F-150 upgraded to tow 11,000 pounds

[range]

Ford F-150 Out-Tows All Light Duty Pickups

 

The Ford F-150 enters 2007 with a new level of capability. It already had best-in-class payload capacity of 3,050 pounds and now F-150 has been engineered for best-in-class towing capacity of 11,000 pounds.

 

“We constantly work to improve the F-150, especially its capability because that’s what customers expect from us,” says Matt O’Leary, Ford F-150 chief engineer. “Its fully boxed frame – the backbone of the F-150 – makes it tough enough to stand up to the most punishing job.”

 

Also new for the 2007 model year, Ford has added to an unmatched lineup of more than 60 unique F-Series offerings with a new FX2 Sport Package and Harley-Davidson SuperCrew.

 

The 2007 F-150 also offers a long list of new options, features and equipment, including a standard tire pressure monitoring system and auxiliary audio input jack as well as an optional in-dash navigation system.

[J-150]

So what exactly was done to improve the tow rating?

 

New engine? Suspension? Frame?

 

Or did they just decide to up the number to beat out Chevy?

 

Realizing that anyone truly wishing to tow 11,000 # would just get a SuperDuty I guess its an easy claim to make.

 

 

And really, its not like Ford would honor the warranty if someone actually did tow 11,000# and broke the truck. They don't hnor the warranty for people that dont use the truck for work.

[HoustonPerson]

Oh wow, more marketing hype; minus another 100 points on the credibility scale.

 

So Ford is trying to save the F150, by more false advertising…………Can we say Taurus!

 

If Mr. M allows that to go to press, then I won’t be buying stock!

[MGallun]

Oh wow, more marketing hype; minus another 100 points on the credibility scale.

 

So Ford is trying to save the F150, by more false advertising…………Can we say Taurus!

 

If Mr. M allows that to go to press, then I won’t be buying stock!

 

have you personally tested the f150 to see if it could tow 11?

 

 

ahhh, didnt think so..

 

k thanks.

[J-150]

have you personally tested the f150 to see if it could tow 11?

ahhh, didnt think so..

 

k thanks.

 

 

 

uh, no one is questioning if it will. Hell, the 4.2 will tow 11,000#.

 

The question is... will the truck break when you do tow with it? How long before the tranny fries? How long before a spring gets a stress crack? Or the shocks leak. Or the block overheats.

 

 

Thanks.

[range]

looks like someone is ill extremely informed about towing

[NickF1011]

Well, so much for the new Tundra even MATCHING the current F-150 at anything.

[HoustonPerson]

have you personally tested the f150 to see if it could tow 11?

ahhh, didnt think so..

 

k thanks.

 

Several F150's; F250/350, Titans, Dodge 1500/2500/3500, and one 2003 Chev 2500HD. All towing loads in the 8,500 lb range all across Texas. All the others were 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007. Specifically, it does not matter to me what Ford Marketing says the F150 can tow, I know for a fact it can not tow that load, and so do several thousand more Texans that tow on a regular basis. Again, it all comes back to credibility.

Edited January 5, 2007 by HoustonPerson

[old_fairmont_wagon]

Geez, all the freaking rating means is that Ford warrants the vehicle to be able to move the load without breaking so long as that load meets the truck's trailering requirements. You and I and everyone else know that the as stated trailering requirements in almost all of the maunals of all the half tons out there are extremely nit picky and almost unrealistic in real life usage. I don't doubt that a properly equipped F-150 can get an 11,000 lb load moving, bring it to highway speed, stop it in a reasonable distance (assuming that a trailer of that capacity has brakes, which I believe is requiredi n the specs), and turn it as needed. Now, is it an ideal vehicle for that sized load? No. But then, anyone that needs to move a load that size on a regular basis will purchase a superduty or whatever its competition is.

