New 2020 Ford F Series The Towing King

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billt460

billt460

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https://www.motor1.com/news/373115/2020-ford-super-duty-towing/

"Those looking for the most capable F-Series Super Duty pickup should look no further than Ford's 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel. The mill, making 475 horsepower (354 kilowatts) and 1,050 pound-feet (1,423 Newton-meters) of torque, is capable of towing up to 37,000 pounds (16,782 kilograms) for gooseneck trailers."

Where will it end? It didn't seem that long ago Ford F Series dually's were maxed out towing 12,000 pounds.
 
At what point do people buying pickups need a CDL? Some of the people I see hauling loaded goosenecks with their "pickups" shouldn't even be allowed to drive a compact car.
 
Originally Posted by jeepman3071
At what point do people buying pickups need a CDL? Some of the people I see hauling loaded goosenecks with their "pickups" shouldn't even be allowed to drive a compact car.

Agreed, haha.
 
Didn't heavy duty trucks always exist? 1 tons, 2 tons, 5 tons? And so forth?

Yeah it's surprising how well a "half ton" can drive yet still have a crazy towing rating, but technically heavy duty vehicles have always been around. No?
 
My last dump truck i owned had a Caterpillar C15 475HP thats over twice the size of that engine..

The transmission and driveline in that F series must be impressive!!
 
Originally Posted by supton

Yeah it's surprising how well a "half ton" can drive yet still have a crazy towing rating,

You run out of payload really quick with a half ton. You put my trailer on a half ton and you just ate up 800lbs of the trucks payload.
You run out of payload way before you run out of towing capacity. It is why I won't have a half ton to tow my trailer.
My scenario: 800lbs of trailer, bikes, wood, extra propane, Kayaks, 400lbs, 2 adults 2 kid 400 to 600 lbs. You are looking at about 1600lbs of crap if you are towing light.
I have towed my trailer with a Tundra. Not for me.
 
F series doesn't just mean 1/2 ton. These specs run out and include the F450 which has a much different target than 1/2 ton truck owners.

There are applications for these trucks though they definitely were medium duty trucks historically.

Greater than 26,000 lbs puts you in CDL territory.
 
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by supton

Yeah it's surprising how well a "half ton" can drive yet still have a crazy towing rating,

You run out of payload really quick with a half ton. You put my trailer on a half ton and you just ate up 800lbs of the trucks payload.
You run out of payload way before you run out of towing capacity. It is why I won't have a half ton to tow my trailer.
My scenario: 800lbs of trailer, bikes, wood, extra propane, Kayaks, 400lbs, 2 adults 2 kid 400 to 600 lbs. You are looking at about 1600lbs of crap if you are towing light.
I have towed my trailer with a Tundra. Not for me.


All payloads are highly dependent on the truck, package, and options. Our F150 has the Max Tow package with slightly more than 1800lbs of payload according to the yellow sticker on the door jamb. It's not a stripped down model either, Crew Cab, Lariat, 4x4. There is another payload package that gets you a hair over 2k of payload. You have to watch out as some have very low payload #s.

It handles our 35" camper that has a GVWR of 9900 lbs just fine. It could use some stiffer rear springs but does very well.
 
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by supton

Yeah it's surprising how well a "half ton" can drive yet still have a crazy towing rating,

You run out of payload really quick with a half ton. You put my trailer on a half ton and you just ate up 800lbs of the trucks payload.
You run out of payload way before you run out of towing capacity. It is why I won't have a half ton to tow my trailer.
My scenario: 800lbs of trailer, bikes, wood, extra propane, Kayaks, 400lbs, 2 adults 2 kid 400 to 600 lbs. You are looking at about 1600lbs of crap if you are towing light.
I have towed my trailer with a Tundra. Not for me.

Oh I totally get that, I've long figured 5k was a realistic limit for how most half-tons get used (wife, kids, junk in the bed all add up). My point was, a truck rated to tow 37k... is not really surprising. Heavy duty trucks have existed for a long time.
 
The F-150 does not do that or come close to doing that. It is a Super Duty i.e. F-250, F-350, F-450. Look at a 2019 F-450 King Ranch 4x4 crew cab with the 6.7 L Power Stroke. Starting price, with no options, is $75,200 MSRP.
 
Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by supton

Yeah it's surprising how well a "half ton" can drive yet still have a crazy towing rating,

You run out of payload really quick with a half ton. You put my trailer on a half ton and you just ate up 800lbs of the trucks payload.
You run out of payload way before you run out of towing capacity. It is why I won't have a half ton to tow my trailer.
My scenario: 800lbs of trailer, bikes, wood, extra propane, Kayaks, 400lbs, 2 adults 2 kid 400 to 600 lbs. You are looking at about 1600lbs of crap if you are towing light.
I have towed my trailer with a Tundra. Not for me.

Oh I totally get that, I've long figured 5k was a realistic limit for how most half-tons get used (wife, kids, junk in the bed all add up). My point was, a truck rated to tow 37k... is not really surprising. Heavy duty trucks have existed for a long time.



This is rarely understood. Especially for those who dont tow-yet contribute to "towing threads".
 
Originally Posted by CKN

This is rarely understood. Especially for those who dont tow-yet contribute to "towing threads".

or people just don't care.
 
Hopefully they've really strengthened the frame from the current model F-450.

[Linked Image]


F-450 broken frame
 
Originally Posted by jeepman3071
At what point do people buying pickups need a CDL? Some of the people I see hauling loaded goosenecks with their "pickups" shouldn't even be allowed to drive a compact car.


When I bought my light duty F150 in June, the sales mgr and I discussed that very point. The increasing capabilities of the USA domestic "big three's" heavy duty pickup trucks with regard to max towing should probably begin at least some regulatory discussion about training/licensing to transport that heavy of a load. CDL's are required if transporting much lighter loads, when doing so in a commercial operation. The private owner should probably have some training or certification before he or she hitches up that 37,000 trailer and heads into the mountains.
 
I dunno, with no info on the photo I almost wonder if it's not done on purpose. A hinged frame, maybe. Why? Dunno. Maybe the driver prefers that angle while driving. Would make seeing in front of the truck easier.

I'd think overloading as a bumper pull would bend the hitch or related way sooner than between the axles. A gooseneck would have to be loaded way towards the back to do this. Loaded to the front would bend the frame in the other direction. Even if it was a bumper pull with load distribution... I still don't see how.
 
Originally Posted by MNgopher
F series doesn't just mean 1/2 ton. These specs run out and include the F450 which has a much different target than 1/2 ton truck owners.

There are applications for these trucks though they definitely were medium duty trucks historically.

Greater than 26,000 lbs puts you in CDL territory.

I see F-450s being used as tow trucks and haulers for the job site, and you can buy a F-550/650 from Ford Fleet. AFAIK, unless said truck has air brakes and as long as you're not hauling HAZMAT around, you don't need a CDL. I think the CDL classifications work by weight and vocation.

From what I understand, I know anyone with a class C driver's license without a passenger endorsement can buy an operate an RV. I can rent the longest van from U-Haul they have as well with a class C. But, if you want to drive a 15-passenger van, you need a class B CDL with a passenger endorsement. A friend was driving a 30' box van with air brakes and he was sweating bullets since he had no CDL or air brake endorsement. His company told him to go to Enterprise and pick it up, the guys at the counter never bothered to check his driver license or look for an endorsement.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by CKN

This is rarely understood. Especially for those who dont tow-yet contribute to "towing threads".

or people just don't care.


There's a little bit of both and a lot of misinformed opinions on both sides of the fence in those threads everywhere. The most important thing is that everyone run the #s for their vehicle and trailer combination and do what they are comfortable with. You both are right in that most either trust the marketing and assume all can tow those big #s or listening to the salesperson either at the truck or trailer place.

When we were looking at campers and trucks the Internet told us we were crazy for considering our combo and that 5k MAX would be all any version of the F150 could handle. Heard all types of nonsense about "what if you hit the busload of Nuns" or "what if the brakes fail, how are you going to stop" or "you'll bend the frame, blow the engine/trans/rear/etc". A few said that if it was within all the wight parameters we'd be good. Well, we ran the #s and are within them and it tows great. Never towed anything and went to this - have just under 11k miles towing and been over the East Coast. Nothing blew up so far and it's a good combo. Would it be better on a heavier truck? Probably but you use what you got as long as it's within specs. The hardest part is finding the one in a million 1/2 ton that can do it. We lucked into ours.
 
In Minnesota, if the GCW exceeds 26k, a cdl is required. Private use or not. Trailer over 10k also requires a cdl. Exceptions are RV's, farm use by farmer or farm employees (with restrictions) and emergency vehicles.

Uhauls are typically licensed at under 26k. That's why you can rent them on a regular license.

Lots of I thinks and afaik, not facts. California laws are similar.
 
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