Ford F-150 what do I need for towing?

Towing mirrors
Brake controller, or at least wired for one (check fuse box)

JIMNLIN wrote:

I would make one correction; with a few caveats it's rated to tow 13,200 lbs. Such as it has to have the Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP), 157" WB, 20-inch wheels, to name a few. You have to check the Payload sticker on the door of the truck to be sure of what you are getting.

Yeah the F150HDPP is the only F150 that can come close to towing certain types of 13k lb trailers. A F150 with the small 7050 gvwr and 3800 rawr simply doesn't have enopugh rear axle capacity to carry a hitch load from a 13k lb rv trailer.
Tow means to carry and pull.

Many F150 owners bit into the max tow option thinking it allows a f150 to tow the max. Don't get me wrong but the max tow option is worth the extra cost.
All the max tow option is per Ford ;
• 3.55 Electronic-locking rear-axle
• 4-pin/7-pin wiring harness
• 36 Gallon fuel tank
• Auxiliary transmission oil cooler
• Engine oil cooler
• Class IV trailer hitch receiver
• Pro Trailer Backup Assist with Tailgate LED
• Smart Trailer Tow Connector (standard on LARIAT and higher)
• Integrated Trailer Brake Controller
• Upgraded front stabilizer bar
• Upgraded rear bumper
And of course the different cab and engine configurations.

I'll list the top F150 for towing...starts with
...the 7850 GVWR and 4800 rawr good for up to 2500 lbs or so in the bed.

...next down is a 7600 gvwr and 4550 rawr good for maybe 2200 lbs in the bed.

...then a 7050 gvwr with 4050 rwar good for around 1800 lbs in the bed.

...6800 gvwr and tiny 3800 rawr good for approx 1500 lb in the bed.
All truck above can be had with the "max tow " option.

And other F150 with smaller gvwr and rawrs....real grocery getters.

Those yellow payload stickers are a GVWR based payload which may overload the rear axle. Some of it may have to be placed on the trucks front axle such as work trucks full overhead racks like we see on overhead door service trucks folks use.

YOu are actually incorrect about the 150 required to get the 13200lb tow capacity.

The 150 WITH the Max tow option-WITHOUT the HDPP is the 150 that is rated to tow the max.


Required to get the tow rating of 13200 and a GCWR of 18400lbs is as follows:

-NO HDPP
-YES Max TOW
-YES 20 inch wheels
-YES 3.5 ecoboost-
-YES Crew Cab
-YES 157" wheelbase 6.5 bed
-YES 4X2

A 150 with both the Max Tow and the HDPP is rated as follows:

- 4X2 Supercrew 157" wheelbase 18 inch wheels: 17100 GCWR / 11700 Tow rating


- 4X4 Supercrew 157" wheelbase 18 inch wheels: 17100 GCWR / 11500 Tow rating

The HDPP package give you the higher rear axle rating, higher GVWR, meaning higher payload but that also takes away from the tow capacity.


My truck in sig is a 18 150 with max tow, with 20 inch wheels, with 3,5 eco, with 7050 GVWR, with 4050 RAWR without HDPP is rated to tow 13000lbs and the hitch has a 1320lb rating sticker on with WDH.

Does that mean it can tow a 13000lb travel trailer no it doesn't but it does mean I can tow flat bed trailer with say a vehicle or two on it weighing in at 13k loaded correctly to get the tongue weight in the correct range for my truck. Being an RV forum we all think RV with these ratings and those published ratings are NOT RV specific and people in the RV world very often forget that.

Your limit will be the max cargo which is vehicle dependent. My F-150 with Eboost tows our 25 ft TT with 750 lbs tongue weight very well. The loaded TT weight is 6200 lbs.

This is what I have, 2018 Platinum F150 RWD. Has 1557 payload, and the trailer is a Coleman 274BH, 28' long.

I would make one correction; with a few caveats it's rated to tow 13,200 lbs. Such as it has to have the Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP), 157" WB, 20-inch wheels, to name a few. You have to check the Payload sticker on the door of the truck to be sure of what you are getting.

Yeah the F150HDPP is the only F150 that can come close to towing certain types of 13k lb trailers. A F150 with the small 7050 gvwr and 3800 rawr simply doesn't have enopugh rear axle capacity to carry a hitch load from a 13k lb rv trailer.
Tow means to carry and pull.

Many F150 owners bit into the max tow option thinking it allows a f150 to tow the max. Don't get me wrong but the max tow option is worth the extra cost.
All the max tow option is per Ford ;
• 3.55 Electronic-locking rear-axle
• 4-pin/7-pin wiring harness
• 36 Gallon fuel tank
• Auxiliary transmission oil cooler
• Engine oil cooler
• Class IV trailer hitch receiver
• Pro Trailer Backup Assist with Tailgate LED
• Smart Trailer Tow Connector (standard on LARIAT and higher)
• Integrated Trailer Brake Controller
• Upgraded front stabilizer bar
• Upgraded rear bumper
And of course the different cab and engine configurations.

I'll list the top F150 for towing...starts with
...the 7850 GVWR and 4800 rawr good for up to 2500 lbs or so in the bed.

...next down is a 7600 gvwr and 4550 rawr good for maybe 2200 lbs in the bed.

