I have heard of some of those diesel guys claiming 17-18+mpg's on the highways over extended trips. They can get the mpg's if they aren't stop-go all the time and loaded down.

 

Sure, but look at the price of diesel fuel and the maintenance costs. Oil change? No sweat - 15 quarts. Price out oil and fuel filters.

 

Diesel and gas cost about the same currently, and in the past year they've been within 10-15 cents of each other, and the diesel will get better mileage... And if you compare the cost of 3000 mile 7 quart oil changes vs 5000 mile 15 quart oil changes, you're paying barely any more.

9000lbs plus a trailer capable of towing 9000lbs will put you at 12000lbs total trailer weight easy. No way I'd want to ever tow that with an F-150.

 

Not on 3/4 ton trucks, it on any vehicles w/ a GVW of 8600 lbs or more. I'm not sure how the expedition EL escapes it though so maybe it's 8K lbs now?

 

I was going to say yes, but Zaairman made an excellent point about the trailer weight. Unfortunately you will need to step up to a Super Duty or lighten your load.

 

qft

 

The cost of fuel depends on where you live. Diesel is $.40 more per gallon than gas here. That negates most of the fuel economy advantage the diesel might have.

You're right about the total weight of the tractor and trailer. He'd have a hard time finding a trailer capable of hauling a 9k lb tractor that doesn't weigh more than 3k lbs. With a 9k lb tractor, he'd likely be pushing the limits of an F250 as well.

 

The recommended oil change interval in the gas engines is 5000 to 7500 miles depending on year. If you change it every 3k that's your decision, but it's not necessary. An oil filter for the gas engine is about $4, $20 for the diesel. A fuel filter for the gas engine is about $10, $55 for the diesel. An air filter for the gas engine is about $20, $55 for the diesel unless you get an aftermarket housing. There's also a $65 filter in the fuel/water separator.

I'm not trying to knock the diesel, but routine maintenance *IS* more expensive. A Super Duty with a V-10 gasser is a very capable truck, its only downside is awful gas mileage. However, towing something THAT heavy with a F-150 5.4 is going to knock the mileage down into the single digits and the V-10 won't be much worse than that, if any worse. If you are dragging that thing to the mountains, even the V-10 is going to run out of breath, there you NEED a diesel or something else with a turbocharger or supercharger.

 

$9.95 Motorcraft oil filter, $25 Motorcraft fuel filter. That's all. You were saying...

 

Oh I wasn't saying anything regarding the costs of ownership, just that the diesel guys can get pretty close to the 5.4L's mpg's when under the right circumstances. The cost of maintenance is much more expensive on the diesels, but you are paying for the enormous capability of the truck. I thought the F250's were rated to tow over 15K lbs?

 

From the bumper both the V10 and the diesel share a 12,500lb rating. The ratings for 5th wheel/gooseneck trailer are 15,300lb with the diesel, and 14,100lb with the V10 and 4.10 rear, 15,600lb with the V10 and 4.30 rear.

 

I was going by Rock Auto's price for Motorcraft for an 06 diesel 6.0. I guess your 7.3 parts are a lot cheaper, eh? Just one more reason to think twice about a 6.0.......

 

Ahh, well I don't think I'd be comfortable towing 10K+ pounds on a bumper hitch. Either way I wasn't advocating Diesel vs V10, they're both capable engines. I just meant 5.4L versus the Diesel is a big difference. I wouldn't have imagined there was a difference in tow rating between the diesel and V10 anyway since the limiting factor really isn't the engine.