According to this video the Max Tow Package is only with the 3:73.

 

Yes, I understand the Max Tow has the 3:73 gears but there must be more than just the gears included. The dealer is telling me this is the only difference between Max Tow and regular tow package.

 

I have a 14 and the difference in the U.S. model added 3.73 gears, tow mirrors, and class V hitch instead of the class IV as max-tow standard equipment.

 

The hitch different!

 

If it's anything like the 15+ you can tell the difference by looking at the receiver. The Max has chain hookups that are parallel to the bumber. The class IV hitch has diagonal chain hook ups.

 

Speaking solely of Max Tow vs 535 (not including HD Payload equipped trucks) . . . For these years, the difference could be just a few items or a lot of items. There are a lot of variables, but technically, the truck had to have 3.73 rear end in order to select Max Tow, so yes all Max Tow trucks had to have 3.73s. As you can see by the chart Max Tow (far right) and 535 (center) are different. However, many 535 equipped trucks include several of the unchecked items. Max tow would have a 4050 rear suspension no matter what. 535 would only have that if it came with 20" wheels.

You can lookup your truck by VIN on etis. It will not only tell you if you have the supercooling radiator, aux trans cooler, trailer brake and/or 7 pin connector, but will also state Max Tow or 535 in the following form. Max Tow would be listed as "load leveling" towing. 535 would be listed as "heavy duty" towing.

http://www.f150ecoboost.net/forum/6.../forum/6-f150-ecoboost-chat/4746-your-ford-vehicle-information-lookup-site.html

 

Speaking solely of Max Tow vs 535 (not including HD Payload equipped trucks) . . . For these years, the difference could be just a few items or a lot of items. There are a lot of variables, but technically, the truck had to have 3.73 rear end in order to select Max Tow, so yes all Max Tow trucks had to have 3.73s. As you can see by the chart Max Tow (far right) and 535 (center) are different. However, many 535 equipped trucks include several of the unchecked items. Max tow would have a 4050 rear suspension no matter what. 535 would only have that if it came with 20" wheels.
View attachment 89937

You can lookup your truck by VIN on etis. It will not only tell you if you have the supercooling radiator, aux trans cooler, trailer brake and/or 7 pin connector, but will also state Max Tow or 535 in the following form. Max Tow would be listed as "load leveling" towing. 535 would be listed as "heavy duty" towing.

http://www.f150ecoboost.net/forum/6.../forum/6-f150-ecoboost-chat/4746-your-ford-vehicle-information-lookup-site.html

Thanks for the info! Greatly appreciated!

 

#7700 GVWR also...

I posted my tags on your other thread.

Mitch

 

Ha, I knew I had these photo's saved somewhere. The difference in tow vs. max-tow hitch. You can see the difference in weight rating and reinforcement behind the receiver sleeve and next to the frame mounts.

 

Awesome! Thanks for the pics!

 

Slight difference in capacity it looks, but they are both class V5.

 

The "V-5" is not a class rating for the hitch. It has some other meaning to it related to it's construction or how it was tested or something like that. If you look at a standard WD hitch head, it has "V-5" stamped on it.. Well, mine does at any rate.

Nice comparison pics Cruzer.. I never knew what the difference in the two hitches were, other than the #1150/#11500 on the Max Tow ones.

Mitch

 

Oh, didn't know that.

 

Nice pictures. Looks like a little bit of steel plate and an hour with a welder could fix what ails ya.

 

Hi, I am trying to find the towing capacity of my truck. Based on the information above, it looks as though I have the 535 package. It does have 4050 for the rear axle code, and the 3.73 gears. I cant look at the truck now to verify the hitch. When I looked up my VIN, it does state WITH heavy Duty Towing. Does that mean my tow rating is the 11,200? Looking at campers and dont want to get into more than I can handle. Thanks,

 

Hi, I am trying to find the towing capacity of my truck.

As Mitch stated, there are lots of variables; Not the least of these are how far you are towing, how often you are towing, where you are going to tow and how comfortable you want to be towing. What the truck can tow isn't necessarily what the truck should tow.

If you just want to look up the numbers, you need the following:
Year (use this to pick the towing guide to use)
Cab type
4x2 or 4x4
wheelbase
engine
axle ratio


I think you will find even with 3.73 the tow rating will NOT be 11k. There are tiny footnotes in the chart that usually say something about "requires Max Trailer Towing package" on the highest ratings. You are more likely in the 9600 range.

You should also know your true current weight and subtract that from your GWVR to find your true payload capability before you pick out a trailer.

 

Silver, it's all about the GVWR sticker.. If it ain't #7700, it ain't "Max Tow"...

Here are the stickers on my truck for comparison..





It will really all fall into those weights on the stickers however... Just 'cause you have a #11,000 "Tow Rating" does not mean you can just go out and get and #11,000 travel trailer... Lots of other things come into play and lots of info about that on here.

Good luck!

Mitch

 

Silver, it's all about the GVWR sticker.. If it ain't #7700, it ain't "Max Tow"...

Here are the stickers on my truck for comparison..


Mitch

Nice rig, you have 245 lbs of payload on mine. Every little bit helps!

I'm up in Burien, btw. I'll keep my eyes open for your truck when I head down towards South Hill

 

All trucks with 20" wheels get the 4050 lb RAWR. Doesnt mean they get the extra payload though.

