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

[KC10Chief]

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.

[Flashman]

Ford loves to claim highest tow rating in class. That is what this is about - marketing.

[Procrastinator]

First,

Congratulations on the new truck. You bought a brand new truck and you should be happy. Last week I made the same purchase, and I am very happy, but I haven't put a new post on here because of doom and gloom.

I am leaving diesel trucks for a while. I was driving an F350 dually, and just bought a max tow F150 SCREW. I researched the living heck out of this purchase and I am very happy with it so far. I currently have 400 miles on it, so I won't hook it up to a trailer until the rear gear set is broken in.

As for your original question, we have RV for about 20 years always with the HD trucks. We had decided late in the season, that we want to downsize. When we RV we try to make it like camping as much as possible. The only time we go inside is sleep in the A/C. The rest of the day we are outside enjoying nature. We decided we wanted to hit some National Forest and their small camping sites would be better for a smaller trailer.

So far I am interested in the Grand Design Imagine 2400BH or the Forest River twins Micro/Mini 25BRDS/2509S.

Both of these trailers fit our needs and show tow well behind our new truck.
FWIW I do tow with a Hensley Arrow, I picked it up used on craigslist for a song, and towed my current toy hauler with my dually using that hitch. I like to be cautious and stress-free when towing.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to buy for a trailer.

Pro

[bid_time]

Huntindog wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:

At least the OP's posts show that picking the higher bling trim levels, can take a lot of payload away. Even with the Max Tow package.

From what I see and read from a F150 forum max tow says;
Includes:
• 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
• Smart Trailer Tow Connector (standard on LARIAT and higher)
• Integrated Trailer Brake Controller
• Upgraded front stabilizer bar
• Upgraded rear bumper.

If this is the case max tow doesn't raise the trucks payload. JMO but Ford creates lot of confusion by advertising this option as a max tow.

The only thing that gets the higher in the bed payloads is higher 4550/4800 RAWR numbers.

FRom what I have read, there are TWo options:
Max Tow, and Max Payload. You need BOTH!
The catch is that for some reason, they are RARE as hens teeth. You won't find one on a dealers lot. Most everyone that has one, special ordered it. And they are expensive to boot..... About the same price as a F250, which are easy to find, and heavier duty.

But you can't get the 3.5 ecoboost with the 10 speed transmission in a F250 which is the best of both worlds when used as a daily driver and sometimes tow vehicle.

[vjstangelo]

KC10Chief wrote:
Sorry for the late response! I've been busy the past couple of days with the holidays coming up and driving my new truck around and what not! I have read all of this. Just so we are clear, I bought the truck knowing full well that I'd never be able to tow anywhere close to Ford's 13,200 tow rating. HA! I was also aware that my Lariat package reduced my payload capacity. I considered an F250 diesel but it's just not real practical for us right now. I have a long commute. We want a camper though and I knew that the F150 could tow one that meets our wants. This thread has been very helpful. If I had it to do all over again, I'd still get the F-150. I just wanted to hear some real world experiences towing with this kind of truck. Thanks!

If I had listened to the 3/4 ton diesel pundits, I'd have never gotten into rving and still be staying at HIX hotels!

But, I did it anyway (17' hybrid towing with minivan , 3500# tow rating).

I say buy what you want and get camping this spring making memories. That truck can pull almost any bumper pull on the market, and many 5th wheels as well.

[Huntindog]

JIMNLIN wrote:

At least the OP's posts show that picking the higher bling trim levels, can take a lot of payload away. Even with the Max Tow package.

From what I see and read from a F150 forum max tow says;
Includes:
• 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
• Smart Trailer Tow Connector (standard on LARIAT and higher)
• Integrated Trailer Brake Controller
• Upgraded front stabilizer bar
• Upgraded rear bumper.

If this is the case max tow doesn't raise the trucks payload. JMO but Ford creates lot of confusion by advertising this option as a max tow.

The only thing that gets the higher in the bed payloads is higher 4550/4800 RAWR numbers.

FRom what I have read, there are TWo options:
Max Tow, and Max Payload. You need BOTH!
The catch is that for some reason, they are RARE as hens teeth. You won't find one on a dealers lot. Most everyone that has one, special ordered it. And they are expensive to boot..... About the same price as a F250, which are easy to find, and heavier duty.

[TwoManyToyz]

I too pull with a 1/2 ton truck, It pulls my 25' 5er just fine, I am sneaking up on my max payload. So FORD if your listening, if your going to market an F-150 to pull 13k, why isn't the payload 2k or better. Your killing us Smalls!!! Killing us!!!


Now my boat trailer guys told me tongue weight should be 100lbs per 1000lbs. So if you're using that math I guess it works.

[JIMNLIN]

At least the OP's posts show that picking the higher bling trim levels, can take a lot of payload away. Even with the Max Tow package.

From what I see and read from a F150 forum max tow says;
Includes:
• 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
• Smart Trailer Tow Connector (standard on LARIAT and higher)
• Integrated Trailer Brake Controller
• Upgraded front stabilizer bar
• Upgraded rear bumper.

If this is the case max tow doesn't raise the trucks payload. JMO but Ford creates lot of confusion by advertising this option as a max tow.

The only thing that gets the higher in the bed payloads is higher 4550/4800 RAWR numbers.

[patperry2766]

Grand Design

This model is a couple of feet shorter and a couple hundred pounds lighter tongue weight that the 1st camper you referenced.

They even have one that's closer to 28 feet long while still retaining the larger bunks for your daughter.

[IdaD]

Marketing.

Although I will say there’s a tendency here to assume the only trailers getting towed around are RVs with regard to tongue/pin weight. You can manipulate tongue or pin weight on utility trailers to a greater degree to make max towing figures more attainable. Still, marketing...

[goducks10]

BTDT with an F150 with a Hensley Arrow. If I ever went back to a large heavy TT I'd 100% go with a PP or HA. When I used one it made towing a one hand affair. Wind, semis, etc had almost no effect on the truck.
I found a used one for $900. Not all that much more than a new WDH with sway built in.

[mich800]

KC10Chief wrote:
So let's say that I was towing on the upper end of my payload capacity without exceeding of course. Would a ProPride trailer hitch help out? A buggy of mine with an F-150 a few years older than mine is towing an 8,000 pound trailer. He said he is just barely below his payload capacity and was regretting his decision until he bought a good hitch and some air bags and now it tows good. I'm always skeptical of course. HA!

Better hitches help with poorly designed or ill handling trailers. But they are not magic. If you are within the limits of your tow vehicle and the trailer is properly set up there is no need to spend the cash to mask the symptom rather than fix the problem.

[bikendan]

At least the OP's posts show that picking the higher bling trim levels, can take a lot of payload away. Even with the Max Tow package.
That's why I chose a XLT. Most of that pretty bling is useless for towing.

[KC10Chief]

So let's say that I was towing on the upper end of my payload capacity without exceeding of course. Would a ProPride trailer hitch help out? A buggy of mine with an F-150 a few years older than mine is towing an 8,000 pound trailer. He said he is just barely below his payload capacity and was regretting his decision until he bought a good hitch and some air bags and now it tows good. I'm always skeptical of course. HA!

[Grit_dog]

Towing experience? 10 speed ecoboost with towing gears pulls like a stock diesel from 15 years ago except more refined.

[KC10Chief]

Also, one of the trailers I'm waiting to see, is the Travel Lite Evoke. They have a few pictures on their website but no real state yet. Their Falcon trailers are similar and even their biggest one is under 5,000 pounds dry. Pretty streamlined on the front. I'm hoping that their Evoke trailers will have similar weights.
https://travelliterv.com/evoke/