Maverick 4k - Long Term Towing

[The_Stick]

Hey everyone! My girlfriend and I are looking to tow a camper long term and live in it for an extended period of time (1-1.5 years). I’ve done a ton of research but I wanted to see if anyone here has any experience doing anything similar.

I understand the Maverick isn’t exactly the best vehicle to tow.. but we want to keep costs low that way we have more spending money on the road. I still have a mortgage I need to keep paying but will rent out some rooms to help supplement my cash. I looked into F-250’s but they’re just unreasonably priced even for a base model XL crew cab (900/m with a substantial down payment). I’ve seen plenty of videos of the Maverick doing very well towing. It seems to not have a huge issue towing things even up sharp grades and maxed out on payload/ towing capacity.

My biggest concern is long-term reliability. An F-150 just doesn’t make sense in my opinion. F-150 crew cabs are so close to an F-250 it just doesn’t make any sense to go with one given how massive of an upgrade in capability the F-250 has over an F-150. Arguably an even bigger jump from F-150 to F-250 than even a Maverick to an F-150.. A Ranger has similar towing capability as an F-150 but I’ve sat in one and somehow the interior is smaller.. no idea how they managed that. Plus, we like the smaller footprint of the Maverick, so we can tow our trailer into camp, park it, and go explore nearby cities. The Ranger is still in the equation so input there is appreciated. But I’m leaning Maverick currently.

We live in the West Coast, and plan to spend a good chunk of our time traveling on the East Coast to see all of the continental US. The other flexibility would be us paying off the maverick in the year we have it, then when we come back home, we would use it as a daily and invest in a full size Bronco, or Ineos Grenadier as a long-term local overlander here out West. I have no doubts about the EB 2.0L reliability as it’s a SOLID platform. I currently own a 2023 Bronco Sport Badlands with the same drivetrain plus the additional off road goodies and that vehicle has been ABUSED HARD with zero issues 33k miles later. I’m more concerned about the transmission than the engine’s capability.

I was thinking a Maverick XL w/ 4K tow package, with bags in the rear for squat/ stability and a trailer not exceeding 3,700~lbs - 3,800~lbs fully loaded. Cheap vehicle, cheap-ish trailer and lightweight. If we went larger on a Ranger, with additional capacity we’d go larger on the trailer too but at a significant cost. Same goes for an F-250. I know it’s less than ideal but we really want to keep costs low if we intend on starting a family too shortly after the trip. Having a 5/6 year loan that’s 1,000/m JUST for a vehicle is insane to me and even though we both make good money, is just a ridiculous expense if we can afford to do it at a significantly lower cost.

New to the forum but I’ve been browsing anonymously for some time while I make a decision on the vehicle (I was put in charge of the truck, she’s in charge of picking the camper). Any and all input is valuable to us! Thank you in advance!!

Sponsored

 

[RR - All the way]

I have one big concern. Will you and your girlfriend still have a good relationship after 1 to 1.5 years in a small trailer. It will test things out, IMHO.......

Good luck and happy camping!!! Oh, yes, a Maverick could work but not sure about the weight of the camper you are talking about. See GVWR.

Good to see that you are taking all the financial aspects into consideration. Pays off long term!!!

 

[The_Stick]

I have one big concern. Will you and your girlfriend still have a good relationship after four years in a small trailer. It will test things out, IMHO.......

Good luck and happy camping!!! Oh, yes a Maverick could work but not sure about the weight of the camper you are talking about. See GVWR.

Hi!

haha yeah we’re saying this is the ultimate test for our relationship! If we can last a year to year and a half in a small space, both working remote and juggling all of our responsibilities on the road, then it’s meant to be. She’s getting a ring and a bun in the oven at the end haha! Thank you for your well wishes!!

 

[Joe Strummer]

Are you sure the 4K is available on an XL Trim?

The 4K package means you can (safely) tow up to 4,000lbs. The closer to 4,000lbs you get, the lower is your Payload (not the stated maximum Payload but the implied Payload from GCVW). Driver and passengers count as Payload. Fido too.

If you plan to take mtn bikes, kayaks, etc you could easily blow past the GCVW.

Your MPG will take a big hit with the ICE Ecoboost. The Hybrid is an option, but do your research on CV Axles first.

Sounds like an epic trip. I am officially jealous.

 

[Backin15]

What kind of a camper are you thinking of? You will need to watch the frontal area on a travel trailer, a popup or an A frame hard side like an Aliner would work great with the Maverick. You probably wont need the bags, with the payload of the Maverick you will probably be ok, if it needs a lift a weight distribution hitch would be a better solution.
It sounds like a great plan, stay safe and have fun!

 

[OleFordGuy]

This will probably the opposite of what most of your replies will be, but IMO with the frequency/long term towing and the weight I would go with the Ranger, all towing options, 4x4 with the 2.7L, wish you both the best, have fun, enjoy it all before the kids take over your daily life good luck with your decisions

 

[The_Stick]

Are you sure the 4K is available on an XL Trim?

