KP Texan

I've picked out a number of existing 2017 F-150's and they are all spec'd as follows (Others are a bit different, but I've decided I need these features at a minimum):

-Supercrew
-5.5' Bed
-4x4
-XLT
-Sport Appearance
-3.5L Ecoboost w/ 10 speed transmission
-36 Gal Tank
-3.55 Axle with E-locker
-Class IV Hitch
-7000lb GVWR

I've only seen one of the sport appearance trucks listed with the Max Tow, and none of them have the basic towing package listed on the window sticker. Seems as if most of the max tow trucks are just XLT with the chrome package. That being said, I really like the Sport Appearance package, so I may have no choice but to go this route if that's what I want.

What is towing capacity going to be like with one of these? If I'm reading the towing guide correctly, I see 10,700 lbs. I'm assuming this would be plenty given that I've only towed 1 trailer in the past 4 years of owning my current truck. Nevertheless, I like to plan for the future. My biggest concern is that I know both of the towing packages include a transmission cooler (among other options). Does this mean the F-150s as configured above do not have a transmission cooler? I can always add a brake controller, but the last thing I want is to damage the transmission due to overheating.

Here's an example of the door tag on one of these trucks:



Thanks for the help!

smokeywren

2017 F-150 XLT with at least the mid (301A) or luxury (302A) trim pkgs were available with the XLT Sport Appearance Pkg (862), and either the regular towing pkg (53A) or the max tow pkg (53C) as well as all the options you included above. So if dealers don't have any in stock, it's probably because they didn't expect to sell many.


In addition to the regular and max tow pkgs, dealers could order just the receiver hitch with trailer plug, but without the auxiliary tranny cooler


So if the sticker doesn't include either 53A or 53C, then the truck does not have either tow pkg, and therefore does not have an auxiliary tranny cooler.

Have you ruled out ordering a new 2018 to get exactly what you want? I haven't bought a vehicle off the lot in many years. I've ordered exactly what I wanted and waited for it to be delivered for almost all my new vehicles since I ordered a new 1965 Corvette Stingray coupe about 52 years ago. (Yep, I'm an old codger).

No. All F-150s have an oil-to-water (OTW) heat exchanger (tranny cooler) in the bottom of the radiator. 53A and 53C adds an auxiliary oil-to-air (OTA) heat exchanger in front of the radiator.


If you order a new F-150, be sure you order a tow pkg and not only the integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC), but also the tow mirrors. Tow mirrors ordered as an option are dirt cheap, but if you have to buy them from the parts dept you'll have to pay an arm and a leg and your first-born heir.


But even with a tow pkg, you still need to pay attention to tranny temp. My Lariat includes a digital tranny temp gauge (in addition to the idiot gauge on the dash), so I can watch it like a hawk and never exceed 225° tranny temp. The new XLTs with Sport Appearance pkg have a "productivity screen" but I'm not sure that includes the digital tranny temp gauge. If not, I'd figure out a way to add a digital tranny temp gauge with the sender in the tranny sump.

KP Texan

Thanks for the input! I'd certainly rather have a 2018, but with the incentives now I would be looking at a minimum of $5k more for a similarly equipped truck. I also forgot to mention that all of these trucks I'm looking at have 302a. With the 4.2" instrument display, I'm pretty sure you can monitor a digital readout of the trans temp. Only problem is almost none of them the have the mid or max tow packages!

smokeywren

Have you had your dealer person do a search of all Ford unsold inventory in the USA? They can do that and if "your" truck is available anywhere, they can find it and then do a dealer trade to get it. If it's not nearby your dealer, then they'll charge you the trucking fee to haul it from wherever they find it to your dealership, but that will probably be only a few hundred bucks - not thousands. But the dealer can inform you of the cost of the hauling and you can decide to accept it or not.


List only those options the F-150 must have, and don't include any "nice to have" options. If they find one with your minimum requirements, then they can print out the window sticker and see what else it has.


For example,


2017 F-150 4x4 SuperCrew, 145" wheelbase, max tow pkg, XLT Sport Pkg.


The 145" wheelbase is dealer-speak for the 5.5' bed on a SuperCrew.


That combo includes the 3.5L EcoBoost drivetrain, 3.55 e-Locker axle, 36-gallon gas tank, integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC), and at least 301A trim level. You also want towing mirrors, but if it doesn't have them the dealer can add them.


If there are none in captivity with that exact combo, then have the dealer person search again but instead of max tow, search for regular tow plus the 3.5L EcoBoost engine, 3.55 e-Locker axle and 36-gallon gas tank. The ITBC is not included with the regular tow pkg, but the dealer can easily add it if it's not on the sticker.


And I would be sure your dealer person is a manager, probably the fleet manager or new-truck manager in a larger dealership. Or in my small dealership, I deal directly with the dealer who is the fleet manager and new truck manager.

KP Texan

Thanks for the help! I actually located a few that meet my criteria in my area. I guess my search price range wasnt high enough.

thrifty biil

Saving money to get the wrong truck is not that good of a deal. Paying more to get the "right" truck is the way to go. Dealers always push what they have on their lot and will try to convince you that is your only option. Sounds like you have found something much better. Good for you!


Consider how long you plan to keep your truck. In my case, thats ten years. So if I pay $4000 more to get exactly what I want, thats $400 per year (~$33 per month). I know not being frustrated every day by having exactly what I want is well worth a little over $1 a day. Someone who only keeps their truck five years its still only a little over $2 a day.

KP Texan

I agree completely. In my case it's along the lines of $1275 more so it's really a no-brainer!

mass-hole

The new trucks with Max-Tow package only seem to increase the GCWR, which means that the maximum trailer weight is increased, but you likely will not be able to tow that much anyways.

GVWR, payload capacity, and such dont change anymore when you get max tow and so you are not at a disadvantage by not getting max-tow the way the older trucks were. The only limitation you may run into is that the non-max tow trailer hitch may be derated from the max-tow version and wont handle as much tongue weight. Someone else will have to confirm that or you have to look under the trucks in the lot and see what it says on the hitch sticker.

atwowheelguy

Without the Towing Package, the max trailer weight is 5000 lbs.

KP Texan

I would hope that is referring to bumper pull and not trucks with class IV hitch. There's no way a Tacoma is rated to pull more than an Ecoboost with 470 lb-ft of torque and all the extra weight.