Trailer Tow Package vs Truck with Addons Funniness

[Snakebitten]

~8500lbs is a good ceiling for many of the reasons you stated.
Properly equipped and "dialed in", that's a legitimate framework in my opinion.
I personally am a bit more conservative, and tell myself 7500 is the 1/2 ton line.

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[HammaMan]

I have read through the provided data and sum it up in, the heavy tow package increase capability but mostly increases safety factors in unpredictable conditions. As for my purpose, GCVWR of 16,800 lb minus my max truck weight of 7050lb is 9,750 LB of tow rating. The Class IV hitch is rated above that so I am safe. I have the TBC and I add a 10% safety margin putting me at 8775. That would be roughly where I draw the line. Also, I am realistic about wind effects on large sail area trailers and would not tow that if I was close. The scariest thing I see is these people put a lift and wide 35's on a 1/2 ton pulling heavy box trailers at high speed.

You're misconstruing numbers a smidge. 9750 is the balance of the tongue + truck. Let's say it's a 1200lb tongue = 10,950 towing. See how that works?

 

[sts90]

You're misconstruing numbers a smidge. 9750 is the balance of the tongue + truck. Let's say it's a 1200lb tongue = 10,950 towing. See how that works?

No, I don't understand. Draw me a diagram, please.

 

[HammaMan]

No, I don't understand. Draw me a diagram, please.

actual truck weight (you inside) + actual load weight (including trailer) </= Max weight rating
not
Max weight - Truck GVWR = max trailer capacity.
Trailer tongue is a variable in GVWR and you're failing to account for it. You're simply assuming the payload is maxed out.

 

[JJSnell]

I will admit I don't know anything about tow weight\limits, which is fine.
But I did pop my VIN in to look and saw my numbers... So does this mean my heaviest trailer can be 9,600lbs?
I tow a 24' boat twice a year and two jet skis twice a year; Spring In, Fall Out... Then rarely tow my '65 Mustang to a show.
Worst problem I ever had was backing my trailer down a hill and the stupid aluminum body started getting dragged by the trailer. 6cyl+aluminum is not really a good combo.

 

[HammaMan]

I will admit I don't know anything about tow weight\limits, which is fine.
But I did pop my VIN in to look and saw my numbers... So does this mean my heaviest trailer can be 9,600lbs?
I tow a 24' boat twice a year and two jet skis twice a year; Spring In, Fall Out... Then rarely tow my '65 Mustang to a show.
Worst problem I ever had was backing my trailer down a hill and the stupid aluminum body started getting dragged by the trailer. 6cyl+aluminum is not really a good combo.

Per ford, yes, your truck is one fat piggy. My math adds another 300lbs to the GVWR. Based on the numbers you have a 4800lb rear axle. I'd drag 12klb around with either of our trucks with no reservations. I wouldn't use it for commercial purposes, but I'd weekend warrior it. Your truck with you in it is 6300lbs. The PB is one of the heaviest F150s ever produced with a frame to back it up.

 

[JJSnell]

Per ford, yes, your truck is one fat piggy. My math adds another 300lbs to the GVWR. Based on the numbers you have a 4800lb rear axle. I'd drag 12klb around with either of our trucks with no reservations. I wouldn't use it for commercial purposes, but I'd weekend warrior it. Your truck with you in it is 6300lbs. The PB is one of the heaviest F150s ever produced with a frame to back it up.

Should have said it was my 2015 Platinum that got dragged down the hill.
So my new PB weighs more than a steel bodied 5.0? I woulda thought they would be more.
My current trailer is a Cherokee 39SR. There is no WAY I would attempt that pull. It would snap my truck in half and blow wheels off the truck.

 

[JExpedition07]

The truck would do it but boy would that be a white knuckle drive when a semi blows by you. I think the heaviest F-150 was the 2011-2014 6.2L V8 with max tow. Had the 7 lug axles.

 

[JExpedition07]

Another thing I don’t get is the magic GVWR numbers. Ford ups the GVWR over the 3.3L and 2.7L as soon as you have the 5.0L or 3.5L engines. The larger engines cradled up front should not add GVWR but it does. It’s just a motor on the same frame. Just another example of a tax imo.

 

[HammaMan]

Should have said it was my 2015 Platinum that got dragged down the hill.
So my new PB weighs more than a steel bodied 5.0? I woulda thought they would be more.
My current trailer is a Cherokee 39SR. There is no WAY I would attempt that pull. It would snap my truck in half and blow wheels off the truck.

Heaviest non raptor steel body was limited at 5800lbs, plat 5600lbs. They said the mass was for fuel mileage, piggyboost comes along and puts it all back in and bests em all.

Yeah, I wouldn't tow a 39 w/ a F150 any meaningful distance. Maybe the long bed PHEV PB replacement with another 400lbs of battery assembly onboard and its proper 8500lb GVWR. That's F250 mass at that point. I'm on the fence with a 30. Need to find a good balance and define the needs.

 

[Revz]

So I went down a similar rabbit hole 1.5yrs ago when I bought my truck, and didn’t understand what the GVWR Package on the window sticker referred to. Found this article that explained that the frame thickness is different for different trims / engines / packages : https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2020/12/ford-f-150-gvwr-package-explained/
My best guess (but just a guess) is this explains the difference that OP is asking about.

 

[JJSnell]

The truck would do it but boy would that be a white knuckle drive when a semi blows by you. I think the heaviest F-150 was the 2011-2014 6.2L V8 with max tow. Had the 7 lug axles.

I dunno man.
This 39SR would snap our trucks in half... It's not really a "travel" trailer.
11,300lbs dry.
https://lakeshore-rv.com/cherokee/39sr

 

[JExpedition07]

So I went down a similar rabbit hole 1.5yrs ago when I bought my truck, and didn’t understand what the GVWR Package on the window sticker referred to. Found this article that explained that the frame thickness is different for different trims / engines / packages : https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2020/12/ford-f-150-gvwr-package-explained/
My best guess (but just a guess) is this explains the difference that OP is asking about.

I have read this for the 13th gen, but from my understanding the frames are the same for the 14th gen and more streamlined. I’ll see if I can find the attachment from Ford.

 

[JExpedition07]

Heaviest non raptor steel body was limited at 5800lbs, plat 5600lbs. They said the mass was for fuel mileage, piggyboost comes along and puts it all back in and bests em all.

Yeah, I wouldn't tow a 39 w/ a F150 any meaningful distance. Maybe the long bed PHEV PB replacement with another 400lbs of battery assembly onboard and its proper 8500lb GVWR. That's F250 mass at that point. I'm on the fence with a 30. Need to find a good balance and define the needs.

That doesn’t sound right so I checked. The PowerBoost 157” wheelbase is lighter than the 6.2L Max tow as I thought. PowerBoost max curb weight is 5,540 pounds. 6.2L steel body was 5,904 pounds in the same configuration both per ford specs. Those 6.2 max tow packs were beefy trucks with the 7 lug axles. Those were supposedly the heaviest F-150 ever made.

 

[Revz]

I have read this for the 13th gen, but from my understanding the frames are the same for the 14th gen and more streamlined. I’ll see if I can find the attachment from Ford.

Interested to see what you find. My truck is a 21 XLT 3.5 EB with tow package (not max tow), so it is a 14th gen, and had the “GVWR package” on the window sticker. One of the motivations for the truck was to pull a travel trailer with the family - including 3 kids and a dog - so I was paying particular attention to the different payload specs and why I went down the rabbit hole in the first place. Frame thickness was the only suggestion I could find that seemed to make sense - but happy to learn otherwise for whenever I make a future upgrade.

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