Towing Specs Consolidated Document - Bumper vs. Class IV vs. Tow vs. Max Tow - UPDATED DOC v4

[Dodgehemi0]

I have been a bad forum member recently due to haste, and frustration. I decided to try and put together all of the data on the tow packages to help many of us figure out what we can actually tow. Quick conclusions to investigate with this data are as follows. Please help me dissect this information.

For example according to everything I have seen. Powerboost 4x4 145" with a class IV receiver/hitch and tow tech only, is only rated to 7,000lbs due to lack of a stabilizer bar versus 11,000 with tow or 12,400 with max tow. I am really trying to vet this out and NO ONE at Ford has been able to help at all. I will update the doc with any information needed.

•5,000 lbs. tow rating for the bumper
•7,000 lbs. rating with a Class IV Hitch without tow or max tow (this will disappoint a lot of folks because it is buried that they don't get the solid stabilizer bar, even with tow tech)
•Trailer Tow and, Max Trailer Tow and HDPP get a solid stabilizer bar getting you to the published tow ratings
•Ecoboost 3.5L WITH Trailer Tow or above AND Powerboost WITH OR WITHOUT tow package get a larger radiator
•Max tow gets larger rear brakes

I look forward to feedback on this.

EDIT v4 of DOCUMENT

@solarity

I found this in my user manual. I see 11k being the lowest.

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[OCDoug]

@Dodgehemi0 do those little 1s and 2s lead to footnotes somewhere?

 

[BoilerTimmay]

I found this in my user manual. I see 11k being the lowest.

Next page it continues and gives you this: medium duty is a class IV hitch, heavy duty is “trailer tow package” and max duty is “max trailer tow package”

With the powerboost, it’s 5,000 on the bumper, 7,000 with class IV hitch, then your tow/max tow as noted based on your configuration.

 

[sp468]

It appears that Ford changed the 2021 towing guide. The version I used in December does not have any notes specifying that the trailer tow package (53A) is needed to reach the pounds towing listed. That is the guide my dealer and I used when ordering my truck.

The current guide now has the notes specifying that 53A is needed.

I saw my salesman this morning and he pulled out the current F150 sales brochure and it doesn't have any sub notes and shows what the previous towing guide has. I showed him the latest towing guide. He is going to have their fleet manager call his contact at Ford to see what is going on.

My build is scheduled for next week. I will probably cancel and reorder

Here are the two towing guides:

 

[Cooter'sFX4]

Yeah, warning or no warning, I'm still looking for just what that 53A gets you over a 53B that the X boxes in the chart don't show. Just some cameras and lights clearly don't increase capacity. I ordered the trailer brake controller separately (and 36 gallon tank) at the time of order as that was all I had then to go on. I'd sure love to see more of the hard parts identified there in that chart, a stabilizer bar column and a leaf pack column, but maybe there are too many variations (gear ratio, Cab configuration, etc.) to make it that clear per each option package. It's clear in Max. Tow, but not in the lesser options of when which gets what and what did it. Certainly there's a business case here too in selling the 'package'. I think my truck will show up with the lesser stabilizer bar as at the dealership there wasn't enough low optioned trucks to completely tell which trucks get it and which don't, but it's probably the first thing I'll check upon inspection!

 

[BoilerTimmay]

Yeah, warning or no warning, I'm still looking for just what that 53A gets you over a 53B that the X boxes in the chart don't show. Just some cameras and lights clearly don't increase capacity. I ordered the trailer brake controller separately (and 36 gallon tank) at the time of order as that was all I had then to go on. I'd sure love to see more of the hard parts identified there in that chart, a stabilizer bar column and a leaf pack column, but maybe there are too many variations (gear ratio, Cab configuration, etc.) to make it that clear per each option package. It's clear in Max. Tow, but not in the lesser options of when which gets what and what did it. Certainly there's a business case here too in selling the 'package'. I think my truck will show up with the lesser stabilizer bar as at the dealership there wasn't enough low optioned trucks to completely tell which trucks get it and which don't, but it's probably the first thing I'll check upon inspection!

It is in the doc at the top of the thread. There is at a minimum a solid stabilizer bar, according to Ford.

 

[Cooter'sFX4]

Yes, the not entirely correct document with 2020 F150 information instead of 2021. Perhaps it was missed, but I haven't found a 2021 yet with 36mm Stabilizer Bars. They're 25.4 or 27.0 mm in diameter. Again, it's all too late for my order and not too critical for my intentions, but the faster we get it dialed-in the better it will help the rest that are ordering.

 

[BoilerTimmay]

Yes, the not entirely correct document with 2020 F150 information instead of 2021. Perhaps it was missed, but I haven't found a 2021 yet with 36mm Stabilizer Bars. They're 25.4 or 27.0 mm in diameter. Again, it's all too late for my order and not too critical for my intentions, but the faster we get it dialed-in the better it will help the rest that are ordering.

I can’t speak to the actual physical size of the bars, but everything else in that document does hold true for 2021 from what we have seen.

