Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/548484
is roomy, the seats comfortable. There's just enough leather, brushed metal and wood trim to give the truck the feel of richness without being over-the-top – a nice balance for the business owner who needs a pickup that's going to get dirty during the week, yet easily cleans up when it's time to take friends and clients to dinner. If the 2015 F-150 has any short- comings, its ride, unloaded, is slightly firmer than the Silverado/ Sierra and Ram 1500, and the Ford's electric power steering is a bit more sensitive. Otherwise the EcoBoost FX4 off- road package I was driving is a stel- lar performer on pavement and off. Ford rates this particular model F-150 SuperCrew 4x4, with 3.31 axles, capable of towing up to 10,700 pounds when equipped with a weight-distributing hitch. The 3.5L EcoBoost and six-speed automatic pulled a 20-foot tandem-axle equip- ment trailer that weighed in at 5,200 pounds with ease on the factory weight-carrying receiver. But doing so required carefully positioning the load so the proper tongue-weight was applied. Power with the 3.5L EcoBoost is never an issue. With 365 horse- power and 420 foot-pounds of torque, more than the 5.0L V-8, the twin-turbo V-6 has plenty of muscle available through a wide rpm range. This is especially noticeable when towing. Be aware, however, according to Ford EcoBoost owner's manual, the truck is required to run premium fuel when towing. This is because the engine mapping changes when the trailer is plugged in to the truck, helping the EcoBoost manage heat and power better under such loads. That said, the transmission never "hunted" for the right gear when I was pulling trailers; it seemingly locks into a gear when pulling grades and pulls strong from around 2,800 rpm to redline. I also learned during my week behind the wheel that both "tow" and "sport" modes enhance the feel of the V-6's power. The but- ton marked "T/S" near the bot- tom of the shifter electronically changes the transmission's upshift and downshift points so the truck is much more responsive. Selecting the sport mode also enhances (light- ens) the throttle sensitivity and holds shift points higher in the rpm range. The F-150 is deceptively fast loaded or empty, too. I clipped off 14.90 quarter-mile times pushing past 93 mph with ease, and managed 0-to-60 mph sprints in the 6.40-second range. Those times would be a few tenths EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 89 Short Lead-times from North American Distribution Locations CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER OR DISTRIBUTOR AT: 800-459-SEAT (7328) / WWW.CVGRP.COM ution Locations American Distr Material Handling Construction Agriculture Forestry Mining Crane Paving Untitled-7 1 5/27/15 9:46 AM