We are looking at a 2016 Ford 150-lariat to tow an rv. I have the sticker from the door (attached) and photos from the book (attached) but I don’t know where to go from here to determine what it can tow. The car dealer gave me a range of 7,300-8,000. I have the vin number- can I maybe put that in a website and find out?
Finding out Lariat!’s tow ability
- Thread starter kaww02
- Start date
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darsben
Well-known member
Well you have a 1651 pound cargo capacity. First you need to figure out the weight of all the stuff you are putting into the truck. So figure your weight, wife, kids, tools and other stuff. Subtract that from your cargo capacity and that will give you your MAX TONGUE WEIGHT.
So you may weigh 180, your wife 110, tools and so forth 150. Whatever else you put in the truck. In my example I have About 440 lbs which I subtract from my cargo capacity to give a remainder of 1211 pounds. Since about 15% of the trailer weight will be on the truck at 7000 lbs that will give you 1050 lbs on the truck very close to the figure the dealer gave you. However if you put more into the truck you have to adjust the figures
I would question the mountain driving ability with the engine you have at full towing capacity
So you may weigh 180, your wife 110, tools and so forth 150. Whatever else you put in the truck. In my example I have About 440 lbs which I subtract from my cargo capacity to give a remainder of 1211 pounds. Since about 15% of the trailer weight will be on the truck at 7000 lbs that will give you 1050 lbs on the truck very close to the figure the dealer gave you. However if you put more into the truck you have to adjust the figures
I would question the mountain driving ability with the engine you have at full towing capacity
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
The 2016 Ford Towing Guide will allow you to determine the tow rating and GCWR based on the truck specs for cab style, wheel base, engine, axle, and 2WD/4WD. The Max Tow Rating in the Guide will be for the model & configuration, but should be within a few hundred lbs. To get the exact tow capacity for your truck down to the pound, weigh the truck as you usually drive it and subtract that value from the GCWR.
scottydl
Site Team
The Trailer Life Towing Guides (a new edition is released every year) are generally a good resource for towing capacities of various makes/models, in case you end up looking at different trucks. Payload / cargo capacity is also a very important number though, which is what is shown on that yellow loading sticker inside the driver's doorframe.
Salesmen (whether truck or RV) generally should not be trusted as a source of towing information. If it means a sale, their answer will almost always be "sure you can tow it!" ...
Salesmen (whether truck or RV) generally should not be trusted as a source of towing information. If it means a sale, their answer will almost always be "sure you can tow it!" ...
fpotus
Active member
Towing is always a tricky subject on these forums. For good reasons. Lots of dealers and drivers fudge the numbers to make it work.
F150 crew cab 4x4 with tow package can tow approximately 12k lbs. Its been that way since the 3.5 came out I believe. That is just a blanket number with no other factors figured in such as type of load, wind, etc. You definitely need to get familiar with the abbreviations and weights while perusing those guides.
A little antecdotal information. I previously owned a 2014 and then a 2015 version of the same truck; F150 crew cab 5.0liter 4x4 with tow package. I have successfully pulled a 27ft. boat and trailer weighing all together 11,500lbs. The only issue I had was I needed air bags. It was definitely over the limit but I am a professional driver (or was for 17 years). Pulled it from the Great Lakes thru the mountains to NC and then to Key West. Again, everything was maxed out, and some commenter's heads will explode on here, but the truck pulled it fine with a competent driver behind the wheel.
I wouldnt recommend reaching that far with a camper. Ha.
F150 crew cab 4x4 with tow package can tow approximately 12k lbs. Its been that way since the 3.5 came out I believe. That is just a blanket number with no other factors figured in such as type of load, wind, etc. You definitely need to get familiar with the abbreviations and weights while perusing those guides.
A little antecdotal information. I previously owned a 2014 and then a 2015 version of the same truck; F150 crew cab 5.0liter 4x4 with tow package. I have successfully pulled a 27ft. boat and trailer weighing all together 11,500lbs. The only issue I had was I needed air bags. It was definitely over the limit but I am a professional driver (or was for 17 years). Pulled it from the Great Lakes thru the mountains to NC and then to Key West. Again, everything was maxed out, and some commenter's heads will explode on here, but the truck pulled it fine with a competent driver behind the wheel.
I wouldnt recommend reaching that far with a camper. Ha.
steveblonde
Well-known member
AS A "PROFESSIONAL" you would then know that being overweight while not illegal in the same sense as a commercial unit Voids the insurance policy and warranty and leaves you still subject to fines in the case of an accident
"antecdotal information. I previously owned a 2014 and then a 2015 version of the same truck; F150 crew cab 5.0liter 4x4 with tow package. I have successfully pulled a 27ft. boat and trailer weighing all together 11,500lbs. The only issue I had was I needed air bags. It was definitely over the limit but I am a professional driver (or was for 17 years). Pulled it from the Great Lakes thru the mountains to NC and then to Key West. Again, everything was maxed out, and some commenter's heads will explode on here, but the truck pulled it fine with a competent driver behind the wheel."
You will also know that airbags do not change weight ratings on private non commercial vehicles. Which is why the payload on a loaded Platinum level truck is a lot lower than the payload on a base XL trim line truck
"antecdotal information. I previously owned a 2014 and then a 2015 version of the same truck; F150 crew cab 5.0liter 4x4 with tow package. I have successfully pulled a 27ft. boat and trailer weighing all together 11,500lbs. The only issue I had was I needed air bags. It was definitely over the limit but I am a professional driver (or was for 17 years). Pulled it from the Great Lakes thru the mountains to NC and then to Key West. Again, everything was maxed out, and some commenter's heads will explode on here, but the truck pulled it fine with a competent driver behind the wheel."
