a dream, they just don't get pushed around. A little rougher ride comes with the territory with a beefier suspension until your hauling/towing with it.
 
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elf

Well-known member
goofy600 said:
Elf, reason for gas over diesel? Looking at a 1 ton but in diesel.
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So my reason is truly cost related. It would be another 8K for the diesel along with more expensive to maintain. Everything I’ve read on the 7.3 says it’s really up to the job for as much as I want to tow, 12-13000 lbs. And I just won’t put enough miles on it to justify a diesel.
 
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old abe

Well-known member
goofy600 said:
Elf, reason for gas over diesel? Looking at a 1 ton but in diesel.
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I know quite a few people who ijn the last few years have went from HD Diesels to the Super duty 7.3 gas. They all are glad they made that choice, cheaper, less expenses, no DEF.
 
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Tuck

Active member
good for you! In my past experience the diesel pulls the best however that comes with a cost up front, fuel, and maintenance over the life of the truck. For me the tow miles just were not high enough to justify the overall expense. I run gassers now for the business and personal use and just do not look at the mpg while on the long tow hauls. If I was pulling more miles for sure would get the diesel again.
 
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wfd123

Member
Just picked up a 2023 Silverado LTZ with a 6.2L and the heavy duty trailer package. Think this will pull my 2 place just fine. Didn’t get the Duramax with the possibility of changing the oil pump belt at 150000 miles. Also have a 2008 Silverado with the 6.0 VortexMax with 250000 miles with zero engine work done. Still runs like a champ. Regular oil changes along with regular service keeps these LS motors running forever. Also frequent runs through a car wash for the under body flush.
 
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elf

Well-known member
So just got home from the cabin pulling the 4 place enclosed trailer. What a difference. There’s no sway, no wiggle. The truck is pulling the trailer, not the trailer pushing the truck. Very stable and confidence boosting.
Some of you may remember a post I had a few years back where we hit some ice and got spun around and ended up facing the wrong way on the freeway with the family and a fully loaded trailer. Since then I’ve always been a bit nervous pulling that trailer but today it’s like it wasn’t even there.
 
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elf

Well-known member
Tuck said:
good for you! In my past experience the diesel pulls the best however that comes with a cost up front, fuel, and maintenance over the life of the truck. For me the tow miles just were not high enough to justify the overall expense. I run gassers now for the business and personal use and just do not look at the mpg while on the long tow hauls. If I was pulling more miles for sure would get the diesel again.
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Exactly.
 
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Sweep800

Active member
elf said:
So just got home from the cabin pulling the 4 place enclosed trailer. What a difference. There’s no sway, no wiggle. The truck is pulling the trailer, not the trailer pushing the truck. Very stable and confidence boosting.
Some of you may remember a post I had a few years back where we hit some ice and got spun around and ended up facing the wrong way on the freeway with the family and a fully loaded trailer. Since then I’ve always been a bit nervous pulling that trailer but today it’s like it wasn’t even there.
Click to expand...
Ok I gotta ask, if you have a cabin, why trailer at all? Reason I ask is the same thing happened to me about 15 years ago, spun a loaded 4 place heading south on 39 wound up facing northbound on opposite side ! Said to myself, I’m done with this!! Got(built) a place in St Germain and haven’t brought them home since. 😬
 
heckler56

heckler56

Active member
elf said:
So just got home from the cabin pulling the 4 place enclosed trailer. What a difference. There’s no sway, no wiggle. The truck is pulling the trailer, not the trailer pushing the truck. Very stable and confidence boosting.
Some of you may remember a post I had a few years back where we hit some ice and got spun around and ended up facing the wrong way on the freeway with the family and a fully loaded trailer. Since then I’ve always been a bit nervous pulling that trailer but today it’s like it wasn’t even there.
Click to expand...
The SuperDuty chassis loves pulling and the 7.3 is a proven engine. I switched to diesels in 2000 and unfortunately diesel fuel prices have tracked higher than gas since. Before you could count on it to be lower. By having gas and planning to travel you won’t have worries like “is the fuel fresh, can I run biofuel, do I need an additive, and then there is DEF).
I finally decided 3 years ago to stepdown to the F150 (5.0- staying away from turbos). My 17’ cargo trailer owns that light F150. Several trips to the UP this year there were gale force cross winds either off Lake Superior or Michigan and I had to back down to below 40 mph or risk a spinout or unintentional lane change.
 
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elf

Well-known member
Sweep800 said:
Ok I gotta ask, if you have a cabin, why trailer at all? Reason I ask is the same thing happened to me about 15 years ago, spun a loaded 4 place heading south on 39 wound up facing northbound on opposite side ! Said to myself, I’m done with this!! Got(built) a place in St Germain and haven’t brought them home since. 😬
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So my cabin is only about 80 miles from home and we have good snow here most of the time also so I enjoy a weekend spin around here also. We used to leave them up there most of the time but don’t have a garage so we just parked them behind the cabin. But then weekends got busier with kid events and it might be 3-4 weeks between trips up and then I wouldn’t even be able to take a quick spin around here.
 
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