The 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6 powering our long-term F-150 is the smallest engine in the truck’s lineup, but that doesn’t mean it can’t pull heavy things. And with summer coming to an end, I was able to squeeze in a weekend camping trip while also testing our F-150’s towing abilities with something big and fancy—a 25-foot Airstream camper.
I typically camp with a tent and modest supplies, so the Airstream was a crash course in glamping. And I quickly learned to like it. The iconic jellybean-shaped aluminum shell ensconced a long list of amenities, including a queen bed, full bath, four-burner stove, refrigerator, air conditioning, and two flat-screen televisions. We picked up our Flying Cloud camper at an Airstream dealer in Los Angeles and made a detour at a truck scale, where our cloud on wheels weighed in at 6,280 pounds.
Heavy indeed, but still well under our truck’s maximum tow rating of 7,600 pounds (based on SAE J2807 calculations). And with the truck itself carrying three passengers and a few supplies, we were also well within the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 12,800 pounds. In case you’re wondering, the 2.7-liter EcoBoosted F-150 can tow up to 9,100 pounds (with a GCWR rating of 14,300 pounds) when configured as a SuperCab with 4×4, 145-inch wheelbase, and a 3.73 rear axle ratio. (Our truck has a 3.55 rearend.)
The three-hour trek to our campsite just north of Santa Barbara was pretty uneventful. With the Airstream at about 83 percent of our F-150’s max tow weight, its presence was definitely noticeable, but it rarely felt like a burden. Vehicles towing a trailer in California are limited to a rather conservative 55 mph, which was a walk in the park for the EcoBoost V-6. If you live in a state where you can haul things at 70 mph, then the truck will do fine there, too. Brakes were solid, and the chassis was unfazed by most highway imperfections and dips.
Driving back to L.A. on southbound Route 101 near Camarillo presented potential drama thanks to the Conejo Grade, which includes a 1.5-mile stretch with a 7 percent slope. Here, the powertrain had no issues maintaining 55 mph and occasionally shifted between fourth and fifth gear. The onboard computer claimed an average 11 mpg for the trip.
Due to the trailer’s design, we weren’t able to try out our truck’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist feature, so I had to maneuver the Airstream into our campground the old-fashioned way. Our truck’s power-telescoping side-view tow mirrors were much appreciated here. And our truck’s work is far from done. There’s a long list of requests to haul appliances, furniture, and more.
Read more about our 2018 Ford F-150 Lariat:
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