[Scevrog]

Good day everyone.

I'm new to this forum and fairly new to trucks.
I've recently purchased a 2018, 3.5L Ecoboost, 3.55 axle with 18 inch wheels.

It's not clear to me if I have a transmission cooler installed or not. Apparently, the Max Tow version has this installed. So, I'm not even sure if I have the Max Tow version, or just the standard version. I thought the Max Tow required 20 inch wheels? There is nothing in my documentation telling me which type of Tow package is installed.

I've attached pics of where I think any such a transmission cooler would be installed.

Does anyone see a transmission cooler here, or, am I simply looking at the stock intercooler?

The reason why I'm asking this is because I'm considering purchasing a travel trailer that has a 7600 GVWR (Outback 299 URL), which is probably a little on the high side for this truck (but still below the capacity), but purchasing a F250 is not possible. So, considering possible affordable upgrades on the 150 to compensate.

Thanks very much.
Sincerely,
R.

 

[snakebitten]

You have a transmission cooler. It's just not visible from the grill area because it's underneath the truck. It's the only transmission cooler that Ford equips the 10-speed (10r80) transmission with regardless of which tow-package your truck is equipped with.

Orange in the diagram.

Ford finally did us a favor and got rid of ONE of the confusing options on these F150's.

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[snakebitten]

Also note that while considering a potential RV to purchase, tow capacity is NOT going to be the limit your truck will hit first. That drivetrain (3.5 Ecoboost) has plenty of insane towing power.

But it IS a ½ton chassis so it will run out of Cargo Capacity first. Can you look on the driver's door jamb for what we call the "yellow sticker"?

On there is your Cargo Capacity specifically for your truck. It was weighed based on the options it came with and the unused portion of the GrossVehicleWeight that, after assembly, will be your Cargo Capacity.



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[Scevrog]

Also note that while considering a potential RV to purchase, tow capacity is NOT going to be the limit your truck will hit first. That drivetrain (3.5 Ecoboost) has plenty of insane towing power.

But it IS a ½ton chassis so it will run out of Cargo Capacity first. Can you look on the driver's door jamb for what we call the "yellow sticker"?

On there is your Cargo Capacity specifically for your truck. It was weighed based on the options it came with and the unused portion of the GrossVehicleWeight that, after assembly, will be your Cargo Capacity.



Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

Also note that while considering a potential RV to purchase, tow capacity is NOT going to be the limit your truck will hit first. That drivetrain (3.5 Ecoboost) has plenty of insane towing power.

But it IS a ½ton chassis so it will run out of Cargo Capacity first. Can you look on the driver's door jamb for what we call the "yellow sticker"?

On there is your Cargo Capacity specifically for your truck. It was weighed based on the options it came with and the unused portion of the GrossVehicleWeight that, after assembly, will be your Cargo Capacity.



Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

Also note that while considering a potential RV to purchase, tow capacity is NOT going to be the limit your truck will hit first. That drivetrain (3.5 Ecoboost) has plenty of insane towing power.

But it IS a ½ton chassis so it will run out of Cargo Capacity first. Can you look on the driver's door jamb for what we call the "yellow sticker"?

On there is your Cargo Capacity specifically for your truck. It was weighed based on the options it came with and the unused portion of the GrossVehicleWeight that, after assembly, will be your Cargo Capacity.



Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

Thanks very much.

The payload is 1799. The toungue of this trailer is listed at 700. Then, if I add another 200 for Hensley Hitch, then another 500 for adults + odds and end, that brings me to 1400, or, 78% of capacity. Is this the correct way to calculate this?

Sincerely,
R.

 

[Justinjs]

Also note that while considering a potential RV to purchase, tow capacity is NOT going to be the limit your truck will hit first. That drivetrain (3.5 Ecoboost) has plenty of insane towing power.

But it IS a ½ton chassis so it will run out of Cargo Capacity first. Can you look on the driver's door jamb for what we call the "yellow sticker"?

On there is your Cargo Capacity specifically for your truck. It was weighed based on the options it came with and the unused portion of the GrossVehicleWeight that, after assembly, will be your Cargo Capacity.



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Agree completely. Some of our trucks are a little soft on the back end. The cart needs helper springs, air bags, ect.. to maximize the tow-ability of the engine.
For S&Gs I priced out a similar 2020 version of my truck, then an f250 gasser, they were within $1500. What has you from looking at the SD?

 

[Scevrog]

Agree completely. Some of our trucks are a little soft on the back end. The cart needs helper springs, air bags, ect.. to maximize the tow-ability of the engine.
For S&Gs I priced out a similar 2020 version of my truck, then an f250 gasser, they were within $1500. What has you from looking at the SD?

I would definetely upgrade the back with air bags, etc.. The 150 is purchased, so, I'm trying to work around that and get as much RV as 'safely' possible.

 

[snakebitten]

Thanks very much.

The payload is 1799. The toungue of this trailer is listed at 700. Then, if I add another 200 for Hensley Hitch, then another 500 for adults + odds and end, that brings me to 1400, or, 78% of capacity. Is this the correct way to calculate this?

Sincerely,
R.

