CityBoy

If that's the case why does Ford say the F150 can tow 9000+ but the hitch/receiver is only rated for 5000?

I'm confused lol

Martian

Does the hitch say 5000 or the receiver? My truck can tow 9,900lbs but the ball I have on it can only handle 6,000. You can always replace the hitch / ball for a stronger one.

CityBoy

well that makes more sense and may be something I need to look into. getting a stronger hitch/receiver would definitely be a good investment.
I might also just step up to the 3.55 just to help myself sleep better at night lol

Martian

You got the tow package. You already have the receiver. What you need is the hitch itself. A 2" ball is usually rated for 5-6000lbs. The 2 5/16" is 10,000.

brulaz

Nor will the truck's official payload change. But the truck will handle better under load.

And the hitch receiver rating is 5000# trailer weight, 500# tongue only when you are using a weight carrying hitch. Basically just a ball on a piece of steel.

If you are using a Weight Distribution Hitch, I think the 2015 hitch receiver is rated at 12,200# trailer and 1220# tongue weight. But the rest of the truck may not be able to handle that.

brulaz

That 5000# is only for weight carrying, not weight distribution hitches.

Steve Osborne

it also could be a dealer installed hitch...not factory installed option...my buddy has a 2010-4.6-3.55 with basic 4 pin plug no hitch...put a curt hitch on...

LostSoul

Are you planning on getting larger tires in the future? Whats the tongue weight on a double horse trailer? I would look for an HD package for the added payload and gearing. If your gonna stick with the FX4 described in your post, and are planning on towing on anything beside flatland, get the 3.73 gearing.

Loki 5.0

My 5.0 3.55 ran 1700 rpm at 65 in 6th gear. , IMO the 5.0 does not start pulling hard until 2500 and the motor loves to spin. The 3.55 gear is plenty tall enough for MPG but going to a taller gear would kill the responsiveness of that engine IMO . I had the lightest configuration available in 2011, RCSB 2wd, and I would not ,of wanted a taller gear , especially in if you buy a heavier truck. In a eb , sure , run a 3.31 , it has a different power band , but with a 5.0 I think it would put a hurt on the playfulness of the engine. BTW, I did not say it would better MPG with a 3.55 , although towing I suspect it would.

5.0GN tow

I tow heavy a lot, getting ready to be at max again this weekend. I pull a 3 horse GN trailer that when loaded is right at 7800 to 8k. My truck is at or just inside all its max numbers, and it tows like a dream.

I would stick with 3.55s for the 5.0, 3.73s are nice but not worth the change really, it's less than 100 RPM at 70 I think if I remember right. Dropping to 5th and lock out sixth and the 5.0 pulls like a beast. 70 keeps me at 2200 or so in 5th and the engine is very happy, quiet and strong.

A two horse bumper pull can be close to or over 500lbs on the hitch, depends on how they are set up and how big the horses are. Small GN would be a better choice, trust me. I have pulled both and no comparison, the GN is a much more relaxing tow. With horses moving around as they do, the GN is much more stable.