Hey guys,

Here's my new daily driver and tow rig. So far I like it a lot! Just mailed Bob at Full Throttle a check for my engine build so hopefully the parts don't take too long to come in and I can get to see how she does towing from Spicewood. If she does that the rest of Texas will be no big deal.

2013 Ford F-150 Ecoboost 4x4 Max Tow

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very nice Evan!!  I miss my ford!  but do like my dodge.  keep us up on how it does.   

Nice rig! I can only imagine how small that truck will look in front of your Sunny. My Nordic makes Ole Bess (ye ole Dodge 2500) look like a mini truck. Does the max tow package come with big arse brakes and such? Is your trailer EOH?

the package includes

Includes:
• Upgraded rear bumper
• Class IV trailer hitch receiver
• 7-pin wiring harness
• Upgraded radiator
• Auxiliary transmission oil cooler
• Trailer Brake Control
• SelectShift Transmission
• Side Mirrors, black manual telescoping trailer tow w/power glass
(includes heat, turn signal & puddle lamps)
• Memory feature included on side mirrors when order with FX Luxury
Package (55F)

Looks real nice!

Jay Gadsby wrote on Sep 7^th, 2013 at 3:10pm:

Nice rig! I can only imagine how small that truck will look in front of your Sunny. My Nordic makes Ole Bess (ye ole Dodge 2500) look like a mini truck. Does the max tow package come with big arse brakes and such? Is your trailer EOH?

Oya, the Sunny will dwarf the F-150 for sure. No argument a 3/4 ton truck would have been better for pure towing. What I got is the best compromise and does appear to be up for the job the few times a year I tow. This sure as hell isn't going to make me sell my lift any time soon! :) Having an 11k towing rating for a 6500 lb boat plus aluminum trailer should be good.

The trailer currently has surge brakes but going EOH is on the shopping list. After talking to 97FastTech and G, it seems like the obvious choice after hearing their experiences switching over.

Nice truck.,  I was considering trading the titan in for one of those.  after going out with the boat this year.  its evident in the fought i need a 4x4 to hit some of the dirt launches available.

Having a turbo gas engine in a 1/2 truck is wild, pretty fun to drive. Lots of good 1/2 ton trucks, but the Eco Boost is well worth looking at.

I would love to get some EOH brakes, but with my heavy arse truck equipped with an exhaust brake, the surge setup works great. I love turbocharged engines. I only have the one big arse turbo, but she does sound lovely spooling up:)

Exhaust brakes are way fun :) With how light Nordics are and how much truck you have, yeah EOH might be overkill. Or wait...doesn't the baby need EOH? I bet the wife would agree.  8-)

My surge brakes seem to do pretty well when I've towed it around. What I'm concerned about is how steep the ramps are here. I pulled my 22' Monterey with a Porsche Cayenne S which did awesome, plenty of power and huge brakes so it did great. It was in the shop (why eventually we got rid of it) and borrowed a 2WD Expedition. I got to the top of the ramp, backed down and the boat dragged the truck all the way to the water. No control at all. So glad I was dead on center otherwise I'd of crashed in to the guy next to us. Sold the Cayenne for a 2WD Ram 1500, if I had a full tank of fuel and a couple full coolers I could still feel it slip backwards. I am guessing having AWD was the difference, but not sure why that applies to braking.

That said...much heavier boat now, I do have 4WD, but I would be much happier having another four or six wheels braking me while backing down.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated!

Every time I back down with an automatic I start out slow and when I fill the weight of the boat pulling on the truck I go slower and put the truck in drive.  with the truck in drive if I need to catch the boat I can.  I have been doing this for years and that includes putting my uncles heavy 28ft Mariah cabin boat he had and oldtimer behind my dodge at Georgetown and Jones brothers main ramp.  also make sure you are not in the wet tracks of the person before you.  most trailer electric or hydraulic do not brake in reverse.  I do not know if the EOH will apply brakes in reverse.  if you slide down the ramp you started out going to fast always make sure the truck is in control

Sure, flying down the ramp could cause that. But backing down slowly and having zero control is a function of traction. Putting it in drive won't help if you have no traction.

My truck weighs about the same as my boat actually. I never really feel any weight transfer, or anything.

That's the original Nordic trailer right? I've heard good things about them too. You've got a great setup for sure.

just saying that I have never slid down a ramp.  just a thought to try and help.  hope you don't have any issues.  you also have to remember that suvs are heavier in the rear so your truck should be better.  after a little research EOH does brake in reverse so that would be the best thing you can add to your setup.

Nathan, not only does EOH brake in reverse, but around corners also, basically it brakes every time you push the pedal.  EOH with the controller set up correctly, will allow the user to add more brake to trailer, so the trailer actually can stop the truck.  Surge brakes are also sketchy when in turns, because you are relying on the forward momentum of the trailer to apply the brakes.  EOH is definitely the ticket!!!

that sounds like the only way to go on a boat trailer.  especially on big boats.

I back down the steeper ramps with tranny in Drive too. If I leave it in neutral, the front tires will start sliding (when on gravel). My truck has drum rear brakes and they work a lot better going fwd.

What sucks is when the idle starts surging and/or eng dies. That can be a game changer.

Another option is to apply the parking brake so it's dragging while backing in.

A long time boater friend told me one time, that if you loose the ability to stop while backing down the ramp, just concentrate on keeping it lined-up. When the boat hits the water, you'll stop. He told me that while backing down the Lakeway ramp. Definitely not a ramp you wanna loose control on!

JC wrote on Sep 20^th, 2013 at 3:27pm:

I back down the steeper ramps with tranny in Drive too. Another option is to apply the parking brake so it's dragging while backing in.

Trannies are much more expensive then brakes.

Yes, keeping the rig straight is always the priority.

I have talked to many people that rebuild transmissions and rolling backwards in drive does little to no damage to a transmissions.  the damage comes if you slam on the gas while going backward.  I use brakes first and the transmission like an exhaust brake.  what scares me is the people that back down a steep ramp in reverse. 

The tranny clutches are not slipping when backing down ramp in drive, just the torque converter, which at low eng speeds, is slipping already. I wouldn't do it at more than an snails pace however.

If you did it for a long time or at a higher rev speed, it will cause the tranny fluid to heat up. As far as the torque converter is concerned, it's the same as mild power braking.

As I mentioned prev, drum brakes aren't nearly as effective in rev since they are not self-energizing as they are when going fwd.

With disc brakes, they don't care which way the wheels are turning.