 

But, realistically, when you look at the Heavy Duty F-250s of the early to mid nineties, they weren't built to the specs that the current F-150 is at present. Granted, they may have had heavier leaf springs and higher rated tires, but, overall, the trucks were no more substantial then the current F-150. Those trucks were rated for and used to move loads in excess of 10,000 lbs quite often. My dad used to work on a F-250 ramp vehicle for one of the major airlines from time to time and when he got a good hard look at the latest F-150, his impression was that the F-150 is currently what the F-250 used to be then minus the diesel. Heck, that 250 had the fuel injected 4.9L I6 in it and performed plenty well for what it was used for.

 

All I'm saying is that, if you think that any of the half ton pickups are supposed to be ideal for towing 10K lbs on a regular basis, you're smoking crack. But, are they capable of doing it occassionally, without breaking, and without voiding the warranty? Definitely if they are properly equiped. So, accusing Ford of false advertising when they say that the F-150 can tow 11K lbs is patently wrong. If Ford advertised it as being ideal for towing 11,000 lbs all day long, then we'd have problems. But, that rating is no more egregious than any of the competition's ratings.

[HoustonPerson]

..................................

But, that rating is no more egregious than any of the competition's ratings.

 

I agree with virtually everything you said except the last part. "Truth" in Advertising and Marketing is one of those major ares FMC falls way short. And thousands of truck owners around here know the same thing. Yes a Titan half ton can hold 4th and 5th gear towing 8,000lbs at 70mph all day long going up and down the hills in SE Texas. The F150 can not, not even remotely close. Ford has gone "way over the line" with what is real and what is not, regarding towing on the F150. Ford is the only one that stretches the truth like they do. IMHO Dodge, Titan, Tundra, and Chevy appear to be truthful in this area for their half ton tow ratings.

 

FMC has made some major changes in advertising during the last 60-90 days to restore credibility; but when I seen a statement like 11,000 lb towing for an F150..........well the short story is Ford's looses 100% of their credibility with a statement like that.

[silvrsvt]

I agree with virtually everything you said except the last part. "Truth" in Advertising and Marketing is one of those major ares FMC falls way short. And thousands of truck owners around here know the same thing. Yes a Titan half ton can hold 4th and 5th gear towing 8,000lbs at 70mph all day long going up and down the hills in SE Texas. The F150 can not, not even remotely close. Ford has gone "way over the line" with what is real and what is not, regarding towing on the F150. Ford is the only one that stretches the truth like they do. IMHO Dodge, Titan, Tundra, and Chevy appear to be truthful in this area for their half ton tow ratings.

 

FMC has made some major changes in advertising during the last 60-90 days to restore credibility; but when I seen a statement like 11,000 lb towing for an F150..........well the short story is Ford's looses 100% of their credibility with a statement like that.

 

 

But you lose creditibilty with your continued attacks on Ford trucks, it just seems like you have an axe to grind just because of your bad experience and use anything that Ford puts out about their trucks as a reason to attack them. You offer anecdotal sources of information

[old_fairmont_wagon]

Now we're down to specifics. Here, I'm in agreement with you. The 4R-75 and 4R-100 suck. Period. They need the 6R in there sooner rather than later. However, gear hunting and dropping down to third to pull the load doesn't mean that the truck isn't capable of pulling the load. It means that its incapable of doing so efficiently. So, while I still find that using any half ton pickup for pulling a load greater than 8500 lbs on a regular basis to be asking for trouble, their claim that the F-150 can two 11,000 lbs is still legit, though subject to complaints of suitability to the task.

[HoustonPerson]

Now we're down to specifics. Here, I'm in agreement with you. The 4R-75 and 4R-100 suck. Period. They need the 6R in there sooner rather than later. However, gear hunting and dropping down to third to pull the load doesn't mean that the truck isn't capable of pulling the load. It means that its incapable of doing so efficiently. So, while I still find that using any half ton pickup for pulling a load greater than 8500 lbs on a regular basis to be asking for trouble, their claim that the F-150 can two 11,000 lbs is still legit, though subject to complaints of suitability to the task.

 

Exactly, that is what I mean.