The 4K package means you can (safely) tow up to 4,000lbs. The closer to 4,000lbs you get, the lower is your Payload (not the stated maximum Payload but the implied Payload from GCVW). Driver and passengers count as Payload. Fido too.

If you plan to take mtn bikes, kayaks, etc you could easily blow past the GCVW.

Your MPG will take a big hit with the ICE Ecoboost. The Hybrid is an option, but do your research on CV Axles first.

Sounds like an epic trip. I am officially jealous.

Not loading anything onto it. Maybe an inflatable kayak but again we want to keep our footprint small for the inner city stuff. We should be well under on payload (Ranger Payload isn’t that much different) and on towing, all of it has been accounted for the most part. We do plan on building a small platform in the bed out of lightweight wood to keep some personal items like clothing but beyond that, most of our stuff will ride in the cabin with us. Combined we come in at 360lbs~ between us (I’m 5’11” 240~).These are all things to consider though so thanks for checking.
And yes the 4K comes in the XL. As far as frontal area, we’re going to probably come in beyond that but from all of my extensive research that’s more or less to keep aero manageable when it comes to fuel economy and sway, the latter of which won’t be a concern for the trailers we are looking at.

 

[The_Stick]

What kind of a camper are you thinking of? You will need to watch the frontal area on a travel trailer, a popup or an A frame hard side like an Aliner would work great with the Maverick. You probably wont need the bags, with the payload of the Maverick you will probably be ok, if it needs a lift a weight distribution hitch would be a better solution.
It sounds like a great plan, stay safe and have fun!

We have several in mind, but some we liked are the K-Z Escape Mini, or the RPOD 171. The Venture Sonic Lite is also another option but we would have to be exceptionally careful not to overload it and pick a floor plan with low tongue weight (320-340~) so would have to be very selective of how much we throw on there making this one a little less likely. I have found tongue weight capacity is a far more limiting factor than the 4K tow rating.

 

[Joe Strummer]

Tongue weight counts as part of Payload. Kerb weight (weight of Truck) includes a full tank of gas. By running half a tank, you can squeeze a few more pounds in (but with much more inconvenience).

 

[inline_five]

I would absolutely nail down what your mission is before you decide.

You're all over the place - from an F250 that can tow up to 22k to an F150 that can tow 13k to a Ranger that can tow 7.5k to a Maverick that can tow 4k.

I would not purchase the ecoboost Maverick to tow with - the transmissions have been known to grenade.

I would not purchase a hybrid Maverick to tow 4k across the US for an extensive period of time, through the mountains etc.

If you want to live in a trailer full time I would be looking at those that weigh in the 6k range at minimum personally.

 

[Cancunbadlands]

20

Hey everyone! My girlfriend and I are looking to tow a camper long term and live in it for an extended period of time (1-1.5 years). I’ve done a ton of research but I wanted to see if anyone here has any experience doing anything similar.

I understand the Maverick isn’t exactly the best vehicle to tow.. but we want to keep costs low that way we have more spending money on the road. I still have a mortgage I need to keep paying but will rent out some rooms to help supplement my cash. I looked into F-250’s but they’re just unreasonably priced even for a base model XL crew cab (900/m with a substantial down payment). I’ve seen plenty of videos of the Maverick doing very well towing. It seems to not have a huge issue towing things even up sharp grades and maxed out on payload/ towing capacity.

My biggest concern is long-term reliability. An F-150 just doesn’t make sense in my opinion. F-150 crew cabs are so close to an F-250 it just doesn’t make any sense to go with one given how massive of an upgrade in capability the F-250 has over an F-150. Arguably an even bigger jump from F-150 to F-250 than even a Maverick to an F-150.. A Ranger has similar towing capability as an F-150 but I’ve sat in one and somehow the interior is smaller.. no idea how they managed that. Plus, we like the smaller footprint of the Maverick, so we can tow our trailer into camp, park it, and go explore nearby cities. The Ranger is still in the equation so input there is appreciated. But I’m leaning Maverick currently.

We live in the West Coast, and plan to spend a good chunk of our time traveling on the East Coast to see all of the continental US. The other flexibility would be us paying off the maverick in the year we have it, then when we come back home, we would use it as a daily and invest in a full size Bronco, or Ineos Grenadier as a long-term local overlander here out West. I have no doubts about the EB 2.0L reliability as it’s a SOLID platform. I currently own a 2023 Bronco Sport Badlands with the same drivetrain plus the additional off road goodies and that vehicle has been ABUSED HARD with zero issues 33k miles later. I’m more concerned about the transmission than the engine’s capability.

I was thinking a Maverick XL w/ 4K tow package, with bags in the rear for squat/ stability and a trailer not exceeding 3,700~lbs - 3,800~lbs fully loaded. Cheap vehicle, cheap-ish trailer and lightweight. If we went larger on a Ranger, with additional capacity we’d go larger on the trailer too but at a significant cost. Same goes for an F-250. I know it’s less than ideal but we really want to keep costs low if we intend on starting a family too shortly after the trip. Having a 5/6 year loan that’s 1,000/m JUST for a vehicle is insane to me and even though we both make good money, is just a ridiculous expense if we can afford to do it at a significantly lower cost.

