XRSphil

Hi guys,

New member here, I've been searching the forum for a few years when I needed info and finally decided to join. I currently have a 2016 crew cab short bed with the 5.0, sport package with the gunmetal 20's.

Last month I ordered a new truck that I plan on keeping long term. 2018 f-150 screw 6.5 bed - special edition, Magnetic, Max tow package, FX4, Tow mirrors, Navigation, Wheel well liners, Ford tonneau cover, Kicker sub, maybe a few other things I am forgetting.

So far I have a rough country leveling kit 2 inch front - 1 inch rear, weather tech mats, .25" wheel spacers, led fog light bulbs, tailgate seal and assist all ready to go when the truck comes in.

Once I get the truck I plan on going with 285/65r20 Nitto Ridge Grapplers, tint front windows, clear front bumper vinyl protector, and undercoating.

I was looking at hitches to order and I started thinking about the tow capacity of the truck (13k lbs.) vs. what most 2 inch receiver ball mounts are rated for ( 10k lbs.).

Does anyone know if the 2018 f-150 with the max tow package come with a 2.5 inch receiver?? This would make the most sense, but I am unsure.

Thanks!

Jeff1024

Hi and welcome. The truck comes with a standard 2in receiver - you have to step up to a super duty to get a 2.5in

Also, hope you were not planning on towing anywhere near 13k - or even 10k - with your truck. Read up on the forum and see what you can realistically tow with your truck before you hitch anything up. The answer may surprise you.

If you are planning on towing at all I would ditch the level kit, the rake is there for a reason. Doesn't take much weight in the back to get the truck to sit level.

Hope you enjoy the new truck - any other questions just ask.

XRSphil

Thank you for the answer on that.

I do plan to occasionally tow my dads tractor maybe a total of 60 miles each way at 55-60 mph. weight total is somewhere in the range of 10-11k lbs at the most with implements. I don't see any issue towing this once or twice a year that I will need it.
Other than that, I will be towing smaller trailers well within the capability of the truck.

In regards to the leveling kit, this is why I got the 1 inch addition for the rear to still keep some rake on the truck. stock is roughly 3 inches of rake, with this level combination it should be more in the ballpark of 2 inches.

RickC137

The 2.5 " hitch is (generally) a class V. I had one on my Ram 2500 and it designed for stuff that you would NEVER haul with an F-150 regardless of how it's fitted. My 2004 F-250 still only had a 2" class IV and it was more than adequate.

Get a Class IV Gen-Y hitch with pintle hook and you'll never need another hitch. It'll tow anything the truck is capable of and beyond. It's even compatible with weight distribution hitches.

Jeff1024

I'm not going to play weight police but 10 - 11k is going to put you over pretty much every weight limit on the truck. Despite what the Ford marketing department would want you to believe the truck is light duty platform, if you want to tow that much comfortably even just a few times a year I would either step up to a SuperDuty now or rent a F250 for the couple times you need it instead of beating up your brand new F150.

Just my 2 cents.

XRSphil

Why would ford claim that it could tow 13k if it can't handle 10k?? That doesnt make much sense. Obviously if you were towing that amount of weight on a regular basis a 250/ diesel would be optimal.

schmenke

^

Yep, especially as it sounds like the truck will include several options, further limiting the payload capacity. The 20" diameter tires don't help either.


Edit: sorry this post was in reply to Jeff's.

chimmike

you have to read the fine print. It's all based on XL models with little/no options that have maximized payload capacity.

You aren't even supposed to tow over 5klbs without a WDH on these trucks....and 10-11klbs of tractor and trailer on a gooseneck will probably blow right thru your payload regarding pin weight.

If you got a HDPP truck you may be OK...……..but you have to remember. These are "LIGHT DUTY" trucks.

Simnut

Trust what he is saying What the Ford advertising say...and what the Ford actually do......TWO different things. I'm supposed to be able to pull 7600 lbs with mine. With a travel trailer I am maxed out at about a 5800 lb trailer or so. You may be able to get closer to what Ford says you can tow with an equipment trailer .

Jeff1024

Oh young grasshopper - I too was once in your shoes - had a 7k boat saw the 13,000lb tow rating on a Ford commercial and said "I will buy an F150 I will have 6000lbs of towing leftover, thats amazing." Somewhere in the Ford marketing department someone smiled and opened a beer having done their job. In a room next door a Ford engineer cried.

Tow ratings have become a d*ck measuring contest between the big three that have in my opinion really only made things terribly confusing for the consumer. The issue isn't what you can pull, it is how much weight or payload, you can carry. In a 1/2 Ton truck you will run out of payload or rear axle capacity before you ever run out of towing. Furthermore the 13,000 number you are looking at assumes you have a stripped down 2WD XL model truck. You of course want the nice Lariet 4WD Crew Cab. All those fancy things reduce what you can effectively pull by reducing the payload you have for tongue weight.

With the options you listed you are looking at 1600 - 1700 of leftover payload. Rear Axle rating on the truck is 3800lbs. Hitch rating is around 12,xxx WITH Weight Distribution. Let's assuming you are at 13% hitch weight on a 10,500lb trailer.

With that setup you are looking at putting 1365 on the hitch plus 100lbs for the weigh distribution setup. So that's already overloading the hitch. Your original payload was 1700 - 1365 - 100 for the WD Hitch = 235lbs leftover for EVERYTHING in the truck not installed when it rolled off the line at the factory. Put two people in the truck and you are over payload.

Without a trip to the scale we cant tell if you would be over RAWR but I would guess with that trailer you would be.

Most people find towing more than about 6k - 7k is just not possible in a 1/2 ton truck without exceeding multiple weight limits.