 

If the F150 Lariat 4x4 with moonroof CC has a tow rating of about 8,700 according to FMC

 

AND the Titan 4x4 Off Road Package w/Trailer Tow Package/moonroof has a tow rating of 8,500.

 

The difference is as follows from Houston to Huntsville pulling an 8,000 boat; 150 mile test loop:

 

The Titan can go and maintain 70mph and stay in 5th gear 97% of the time and only occasionally drop back to 4th gear about 3% of the time; with an 11mpg average.

 

The Ford can not maintain 70mph (I have tested three of them). It can maintain 60mph, pulling the same boat with the following results:

1. 4th gear about 20% of the time

2. 3rd gear about 40% of the time

3. 2nd gear about 10% of the time, with a drop back to 45mph

 

The Ford consistently would get 4.0mpg on this test loop.

 

The Dodge Ram 1500 virtually matched the Titan for towing; that is stayed in top gear most of the time and consistently got 11mpg.

 

The only way the Ford F150 can maintain top gear is with a speed of 45mph; therefore, to me and thousands of other truck owners that is false advertising. Ford needs to get real, and actually produce a 4x4 Lariat CC, optioned out, that can actually tow 8,000 down the hi-way, OR be truthful with their tow ratings.

Edited January 5, 2007 by HoustonPerson

[Extreme4x4]

Towing capacity has absolutally nothing to do with 0-60 times, or towing in overdrive (which is NEVER recommended............... by any manufacturer. Overdrive gear is significantly weaker than your other drive gears).

 

What you are talking about is "testosterone challenges." Basically, you feel like less of a man, because you lost your drag race when towing.

 

So, when your friend in his Titan, with its itty bitty rear axle (Dana 44 (8.5") vs 9.5" rear in F150), breaks his rear diff................ then your manliness will be able to return.

 

PS, if you are getting 4mpg towing 8000lbs in your F150.................. then you are definitally doing something very wrong. What gears do you have???.................. or do you even know. BTW, what year is your F150??? Did your trailer have properly functioning trailer brakes??? Did you use a weight distribution hitch???

 

Towing capacity is all about frame strength, brake strength under stress, component strength (diff, engine, trans), torque, and gearing. It has next to nothing to do with hp, 0-60 times, or mpg.

 

PS, had an auto repair and towing business for 9 years................. so we know a little bit.

Edited January 5, 2007 by Extreme4x4

[range]

Is the Titan even still in production? The problems with that truck are now legendary.

 

The Nissan Titan has horrendous quality, innumerable design problems like the crappy brakes, and is thrown together in lowest rated factory in the entire US.

 

The only thing that makes the Titan look credible is the Ridgeline minivan, I mean "truck"! :yup:

[toyboxrv]

Actually Ford has an F150 with an 8200 GVW and a 10.5" rear axle. I wouldn't try 11,000 on a regular basis, but then again I wouldn't think about 9,000 with a Titan. If I'm towing that much I would get something with some reserve capabilities.

 

I tow my 1/2 ton Chevy w/4L80 in OD all the time and with 240k and no trans problems so far. GM does recommend OD for towing with the Allison, but that is a different animal from any 1/2 ton.

[StevenCaylor]

I am assuming that the only F-150 capable of towing over 10K is one with the HD package with heavy duty frame, wheels, tires, springs, shocks, engine and transmission cooling and 4.10 gears. This sounds a lot like the old light duty F-250.

[HoustonPerson]

...................................

So, when your friend in his Titan, with its itty bitty rear axle (Dana 44 (8.5") vs 9.5" rear in F150), breaks his rear diff................ then your manliness will be able to return.

 

PS, if you are getting 4mpg towing 8000lbs in your F150.................. then you are definitally doing something very wrong. What gears do you have???.................. or do you even know. ............................

 

The F150 tested were 2004,2005,2006 and they are a 4 speed auto. Yes what you said is for sure true the Titan has had some problems; but F150 spitting out spark plugs is not too much different.........they still fail; often in the 25,000 to 40,000 mile range. Add to that list the extreme transmission slipping that is so common in the F150 line. Since I did not discuss any of the other points, I really could care less about 0-60 times or someones testosterone, I was only referring to real world towing and Ford's credibility in advertising; something the other companies are truthful in.