...then a 7050 gvwr with 4050 rwar good for around 1800 lbs in the bed.

...6800 gvwr and tiny 3800 rawr good for approx 1500 lb in the bed.
All truck above can be had with the "max tow " option.

And other F150 with smaller gvwr and rawrs....real grocery getters.

Those yellow payload stickers are a GVWR based payload which may overload the rear axle. Some of it may have to be placed on the trucks front axle such as work trucks full overhead racks like we see on overhead door service trucks folks use.

We recently bought a 2018 F150 SCREW with 3.5L ecoboost, max tow package, FX4 and 1795lbs payload. The max tow package gives you a heavier radiator, oil and tranny coolers, 3:55 rear end, 36 gal fuel tank, integrated break controller, 20" wheels and the FX4 package has a stiffer rear suspension. The class IV hitch is rated at 13,200 lbs max.

We have a 2019 Lance 2375 which weighs 6254lbs with 3 five gal propane tanks, 2 batteries, and 170W solar panel.

With the WDH, the truck sits level when attached. The truck tows this trailer with ease, barely needing to shift out of 9th gear (tow mode locks out 10th) and accelerates easily up hills.

As stated earlier, it's not the max towing limit of the truck you need to worry about. Your limiting factor is going to be the available payload (yellow sticker on the door will list it) and every truck is different. Ford rates the payload based on the driver, and a full tank of gas.

With any trailer you end up getting, you will need to know the tongue weight of the trailer as that number will be subtracted from your payload. Then factor the number of passengers weight, and what you will want to carry in the bed of the truck....ie: bikes, generator, etc. In my case, I start with 1795lbs - 904lbs tongue weight, leaving me with 891lbs of payload. It is just the wife and I, and a few things in the bed of the truck so we are fine.

With the length you are considering (23'-24') I don't see a problem with most of the new 1/2 tons. You will probably be in the range of 4000 - 5000lbs weight for that size trailer. Figure at least 10%-14% of that for tongue weight so you should be fine payload wish with just about any truck. When I was looking at trucks, the least I saw was around 1250lbs payload.

troubledwaters wrote:

2manytoyz wrote:
Whatever F150 setup you choose, make sure it has the Max Tow Package. Can't add it after the fact. FWIW, the 2018 F150 with this package is rated at 13,200#. Not too shabby!

I would make one correction; with a few caveats it's rated to tow 13,200 lbs. Such as it has to have the Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP), 157" WB, 20-inch wheels, to name a few. You have to check the Payload sticker on the door of the truck to be sure of what you are getting.

And I will make corrections to both....to have the 13200lb tow rating it must be the 3.5 Eco crew cab 157" wheelbase with the 20 inch wheels and WITHOUT the HDPP Package AND 4X2....The maximum tow rating a F-150 has WITH the HDPP package is 11800lb requiring 17 inch wheels, max trailer tow, 4X2, and 157" wheelbase.

My 18 in sig is rated to tow 13000lbs being a 4X4 157" wheelbase with 20 inch wheels and max tow package...My truck has 1801bs of available payload with a 7050 GVWR.

2manytoyz wrote:
Whatever F150 setup you choose, make sure it has the Max Tow Package. Can't add it after the fact. FWIW, the 2018 F150 with this package is rated at 13,200#. Not too shabby!

I would make one correction; with a few caveats it's rated to tow 13,200 lbs. Such as it has to have the Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP), 157" WB, 20-inch wheels, to name a few. You have to check the Payload sticker on the door of the truck to be sure of what you are getting.

Once you know the GVWR of the trailer you want to tow, and the cargo and people you will be carrying in the truck, then it's pretty simple to figure out which truck you need (simple math). You pick the truck by the Payload capacity sticker on the door of the truck. Check this site out for detailed info Clicky

supercub wrote:
I thinking of downsizing from a 38 ft Diesel Pusher to a smaller travel trailer. I have a driveway that is 25 feet deep. I'm thinking a TT around 23-25 feet. (I have to currently store my motor home at a lot. One reason I'm thinking of downsizing. Just me and my border collie travel 95% of the time anyway.
I won't be buying a new truck, thinking of something around the 2015-2018 year models. I also don't want/need 4 wheel drive. So what should I be looking for as far as towing capacity and set up? Should I be looking at a certain size engine/ transmission, are there certain tow packages? I'm just trying to learn this stuff. Been camping for years, just has always been in a motor home. Thanks for your help.

Look for a TV that has a Heavy Duty Suspension.
Look for a moderately large engine. Makes towing easier.

You can tow with almost any V-8, but you need a little horsepower to make it up mountains. BTDT...
A number of years ago I had a small V-8 in a Chevy Silverado. It towed great on near level ground. I learned my lesson by towing a 30' camper to the Smokey Mountains.
Going out of Chattanooga, Tennessee there is a section of moderate mountain grade... I was going 65 when I started up the grade. When I got to the top, I was going a little less than 20 MPH. People were blowing around me honking their horns and giving me the ole one finger salute.
When I returned to Alabama I traded for a used F-250 Diesel. No more problems.
Several months later we went back to the Smokies... I started up that grade at 65 and let off part way up, I was still picking up speed.
I became a believer in having enough truck.