New to the forum but I’ve been browsing anonymously for some time while I make a decision on the vehicle (I was put in charge of the truck, she’s in charge of picking the camper). Any and all input is valuable to us! Thank you in advance!!

2023 BS BL and 2024 Lariat Tremor here... I think the Tremor will suits you better having a BL

 

[710-oil-614]

Honestly I wouldn’t do it in a Maverick unless you plan to sell it after you’re done traveling for the 1.5 years and even then it’s a terrible idea.

You can easily get into a used f150 that is less than 10 years old and less than 100k for under $20k.

Whatever perceived savings you would get in MPG efficiency from the Maverick (which is generally negated when towing) would never be realized even if you bought a $30k XL.

Get the right tool to do the job and for you that is a full size truck. Get a used one, you’re going to abuse it anyway.

 

[Hunters Edge]

Hey everyone! My girlfriend and I are looking to tow a camper long term and live in it for an extended period of time (1-1.5 years). I’ve done a ton of research but I wanted to see if anyone here has any experience doing anything similar.

I understand the Maverick isn’t exactly the best vehicle to tow.. but we want to keep costs low that way we have more spending money on the road. I still have a mortgage I need to keep paying but will rent out some rooms to help supplement my cash. I looked into F-250’s but they’re just unreasonably priced even for a base model XL crew cab (900/m with a substantial down payment). I’ve seen plenty of videos of the Maverick doing very well towing. It seems to not have a huge issue towing things even up sharp grades and maxed out on payload/ towing capacity.

My biggest concern is long-term reliability. An F-150 just doesn’t make sense in my opinion. F-150 crew cabs are so close to an F-250 it just doesn’t make any sense to go with one given how massive of an upgrade in capability the F-250 has over an F-150. Arguably an even bigger jump from F-150 to F-250 than even a Maverick to an F-150.. A Ranger has similar towing capability as an F-150 but I’ve sat in one and somehow the interior is smaller.. no idea how they managed that. Plus, we like the smaller footprint of the Maverick, so we can tow our trailer into camp, park it, and go explore nearby cities. The Ranger is still in the equation so input there is appreciated. But I’m leaning Maverick currently.

We live in the West Coast, and plan to spend a good chunk of our time traveling on the East Coast to see all of the continental US. The other flexibility would be us paying off the maverick in the year we have it, then when we come back home, we would use it as a daily and invest in a full size Bronco, or Ineos Grenadier as a long-term local overlander here out West. I have no doubts about the EB 2.0L reliability as it’s a SOLID platform. I currently own a 2023 Bronco Sport Badlands with the same drivetrain plus the additional off road goodies and that vehicle has been ABUSED HARD with zero issues 33k miles later. I’m more concerned about the transmission than the engine’s capability.

I was thinking a Maverick XL w/ 4K tow package, with bags in the rear for squat/ stability and a trailer not exceeding 3,700~lbs - 3,800~lbs fully loaded. Cheap vehicle, cheap-ish trailer and lightweight. If we went larger on a Ranger, with additional capacity we’d go larger on the trailer too but at a significant cost. Same goes for an F-250. I know it’s less than ideal but we really want to keep costs low if we intend on starting a family too shortly after the trip. Having a 5/6 year loan that’s 1,000/m JUST for a vehicle is insane to me and even though we both make good money, is just a ridiculous expense if we can afford to do it at a significantly lower cost.

New to the forum but I’ve been browsing anonymously for some time while I make a decision on the vehicle (I was put in charge of the truck, she’s in charge of picking the camper). Any and all input is valuable to us! Thank you in advance!!

Not sure on towing aspect but keep in mind the frontal area on the trailer besides tongue weight, gross cargo weight combined etc.

My concern is one a hard tonneau cover to keep clothes etc in plastic totes.

Another concern is the amount of time both of you will be in the truck and also different climates, etc. I highly suggest you rethink this and up it to XLT with the luxury group. Spending hours no days and days just sight seeing and extending base camp the extra creature comforts will come in handy, every day. You won't get mileage towing but running errands and sight seeing should help when averaged out.. I don't think you have considered or realized how much time you will be in your Maverick.

Whatever you both decide best of luck and hope you enjoy the time.

 

[Bob zimmerman]

The point of the OP wanting to buy a Maverick is for ease of driving in the city. - A smallish truck that can zip around. And I totally get that.

It comes down to the camper being towed.

*Need a camper with the lowest front profile possible to reduce wind drag.
* Using tow mode, Milage will drop to around 20-25 MPG
*Using tow mode, the truck will effortlessly pull the trailer based on my towing experiences.
*XL truck is not the best choice. Upgrade to at least XLT

I’ve driven small vehicles my whole adult life becasue I don’t need a compensator truck and I love being able to zip around everywhere especially parking lots.
Bob

 

[AutobahnSHO]

I just got a tiny 5x8ft cargo trailer with triangle nose. Towing MPG went down from usual 40mpg to 20mpg (town & 65mph highway).

I would say for anything much more than the tiniest lightest trailers it would be best to get a bigger truck.

Sponsored