F150 with the Heavy Duty Payload Package?

zuren

Adventurer
I'm curious to know if anyone on the forum has a newer F150 with the Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP), and how have you liked it? Specifically, I'm looking for feedback with the HDPP paired with the 3.5L EcoBoost engine, but happy to hear from any HDPP owners in general.

I'm researching fullsize trucks and there are a lot of back-n-forth arguments regarding the rationale of the HDPP on a F150, versus buying a 3/4 ton truck. I'm squeamish over the idea of a 3/4 ton truck in order to pull something heavy or really load it only a dozen times a year, and suffer from the maintenance costs and low fuel economy for the rest of the year.

One of the biggest arguments that I read against a F150 with HDPP is that they are hard to find. Seems like a dumb reason. While I may not find it on the lot of my local Ford dealer, I'm willing to range out from home and I'm not in a hurry to find the right truck.

Thanks for any feedback!
 

Todd n Natalie

OverCamper
I'm curious to know if anyone on the forum has a newer F150 with the Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP), and how have you liked it? Specifically, I'm looking for feedback with the HDPP paired with the 3.5L EcoBoost engine, but happy to hear from any HDPP owners in general.

I'm researching fullsize trucks and there are a lot of back-n-forth arguments regarding the rationale of the HDPP on a F150, versus buying a 3/4 ton truck. I'm squeamish over the idea of a 3/4 ton truck in order to pull something heavy or really load it only a dozen times a year, and suffer from the maintenance costs and low fuel economy for the rest of the year.

One of the biggest arguments that I read against a F150 with HDPP is that they are hard to find. Seems like a dumb reason. While I may not find it on the lot of my local Ford dealer, I'm willing to range out from home and I'm not in a hurry to find the right truck.

Thanks for any feedback!
I believe there is one in the for sale section at the moment.

Could you order a new one from the dealer?

I did notice on Ford.ca that you can't seem to spec that option on base Lariats for 2020.
 

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
Hmmm...mine has the 7000# GVWR package but I don't think that's the same thing as the HDPP. Was the HDPP only available with the long bed?

As far as traveling to get a truck - I few to Utah to get mine because that was the only way I could get EXACTLY what I wanted at the price I wanted. A one way ticket was about $80 (and if I'd bought a few days earlier it would have been like $50.) No luggage, small carry on. Dealer picked me up at the SLC airport, drove me to the dealership, we did the paperwork in less than an hour and I was out of there and had a nice drive home.
 

jonathon

Active member
Maintenance costs on a gas F250 or Ram 2500 will be similar to a half ton in the short term, probably cheaper in the long term factoring in turbo and timing chain issues that the 3.5 seems to still suffer from at high mileage. Of course if you’re only keeping it for 5 years or less that’s irrelevant. Gas mileage is a relevant concern. I suspect the difference between the max payload F150 and a gas 3/4 ton isn’t substantial.

I really like both the Ford 6.2 and Ram 6.4 gas engines. I ended up with a Ram, no regrets at all. The MPG isn’t great, get about 13 most days, but it is made up for in having a long bed and payload.
 

zuren

Adventurer
Almost assure you can!

Surprising more folks don't special order vehicles to their exact liking, versus hunting for something all around the country and making compromises.

Go to local dealer, spec out EXACTLY what you want, be patient, upon arrival, enjoy EXACTLY what you want. The End

Walking into a dealer and ordering the truck you want is certainly the simplest solution...assuming one can support the payment of said truck. I just used the "Build Your Truck" tool at Ford.com and a 2020 F150 XLT, 3.5L EcoBoost, HDPP, and a couple other selections makes it a $50,000+ truck. Many people are willing to compromise some and do a little travel to let someone else eat $20,000-25,000 in depreciation for a 2-3 year old vehicle. I'm close to being able to pay cash on a $20,000 vehicle...no way on a $50,000.

Maintenance costs on a gas F250 or Ram 2500 will be similar to a half ton in the short term, probably cheaper in the long term factoring in turbo and timing chain issues that the 3.5 seems to still suffer from at high mileage. Of course if you’re only keeping it for 5 years or less that’s irrelevant. Gas mileage is a relevant concern. I suspect the difference between the max payload F150 and a gas 3/4 ton isn’t substantial.

I really like both the Ford 6.2 and Ram 6.4 gas engines. I ended up with a Ram, no regrets at all. The MPG isn’t great, get about 13 most days, but it is made up for in having a long bed and payload.

I read that the pre-2017 3.5L EcoBoosts had issues, but the 2017+ 3.5L were redesigned and are much better. Is this not true?

Supposedly the F150 4x4 3.5EB can get highway fuel economy in the low to mid-20s. The best I typically see posted for a 3/4 ton gasser truck is mid-teens...but this is a hard value to find since there are no testing/reporting requirements for "heavy duty" trucks.
 

