z_zk_z

Can you please tell me how much weight I can tow (trailer + cargo) and how much payload I can have? I can have 10,700 Lbs for towing and 2,350 Lbs for payload (based on my own research). Are these numbers correct? THANKS for any reply

The following information are from my window sticker:

2018 Ford F-150 XL 4WD Reg Cab 8' Box

141” wheelbase, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost engine with 10-speed auto w/TOW MO

3.31 ratio regular axle

7050# GVWR package

Class IV trailer hitch

dodgeman1

Your door jamb sticker will tell you the actual weights. Most of the time your truck runs out of payload before it reaches its towing weight. In your case I'd say that might not be true because your truck is more lightly optioned than most. Assuming your 10,700 is correct that is probably the number. Someone else with more knowledge will hopefully answer your questions too.

tcp2

Payload is shown on the yellow sticker inside the driver's door jam. Post those numbers or a picture. It will vary depending on options.

10700lbs max (as long as you stay below the payload, RAWR, FAWR and GCWR) seems right.

smokeywren

If your F-150 has the hitch but not the trailer towing pkg, then you are limited to 500 pounds hitch weight. Tongue weight is about 13% of gross trailer weight, so the max weight of a tandem-axle travel trailer you can tow without exceeding 500 pounds hitch weight is about 3,850 pounds.


If the window sticker shows that your F-150 also has the optional heavy duty trailer towing pkg (option code 53A), then with a weight-distributing hitch your max hitch weight goes way up so you can tow a trailer that weighs about 7000 pounds or more. The limit is usually the payload capacity available for hitch weight.


Max payload capacity is on a yellow sticker inside the driver's door frame. From that max payloal capacity, subtract every pound of people and stuff you add to the pickup that wasn't installed by the Ford assembly plant. The answer should be the payload capacity available for hitch weight. If you have the towing pkg 53A, then divide that payload capacity available for hitch weight by 0.13 (13%) and the answer is the approximate max trailer weight your F-150 can handle without being overloaded.


Insead of all that estimating of weights, the sure way to determine the payload capacity available for hitch weight is to load the F-150 with everybody and everything that will be in it when towing, drive to a truck stop that has a certified truck scale, fill up with gas, then weigh the wet and loaded pickup. Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded pickup from the GVWR of the pickup and the answer is the payload capacity available for hitch weight.


But forget all about the estimating or weighing if you don't have the towing pkg. Your limiter is 500 pounds hitch weight.

z_zk_z

Thank you very much everyone for replying. I am now clear about the Payload number (capacity), however I still have questions about the towing capacity. I got the 10,700 Lbs number from the table shown below. As you can see, that number does not have a superscript (e.g., 1 or 2 or 3) on it for my engine/truck type . Please see second photo for the superscript definitions. I don't have the Trailer Tow Package (53A) with towing capability up to 11,100 Lbs (7000 Lbs on 3.5L EcoBoost) OR the Max Trailer package (53C) with towing capability up to 13,200 Lbs (7000 Lbs on 3.5L EcoBoost). So here are my questions: Do I get the higher towing capabilities (e.g., 11,100 Lbs or 13,200 Lbs) by using a "weight-distributing hitch"? Can you please tell me (if the answer is yes) how much more I can tow by using a "weight-distributing hitch"? Isn't the 10,700 Lbs number in the table misleading (since it has no superscript on it)? How do I get 11,100Lbs/13,200Lbs towing capability (if the answer is no to "weight-distributing hitch"), since the two towing packages (53A & 53C) would only allow up to 7000 Lbs (for 3.5L EcoBoost engine). THANKS again for any reply...

The following information are from my window sticker:

2018 Ford F-150 XL 4WD Reg Cab 8' Box

141” wheelbase, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost engine with 10-speed auto w/TOW MO

3.31 ratio regular axle

7050# GVWR package

Class IV trailer hitch

smokeywren

"Towing capacity" or tow rating is based on GCWR. But you cannot get near the GCWR before you exceed some other limiter.


The tow ratings in that table are the maximum for a "properly-equipped" tow vehicle. Because you don't have a towing pkg that includes an auxiliary tranny cooler, your tow rating is 5000 pounds or 500 pounds max hitch weight, whichever weight you hit first.

If your had a factory-installed towing pkg, either the regular they call the "heavy duty" or the stronger one they call max towing, then your tow rating with a weight-distributing (WD) hitch would be up to 10,700 pounds, PROVIDED your receiver hitch was rated for 10,700 pounds or more with WD hitch.

Crawl under the back of your truck and look up to the frame of the receiver to find a sticker that includes the weight limits of your receiver. Those are the weight limits of the receiver, not the truck. It shows the max weight-carrying (WC) weight and the max weight-distributing (WD) weight of the reciver.


But note that little word "max".

Even with a towing pkg, you still couldn't reach 10,700 pounds gross trailer weight before running out of payload capacity. But you could get way up there above 7,000 pounds gross trailer weight.

The only way to reach 10,700 pounds gross trailer weight without being overloaded is to have absolutely no weight in the truck except a skinny driver, and drag a "wagon style" trailer such as a farmer's grain or cotton boll trailer that has only a few pounds of hitch weight.

One answer is on that sticker on the frame of the receiver. On my 2012, it is max 500 pounds tongue weight (TW) WC and 1,050 pounds TW WD. Or more than double with a WD hitch.

But that's just the hitch weight rating. The truck has a different weight rating, and you cannot exceed any of the weight ratings involved with towing - hitch, truck GVWR (payload capacity), GCWR (tow rating) and GAWRs.