You will also know that airbags do not change weight ratings on private non commercial vehicles. Which is why the payload on a loaded Platinum level truck is a lot lower than the payload on a base XL trim line truck
scottydl
Site Team
And that's what we care about with towing advice, since this is an RV forum after all.
An 11k# boat, which is aerodynamic by design and situated low on its trailer, is a completely different towing experience than a giant 11k# empty trailer box that constantly pulls backwards (wind resistance) and sways with every passing breeze... and would blow most half tons all over the road.fpotus
Active member
Fairly certain I never said anything about airbags increasing the weight rating.
fpotus
Active member
I'm never surprised when comments can't be taken for what they are. I never told him to pull a 11k lbs camper with his truck. I feel like I told him the opposite. Very clearly so.And that's what we care about with towing advice, since this is an RV forum after all.
I was only giving him first hand experience on how strong the f150 is when pulling a load. Up to him to factor in for a camper. As indicated.
steveblonde
Well-known member
No you didnt but on a pickup the Gvwr is the same for all trim levels for that configuration of cab,wheelbase,engine,rear end. HOWEVER it can change payload capacity depending in trim level. Your statements that you "pulled 11500" leads to thinking that all trucks of that model year can do the same. Which is not true while it may pull it. It cannot handle the 1380lb hitch weight. A platinum may have payload cap of 1100lbs an xl 1800lbs big difference in payload
fpotus
Active member
Again. I was making a very general statement that I pulled a trailer weighing 11500lbs with my truck (that is very similar to the one he listed) with no problems. The statement about airbags had nothing to do with weights. The only issue I had (that bags would have corrected) was the way my truck sat down due to its 1/2 ton suspension.
I know a lot of people on here are wannabe engineers or retired engineers and or retired physics professors. For the record I never told him he could pull a 11k lbs camper. I never told him he could pull 12k lbs safely or that was the exact weight rating of his specific truck. He sounds like someone with a very limited base of knowledge when it comes to towing.
As someone that has operated almost everything that moves I personally like to know the limit of what I'm operating. That info will somehow help me determine what is safe and practical to do in the real world. If that info doesn't help just ignore me and read the numbers in a book with no insight to what can be done if pushed. If you don't have any concept of maximum capabilities you may ride around in fear nonstop.
steveblonde
Well-known member
Fpotus
You implied that because you can and did that makes it ok. You implied because your truck towed x every truck can tow x without explaining how and why. Where in your posts do you show your front or rear weights?your payload ?the weight on the bumper? Your statements are broad and in your case as you stated your overweight therefore a hazard on the road how then are you helping? Peace
You implied that because you can and did that makes it ok. You implied because your truck towed x every truck can tow x without explaining how and why. Where in your posts do you show your front or rear weights?your payload ?the weight on the bumper? Your statements are broad and in your case as you stated your overweight therefore a hazard on the road how then are you helping? Peace
fpotus
Active member
Implied implied implied. Hmm. Not sure that was the case.
To quote myself "That is just a blanket number with no other factors figured in such as type of load, wind, etc. You definitely need to get familiar with the abbreviations and weights while perusing those guides."
The tow vehicle nazis always get so worked up. Again, I gave him a first hand experience of what a f150 can do. I never told him he could do it. I never told him his truck could do it.
Implied implied
Jayflight
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2021
- Posts
- 1,374
Hum, that's a real stretch, to say the least. Since I own the 2014 with the 5.0 and towed hundreds of thousands of miles over the past 35 years on a regular basis, I can say without blinking an eye that the only real reason for the increased tow rating for the 2015 was that the body was aluminum, which increased the capacity numbers. There may be a slight edge depending on your gear case ratio. But that does not give you much of an edge as it relates to towing capacity any more than driving in a lower gear. Will it tow the rated capacity that Ford states, I say B.S. on the majority of days unless you are on flat land. I tow each year in the Rocky Mountains and 7500 lbs have a tendancy of creating strain on 10 degree climbs.
Ford engineers needs to ride along with some real world folks, IMO and they will not be so bold as to rate their 1/2 ton vehicles with such rediculous ratings.
Of course you may be able to crawl up the mountains, but you will also blow out the transmission and boil the fluid if you do the 12,000 lbs on a regular basis. And their eco boost cringes too.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Maybe in Canada, but that would be highly unusual in any US-based insurance. Nor would fines apply in most any US state or city. About the worst would be potential civil liability if it could be shown that the overweight condition led to an accident that damaged someone else or their property. However, an overweight condition would likely void the warranty on any part that was affected by it (but NOT the entire vehicle warranty).
steveblonde
Well-known member
we have very different laws as to liability and suing people - in the states everything is solved with a lawsuit our system up here is very different and our insurance is a joke - the insurance companies here will deny as much as possible, its horrible, they will try everything to get out of paying, they will of course pay for damages to the other vehicle or property buy not your truck or trailer if deemed overweight
as for warranty you are correct and my statement was too broad.
as for warranty you are correct and my statement was too broad.
Jayflight
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2021
- Posts
- 1,374
In the original post, the dealer was pretty honest to him stemming from my most recent observation now for a total combination of 85,000 plus miles. I see nothing wrong with sharing the experiences if a person has personal knowledge that directly mirrors the OP. His expected set up is pretty close to two trucks of a simular type. Of course those were not all towing miles. But the miles do include three trips across the country and many miles north and south out west and then back, except for getting to the ocean at California. YMMV of course
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