My wife Toni and I have a 5.0 on order, looking forward to picking it up in Sumas hopefully in the fall of 2024. We are in the process of buying a half-ton pick-up, considering Ford, GMC, or Toyota. Currently, leaning towards the Tundra. I do have some concerns regarding half ton trucks having enough payload and we are still undecided on which hitch to purchase. Welcome any feedback.
Thank you, Mike
Hello,
I'm certain you'll love your new 5.0 when you get it. We have 2021 5.0 and pull it with a 2021 Ford F150 Lariat short-short (5.5') bed Powerboost. We have plenty of pulling power, and payload capacity for our needs with this setup but YMMV. I believe our payload limit is in the 1300# range. In the half-ton truck market most of the specs for each brand are fairly consistent so your choices will likely be limited to availability and brand preference.
Below is a link to our hitch setup. I chose the B&W Turnover Ball hitch to keep the bed "clear & clean" when the hitch is not in place. To this we attach the Anderson Ultimate Hitch (weighs 35#) which is easy for me to get in and out of the truck bed by myself. The photos also show the pinbox and bed-rail to hitch clearances when turning.
https://www.theescapeforum.com/forum/discover-escape/escape-5-0-ta-pinbox-clearance
Below this is a link that shows our "build".