1,050 pounds TW with 13% tongue weight is a gross trailer weight of about 8,077 pounds. But I run out of payload capacity for hitch weight long before I get near the 1,050 pounds TW. My F-150 with 3.5L EcoBoost drivetrain is slightly overloaded with my TT that has only 650 pounds TW when wet and loaded on an RV trip.


Yes, but tht's not a new phenomenon. Tow ratings have always been misleading, because they assume no weight in the truck except a skinny driver.



I don't know where you got that spec. The 2017 Ford Trailer Towing Selector says the GCWR for a "properly equipped" F-150 4x4 SuperCrew with 3.31 axle and 3.5L EcoBoost drivetrain is 16,200 pounds, with tow rating of 10,700 pounds. 16,200 minus 10,700 means the wet and loaded F-150 cannot weigh more than 5,500 pounds before you tie onto the trailer.


But because your F-150 doesn't have the proper equipment for towing more than 5,000 pounds, i.e., a towing pkg, you cannot tow anywhere near 10,700 pounds.

z_zk_z

Smokeywren: Thank you so much for taking time and replying to my questions. I had a photo in my previous message showing the hitch rating sticker under the truck (WC= 5,000lb, WD=11,000lb), however based on your great explanations, am I correct to say that my max towing is limited to 5,000lbs, and a "weight-distributing hitch" will not help me because my truck doesn’t have a trailer towing package (YES or NO)?

I purchased this truck on Monday and I was originally going to get a F-150 XL with a 2.7L EcoBoost V6 engine, 2WD, 3.73 Axle ratio, 141” WB, Reg Cab, 8’ Box, 6220# GVWR, except that truck had the extra trailer tow package. The 2.7L engine with the trailer tow package has towing capability up to 5000Lbs (vs. 3.5L engine which has 7000Lb with trailer tow package), and even more with a “weight-distributing hitch”. I guess, up to 8500lb (for 4x2, 2WD), see table in my previous message (correct??? YES or NO).

The dealer told me to get the truck with the 3.5L engine because it has more towing capability than the 2.7L engine, without a trailer towing package (where the truck with 2.7L engine needs the trailer towing package). I feel the FORD dealer lied to me because based on your explanations, the truck with 2.7L engine and the trailer tow package has more towing capability than my truck with 3.5L engine and no trailer tow package. Am I correct to say this (YES or NO)?

Sweetlou

According to your hitch sticker you can tow 11,000lb with a weight distributing hitch or 5000lb without one.

Your payload is nice and juicy at 2300lb! If you are looking at travel trailers, most have a hitch weight of 10% but your hitch is only rated to hold 1100lb, so that’s your maximum hitch + tongue weight.

If you planned on towing an 8000lb trailer, your hitch weight with a WD hitch would be 800-900lb, plus 100lb WD hutch, so figure 1000lb total hitch weight... and eating up 1000lb of payload. You still have 1300lb payload remaining which is what a ram 1500 has before adding anything!

I am a little confused by all your postings. You say you don’t have a tow package but your truck came from the factory with a hitch? I didn’t think they came with a hitch unless it had a package, but what do I know.

The basic tow package (not max tow) does include a transmission cooler, but as far as I know the tow package does not change the structural capability of the truck, just makes the drive train happier.

The tow rating of the 3.5EB will always be greater than the 2.7. I believe the 2.7 trucks come with a lower GVWR and GCVWR.

z_zk_z

Sweetlou: I am trying to make sure, if my F-150 can tow up to 10,700Lbs (please see attached table, 141”WB, 3.31 Axle Ratio, 3.5L EB engine) without having any tow package (e.g., transmission cooler). The explanations from “smokeywren” in earlier reply appears to say that I cannot tow more than 5000Lbs without a trailer tow package (not even with a weight distributing hitch), and you are saying that I could with a weight distributing hitch (and no tow package). The attached table shows 10,700Lbs (without mentioning a tow package in the note section of the page). It is basically saying what you are saying. I need to return this truck, if I am limited to 5000Lbs towing and get one with a tow package, however if I can tow up to 10,700Lbs with a weight distributing hitch, then I am okay (PS. My hitch receiver came with the truck, however it is a $95 add-on for class IV hitch). THANKS for any reply to confirm…

The following information are from my window sticker:

2018 Ford F-150 XL 4WD Reg Cab 8' Box

141” wheelbase, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost engine with 10-speed auto w/TOW MO

3.31 ratio regular axle

7050# GVWR package

Class IV trailer hitch

smokeywren

That was true for 2014 and earlier models. Ford changed things for the 2015 + models. Now there is a new option #53B for a "Class IV trailer hitch" for F-150s with XL trim or XLT with base trim. 53B is standard with other XLT trim and on all F-150s that have Lariat or higher trim. (The regular towing pkg is no longer std with Lariat and above trim). But that new hitch is just a hitch, not a towing package. The regular towing package adds an auxiliary transmission oil (ATF) cooler and an engine oil cooler so you can tow more than 5,000 pounds without overheating anything in the drivetrain. And I don't know what the "uggraded front stabilizer bar" has to do with towing, but it's part of the towing pkg and not the hitch pkg.


The 2015 order guide says 53B has towing capacity up to 5,000 pounds.

The 2017 Order guide is a bit different. It ways 53B with the 3.5L EcoBoost or 5.0L engine is rated to tow up to 7,000 pounds (with WD hitch), and with lesser engines is rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds. But that towing capacity over 5,000 pounds is under review because the 2018 F-150 Order guide dated 07/01/2017 says the towing capacity with 53B is "TBD", but other sources say it's 500/5000, the same as the ball mount in the rear step bumper.