Newer F150 vs. older F350 Towing

My 2019 F150 with 5.0 V8 has towing capacity of 11,500 lbs. Was looking at an older gasoline single rear wheel 2012 F350 and it is rated to 12,100 lbs.

Is that correct? A newer F150 can tow nearly as much as an older F350? No point to change vehicles.

 

Half ton v. 1 ton…

 

My thoughts exactly, but why the specs are nearly the same?

 

I’d say “factory estimates” v. “Reality” .

My toyhauler was supposedly “half ton towable” … it’s the reason I have 3/4 ton Duramax .

 

The 1/2 ton trucks rated for that (gvcw) tow weight are single or extended cab stripped models and even then need a WDH & some kind of leaf spring assist at the very least. Look at the door sticker for payload rating... I think the highest payload Ive seen was ~2800lbs for a 1/2 ton.

 

Check fuel tank size on any tow vehicle you consider and mpg. My first two F350’s had 35 gallon tanks…my 17 has a 48 gallon tank. 48 sucks at the pump but I can go to Pitt, and head back and not have to hold my breath hoping to get to a fuel stop asap on the way back.

Also, if you happen to make some enhancements to. your diesel, you’ll get more power and improved fuel economy. As far as I know, gasoline engines don’t reap that kind of improvement as a return on investment for performance.

 

Can't speak for the smaller trucks because I've never owned one, but my 2017 Ram 3500 tows infinitely better than the 2006 F350 it replaced. Both Diesel, crew cab, SRW, long bed, with manual transmissions. It was absolutely shocking how much more stable and confident the Ram felt with 15k in tow even though their tow ratings were ~1k lbs different. I don't know what changed in the 10 years between those trucks being produced, but I wouldn't be surprised if the newer f150's tow better than the old f250's or just as good as the old f350's. As far as engines are concerned, I'd probably rather have an older engine though.

 

Don't forget stopping ratings.

All trailers are built by imbred hillbillies and your brakes can go out any time.

Towing on flat ground doesn't mean anything tntil your -6% grade with no trailer brakes.

 

You would be surprised what a difference tires can make is towing stability. I had a 2017 Tundra that had LT tires on it vs the standard P tires on it. That thing towed awesome. Stability is in the tire sidewall more than it is in the chassis IMO

 

My 2001 F-350 CCLB 7.3 dually w/a 4.10 gear is rated at 13,000lbs. I won't be swapping it for a 1/2 ton truck any time soon.

I feel like the ratings used to be based in reality with a gigantic safety margin. Now not so much.

 

I'd bet that F-350 weighs 2,000 lbs more than the F-150, which is a massive difference in stability. A ford ranger on paper can tow 7,500 lbs and you couldn't pay me to tow a typical 7x14 trailer loaded with gear and bikes that weighs half that with a ford ranger.

 

Good point... lots of lifted truck owners like to install 10 ply tires that weigh 15+ lbs more than the p metrics. Unloaded those things ride like ass.
Typical curb weight on an aluminum body 1/2 ton 4dr xlt trim truck is ~5500ish lbs. Farkels like onboard scales, sunroofs, 22" wheels, etc push that over 6000lbs.

 

As stated before, 'max tow' ratings are generic for a model. Not applicable to your specific truck. And beyond that, they seem very dependent on the spring rate utilized. Typically F350s SRW are rated higher than 250 and the only change will be an additional leaf in the spring pack.

What I'm getting at is even if your F150 can tow 11k lbs at 20mph on flat ground with an open trailer and weight distribution hitch, that doesn't necessarily mean it'll feel good towing a 8500lb enclosed trailer with a car in it on the highway at 70mph with inclines and declines. This is where the bigger trucks really show their worth is in the heavier chassis and much larger brakes, transmissions, axles and tires.

 

People are concentrating on whether or not they could tow that much instead of whether or not they should.

 

I have an '18 F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost. It's rated for 11,500 or whatever their "max tow" package is. I pull about 6,000# estimated and I wouldn't want much more. My toyhauler is around 24 feet and if you hit rough patches in the road or get a decent cross wind it yanks that truck around all over the place. Not unbearable but I'm mostly driving flat ground Florida. Probably would be a whole different game with 6% grades and windy mountain passes. I'm in the process of picking up a diesel just for towing

 

The Max Tow is typically not relevant, as almost every truck will overload one or all of these before going over the "Max Tow" rating: GVWR, RAWR, or max hitch weight. The max hitch weight is not always listed but should be followed when it is listed. You can compensate for these a bit with a weight distribution hitch but going too far down that road leads to extra stress on the trailer and tow vehicle frames. If you weigh 150 lb. and carry no passengers and cargo in the truck that helps too.

Also, as hinted at above, an RV or toy hauler isn't going to tow anything like the flatbeds they use to test the "max tow".

 

Even the max tow models are lacking adequate leaf springs, front & rear shocks capable of actual adjustable damping fully loaded vs jack in the box rebound drama. The 3.5 is a good power plant for towing if you can keep it out of boost and lock the 10sp out of 9th & 10th gear.
I see people spending $400 on passive bump stop springs when if they spend $500 on something like an RAS that keeps the springs arched and the ride height is increased under load. Plus its fully adjustable.

 

I drove by this scene a while back. Googled, "Do Ecoboosts catch on fire?". The short answer is yes. You can't see it in the photo, but there's an empty open car trailer behind the truck.

 

The only acceptable answer is older tree-fiddy with the 2000 era 7.3L

 

I need my F150 to haul a biggest trailer I can pull, not far, all flat, just to higher ground. To evacuate crap (lots of it) from the garage during the next hurricane. Was originally thinking about getting an older F250/350 but am starting to think that my current F150 will do it. It has a 5.0 V8 with 10 speed, lockable to 8 speed. No heavy braking, no hills. I think it will pull a 40' gooseneck a few miles away from the coastal line.