F150 with the Heavy Duty Payload Package?

[Todd n Natalie]

Reviving an old thread, 'cause I'm currently on the same fence:

Looking at a truck to hold a permanent camper - have my eye on a flatbed with an Overland Explorer HBE - but not certain yet it will meet my winter needs. So truck would have a permanent 2200 lb dry weight with the tray

I'm in Canada, and considering two options:

1. Regular cab, 8' bed, 3.5l EcoBoost, HDPP, F150 XL ($52,264 CDN with taxes)
Heavy Duty Payload Package
3.73 Electronic Locking Axle Ratio
Skid Plates

3035 lb payload per https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North America/US/product/2021/f150/pdfs/2021-F-150-Technical-Specs.pdf

2. Regular cab, 8' bed, 6.2l, F250 XL ($54,000 CDN with taxes) ($57,500 for Supercab with 6.5' box)
4.30 Electronic Locking Axle Ratio
240 Amp Alternator
Skid Plates

4260 lb payload

Prices are a wash. I am wondering how big the difference will be in fuel economy and in drive quality. With the permanent 2100 lb load, will there be a significant difference in mileage? The unloaded numbers put the F150 at 50% better mileage.

What about ride quality? Post-Covid, we will be putting many thousands of miles on it driving south to Arizona and Utah for fall and winter mountain biking. B.C. logging roads are littered with jagged rocks, so will also be adding sturdy tires.

It seems there are aftermarket kits from Carli for the F250 that improve ride quality, although I have no idea if they are appropriate for my intended usage. I have never owned a pickup truck before.

Any other insights into choosing one over the other would be appreciated. For 2021, In Canada at least, the F150 HDPP is available with 8' beds and the 3.5l EcoBoost.

If it were me and the camper is going to be on full time, I'd go F250. I think fuel mileage will be a wash under load.

 

[phsycle]

Add me in the F250/350 camp. Your MPG will be in the low teens at best with either truck. Super Duty will handle the weight better and suspension/drivetrain/etc will last longer as well. Ride quality will be good especially with the camper permanently on there.

 

[tacollie]

X2 for a 3/4 ton. It'll handle the weight better. The 6.2 will never be great on milage but heavy F150 will be thirsty. I don't know what the frame on the F150 is like but the frames on the 17+ Superdutys are straight behind the cab making it simpler to build a flatbed.

2200 dry means you're going to be getting close to the 3035 of the F150. You'll have a lot more room on the F250.

 

[Grassland]

I don't know how bad the 3.5 are on fuel when loaded, by my associate bought a 2.7 EBF150 SCAB for fuel economy despite me telling him not to buy a half ton, and it's 16-17 l/100km average with about 1500# in the truck.
That's a couple ladders, sloped aluminum contractor grade cap, tools and a bed slide.
His crappy P rated tires are getting flats all the time and are wearing fast, rear suspension is sagging etc.
Basically everything I told him it would do.
My 3.7 Transit gets about 17-18 l/100 and I have twice the payload and probably twice the room.
If I ever did a truck for work again it would be a 250 minimum. Going to be paying for the gas regardless.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Loaded down the fuel economy will be about the same. While the F150 can do the job, the F250 will do it better.

The F250 will probably ride better loaded then the F150.

 

[IdaSHO]

Ours rides great on the highway, and considering the size/weight is decent off road.
Only real issue is lack of UP travel in the front end. All stock suspension though, and with near 150k on it, the coils could very well be sagging.

Custom leafs for the rear to reduce our dependency upon the air bags, and fresh coils to gain some lost height are on the list of to-do's

 

[sg1]

In 2015 I bought a new F 150 Supercrew with Ecoboost. Since 2016 I carry a pop up camper (first FWC Hawk now CampX) full time. Except for Timbrens no mods. Mileage has been around 15 mpg with camper. We live at 5000ft altitude in the Rockies. Except for a faulty sensor in the gas pedal no issues.