[JM]

I'm in TX too Houston, and the only thing a F150, Titan or 1500 is good for is city driving and moving your furniture. I don't think Texans care much about F150 numbers, as long as the bed fits a couch or dirt bike. Most people I know (including my family) that tow or use their truck for work have at least 2 trucks. A city truck the F150,and a work truck F250+.

[cheri/ck]

I have been very confused with Ford's current F-150 since introduction. Rather than make an outstanding half-ton truck again, they chose to compete with their own product, the F-250. And, in order to do that, Ford decided to move the 5.4 into 3-valve style and the engine has had a lot of teething problems. It does not power the heavy F-150 as well as it should, does not deliver good gas mileage and for a lot of owners, simply not a very pleasant motor - noisy for one thing.

 

If Ford has decided that they need a choice of 3/4 ton trucks, why not make the proven V-10 optional in the F-150? That engine is a good performer for a lot of people that need to haul heavy loads and tow on a regular basis. Although it doesn't deliver very good everyday unloaded fuel mileage, the hauling and towing numbers are pretty good. It's a preferred gas engine for the class B motorhomes.

 

Ford's product development and recognition of how their customers actually use their trucks is leaving me without a clue. I do continue to wait to see what will happen though - still hoping for a strong, powerful and fuel efficient half-ton truck again from Ford.

 

And, no - I don't need it to tow 11,000 pounds with a half-ton truck!

[old_fairmont_wagon]

The 3-valve head for the 5.4 L wasn't just so the thing could tote the heavier F-150 along better. It was an overall improvement to the MOD line to improve their emissions, economy, and power numbers. The problems that almost everyone is discribing with the 5.4L, aside from the plug issues, are largely due to the crappy transmission that's behind it. It spends half its time racing in an inappropriate gear and the other half of the time lugging around in a gear that's too high. Heck, the v6 that I had in my old 99 didn't like the tranny much either. The same 3V 5.4L in the new Expy with the 6AT gets much better reviews and I suspect that, if they could have retrofitted the trucks with it, we wouldn't be hearing all this complaining about that engine.

 

While I personally like the 3V V10 that ford has, I can definitely say two things about it. Its very heavy with its iron block and it drinks fuel. If they had made an aluminum block version of the engine with VCT [which apparently the v10 didn't get] specifically for the light duty trucks, then maybe I could have seen it. The torqueshift 5AT is a better tranny than the 4R100, but, not by much as it does have high parasitic driveline losses. I would much rather have seen Ford take the milder approach of overboaring the MODs by just a little, to 4.8L for the short deck ones and 5.7L for the tall deck ones. I think it wouldn't have hurt overall reliability and would have helped torque production by another 5 percent. Maybe resulting in a 320 hp / 380 lb engine.

[HoustonPerson]

old_fairmont Knows exactly what he is talking about.

 

The tranny in the F150 is junk, it works the engine so hard and has so much slippage in it, it simply burns up the engine. My F150's were toast in the first 30,000 miles. And 50 of our 800 member wakeboard club that own F150’s are NOT Buying F150’s again because of that reason.

 

These trucks can not tow and Ford is mis-leading the public is stating they can! Ford would do them selves good to have honest tow ratings, like the others. Absolutely “none” of the Titans, Chevy’s, Dodges, or Tundra’s in our club have this problem. Keep in mind the Tundra 4x4 DoubleCab OffRoad (2005-06 models) are rated at only 5,200 lb towing – a “true” figure. And that truck stays in 5th gear (top gear) at 70mph (90%), and gets about 8-9mpg. That is something the Ford F-150 can not do; again not even close.

 

If Ford wants to keep the F150 a viable “competitive” product and claim it can tow 8,000 lbs then they will have to put in an engine and tranny that can do it. Just because some advertising idiot puts down on paper it will tow 8,000 or even 11,000 lbs does not mean it will do it. If Ford is not going to put in a powertrain that can tow 8,000 lbs then they need to adjust their tow ratings down – a LOT, and be real.