The most important aspect of the Max-tow package is the 350 extra lbs of GVWR which gets you the extra payload. My truck is max tow and still only has 1539 lbs of payload, it would only have ~1200 if it wasnt max tow.

 

In all honesty, I am not that well versed in towing. With that being said, I am trying to educate myself as much as possible in the art of towing, learning the weight ratings, tongue weight, etc as well as trying to decide whether to go with a bumper pull or 5th wheel. I do not want to overload the truck by any means, and i dont want to bite off more than I can chew. I will be traveling all over the country, for either my or my girfriends jobs. I believe, after looking at the hitch, it is just the heavy duty and not the max tow package. I saw the chart last night farther up in the thread and I can say that my truck has all the equipment stated in the 535 column. My question is this: if i were to simply add the trailer brake controller and swap the hitches, would that give me the max tow package? Im not sure what the difference is in the bumpers, or if that really matters to the tow value itself...

 

Well thats exactly it, a max tow truck is never really going to be able to tow 11,000 lbs+ without exceeding payload or max tongue weight or something unless you have an odd trailer that has a light tongue. Reality is that it wont tow a lot more than a non-max tow truck once all these things get factored in.

Where the non-max tow truck is really gunna suffer is in the payload department. You hook up a trailer with an 1100 lb tongue weight and you will have very little payload left before you exceed GVWR.

Heres a pic of the door tags. I believe it is just heavy duty. Can it be changed to max tow?

View attachment 90161 View attachment 90169

No it cannot be changed. You could add the components from the max-tow(better radiators/trans cooler/gears/hitch/etc) to help the truck tow better, but it wont ever increase your payload capacity or towing capacity as those are determined at the factrory.

 

Heres a pic of the door tags. I believe it is just heavy duty. Can it be changed to max tow?

 

Based on what I am reading, I think ill look more into 5th wheels. From what I am seeing, i think it would be a better fit pulling wise, and from what ive read, a lot more stable. Has anyone here installed the OEM trailer brake controller?

 

It's pretty easy. The hook up is pre wired under the dash. Just have to have the dealer install the program to run it. Seen prices between 75 to 150 for that service.

 

But, most 5th wheels have 20-25% PIN WEIGHT, so with only #1270 payload before there is any actual body in the truck, you'll have to settle for a pretty small 5th wheel if your goal is to not exceed your trucks weight ratings...

Once I have my truck loaded up with stuff in the bed and my #230 ass in the truck, plus the wifes, which is an undisclosed amount I only have about #400 of rear GAWR left and about #600 of GVWR on my truck... The tongue weight on my #5000 fully loaded trailer is around #650.. So, I'm FAR from the trucks "tow rating", yet I'm not far from exceeding it.. I figure I could go to around a #7500 fully loaded trailer and be right around the max ratings of my truck..

I have to pay for #8000 GVWR tags on my truck to register it in WA state.. So, as far as my trucks GVWR, I can go to #8000 because that's what I'm actually registered for.. But, I'd exceed my rear axle ratings long before that, since I'm already only #400 under it as it is..

Anyway, good luck with it.. You are just going to have to decide what weight ratings you are going to go with and you will need to get some actual weights to determine that, since noting weighs what the brochures say they weigh..

Mitch

 

Looked at an FX4 today with the luxury package but the GVWR was 7200lbs with 3:55s. Loved the truck but I'm going to hold out for a Max Tow. Had a '13 Limited out for a test drive a few weeks ago and loved it as well but the tow rating sucks! It had 3:73s but only a 7300lbs rating. Anyone know why the Limited is so "limited"?

 

The 22" wheels were not weight rated, at least in the spec book. The short tire sidewall probably doesn't help either. Limited pretty much has the softest of everything and the heaviest of everything. It is still a great truck, but they were made as luxury trucks instead of work trucks.

 

My truck is a 2012 max tow 3.73 156 wb, lariat. 7700 lbs gvwr. But notice on these pics of similar trucks that my front axle gvwr is 3900 lbs not 3750. Rear is the same at 4050. 18" tires. Why the difference?


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Could be a "snow plow package" option?

Mitch

 

Don't forget there was three tow versions offered by Ford. Tow, Max-tow, and HD. The HD's were produced in fewer numbers and were focused toward 5th or in bed campers featuring a stronger rear spring and 7 lug wheels.

 

XLT HD / Max Tow sticker...

 

1200 lbs is like the smallest payload I have seen on one of these trucks...

 

I saw a 2012 Platinum that only had #850 payload! Wish I would have thought to take a pic of it...

Mitch

 

Yikes! I have a 2012 Platinum, Supercrew, 5.5' bed. I think mine is just under 2,000. I have to check my vin, but believe it head MaxTow, 3.73. It does have a brake controller, and elephant ear mirrors. I would gladly give up the sunroof.

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Going to look at a 2011 FX4 with only 34,000 miles on the weekend. The truck has 3:73 so I assume it ha the Max Tow package. I'm a little nervous about the '11 Ecoboost. Should I expect to change the timing chain at some point? Any other issues on the early EB to be aware of?

 

You should expect to change all of the timing phasers and chains.

 

Did they correct this issue for 2013 and up?