 

[FlyingInMN]

I did some crawling around at the local Ford dealer and found the following:

There are at least 2 different sizes as previously stated, about 26.5mm and 27.3mm. The bars do have what I believe to be an identifying paint dot marked on one end. The smaller bar is yellow and the larger is green.

3.5 super crew stock receiver - yellow dot bar
3.5 super crew w/ trailer tow - green dot
2.7 super cab tow tech only - yellow dot
Assuming the 2.7 stock is also yellow

Would like to know the results of a 2.7 super crew with trailer tow and also a 3.5 with the tow tech to fill in the gaps. I couldn’t find either on the lot.

 

[BaltimoreF150]

Hi, I’ve been following this thread and agree the dealerships do not have a good idea of what the tow rating of the V6 powerboost Hybrid 3.5L actually is. What has my curiosity is why label the bumper 11,600. (See photo attached) if it’s 7,000 max according to footnote (5) of the 2021 F150 towing guide, why isn’t that stated anywhere on the sticker (see pics) door (see pic), hitch? Very odd marketing scheme, especially when the salesman don’t know either. It’s a slight misrepresentation of facts.

 

[Platimatter]

I did some crawling around at the local Ford dealer and found the following:

There are at least 2 different sizes as previously stated, about 26.5mm and 27.3mm. The bars do have what I believe to be an identifying paint dot marked on one end. The smaller bar is yellow and the larger is green.

3.5 super crew stock receiver - yellow dot bar
3.5 super crew w/ trailer tow - green dot
2.7 super cab tow tech only - yellow dot
Assuming the 2.7 stock is also yellow

Would like to know the results of a 2.7 super crew with trailer tow and also a 3.5 with the tow tech to fill in the gaps. I couldn’t find either on the lot.

Just crawled under mine. Looking from behind the front wheels I can see a green dot on the lower control arm on the driver's side and green caps on both ends of the front bar. A yellow dot is on the passenger side but not on the bar, just above it right where the bar goes into a shroud. Will have to take some pics. My truck is a Platinum with the tow technology package. Still trying to figure out what this thing can tow even after reading all the info on this site and others. I'm not going to tow alot however would be nice to know. Dealership swears it is 11,600 and tow tech is basically the equivalent of the tow package.

 

[BoilerTimmay]

Hi, I’ve been following this thread and agree the dealerships do not have a good idea of what the tow rating of the V6 powerboost Hybrid 3.5L actually is. What has my curiosity is why label the bumper 11,600. (See photo attached) if it’s 7,000 max according to footnote (5) of the 2021 F150 towing guide, why isn’t that stated anywhere on the sticker (see pics) door (see pic), hitch? Very odd marketing scheme, especially when the salesman don’t know either. It’s a slight misrepresentation of facts.

It’s a “weakest link” thing. The hitch can take that’s but you don’t have the stabilizer bar up front for the truck to be rated to that amount. Mine says 14,000 but my truck is rated for 12,400lbs.

 

[BoilerTimmay]

Just crawled under mine. Looking from behind the front wheels I can see a green dot on the lower control arm on the driver's side and green caps on both ends of the front bar. A yellow dot is on the passenger side but not on the bar, just above it right where the bar goes into a shroud. Will have to take some pics. My truck is a Platinum with the tow technology package. Still trying to figure out what this thing can tow even after reading all the info on this site and others. I'm not going to tow alot however would be nice to know. Dealership swears it is 11,600 and tow tech is basically the equivalent of the tow package.

The tow tech is not the same. It’s one of the only things that is clear in the documentation. It is rated for 7,000lbs.

 

[RichOK 1941]

Does anyone know if the stabilizer bar is something that can be added after-the-fact? I'm getting an XL powerboost with the Class IV hitch so looks like I can tow 7,000lbs without issue. Doubt I'll ever tow more than that but just in case I wanted to could I just add a solid stabilizer bar and have a higher towing capacity? I understand it wouldn't be warrantied to tow that, but I'd deal with that if an issue came up.

 

[UricMaguric]

Thank you @BoilerTimmay for putting this helpful document together. I would like to put forth what I have found regarding the front stabilizer bar.

"All 122" WB models get a stiffer 36 mm solid stabilizer bar along with models equipped with either the Trailer Tow Package (53A) or the Max.
Trailer Tow Package (53C). Models with the Heavy-duty Payload Package (627) get a 36 mm solid stabilizer bar as well."

This is copied from 2015-2020 fordbbas specs. However, it is a misprint in the 2021. 2021 went to a more efficient, smaller and lighter stabilizer bar.

2015-2020 used the 36mm stabilizer bar.
2021 uses two different thicknesses 25.4mm or 27mm.
As found by @Cooter'sFX4

2015-2020 ordering guide lists "Upgraded front stabilizer bar" for trailer tow package and max tow.
2021 ordering guide does not.

Which of the two stabilizer bars that are installed on a specific 2021 truck does not depend on having tow package.

From parts.ford.com:

2.7L or 3.3L with base payload package get one stabilizer bar.

3.5L, 5.0L, 3.0L diesel, 122" wb, or heavy duty payload get the other stabilizer bar.

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