mhamershock

This place is nothing. Go over to rv.net and look at the towing sections there. 20 pagers all the time with weight police everywhere. There, if you don't have an F350 dually to tow your 12' aluminum fishing dinghy you are a dangerous criminal.

Mike

grow4hobby

I see in your signature 3.73 with a 17' 3.5. I thought 3.55 was the most you could go?

Kingofpasadena

HDPP comes with 3.73s.

i2oadi2unnei2

Umm, I'm still new to the 'Ford Truck' world and when I told the dealer I only wanted MTTP, HDDP, Tow Mirrors and 'black' if possible that's what I got. I later realized 3.73 is overkill as a DD for me but when I tow with it, it's super awesome over my Touareg TDI, but of course its not fair to the VW since its Apples to Bananas I don't know all the trim and options so others here may chime in.

Kingofpasadena

This is my 2nd HDPP, and the mileage actually isn't bad with the 10 speed. Much better than my steel-bodied '13.
I also have a TDI! '14 Passat with 201K miles. Is your Touareg the V6 or V10?

i2oadi2unnei2

Jeez, 201K since '14, you drive a lot! Mine was the V6, got my first half of the "we lied to you" money but ended up trading it in for the F-150 before I could get the final fix and get my 2nd half of my "sorry not sorry" money....oh well.

mikeinatlanta

I'd say because a few have figured out the math and think they have discovered something new. With this newfound knowledge they take every opportunity to point out anytime someone exceeds payload by about a gram. Anything that varies that veers from the easily provable and arguable print is met with hate and discontent. Nobody on this planet is capable or allowed to make any modification to improve a vehicles capacity over what Ford printed. I figure someone's head would explode if they had to figure out a safe tow capacity of a car I built myself. I can (and did) build my own car and tow what I believe to be safe, but I dare not add airbags and exceed Ford payload by that magical gram.

Just part of this forum's culture.

Kingofpasadena

That's about 15,000 Lyft/Uber trips, plus it was my daily driver until I got my new F150. Diesel was cheaper than gas in CA until the fuel tax hike, and it's about the same as premium now, so it worked out pretty well. Aside from the A/C going out at 72K miles (Out of warranty, but VW fixed it for about $400), no issues until 199K. My '13 Ecoboost, on the other hand, was on it's 3rd engine at 92K miles when Ford bought it back from me. Lol

Ricktwuhk

Because so many people are clueless, tow way over capacity, don't test trailer braking systems, don't properly tie down loads or boats, ... endangering all of us.

One hopes that by educating them they spread the knowledge to others, the true purpose of forums.

Hoss10

I wonder how much difference the axle ratio makes with the 10 speed. In the short time I've owned my HD I can't help thinking the 3.73 rear might help you stay in a higher gear more often. I'm getting 10.8 L/100 (22 mpg) over a 1500 kms on mixed rural and 400 highways (Interstates). The trick I'm noticing is stay off boost as much as possible to improve MPGs.

Regarding the OP payload question. I have towed stuff for almost 50 years (farming) and many times times I know I was over any kind of limits you could name. I never was in an accident or mishap, but that doesn't make it right. Hopefully I'm older and wiser now.
I think the interest in Payload comes from more knowledge being available, and the increase in the number of people towing RVs. Rvs are a tough tow! Couple this with the habit of many RV sales people over estimating the ability of the customers tow vehicle and you have some large trailers being towed long distances with marginal tow rigs. Today I say 2 F 150s towing large 5th wheels they were not HDs, even if they were they were way over capacity their bumpers were almost on the ground! Perhaps a little research would have prevented these combinations.
I don't find this forum having more focus on it then others, as was said before "you should read some of the RV forums. Payload is a number often overlooked, even by the manufacturers so any focus on it is a good thing.