[Blueblood]

It's not just the tranny, the 5.4 is a boat anchor, 6 speed, 7 speed, 5 million speeds, it doesn't matter, it just doesn't make the power to pull it's own hefty weight. If you think otherwise, you haven't been in one.

 

220 wheel horsepower for a 6000 pound truck and you guys blame the tranny!

[J-150]

These trucks can not tow and Ford is mis-leading the public is stating they can! Ford would do them selves good to have honest tow ratings, like the others. Absolutely “none” of the Titans, Chevy’s, Dodges, or Tundra’s in our club have this problem. Keep in mind the Tundra 4x4 DoubleCab OffRoad (2005-06 models) are rated at only 5,200 lb towing – a “true” figure. And that truck stays in 5th gear (top gear) at 70mph (90%), and gets about 8-9mpg. That is something the Ford F-150 can not do; again not even close.

 

 

 

Wow! 8mpg from a Tundra. How does it do unloaded?

[Extreme4x4]

old_fairmont Knows exactly what he is talking about.

 

The tranny in the F150 is junk, it works the engine so hard and has so much slippage in it, it simply burns up the engine. My F150's were toast in the first 30,000 miles. And 50 of our 800 member wakeboard club that own F150’s are NOT Buying F150’s again because of that reason.

 

These trucks can not tow and Ford is mis-leading the public is stating they can! Ford would do them selves good to have honest tow ratings, like the others. Absolutely “none” of the Titans, Chevy’s, Dodges, or Tundra’s in our club have this problem. Keep in mind the Tundra 4x4 DoubleCab OffRoad (2005-06 models) are rated at only 5,200 lb towing – a “true” figure. And that truck stays in 5th gear (top gear) at 70mph (90%), and gets about 8-9mpg. That is something the Ford F-150 can not do; again not even close.

 

If Ford wants to keep the F150 a viable “competitive” product and claim it can tow 8,000 lbs then they will have to put in an engine and tranny that can do it. Just because some advertising idiot puts down on paper it will tow 8,000 or even 11,000 lbs does not mean it will do it. If Ford is not going to put in a powertrain that can tow 8,000 lbs then they need to adjust their tow ratings down – a LOT, and be real.

 

Do you have any knowledge of mechanics at all??? It certainly does not sound like it.

 

A tranny that slips does absolutally nothing to an engine...................... NOTHING. What it does, is heat up the transmission................... which damages the transmission (heat is an auto trannies worst nightmare).

 

I live in AZ, which gets signifiantly hotter than anything that Texax can throw at me. I have never seen a '04+ F150 sitting at the side of the road, overheated. I have never heard of, or seen this problem. While the 4R70W may not be the best trans out there (a distant decendent to the AOD), it has not had much in the way of reliability problems. While you may not like the way it goes about its business......................... and may misconstrue delayed shifts (a byproduct of restriction balls in the valvebody, to give smoother shifts) for slipping....................... they are not unreliable transmissions. You want to see an unreliable transmission, talk to GM owners about the 700R4 (the undisputed king of POS trannies, and actually kept many a tranny shop in business).

 

If you want me to believe that you................... and many of your friends have burned up 5.4L engines in 30K miles, then I will say that you are either an idiot, or a liar. The 5.4 has been known for its stellar reliability. Even the much touted spark plug issue is very rare (at less than 1% failure rate). You confuse the 2-valve 5.4 with the 3-valve 5.4, which has shown absolutally zero problems with plugs. You group all 5.4's together.......................... and act as though your '04/05/06 has the same engine as the 97-03. This tells me that a) you don't know what engine your truck has, or B) you have never actually owned one.

 

BTW, for your information, Ford fixed the head issue in 2002...................... but I guess that kind of escaped you also.

 

Let me see your burned up 30K mile 3-valve 5.4L please. I would like to see what actually failed.