brulaz

Found it, thanks. Reg Tow Hitch is rated 10500#, 1050# wdh (tow, tongue) and 5000, 500 non-wdh. Max Tow Hitch is rated 11500, 1150 wdh (tow, tongue) and the same 5000, 500 non-wdh. Not a big diff in hitch capacities.

Getting back to the O.P. question, on the Canadian 2012 Ford Build and Price site, Max Tow is automatically selected when you choose Ecoboost and HD Payload. But there's no xtra charge listed for it. So, in Canada anyway, not sure how you can have HD Payload and NOT have Max Tow with the Ecoboost.

But if you choose the 5L and HD Payload you get the Reg Tow package automatically selected.

(and you still order the Dumbo mirrors separately in Canada)

willieboy

I had to order it as well, mine will be a 2013, coming at the end of October.

Anyway, I think the max tow also adds extra drivetrain cooling that is not in the HD payload.

Buck50HD

HD package automatically includes Max Tow options.

flixden

Actually - I think that's only true when you have the EB engine selected, and not true for the 5.0. In fact, with the 5.0, you can't even get HD and max tow combined. That's what made the engine decision an easy one for me in the end. brulaz has it explained above very well also.

Buck50HD

Thanks for the correction! Was not aware of that but just checked out the F150 site. I guess I was not interested in the 5.0 so never checked.

mark5w

Dealers are just starting to recognize the demand for EC, max tow and max payload. Had to order a '13 the way I wanted it. Will take 6-8 weeks. It will be worth the wait.

curtw48

Your best chance to find an F150 with max tow and payload is at a small town dealer in farm and ranch territory where ranchers buy their trucks to haul gooseneck cattle and horse trailers. That is where I found my 2009 6.5' bed max tow truck when none of the Houston area dealers and any at all.

smokeywren

A lot of folks don't like the HD Payload pkg because of the phunny 7-lug wheels. And a few insist on a shorty bed which is not available with the HD Payload pkg. No such thing as aftermarket wheels for the pickups with 7-lug wheels, so if you buy one with HD Payload pkg, you're stuck with those 17" 7-lug wheels for the life of the truck. That's fine for practical folks, but anathma to the city dudes that insist on ruining the hauling/towing capacity of their trucks by "customizing" them with lifts and big tires.

In my case, I didn't want the 3.73 axle ratio required for either max tow or HD payload pkg. I wanted the 3.15 axle ratio for better unloaded MPG. So I ordered the regular tow pkg, then added the optional trailer brake controller. The only way to get the tow mirrors from the factory was to order the max tow pkg with its 3.73 axle ratio. But I had to have the tow mirrors, so I ordered them from the Ford Accessories catalog. My fancy Lariat memory power-fold mirors are in the barn, and my plain ole XLT tow mirrors are on the pickup.

For 2012 (and probably 2013) F-150, standard GVWR is 7,100 pounds. GVWR with the Max Tow pkg is 7,700 pounds. And HD Payload pkg pumps up the GVWR to 8,200 pounds. Without HD Payload pkg, you can ignore the tow ratings Ford publishes. Mine has a tow rating of 8,400 pounds, but my TT that grosses less than 5,000 pounds overloads the F-150 over the GVWR by 100 pounds. Even with max tow, you probably cannot reach the 9,500 pound tow rating of the EcoBoost engine without busting the GVWR. Add the HD payload pkg and you can probably tow over 10,000 pounds, but probably not the 11,000 pound tow rating without busting the GVWR of the truck.

So word to the wise: If you don't want to be overloaded, and are going to tow over 5,000 pounds, you need at least the max tow pkg. Over about 8,000 pounds and you need the HD payload pkg. More than 10,000 pounds trailer and you need more than an F-150.

ecobeest

My 2012 has BOTH and for a reason. My truck was built to haul weight . It does have the 'funny' 7 lug wheels and they are there for a reason...

Properly kitted out the EB F-150's numbers for hauling are outstanding.

No worries about my truck being 'customized' by lifts or wheel upgrades... Not my style. I'll leave that to the show trucks