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2020 F150 Platinum 4x4 crew
3.55 gears. 36 gallon tank, 9.75 rear end. 20 inch wheels
Tow package, not Max Tow Package on sticker
3.5 EcoBoost / 10 speed
The payload on the sticker is 1571 lbs
The GVWR is 7000.
Locate the 4x4, 145"/157" WB, 3.55 axle, 3.5 engine, non-max-tow Conventional Towing values, which are 16,200 lbs GCWR and 10,500 lbs max trailer tow.
Those are your Ford sanctioned pulling limits for your precise vehicle, whichever of the two numbers comes first.
But in addition to these limits you must also not exceed your payload sticker and your axle weight ratings, in particular GRAWR. If you are thinking of towing a travel trailer then the rule of thumb is to multiply the GVWR of the trailer by 0.13 to arrive at the tongue weight that will be supported by your truck. So assume a 10,000lbs trailer and you get 1,300lbs tongue weight. Now add 100lbs for the weight distribution hitch, you get 1,400lbs. That leaves your F150 with 171lbs left over capacity for all passengers, cargo, and any aftermarket accessories not present from factory. Clearly a 10,000lbs travel trailer is not in the realm of possibility for your truck even though 53A supports it, you need to look at no more than 7000lbs realistically and try to keep some margin from the absolute limits. If it's a boat you're thinking of towing then the tongue weight math there is 0.07 to 0.1 so you can comparatively tow more boat before exceeding your payload.
Your achievable tow limit is low due to your Platinum trim weighing more compared to lower trim trucks. For instance a XL trim would be > 2000lbs payload for the same truck. It would still have 7000lbs GVWR but its curb weight would be ~500lbs less and that difference can go to supporting a higher tongue weight. This is also why the 53C max tow package is mostly pointless for a high trim F150. If you want to have your cake and eat it too you have to consider F250+ instead. One key 53C item is the integrated brake controller, you shoud consider this as absolutely essential for safe towing of trailers that have electronic brakes.
What everyone glossed over is the fact that the published tow ratings do not take into account the number of features your truck may have (adds weight), or that it may have a tongue percentage greater than 10%.
The mfg's rate their trucks at 10% tongue weights, because utility and cargo trailers by far are the most purchased trailers. If you hang out on this forum long enough though, you'll think travel trailers outnumber them ten to one, because us travel trailer owners can't shut up about our travel trailers
As travel trailers average 30% higher tongue weights than the standards used to establish tow ratings, you are not going to reach your tow rating without hitting your payload limit with a travel trailer, although you can get close with a unicorn HDPP truck.
As has been shown, 53C is the heaviest duty tow package, referred to as Max Tow. In addition to the stronger rear hitch, it gets the HD rear axle, heavier duty springs, and heavier duty wheels rated to 80psi. It also gets the HPP frame, but the curb weight of your Platinum probably dictated that frame already.
Its says 10,100 since your platinum has the 2 speed auto function transfer case and the lower GCWR as it doesn’t have any extra tow packages as stated. It would go up to 10,900 if they allowed more GCWR if you had further options.
1571 payload is really strong for a platinum and I can only assume its a 5.5 ft bed.
None of that extra GCWR stuff matters much since you are a numbers guy. At 10,100 you would be over 1,000 tongue weight and you want some remaining capacity on the truck. Which was mentioned earlier.
If you plan to hover the max remember the rear tire PSI and max rear GAWR are designed for ride comfort, maybe add a few lbs.
Using the 2019 tow guide (shouldn’t have changed too much), your tow capacity is 10,700# & your GCWR is 16,200#.
Your hitch receiver has its own as built capacity rating not directly associated with your truck capacity. The same hitches are used throughout the F150 line for 53A & 53B packages but are different from the 53C (max tow) package. The Max Tow hitch (considered the “bumper upgrade”) has several extra welds and extra material around the draw tube and is rated to tow 1000# or more than the standard tow hitch. Your hitch as built capacity, again, NOT the trucks capacity, is on a sticker on the bottom of the cross tube.
There are an threads discussing the differences between the 53A, 53B, & 53C tow packages. A huge difference is frame thickness between the packages. Frame thickness varies based on wheelbase, body type and tow/load package. Your frame sticker is on the frame side under the driver door near the “B” pillar.
Congrats on having the 36 gallon gas tank. I was unaware of it being a stand-alone option when I bought my truck.
If you don’t have it, an Integrated Trailer Brake Controller is a wonderful thing. A factory one can be added for about $200, easy install, and FORSCAN integrated with your truck computer & dash display. Most states require trailer brakes at 3000# GVWR, a few higher and several nanny states less. My frame sticker Top receiver is Max Tow 53C. Bottom is Towing Package 53A.
