Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150

Tireman · Jan 6, 2021

Tomorrow will be interesting. I’m going to be towing this roughly 300 miles. I got 11.2 MPG on the 30 mile commute home. It towed great for a half Ton...much better than the raptor. I’ll report back tomorrow.

Update with results:

On interstate 40 going west from Nashville to Memphis I averaged 11.5 MPG going about 75 mph. On 240 around Memphis I averaged 16.5 MPG going 57 to 60 MPG. Those aren’t bad numbers considering the load.

The rear axle was 100 lbs away from the max limit and had some sway on several instances. I could have done a better job distributing the weight, but it handled very well for a half ton. I should have used a weight distribution hitch with that kind of load and certainly will on the journey back.

I’m very pleased with it and I’m sure you will be too

Ford F-150 Lightning Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150 D3315AEA-1AB4-47BB-A3C3-D4939E9CADF2

Ford F-150 Lightning Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150 9FD43E0D-E55A-49B8-A832-60C2BD2B6AF0

Ford F-150 Lightning Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150 BC7717A0-6FF4-4946-B227-ADC9414D9698

WXMANNY · Jan 6, 2021

thank you for sharing. I do want to see how it handles.

I am also interested to see if the same truck could handle a truck caper with 1900 lbs
2021 Lance 650 For Sale in Bemidji, MN - RV Trader

solarity · Jan 6, 2021

Tireman said:
Tomorrow will be interesting. I’m going to be towing this roughly 300 miles. I got 11.2 MPG on the 30 mile commute home. It towed great for a half Ton...much better than the raptor. I’ll report back tomorrow.

Thanks for recording the information. Could you also do the following:

1) Saw you had a 100+ posts, so manage to find Payload: 1317
2) Found sticker here as well: https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/finally-got-my-truck.868/page-2#post-10953
3) Take a picture of the PN sticker on the frame. It apparently should be on the under the front passenger on the frame.

There are 3 different frames and I am putting together a matrix to try to help decipher what frame goes with what loadout. Black means best guess.

Ford F-150 Lightning Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150 frames.PNG

Tireman · Jan 6, 2021

solarity said:
Thanks for recording the information. Could you also do the following:

1) Saw you had a 100+ posts, so manage to find Payload: 1317
2) Found sticker here as well: https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/finally-got-my-truck.868/page-2#post-10953
3) Take a picture of the PN sticker on the frame. It apparently should be on the under the front passenger on the frame.

There are 3 different frames and I am putting together a matrix to try to help decipher what frame goes with what loadout. Black means best guess.

I’m not sure I got the PN sticker, is that it?

Ford F-150 Lightning Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150 3CAA0D6A-A48B-4E92-8267-E74689AE0EB9

Ford F-150 Lightning Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150 C4F99033-438D-4705-BF11-596A33748821

Ford F-150 Lightning Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150 643AF6C8-DB8B-4F21-932E-940954D26FA3

solarity · Jan 6, 2021

Tireman said:
I’m not sure I got the PN sticker, is that it?

Wow, awesome man! You rock!

Though I am utterly dumbfounded. If a Max Tow PowerBoost has a HD frame and not a HPP, then I have no idea what configuration that would use the HPP frame on the 4x4 145 SuperCrew.

kavm · Jan 6, 2021

What is HPP? Is it heavy payload package? What does it impact (beyond what it says)?

I have a 4x4 Plat - PB - 157”. Does that have a higher payload? Based upon what I read - is is 20# less than the 145”.

Just trying to understand what you are driving at. Obviously interested in increasing the measly payload and have done so modestly by dropping FX4, moonroof, retractable tonneau, spray in bedliner)

daemonic3 · Jan 6, 2021

kavm said:
What is HPP? Is it heavy payload package? What does it impact (beyond what it says)?

I have a 4x4 Plat - PB - 157”. Does that have a higher payload? Based upon what I read - is is 20# less than the 145”.

Just trying to understand what you are driving at. Obviously interested in increasing the measly payload and have done so modestly by dropping FX4, moonroof, retractable tonneau, spray in bedliner)

I was trying to figure out if max tow on a PB gets you ANY advantage, otherwise people are going to optimize cost and payload spec since max tow has heavier axle but no bump in the GVWR spec.

The powerboost rear axle seems to be 4150# rating by default. Maxtow doesn't seem to increase that axle spec, yet adds weight so eats into payload (on paper).

Then, the powerboost axles are 3900# and 4150# but GVWR of 7350# (a 91% ratio of GVWR/SUM[GAWR]). There are ecoboost axles on some configs that are 3600# and 3800# but it gets a 7050# GVWR (a 95% ratio). So why doesn't the PB get a 600-650# bump over the EB GVWR? It suggests something else is the weakest link. It isn't the tires/wheels, those are rated higher than the axle. It must be the frame/chassis... If they would have just put the HPP frame on the PB as an option (like built into the rip-off max tow) they would have a LOT of happy campers (pun intended).

So I am just trying to learn where the weak spots are and where there is margin. On my current XLT I reach max payload with max rear GAWR, and some margin left on the front. In the PB the front axle is so damn beefy I may try to adjust my WDH so I have comfy margin on both axles (I will reach payload way sooner because of the weak sauce GVWR).

daemonic3 · Jan 6, 2021

Tireman said:

Congrats!! You managed to beat the base curb weight on the front axle! Seems you may be squatting the rear and raising the front. If you aren't using a WDH maybe you can redistribute those tires off the tongue a bit to level the truck.

