Max Tow weight for 2011 F150 ?

The Ford (and GM and Ram and Toyota) towing guides provide towing capacity numbers based on the engine and the gears for vehicles as that is all that matters. Gears can change the towing capacity by 25% or more for vehicles and most of the time people buy vehicles with gears that are too tall for the best towing performance.

The only time the weight of the truck comes into play is with the Combined Gross Weight Rating and for this everything is included including the vehicle's passengers and their pets.

The single best buy from any vehicle manufacturer is their tow package which will include a transmission cooler as part of the upgrades. It is all that is needed.

Actually. you may not want the largest cooler you can buy. You do not want to cool it too much. If you cool it below operating temps, It will not operate correctly. In fact mine will not even go into overdrive until it warms to the proper temp.

Best to size it to the vehicle requirements, and in truth. the factory towing package cooler is plenty good.

You cant cool the trans enough. I have a gvw 20,000 on my s10 p/u. My temps towing stay at 170.. Sometimes as high as 190 when hitting a hill and I come out of OD or the TC unlocks.

In the winter I put a piece of cardboard in front of it...

If you look at your stock cooler there is no way its sized properly at all.

Here is whats recommended..

http://www.bulkpart.com/transmission-cooler.html
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If you go to the auto store and look at a gvw 26000 cooler then compare it to your tiny stock one, you will be amazed...

trans temps guide here.

lawrosa wrote:
Its not so much the towing weight from what you read. Its more about your axle rating and tongue weight...

Weight the truck at a scale and subtract your rear axle weight from the rear axle rating on the door tag. That will tell you a lot...

Post that info and we can take it from there... Any other info you get here is null and void if you dont weigh....

Again this will tell you real payload and max towing capacity..

Additionally put the biggest trans cooler you can in the truck...

Actually. you may not want the largest cooler you can buy. You do not want to cool it too much. If you cool it below operating temps, It will not operate correctly. In fact mine will not even go into overdrive until it warms to the proper temp.

Best to size it to the vehicle requirements, and in truth. the factory towing package cooler is plenty good.

Terryallan wrote:
Is your specific truck not listed on the tow page. It really should be.
But at any rate. According to my handy dandy ford towing guide. You tow capacity is 8000lbs. GCVWR is 13500lb

Yep, the 7,900 lb # given elsewhere is for the LWB model, the 5.5 bed is indeed 8,000 lbs.

Here are a couple things to keep in mind. Tow ratings/GCWR is rarely the limit for RVing with a half ton. Receiver, payload, rear axle are typically exceeded well below tow ratings when you load a family, a bed full ot camping gear, and 900+ pounds of tongue weight. Take a look at the Tire and Loading sticker for as equipped payload as it varies from 800-3000 pounds for F150s. There are not many happy half ton drivers towing 8k loaded RVs. 7000 and under seem a lot happier.

Axle ratio is less important with 6+ speed transmissions.

Its not so much the towing weight from what you read. Its more about your axle rating and tongue weight...

Weight the truck at a scale and subtract your rear axle weight from the rear axle rating on the door tag. That will tell you a lot...

Post that info and we can take it from there... Any other info you get here is null and void if you dont weigh....

Again this will tell you real payload and max towing capacity..

Additionally put the biggest trans cooler you can in the truck...

Is your specific truck not listed on the tow page. It really should be.
But at any rate. According to my handy dandy ford towing guide. You tow capacity is 8000lbs. GCVWR is 13500lb

...............Thanks , I appreciate the info ! That's about what I figured . , jf

You can decipher it here; GCWR is 13,500 and trailer tow rating is maximum of 7900

http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/

look it up here http://www.trailerlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DigitalTLTowGuide2011.pdf