I just bought a new 2022 F150 with a 2.7 TT Ecoboost. I only have the basic 53B towing setup with the class IV hitch. Looking at the ford towing guide is confusing. I see it says what I have below (do not exceed trailer weight of 6000Lbs with class Iv Hitch 53B). It then has numbers 1,2,3 etc that I guess are next to the GCWR numbers? I see the class IV hitch has a sticker on it saying do not exceed 5,000Lbs. I then see reference to 6000 Lbs. What can my hitch handle? The truck should be good for GCWR-Curb Weight-Passengers and gear = I figure around 6500-7000Lbs. I guess am I limited to 5000 or 6000? I tow a boat that comes in about 3800Lbs and I am concerned I am going to be pushing what my truck can handle. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

1. Do not exceed a trailer weight of 6,000 lbs. with only the Class IV hitch (53B), without the Trailer Tow Package (53A). 2. Do not exceed a trailer weight of 7,000 lbs. with only the Class IV hitch (53B), without the Trailer Tow Package (53A). 3

 

The 5000lb listed on the hitch is for weight carrying. It will have a higher limit listed for when you use a weight distribution hitch, something like 12,000lb or higher.

So, trailer on the ball, not weight distribution no more than 5000lb. Add weight distribution, load up to the rating of your truck.

 

Ok so that would be for all trucks with a class IV hitch essentially? Once you go over 5000Lb on a class IV hitch its an issue no matter what package you have?

 

Yes the factory hitches say its good to 5000 and 500 tongue without WD. So after that you need wd or another hitch set up.

Your 3800 boat shouldn’t be an issue. I think some states require trailer brakes if over 3500 trailering. I think ford says 2500.

 

Correct, the 5000lbs tow limit applies to all F150s if you don't use a WDH. You can have a long wheelbase HDPP max tow supercab truck with HPP frame or a short wheelbase regular cab class iv hitch truck with LD frame and both are still 5000lbs, which is a ridiculous equivalency but one that Ford applies and they clearly want you to use a WDH.

53B 2.7 with WDH is limited to 6000lbs max trailer tow as per the Ford brochure. I recently figured out the major difference between 53A (heavy duty tow package) and 53B (Class IV Hitch), it is the radiator.

2022 53B radiator is ML3Z8005A: https://parts.lakelandford.com/p/for...ML3Z8005A.html
2022 53A/53C radiator is ML3Z8005B: https://parts.lakelandford.com/p/For...ML3Z8005B.html

Of note the 53B 3.5L ecoboost with Class IV hitch gets 7000 lbs max tow rating but has the same radiator as the 53B 2.7L. I sincerely doubt the 2.7L ecoboost outputs more heat than the 3.5L.

Do your research, but if you wanted to consider a trailer in the 7000lbs range and you don't live in the hot mountain desert I think you'll be okay. I am a 2020 2.7L ecoboost F150 XLT 53A owner in eastern TN and I tow a 2020 Grand Design 2400BH with absolutely no heat/power issues, but watch the payload and soft suspension in rear .

 

I think its the mountains that heat those turbo motors up. So if he is fine then you are fine.

You should be more concerned about trailer brakes with a 3800 trailer, just for a little extra safety and convenience; its right at the edge of needing it. Easy to forget thats back there and one second look down at the radio and a bad driver in front of you could be a Major issue…. But I bet it has surge brakes if any. Mentioning it since you have your attention on this now.

My basic 2.7 I had was ok up to 8,000 towing but its flat around here. Anything more and it was getting into the boost quite a bit and we have other trucks for that. I put 3.73 gears in it from 3.31 and it helped a good bit.

I throw the stock hitches in the scrap pile and go with something else to avoid the ridiculous ratings.

 

Thanks everyone for the input. That makes me feel better. I do have surge brakes and generally tow flat terrain about 10 miles to the marina so the demand is pretty low. It sounds like the most glaring limits to watch for are towing without weight distribution and your payload. By the time you deduct the tongue weight and a car full of kids, wife, gas and drinks it payload gets close. Interesting to break down the real numbers though.

 

My 2019 F150 2.7 53B had the same radiator as trucks with 53A.
In that year, radiators with less cooling are for 3.3L V6 and 5.0 V8 engines, or for Ecoboost trucks with no tow package at all.

Its possible that changed, best way to know is to look at yours.

 

You have to also consider less than full output aspects. We use full output only in short bursts, like merging onto a highway.

If both a 3.5 and 2.7 eco are pulling heavy trailers and need 280lb-ft to maintain speed on a light but very long grade, the 2.7 is going to be a lot further into it's boost than the 3.5, and will generate more heat than the bigger engine. If generating boost was 100% efficient, the engines would produce the same heat to produce the same power, but as it's not, and using boost to generate any amount of power generate more heat than generating that power within the cylinders.

Ex: If the 3.5L eco had the same compression ratio as the 3.5 Ti-VCT, it would need no boost to produce 280lb-ft (at the right rpm), but the 2.7L would be about 23% short, about 216lb-ft. As the 2.7L cannot make the missing 64lb-ft through normal aspiration, it's using boost to generate that additional power. Under this condition, which is not abnormal, the 2.7eco is going to generate more heat than the 3.5eco to maintain the same speed, at part throttle.

 

Takes X amount of horsepower to maintain a certain speed, doesn't matter size of the motor therefore they both produce the same amount of heat since 2545 BTUs equal 1 horsepower.
Efficiency matters which determines how much fuel you use to make that X amount of horsepower, but the amount of horsepower needed doesn't change therefore the BTUs are the same.