Towing Recommendation
 

I bought a 2013 Platinum 3.5L Ecoboost under the impression that it included the max tow package - I was sold on the tranny cooler, upgraded radiator, towing capacity, etc. Now I'm not so sure if I even have any of that. After a lot of digging, I checked the tag on the axle - only 3.31 axle ratio. I'm 99% sure that the max trailer package came with 3.73. Truck has 36 gal. fuel tank, factory TBC, but that's all I know of for certain. I checked the hitch and it's only rated for 10,500lbs max. Pretty sure I was okie dokied by the salesman.

I'm in love with the truck, but it's only been 3 days. Left the dealership with an option contract, but haven't gone through with financing through my credit union yet. Trying to decide if I should take what I've got, and purchase a trailer that it can handle (potentially smaller than I was planning), or turn around and try to find something with a better towing capacity.

I'll be the first to admit that in spite of a LOT of research prior to my purchase, I failed to double check the VIN beforehand. Everywhere I've tried to look up the VIN has come up short. Took it back to the dealer and the salesman kinda gave me a runaround. What do you guys think? Going to be buying a TT for my wife and me to go back and forth to Idaho from California at least once a year. Is the 3.31 going to be enough to tow a 5-8k lb TT +cargo? Suggestions?

2013 F-150 4WD SuperCrew Platinum
3.5L GTDI V6
157" WB
Max WDH: 9,100lbs
VIN: 1FTFW1ET2DFD83900

What's the yellow payload sticker inside the drivers door say? That will be your limiting factor in that truck in that situation. A 5k tt will need about 800 pounds of payload + passengers and other cargo. You could probably make a 5k tt work with around 1450 or so payload if you travel light and forgo a bed cover or heavy liner. Keep in mind any accessories added take away from the payload. An 8k tt will be too much for that truck for sure. You need around 1200 pounds of hitch weight for a trailer like that. Your most definetly not going to habe the payload for that and even if you did the rear axle would be overloaded.

It's pre-owned. Came with what looks like ~65mil spray in liner, so that probably adds around 100lbs already. If I upgrade the rear suspension - maybe heavy duty leafs or coilovers, will that help?

Yeah, that doesn't have max tow or max payload.

Adding anything for the suspension will help it from squatting but it will also decrease the payload capacity (legally) of your truck.

According to what I've researched, it's somewhere around 1,700 max payload... I think.

According to your picture it is 1184lbs of payload.

What if I upgrade to some heavier capacity tires? Forgive me for being new here - I've never owned a real truck (last one was a 2003 Nissan Frontier) and haven't towed outside of the 3500HD at work.

Nothing you can add to it will increase the legal payload which is what is on the sticker.
Will the truck handle it? To a point but then it becomes unsafe and if something were to happen during trip you can bet the insurance company and lawyers will be all over it.

Yeah, that's what I'm discovering. So, bottom line - this truck as is, is not set up for towing anything substantial. Really not sure what to do at this point. The first thing I told the salesman at Ford was that I was planning on buying a trailer and needed something that could accommodate a decent sized trailer. Guess I'll go back in on Monday and figure out what to do.