Is A 2.7 EcoBoost Good For Towing Travel Trailers?

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Last Updated on September 5, 2024 by Paul Clayton

Is A 2.7 EcoBoost Good For Towing Travel Trailers?

When the discussion turns to towing travel trailers, an important question often arises: Is a 2.7 EcoBoost suitable for towing travel trailers? To answer this, it’s crucial to understand the capabilities and features of the 2.7 EcoBoost engine.

• 2.7L EcoBoost: Twin-turbo V6, powerful for towing purposes.
• Payload and Towing Capacity: Up to 8,500 pounds, 2,210 pounds.
• Fuel Efficiency: Maintains fuel economy despite robust towing capabilities.
• Power and Performance: 325 horsepower and 375 lb-ft torque for smooth towing.
• Engine Durability: Compact graphite iron block ensures strength and durability.
• Adherence to Limits: Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for optimal performance.

A 2.7 EcoBoost is part of the Ford F 150, a full-size pickup offering one of the top-rated payloads.

It has a military-grade hardy steel frame coupled with its aluminum alloy body. This means that it can endure quite a lot.

It is also able to tow a large amount of weight. However, This begs the question: how significant a travel trailer can the F150 tow?

Every RVer with a travel trailer is bound to be interested in this, especially if they are looking at the 2.7 EcoBoost model of the F150, given that the truck is a ubiquitous towing truck for personal use and work.

If you want to know how good the 2.7 EcoBoost would be at towing a travel trailer, simply go through this article.

How does the 2.7 EcoBoost Stack Up to the other F150 Engines

The truth is not all F150 trims and models come with similar towing capacity. The hauling and towing capacity figures tend to change as the engine changes.

Regarding this year’s model, there are four engine variations, with the 2.7 EcoBoost being one of them.

• The 2.7 EcoBoost is a V6 with a maximum payload of 2,470 pounds and a towing capacity of 9,000 pounds. This means you can tow a travel trailer with a fully loaded weight of 8,000 pounds. This is because you should never run your towing capacity to the edge if you can, as doing so might put you and your vehicle at risk. Always leave a little room.
• The 3-liter VCT is also a V6 with a payload of just 1,990 pounds and a towing capacity of 7,700 pounds. 
• The High Output 3.5 Litres is a V6 EcoBoost, which has a payload of 3,230 pounds and has the most significant towing capacity of the engines at 13,200 pounds.
• The last engine is a 5-liter TI-VCT, which is a V8. Its payload is 3,270 pounds, and its maximum towing capacity stands at 11,600 pounds.

This variation shows that while the 2.7 EcoBoost is not the most significant engine, that award belongs to the 5-liter TI-VCT; it also does not have the smallest maximum towing capacity.

This means that the 2.7 EcoBoost can theoretically tow a 38-foot travel trailer that comfortably weighs anything from 7,200 pounds to 8,500 pounds.

Why the 2.7 EcoBoost?

The 2.7 EcoBoost is a V6 engine developed to be efficient and capable. Most people believe a term like “EcoBoost” means underpowered or inefficient.

This is hardly surprising as efficiency has unfortunately never been used synonymously with words such as rugged. However, the 2.7 EcoBoost is extremely capable.

Pickup trucks used in the past tended to rely quite a bit on larger V8 and V6 engines. These trucks were loud and not great with fuel economy.

These trucks were used to tow travel trailers, and doing so with a smaller engine was somewhat frowned upon at the RV campground. Thankfully, there has been a shift, and with time, the industry has begun to change.

The 2.7 EcoBoost should not be judged on its name using preconceived notions. The 2.7 EcoBoost is a V6 engine with 400 pounds of torque and puts out 325 horsepower.

Depending on the type of cab configuration you select, the towing package, and the rear axle ratio, you can get away with towing 7,500 to 9,000 pounds.

If you are unsure if the 2.7 EcoBoost can tow your travel trailer, you need not worry. Ford has created a specific output concept, an integral factor when deciding on this engine as your towing truck.

The 2.7 EcoBoost V6 is a twin-turbo, and it can produce a specific output of 121hp per liter. This might not seem that impressive until you look at the 5.0 liter V8, which has just 78hp per liter.

You must drive with this truck to know it can pull your travel trailer.

This engine offers a similarly rated peak torque that the 5.0 liter V8 does, and when compared to its competitors, it offers up more peak torque than even the 5.3 Litre V8 from GM.

A Lot More Than Maximum Towing Capacity

While the section above has given you an overall image of what the 2.7 EcoBoost can handle, the towing capacity tends to depend on other variables.

