I just purchased a brand new 2018 F-150 Lariat with the 3.5L Ecoboost motor a couple nights ago. It has the max tow package and the 3.55 gears giving it a tow rating of 13,200 pounds! I used to have a 2002 F-250 with the 7.3L diesel and I don't think the tow rating was much more than that. That truck had a lot more torque though. So anyways, I realize that I'd have to be insane to try and tow 13,200 with my new truck. I'm no stranger to towing. We want a travel trailer. It's me, my wife and our 12 year old daughter. I didn't want to spring for a 3/4 ton or more right now since I'll be using this truck on my commute and I need it to fit in my garage. HA! The 1/2 ton made the most sense. When we had a travel trailer ten years ago, we used it all the time. I suspect we will be in it at least every other weekend. Probably camping within 100 miles of home which is Oklahoma City. It's fairly flat around here but there are some hills. I've always kind of told people who don't know anything about towing, to never exceed 80% of your vehicles tow rating with a gas motor. For my truck though, that's over 10,500 pounds! That just seems excessive to me for a 1/2 ton truck. These newer trucks with smaller turbo gas motors are different. It has 470 ft pounds of torque and is currently the most powerful half ton you can buy right now including the diesel trucks. The Raptor has a little more torque but a much lower tow rating. I realize a lot of the tow rating is based on the frame, brakes, etc. (TLDR) What I'm looking for, is a realistic number to stay under for my truck and the GVWR of the trailer. We are already trailer shopping. Most camping will be around here in Oklahoma but maybe a couple of longer trips of 1,000 miles or more every year.

That’s an impressive number, but consider this. Typical tongue weight will be 12 to 15%. That is 1200 to 1500#. Will you be able to haul anything like your family or camping gear?

The 2002 7.3L was rated at 520 ft-lbs of torque, and the new EcoBoost makes 470 ft-lbs of torque (I don't think you can get the max-tow in the 510 ft-lb Limited Model).The 10R80 has a 4.69:1 1st gear ratio, vs 2.71 in the 4R100, which means the F150 can put down far more tractive force than a diesel 1-ton from last decade!

What's the payload sticker on the door jamb say?

Very impressive number and I wouldn’t max that with a 1/2 ton but as others have asked, what’s the payload?

I wonder if the new zillion speed transmissions are increasing tow ratings?

New F-150 with 13,200 lb tow rating! | Good Sam Community

107 Replies

Beentherefixedt
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
Super_Dave wrote:
I wonder if the new zillion speed transmissions are increasing tow ratings?

Of course they are. This is how it's done. If you look at the big trucks, class 8 tractors. Most now have 10 speeds, but those that haul really heavy loads still use 15 and 18 speed transmissions.

The problem in towing IS PRIMARILY one of overcoming the initial forces that keep the load static. Once rolling it's a much easier proposition.

Now this F150 has proved what I have maintained for a very long time. That our pickups are underrated purposely and can tow much much more than the manufacterer claims.

In addition to the fact that there is a 1.5X safety factor built in if you look at the horsepower and torque ratings and the weight percentage between the class 8 tractor and it's max load (GCVW) the math will reveal the physics at play. Compare that to the weight of your pickup to the overall GCVW you tow. You will find that your pickup and trailer has a much much larger percentage differential.

Our pickups are now at almost Half of the torque of a class 8 truck designed to haul a GVCW of 80k lbs the horsepower is even closer. My Ram TDSL making 385HP Vs class 8 engines putting out a range between 400 and 500HP.

Frames are the next most important factor and the average pickup frame is, despite being designed with FEA (finite element analysis) to maximize strength where necessary and lighten the structure, are still much much stronger than needed for the Tow and Haul ratings.

Of course there is a limit, but in real terms we are not anywhere near what our trucks can realistically safely haul.

What we have is a marketing tool for carmakers that drive buyers up market to ever bigger and more powerful (Read Expensive and profitable)trucks. Ford is taking a swipe at this paradigm and it's about time.
LanceRKeys
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
Every trailer out there seems to be advertised as “half ton towable” you should be fine with anything your dealer sells you !

Simply amazing numbers from a half ton. I’m not going to tell my 7.3, it may just get jealous.
Super_Dave
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
I wonder if the new zillion speed transmissions are increasing tow ratings?
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2018
Very impressive number and I wouldn’t max that with a 1/2 ton but as others have asked, what’s the payload?
GordonThree
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
What's the payload sticker on the door jamb say?
carringb
Explorer
Dec 22, 2018
The 2002 7.3L was rated at 520 ft-lbs of torque, and the new EcoBoost makes 470 ft-lbs of torque (I don't think you can get the max-tow in the 510 ft-lb Limited Model).

The 10R80 has a 4.69:1 1st gear ratio, vs 2.71 in the 4R100, which means the F150 can put down far more tractive force than a diesel 1-ton from last decade!
joshuajim
Explorer II
Dec 22, 2018
That’s an impressive number, but consider this. Typical tongue weight will be 12 to 15%. That is 1200 to 1500#. Will you be able to haul anything like your family or camping gear?

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New F-150 with 13,200 lb tow rating!

107 Replies

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