Shaggy1970

Sounds like you need to read up on your own facts and understand the numbers.

You can read this thread and find out what I know about the numbers! https://www.f150forum.com/f82/harm-h...damage-332044/

Cwprotek

I towed more, I'm not gonna say how much, with my 07 5.4 with 3.73. Even worse no trailer brakes. It was only 10 miles and I got pushed all over the place and out into an intersection.

Ranks up there among "dumbest things I've ever done". Much more educated about capabilities of a half ton now.

Ricktwuhk

I had read that before. You can refer to charts all you want, but the reality is that each vehicle has max capacity numbers that that unique vehicle has. I'm not going to debate your opinion that you can exceed those numbers without the vehicle having a catastrophic failure. That is your opinion. Again, the reality is that if you follow the numbers printed on the stickers applied to your own truck, you cannot tow 10,000 pounds with normal 13% tongue weight, and the reality is that most F-150s max out on Payload long before they get anywhere near what the hitch is rated for.

All Hat No Cattle

I don't get it. Does this mean that this chart from the Ford Towing Guide means nothing?

I understand that if that 10,000# trailer has a 1,000 tongue weight, and if you have a 1663# truck load capacity, you and the wife better not weigh over 600# combined.

What is the problem with that?

acdii

Those figures are based on no options. If you get an XLT base package with max tow hdpp, and nothing else, then you can do what that chart says. I pulled that up for the 2014 models today because I questioned a package, and discovered some interesting facts.

If you look real close to that PDF you will note there is no mention of package such as XL, XLT, Lariat, Platinum, etc. except Limited. Limited has the lowest tow ratings.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...4Toec174MB480w

So a 145"WB 4x4 has the highest trailer weight ratings with just Max Tow package. That would be an XL Supercab EB model with a short bed. An XLT would reduce that somewhat, and if you can get one in a Lariat, even further.

Every Option added reduces how much it can tow. Doesn't take rocket science to figure that out.

There is one thing, and one thing only that specifies how much each individual truck can tow, and that is the weight and capacities tag on the door or pillar.

When properly equipped the GCWR on any truck can be achieved as long as payload is not exceeded, and that is by towing a 4 on the floor trailer where all the weight is on the trailers axles and not on the truck, then it is possible for a Max tow HDPP to pull 11300#. Of course most state laws require trailer brakes on anything weighing more that 3000# or so, so if what you are pulling doesn't have brakes, you might want to consider not hitching to it.

Oaf

Hmmmm, according to Ford's own towing guide, max towing on some F150's is 12,200 lbs. But of course what would Ford know, they only built the darn things.

And I didn't start the thread to debate the "you can't tow that" gang. I asked if anybody knew the equipment difference in the 7,000 vs the 10,000 lb tow package. Is it suspension, tires, brakes, cooling package?

Ricktwuhk

There is no "7,000 lb tow capacity" to order, nor a "10,000 lb tow capacity" to order. I suggest you refer to your ordering sheet. There are "Max Tow" and "Heavy Duty Payload Package" options that can be ordered. See what your ordering sheet specified.

HDPP comes with a heavier frame, different axle, tires...

Your salesman should know this. And don't rely on the towing guide, the truck's stickers will tell you exactly what it can do. It will ALWAYS BE LOWER based on packages and options ordered.

Great white

iTrader: (1)

Mine is a loaded Lariat, everything except the tech package, 157" wheelbase.

Payload sticker: 1606. GVWR: 7050. Scaled the truck, payload sticker is accurate to within a handful of pounds (depends on whether the wife was telling the truth on her weight as we were both in the truck..... ).

It's max tow, but not HDPP.

Payload does decrease with options, no argument there. Everything added to the vehicle increases curb weight. But at 10% tongue, 10,000 lbs will fit under the stated limits. 11% will also work. As will 12%. At 12%, there's still 400 lbs left for occupants, but little else. So yeah, you can get 10,000 behind an f-150 and still be within specs, at least you can on my truck and it's probably the worse case scenario before getting in to the "limited" Limited models.



10-12% is perfectly acceptable for tongue weight. The generally accepted range for adequate towing performance is 9-15%, although I've been down around 9-10% and it does get a little twitchy closer to 9%. I personally run (normally) 11-12% and never have a twitch or white knuckle moment.

That is, as always, dependent on how your particular combination tows with that percentage. Claiming you must be a certain percentage is not an accurate statement, that's why there is a range. The range exists because every tow vehicle is different, every load is different, every road is different and every trailer is different. Anywhere in that range that gives acceptable towing performance for the given combination is fine.

People (that is not directed at anyone in particular so no one take it personal) also like to talk about tongue weights and payload like it's a static thing. It's not. As you drive, your payload changes in fuel load, you tongue changes with road action (a bouncing trailer on bad pavement has a very different effect than sitting static on a tongue scale). I'm certainly not advocating overloading, nor going light on tongue weight to "make the numbers work", but it must be acknowledged it's not always as sterile as the numbers indicate. The "numbers" are only a starting point. The final exam is getting it on the road and seeing how it goes. I've had to adjust loads "on the go" before myself in order to get the performance where I wanted it. That was usually towing someone else's trailer though...

So you can get 10,000 behind an F-150 and still be within the numbers. Those are the SAE J2807 tested numbers, not made up manufacturer numbers, so it will meet those performance specs at that weight. That is acceptable, safe, towing.

Now, whether or not you want to get 10,000 lbs behind an F-150 is a personal choice.

Personally, I worry more about driver skill and experience when talking about maxing out trailer and load ratings. Towing 2500 lbs is very different than towing 5,000 lbs which are both very different from towing 10,000 lbs. As is towing a flatbed load, and enclosed load and a travel trailer load. Chuck in terrain and weather conditions and it gets even more complicated.

I find if someone is doing the "number dance" to see if they can get a load under ratings, they're likely not an experienced tower, which means they very likely should not be up around the max ratings in the first place...

YMMV......

elfiero

HDPP- Does NOT come with a "heavier frame". Ford makes only ONE frame for the F150, and ONE frame ONLY. They may put heavier shocks, springs, and rear axles in them, but it's the SAME frame. Plus, MAXTOW(REAL heavyduty suspension) died with the older F150s. Do NOT ever believe anything the salesslime tell you. If they had any abilities at all, they would be doing something different.

Great white

iTrader: (1)

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...tes_010815.pdf

Page 84.

10% increase in frame rail thickness.

Significant increase in section modulus as well (basically, bending resistance). Section modulus is also affected by shape, so there may be some of that going on also, but the documentation only supports a change in material thickness.

But documentation lies, so.......