The top receiver is also on Power Boost, irregardless of the tow package. My PB only has the regular 53A tow package but has the hitch shown for the Max Tow.
My Hitch is rated for 11,600# for weight distributing hitch. and 1,160# for tongue weight.
The top receiver is also on Power Boost, irregardless of the tow package. My PB only has the regular 53A tow package but has the hitch shown for the Max Tow.
My Hitch is rated for 11,600# for weight distributing hitch. and 1,160# for tongue weight.
Quite odd, your hitch has the upgraded reinforcements & extra welds of the Max Tow BUT Ford put the non-max Tow hitch sticker on it? My standard Tow hitch has what appears to be the exact same sticker on it. Max Tow hitches I've seen all have 12,600# Tow weight, 1260# tongue weight stickers.
Quite odd, your hitch has the upgraded reinforcements & extra welds of the Max Tow BUT Ford put the non-max Tow hitch sticker on it? My standard Tow hitch has what appears to be the exact same sticker on it. Max Tow hitches I've seen all have 12,600# Tow weight, 1260# tongue weight stickers.
I put a "max tow" hitch on my 2019. What i found was a few things. One is, despite being the same part number, they changed the max tow hitches at some point and now they are thicker....doesnt mean a whole lot except if you have a 2020 or older, the bolts will be too short and yo will need the 6 bolts and nuts that come on a 2021+.
When I was trying to figure all this out, i went and looked at a local dealer and every truck there had the exact same hitch but different stickers for the max tow models. The assumption of "if it has the chain rings pointed this way so it must be max tow" is no longer a valid assumption for the 21+
Wow, that really wrenches things. As the integrated bumper also is part of the structural integrity of the frame (it's a crossmember), maybe they felt they wanted a stronger part for the heavier Powerboost? Or maybe their supplier screwed up and overproduced the max tow hitch, offering it to Ford at a discount?
More likely Ford overestimated the number of max tow hitches, maybe didn't yet know how much people would reject the ridiculous cost of the package now, and was already contracted for too many parts. Wouldn't be the first time they signed contracts for a multi-year, full engine production run without having a green light on the only vehicle that was planned to use it.
Quite odd, your hitch has the upgraded reinforcements & extra welds of the Max Tow BUT Ford put the non-max Tow hitch sticker on it? My standard Tow hitch has what appears to be the exact same sticker on it. Max Tow hitches I've seen all have 12,600# Tow weight, 1260# tongue weight stickers.
Another oddity with the PB. PB's have the 3 leaf spring sets. This is why I opted for the 53A regular tow pkg rather than get the Max Tow which would have cost another $1K..Many of the items that are part of the Max Tow are either std on the PB or not available on the PB,
More likely Ford overestimated the number of max tow hitches, maybe didn't yet know how much people would reject the ridiculous cost of the package now, and was already contracted for too many parts. Wouldn't be the first time they signed contracts for a multi-year, full engine production run without having a green light on the only vehicle that was planned to use it.
This was my thought. The non-max tow hitch was over $500 and the max tow was $240
I have a '23 Lariat on order with the max tow package. A somewhat local dealership received a '23 with almost everything I wanted, except max tow. I compared the tow vs max tow on Fords build site and the differences offered were an axle upgrade (dependent on which engine you selected), the extended range fuel tank and an upgraded bumper in the max tow. I figured the bumper and fuel tank had little to with Ford's additional advertised 500 lbs of 5th wheel towing capacity (10,300 vs 10,800) and 2,600 lbs of GCWR for a 5.0L/3.73. I believe @Atlee has the decoder ring. I went to the dealership on Sunday and every '23 F150 with the regular tow package, or no tow package, had the single leaf springs. The trucks with the max tow packages had the thicker, double leaf springs. This solidified my decision to proceed with my custom order instead of taking the available truck with a regular tow package.
What's funny to me is that every window sticker with the regular tow package I looked at on Sunday, included the 3.73 axle upgrade for an additional $570 and extended range fuel tank for $445. The axle upgrade and 36 gal tank are included in the max tow package and their addition to those builds made the regular tow packages $125 more than a max tow package. And the 3.73 with the 3.5L GDTI reduced the max 5th wheel towing capacity by 2,100 lbs, compared to the standard 3.31 or cheaper upgrade 3.55 axles. Maybe some folks prefer the ride of the single leafs over the stiffer ones, more than maximizing towing capacity.
