smokeywren

All 2018 F-150s have an oil-to-water (OTW) transmission cooler. It's located behind the radiator. There is not an option for a heavier-duty OTW cooler.

2018s (and 2019s) DO NOT have an auxiliary oil-to-air (OTA) tranny cooler. Instead the ones with a towing package have a higher capacity radiator and higher capacity engine fan. More "water" in the radiator and more air sucking through radiator to suck the heat out of the water makes the OTW tranny cooler adequate to provide enough tranny cooling to allow towing up to the GCWR - as long as you maintain a high enough speed to keep the torque converter locked.

You probably cannot tell the difference in the radiator and engine fan just by looking at them. The best way to be sure is to have a Ford dealer put the VIN of the F-150 in their service department computer system and print out a "build sheet" for your F-150. The build sheet will tell you everything that was installed on the assembly line, including a towing package, radiator and engine fan.

upchuck2000

I may have read it wrong as I'm not in front of it. It's an F150 though. I didn't take a picture of the damn sticker on the driver's door frame. i'm headed out there tomorrow for some more recon.

acdii

There is one, and only one F150 trim that has that 3270 payload. It is a regular cab with 8' box 5.0 XL 4 x 2 with no options and HDPP. Have to read the fine print in the towing guide page 3. Same goes for the maximum towing capacity, 1 and only 1 trim that is capable, SCREW with 6.5' box 3.5 EB XLT 4x2 with Max Tow, and no other options. Everything else is based on available payload and options installed.

side note, the 3.5 is only 40 pounds less payload @ 3230 pounds maximum payload, same equipped XL.

mikeinatlanta

I wouldn't believe a bit of what they are saying until laying eyes on the truck. Seriously doubt a rental company would pay extra for an electronic locking 3.73. Also doubt they would pay extra for a tow package and then go to the trouble of having that package altered just to prevent towing. The whole thing sounds like BS to me.

upchuck2000

Ya I've been getting a lot of good advice here which confirms a lot of the red flags. The VIN decoder definitely showed a 3.73 however. Even in the best case I saw a truck that would be pretty much loaded once I put 700# of tounge weight plus 5 people at approximately 800# then figuring a few hundred #'s of firewood camping gear, food, etc. Rather than wind up in a ditch because I believed a saleman's voodoo math to get a sale I bought an F-250 with a 3.73, built in trailer brake controller, etc. More expensive but much safer. Thanks for everyone's input and keeping me from doing something stupid.

mikeinatlanta

Yea. My 5.0 w 3.73 tows 8,000 relatively effortlessly, however, I removed the back seat from my SCAB and will never tow with more than two people, so my payload is not a problem.

Dang Good

Run away from this deal. Tow package includes the hitch.