When I look at Ford’s towing guide for the 2018 F-150 SuperCrew 145” wheelbase 4WD with the 3.5L eco boost twin turbo and 3.55 gear ratio, there are three options:GCWR of 16,100# = 10,700GCWR of 16,700# = 11,000 (Limited package only& max tow package)GCWR of 18,100# = 12,700 (requires 20” wheels & max tow package)A) is the GCWR figure available somewhere that I am not finding or is it a calculation that I need to do?B) is it really just by jumping to the 20” wheels adds a hypothetical 2,000# in tow capability? There has to be more to it than that. If not, how is that possible?No, I’m not anywhere close to that. 10,700# would handle our trailer just fine. But to me, additional cushion is always better.

I wouldn’t buy an F150 without their max tow package...and I’d opt for the 12700.

I've got the older Ecoboost F150 (2013) and it has the 20" wheels and max tow package. But, they are different for your era of Ecoboost..I'm not really sure what the 20" wheel package does? Even the P OEM tires exceeded the rear axle rating of #4050. I did get some "XL" rated 20" tires for it and that even exceeds it even more.. I'm towing a #7000 GVWR TT and that's about all I want to tow with my F150 and still have a comfortable tow.. Sure, it has all the power you can need/use... But, it's still just a light duty truck, no matter what that 'max tow' means...Good luck! Mitch

Nothing meaningful if drivetrain is the same, IMO.That's why it's futile to live and die by the "ratings."

Ford doesn't specifically tell us why 20" wheels have a higher tow rating but we do know that part of industry testing procedure is stability. So the best guess that I have is that the larger wheels are stiffer and therefore more stable.The interesting thing is that the F250 comes with 18" wheels and the exact same size tires as they put on the F150 but has a much higher tow rating. The F250 tires are LRE whereas the F150 comes with either P series or LRC tires. Maybe the extra 4 ply rating is enough to justify the difference. But we will probably never know for sure.

Two tires from the same manufacturer, same style, same tire line, same load range, with one 18” and the other 20”, the 20” will have a higher load rating than the 18”. But not that much difference. Maybe next higher load range tire on that package? Or some slight difference in suspension? Don’t know.

F-150 20” wheels | Good Sam Community

Groover
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2020
Ford doesn't specifically tell us why 20" wheels have a higher tow rating but we do know that part of industry testing procedure is stability. So the best guess that I have is that the larger wheels are stiffer and therefore more stable.

The interesting thing is that the F250 comes with 18" wheels and the exact same size tires as they put on the F150 but has a much higher tow rating. The F250 tires are LRE whereas the F150 comes with either P series or LRC tires.

Maybe the extra 4 ply rating is enough to justify the difference. But we will probably never know for sure.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 28, 2020
Nothing meaningful if drivetrain is the same, IMO.
That's why it's futile to live and die by the "ratings."
MitchF150
Explorer III
Oct 28, 2020
I've got the older Ecoboost F150 (2013) and it has the 20" wheels and max tow package. But, they are different for your era of Ecoboost..

I'm not really sure what the 20" wheel package does? Even the P OEM tires exceeded the rear axle rating of #4050. I did get some "XL" rated 20" tires for it and that even exceeds it even more..

I'm towing a #7000 GVWR TT and that's about all I want to tow with my F150 and still have a comfortable tow.. Sure, it has all the power you can need/use... But, it's still just a light duty truck, no matter what that 'max tow' means...

Good luck! Mitch
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2020
I wouldn’t buy an F150 without their max tow package...and I’d opt for the 12700.

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