Ford F-150 Lightning Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150 1609999680512

solarity · Jan 7, 2021

daemonic3 said:
I was trying to figure out if max tow on a PB gets you ANY advantage, otherwise people are going to optimize cost and payload spec since max tow has heavier axle but no bump in the GVWR spec.

The powerboost rear axle seems to be 4150# rating by default. Maxtow doesn't seem to increase that axle spec, yet adds weight so eats into payload (on paper).

Then, the powerboost axles are 3900# and 4150# but GVWR of 7350# (a 91% ratio of GVWR/SUM[GAWR]). There are ecoboost axles on some configs that are 3600# and 3800# but it gets a 7050# GVWR (a 95% ratio). So why doesn't the PB get a 600-650# bump over the EB GVWR? It suggests something else is the weakest link. It isn't the tires/wheels, those are rated higher than the axle. It must be the frame/chassis... If they would have just put the HPP frame on the PB as an option (like built into the rip-off max tow) they would have a LOT of happy campers (pun intended).

So I am just trying to learn where the weak spots are and where there is margin. On my current XLT I reach max payload with max rear GAWR, and some margin left on the front. In the PB the front axle is so damn beefy I may try to adjust my WDH so I have comfy margin on both axles (I will reach payload way sooner because of the weak sauce GVWR).

I think Max Tow only costs more in payload and money w/o adding anything really relevant. You get a stronger bumper and bigger rear brakes, though I can't see how anyone can take advantage of that w/o being massively overweight in payload. I am also not as confident about the "upgraded" axle that so many claim that the Max Tow gets. It seems to only exist in rumors. The HD Axle that people keep talking about is rated at 4800lbs and states it is only comes with HDPP, though that doesn't explain why there is a 3.55HD at 4800 as well. You might be right about a limiting factor of something else to drop it down to 4150, though we would need to compare axles on Max Tow vs Non-MaxTow. It could also be one of those items that it is just cheaper in terms of logistics and production to pair certain builds with the HDPP frame and axle, when coming froma plant like KC. Though this to is just a rumor, though we have seen mix match of frames go onto different trucks that didn't make sense.

DW2020 · Jan 7, 2021

I think it is important to keep in mind the Heavy Duty Payload Package is only available on the 157” and 164” wheelbases. So there is no such thing as a HDPP 145”.

It is not provable in any ford specs I’ve seen, but all the photos I’ve seen of a “HD” frame sticker on a 145” wheelbase have been Max Tow trucks.

So my personal choice and recommendation would be if you are planning to tow a travel trailer with a 145” (ie SuperCrew 5.5ft bed) go for the Max Tow. Odds are it will include the heavier frame, higher rear axle rating, bigger rear brakes (as stated in Ford Specs), and who knows what else Ford includes to maximize capability (third leaf in the spring?), etc. It won’t show any more GVWR but it has to help with the actual towing experience....

currybob · Jan 7, 2021

Tireman said:
Tomorrow will be interesting. I’m going to be towing this roughly 300 miles. I got 11.2 MPG on the 30 mile commute home. It towed great for a half Ton...much better than the raptor. I’ll report back tomorrow.

Excellent test Adam, can't wait to see your data, how the drive was! be safe!

SBrentnall · Jan 7, 2021

solarity said:
though I can't see how anyone can take advantage of that w/o being massively overweight in payload.

It's important for those of us who tow horse trailers with low tongue weight. We often have very little payload - all the weight is in the trailer.

daemonic3 · Jan 7, 2021

SBrentnall said:
It's important for those of us who tow horse trailers with low tongue weight. We often have very little payload - all the weight is in the trailer.

Obviously, for towing horses payload isn't the most important, but rather horse power!

discothan · Jan 7, 2021

solarity said:
I think Max Tow only costs more in payload and money w/o adding anything really relevant. You get a stronger bumper and bigger rear brakes, though I can't see how anyone can take advantage of that w/o being massively overweight in payload. I am also not as confident about the "upgraded" axle that so many claim that the Max Tow gets. It seems to only exist in rumors. The HD Axle that people keep talking about is rated at 4800lbs and states it is only comes with HDPP, though that doesn't explain why there is a 3.55HD at 4800 as well. You might be right about a limiting factor of something else to drop it down to 4150, though we would need to compare axles on Max Tow vs Non-MaxTow. It could also be one of those items that it is just cheaper in terms of logistics and production to pair certain builds with the HDPP frame and axle, when coming froma plant like KC. Though this to is just a rumor, though we have seen mix match of frames go onto different trucks that didn't make sense.

Don't forget, the Max Tow (non-PB engine) comes with an extended gas tank of 36 Gallons. The extra weight and gas might reduce the max payload as well.....might be negligible. Gallon of gas = 6lbs approx. Not sure how much the bigger gas tank weighs though.

Tireman · Jan 7, 2021

On interstate 40 going west from Nashville to Memphis I averaged 11.5 MPG going about 75 mph. On 240 around Memphis I averaged 16.5 MPG going 57 to 60 MPG. Those aren’t bad numbers considering the load.

The rear axle was 100 lbs away from the max limit and had some sway on several instances. I could have done a better job distributing the weight, but it handled very well for a half ton. I should have used a weight distribution hitch with that kind of load and certainly will on the journey back.

I’m very pleased with it and I’m sure you will be too

Towing test with 2021 Powerboost F-150

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