RAM5500 CAMPERTHING

OG Portal Member #183
Walking into a dealer and ordering the truck you want is certainly the simplest solution...assuming one can support the payment of said truck. I just used the "Build Your Truck" tool at Ford.com and a 2020 F150 XLT, 3.5L EcoBoost, HDPP, and a couple other selections makes it a $50,000+ truck. Many people are willing to compromise some and do a little travel to let someone else eat $20,000-25,000 in depreciation for a 2-3 year old vehicle. I'm close to being able to pay cash on a $20,000 vehicle...no way on a $50,000.

Ahhh... missed that you were looking for a used one. Gotcha. Yeah, they’re a rare bird
 

deserteagle56

Adventurer
I read that the pre-2017 3.5L EcoBoosts had issues, but the 2017+ 3.5L were redesigned and are much better. Is this not true?

Supposedly the F150 4x4 3.5EB can get highway fuel economy in the low to mid-20s. The best I typically see posted for a 3/4 ton gasser truck is mid-teens...but this is a hard value to find since there are no testing/reporting requirements for "heavy duty" trucks.

Don't know what "issues" you've heard about...but when I decided on a new F150 in late 2015 I started reading and researching extensively and I've been keeping up with what is being said about them ever since. My conclusion from that research is that both the Ecoboost engines since 2015 have been largely trouble free.

I custom ordered my 2016 F150 4x4 Supercab with the 3.5 Ecoboost and 3.55 gears and picked it up from the dealer in May of 2016. No HDPP but the stock payload per the door sticker is 1,937 lbs, adequate for me. The truck has been flawless - no issues whatsoever and never been back to the dealer for any reason. I change the oil and rotate the tires and that's all that's ever been done to it. Currently over 41,000 miles on it and overall mileage since I bought the truck is 20.96 mpg - and that's calculated by an Excel spreadsheet I maintain, not the lie-o-meter in the dash. Mileage has been as low as 17 mpg and as high as 24 mpg - keep in mind that the speed limit around here is 80 mph and once you get the truck over 60-65 mph the mileage starts dropping. I've not owned a gas heavy duty truck for 20 years - but my buddies that have the Fords with the 6.2 and the Rams with the 6.4 tell me that 13-14 mpg is what they are getting. So I figure I'm gaining nearly 10 mpg by driving my F150 - and with a 36 gallon tank I usually drive 600+ miles between fuel stops.DSC02509r.jpg
 

Buddha.

Finally in expo white.
I thought the HDPP was long bed only and had the odd 7 lug axles. I now see some that don't have those characteristics but are still being called HDPP. Are the 7 lug trucks the only true HDPP or not?
 

Todd n Natalie

OverCamper
I thought the HDPP was long bed only and had the odd 7 lug axles. I now see some that don't have those characteristics but are still being called HDPP. Are the 7 lug trucks the only true HDPP or not?
As far as I knew they are 6 lug but, with unique wheels. Not sure why the different wheels. Maybe rated for more weight?

They can be ordered with either the 6.5 or 8' bed.

I recall the old '7700' package from years ago (2003ish I think) had 7 lugs.
 

adaml

Active member
I read that the pre-2017 3.5L EcoBoosts had issues, but the 2017+ 3.5L were redesigned and are much better. Is this not true?

Supposedly the F150 4x4 3.5EB can get highway fuel economy in the low to mid-20s. The best I typically see posted for a 3/4 ton gasser truck is mid-teens...but this is a hard value to find since there are no testing/reporting requirements for "heavy duty" trucks.

According to the experts on the Ford Raptor Forums, there was a change halfway through 2019 to the parts used in the cam phasers which has fixed the rattle issue. Mine has had zero problems so far.
 

Buddha.

Finally in expo white.
As far as I knew they are 6 lug but, with unique wheels. Not sure why the different wheels. Maybe rated for more weight?

They can be ordered with either the 6.5 or 8' bed.

I recall the old '7700' package from years ago (2003ish I think) had 7 lugs.
The 7 lug trucks still are out there (as of 2014 at least)but they're rare.
photo302.jpg
 

Todd n Natalie

OverCamper
The 7 lug trucks still are out there (as of 2014 at least)but they're rare.
Huh. You learn something new everyday. Never knew they made them up until that recently.
 

Grassland

Well-known member
Almost assure you can!

Surprising more folks don't special order vehicles to their exact liking, versus hunting for something all around the country and making compromises.

Go to local dealer, spec out EXACTLY what you want, be patient, upon arrival, enjoy EXACTLY what you want. The End


I buy when 10k or more off MSRP.
By the time the big incentives are out, it's too late custom order. When you custom order they have you between a rock and a hard place.

When I was buying a fleet Transit 250 I didn't want white, but when all the other options I wanted were on a white van, and a custom order van in not white was $5k more, I picked white.


2017+ still has issues with 3.5 EcoBoost in regards to cam phasers. Pre 2017 has timing chain and phaser issues. Some trucks go 100,000 plus miles no issues, others problems below 15k miles.

If you seldomly require the extra payload and usually travel unladen, an HDPP F150 makes sense.

If it's always going to be loaded up, get a 250
 

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