This section will highlight these variables and how they affect a truck’s towing capacity.

Looking at the engine capacity and the manufacturer’s guidelines, it is easy to see that a 2.7 EcoBoost Ford F150 truck should comfortably row a large travel trailer that weighs 7,200 to 8,500 pounds.

You must never exceed your truck’s maximum towing capacity. You should also not have the weight as close to its limit as possible because this is extremely dangerous.

Keeping too close to or exceeding the weight limit stresses the truck’s braking system and engine. The brake might fail when the towing weight exceeds its rated capacity.

Before connecting your travel trailer to your 2.7 EcoBoost F150, you must check the GVWR or Gross Volume Weight Rating of the travel trailer and your truck.

While the 2.7 EcoBoost can tow 9000 pounds, it is primarily theoretical as this towing capacity is measured with no passenger, driver, or load in the truck, which is impractical.

Axle Ratio

A truck’s towing capacity typically depends on how much torque it can generate and how it interacts with the axle ratio.

Torque can be defined as the force needed to move the wheels of a truck and help it gain speed from a stationary point.

Torque is only needed to provide speed, as once the truck gets up to speed, it no longer requires torque. The only reason it would need it was if the truck stopped.

The driveshaft transfers energy from a truck’s engine by rotating, and that engine is then transferred to the axle. The driveshaft is responsible for how many revolutions the tires can get from the energy.

If the revolutions are slower, then it translates to the towing pickup truck having a more forceful pull. Faster spins have the opposite effect.

If you intend to tow anything, not less a travel trailer, having slower revolutions will be beneficial as the additional force can help pull a little more weight. Quicker revolutions help remove smaller weights. 

Weight and Length of the Truck and Travel Trailer

The weight and length of both the truck and travel trailer matter. Hooking up a small trailer to a massive truck or a larger trailer to a lighter truck is inefficient.

In both instances, either one of the vehicles will have to deal with excessive sway from turns or lose control. Your truck’s GCWR  needs to be more than its payload and weight.

Payload

Now that we have determined the 2.7 EcoBoost is capable of towing a travel trailer, it is time to discover the right size travel trailer for the truck. To this end, the payload is an essential factor.

What it means is the total weight of the load and people in the vehicle, as well as the weight a full gas tank has. You should know that a truck’s payload does not show how much weight it can carry.

To do this, you must subtract the tongue weight from the hitch to get the accurate number.

To better calculate this, think for a moment that the Ford F150 2.7 liter V6 EcoBoost has a payload of 1000 pounds, and its tongue weight is 200 pounds.

This would mean the truck can be loaded with a maximum of 800 pounds.

To put it into perspective, the lowest trim and engine of the F150, the 3.0 Litre VCT, has a payload of 1,990 pounds, but its actual payload will be different due to the tongue weight not being deducted.

The engine with the highest payload is the 5-liter TI-VCT, which has a maximum payload of 3,270 pounds. The actual figure would result from the tongue weight deducted from it. 

How Reliable is the 2.7 EcoBoost?

The Ford 2.7 EcoBoost engine has gained a reputation for reliability and performance.

It has been engineered with advanced technology to provide power, durability, and fuel efficiency. Most owners express high satisfaction, reporting minimal to no mechanical issues during the vehicle’s lifetime.

Therefore, regarding reliability, the 2.7 EcoBoost engine consistently ranks high, demonstrating Ford’s commitment to producing high-quality, trustworthy engines.

Final Words

The 2.7L EcoBoost, a twin-turbo V6 engine, is an excellent choice for these purposes due to its impressive payload and towing capacity, reaching up to 8,500 pounds and 2,210 pounds, respectively.

Despite its robust towing capabilities, the 2.7L EcoBoost maintains fuel efficiency, which sets it apart from many other engines with similar power.

The power and performance of the 2.7L EcoBoost are equally commendable. With 325 horsepower and 375 lb-ft torque, this engine ensures smooth and effortless towing.

The engine’s durability is another significant advantage. Made from compact graphite iron block, it ensures remarkable strength and durability, making it a reliable choice for heavy-duty tasks such as towing travel trailers.

Given its power, performance, and durability, it is excellent and exceptional for towing travel trailers. However, adhering to the manufacturer’s guidelines is crucial for optimal performance and longevity.

The 2.7L EcoBoost can offer excellent service for many years with proper handling and maintenance. Hence, anyone considering a powerful and efficient engine for towing purposes should consider the 2.7 EcoBoost a worthy option.

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