smokeywren

Let's not get confused by the difference in the weight capacity of the bumper hitch vs. the receiver hitch.


The bumper has a hole on the rear step bumper into which you can install a trailer ball and shank. That hitch is rated for 5,000 pounds max trailer weight/500 pounds max tongue weight, period. No provision for a WD hitch using that bumper hitch. Weight-carrying hitch only.
DO NOT use that bumper hitch for anything heavier than a rowboat.


The receiver hitch is that 2" square tube under the bumper into which you nust install a drawbar or ball mount or the shank of a WD hitch. That receiver is rated ~5,000/500 pounds WC and 10,000/1,000 or more WD.


If your wet and loaded boat trailer has hitch weight more than 500 pounds, then a WD hitch in mandatory. No ifs, ands, and buts. Some boat dealers will not properly set up the boat trailers they sell to meet towing safety standards. They should be shot at sunrise. Get a tongue weight scale and check the tongue weight of your boat trailer. If it's more than 500 pounds, then invest in a WD hitch. If your boat trailer has surge brakes,then the only WD hitch I know about that will work right with surge brakes is the Equal-I-Zer. Here's one with 600 pounds max tongue weight capacity. They make others with more tongue weight capacity.
http://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distr...EQ37061ET.html

Abn150

^^ The whole truth, clearly explained as usual.

nerdles1

I have a 2011 lariat limited with a receiver hitch and have had no trouble towing my 8000 lb boat around town. Also no trouble pulling it out at the boat ramp. I have also used trailers with brakes and without still no trouble. The 2011 lariat limited has a lower towing weight compared to the reg f150 but I have had no troubles. I do not think I would like to go on any long distance runs towing that much though.

Woody Woodward

How can I find out if my limited actually has the max towing package?

bikendan

Holy Thread Resurrection, Batman!
a 4 1/2 year old thread brought back to life!

smokeywren

Easiest way is to look on the window sticker. There were 3 towing packages:
1] Class IV hitch
2] Trailer tow pkg
3] Max tow pkg
So If you have max tow, it will say so on the window sticker.

If you don't have the window sticker, and cannot determine how to look it up online using the VIN, then the next easiest way is to have the service manager at your Ford dealer look up the "build sheet" for your VIN in the Ford computer system. The build sheet will show you every standard and optional part included in your truck when it left the assembly line. If you're not a good customer of that dealer, most dealers will charge you a labor fee to look up and print out a build sheet for you.

If that's too much trouble or expense, then you can probably tell by noting if your truck has all of the options that were part of the max tow pkg:
1] Integrated trailer brake controller
2] Trailer tow mirrors were part of max tow in 2011 but not a few years later.
3] Heavier-duty receiver than those without max tow. IIRC, max tow was rated for over 10,000 pounds WD while regular tow was rated for 10,000 max trailer weight WD.

Jimmyv13

I found a 2011 Limited and I am strongly considering purchasing it. I will use the truck as my daily as well as to tow my 6900GVWR travel trailer in the summer. I have been looking for the 6.2 specifically and was hoping for a Platinum. This truck was actually advertised as a Platinum, which is what triggered my inquiry then I learned it was a Limited and my interest diminished a bit. It is in great shape with only 128K miles and they’re asking $19K. Should I hold off and keep searching? I’m not in a HUGE hurry to buy, at least not until June.

Flamingtaco

Does it have enough payload for the 1000lb tongue weight and everything you plan to haul in the truck? Enough payload for that often ends by the middle Lariat package unless you have HDPP (or Max Tow in earlier trucks when it bumped the payload).

Johnny Paycheck

That will be the big question.

What kills OP’s ratings on that payload sticker are those sweet 22s with the rubber bands on them. Those aren’t towing anything sweat-inducing.

Swapping down to 20s or 18s with some beefier tires will help matters a lot.

Jimmyv13

That was my thought exactly. There are a few sets of 18’s for sale around here that I’d run rather than the 22’s. My question would be though how much payload would I get back with changing the wheel/tire set up?