Well done, that's exactly how you figure it.
But you should know that the published tongue weight by the RV manufacturer is notoriously optimistic. At least by as much weight as a battery and a couple of full propane tanks. And of course the stuff you load in/on the RV, some of that weight will be tongue weight.

I have 4 RV's. I live in one and I tow the others based on the mission.

If I'm going to be giving just MY opinion, with your truck and cargo capacity, you will be fine with that RV. But it will require a very well setup WDH at least. For long runs and comfort (unnervous) as the driver, I would consider Load E tires, aftermarket shocks, (all 4 corners) and a rear anti-sway bar if your truck doesn't have one from Ford. (I believe max-tow has the rear antisway. But I'm not 100% sure)

It's an awesome tow vehicle! But leave some headroom if you can.

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[Scevrog]

That’s great advice.
Thanks very much.

 

[Arkansas Eco]

You will have no problem towing 8000 pounds and also what has been said above. Now you might have trouble with overheating if towing up mountains in summertime.
Make sure a WDH with anti-sway and appropriate sized bars is set up properly. Take your time.
Welcome to the forum !

 

[TCP2]

Ours is 7500lbs gvwr. Bilstein rear shocks help. With the Hensley, you should be fine, but as stated the tongue weight is horribly optimistic. Ours lists as 592lbs. We’re over 1000 lbs every trip. Propane tanks and battery aren’t included, to say nothing about items inside. The trailer you list is also 34 feet long. Without the Hensley, I would be careful with a 145” wheelbase truck.

 

[Arkansas Eco]

What do you think the wheelbase has to do with it ?

 

[DashRipRock]

Tougue weight is going to be closer to 1000lbs. I think your TT is too long for a very light 1/2 ton. I installed a rear sway bar and Bilsteins on all 4 wheels. It helped a lot.

I'm towing a 24 foot 6500 lb TT. I have a 2019 XLT 3.5L Max tow package crew cab short bed.

I wouldn't want to tow much more.

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[Arkansas Eco]

6500 GVWR ? I haven't Max Tow and tow 7500 on a whim. Easy peasy like.

 

[TCP2]

What do you think the wheelbase has to do with it ?

Stability.
A common rule of thumb is that 110inches of wheelbase cover the first 20ft of trailer. Every 4" over that can safely tow another foot of trailer. A trailer is a sail in the wind and getting pushed around by passing semis, wind gusts, etc are worse the bigger the sail (trailer). A 145" wheelbase F150 can safely tow around 29' of trailer by the above metric. The trailer you are looking at is 5 feet longer.

truck wheelbase vs trailer length - Google Search

 

[Justinjs]

Stability.
A common rule of thumb is that 110inches of wheelbase cover the first 20ft of trailer. Every 4" over that can safely tow another foot of trailer. A trailer is a sail in the wind and getting pushed around by passing semis, wind gusts, etc are worse the bigger the sail (trailer). A 145" wheelbase F150 can safely tow around 29' of trailer by the above metric. The trailer you are looking at is 5 feet longer.

truck wheelbase vs trailer length - Google Search

What about tractors, their wheelbase is the 180", towing 53'.

 

[TCP2]

What about tractors, their wheelbase is the 180", towing 53'.

That isn't a bumper pull, but puts the trailer on the rear wheels of the tow vehicle. The tractor on its own can weigh from 15k to 25k lbs. That's without the trailer attached. 35000lbs with an empty trailer. Half the weight of the trailer is sitting on the rear axle of the tractor unit. That provides a lot of extra stability compared to a 12k lb F150+trailer combo. Ask people who tow 5th wheels which are more stable. Towing a 30ft bumper pull sail with a vehicle that weighs just more than your average minivan (F150=4608lbs, oddyssey= 4440 base curb weights for example) can be a harrowing experience if it isn't set up well. Plenty of folks pulling longer units, on this site and others, without issue, but plenty have trouble as well. Heavier weight and longer wheelbase will always provide more stability and more safety buffer when things get hairy.

Semi's aren't immune when things get bad enough:

 

[Arkansas Eco]

Eh. I think towing experience is more important than tow vehicle wheelbase. To each their own. I don't believe another 12" of wheelbase with the 6.5' bed is enough more weight to matter toward 'ballast'.

 

[snakebitten]

The additional wheelbase isn't a ballast parameter. It's more of a fulcrum parameter.

I get the analysis. I don't know how accurate the recommended formula is, but if you take examples like that and then expand them to ridiculous proportions, for the sake of concept, it can help you understand.

Example: Imagine a ridiculously long wheelbase tow vehicle and you will kinda get the advantage of the dog now unwaggable by the tail. It just makes sense. Based on that, it's completely conceivable that a mathematical formula could vary well be created that represents the scenario.

It doesn't mean you have to adhere to it, of course, but it deserves respect for the physics it represents.

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[mwemaxxowner]

A fifth wheel or gooseneck attachment is definitely more stable. The physics are different, and it's almost impossible for the sway to occur that can with a bumper pull that continues to oscillate.

2016 2.7 4x4 screw

 

[Arkansas Eco]

Ok but 12" more wheelbase ? Nah. A long wheelbase much heavier SuperDuty ? Yep.