Ford ecoboost towing help

[Triplegee]

Hey everyone,
New to the forum and have been perusing the topics trying to find answers without asking too many questions. I did notice a couple of Ford aficionados who may help me solve a towing question.
I have a 2012 Ford F 150 3.5 liter V6 Ecoboost Crew Cab turbocharged.
Now, following advice on here I looked on my door frame and the GVWR says 7200 pounds. However, I go online and several sites spout out an 11,300 pound towing capacity with a payload of 3,060 pounds. It also states I have 365 hp and 420 ft-lbs of torque available at the 2500 rpm mark. They specifically mention the V6 in the remarks as besting the V8. Knowing the correct rating will aid me in knowing if I can go up to or surpass the 7200 pound weight. Any help you all can give me is greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance.
Next will be TT questions.

 

[SpencerPJ]

The payload will be your limiting factor. On a yellow sticker in Drivers Door, a small detail called 'carry capacity'. What is your weight?

 

[Triplegee]

I think 1316.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You need to educate yourself about the ratings that relate to towing things. The key values are GVWR, GCWR, Max Tow, Cargo Carrying Capacity (aka Payload), Trailer Pin or Tongue weight, and the Hitch Ratings.

The truck 7200 lb GVWR is an entirely different number than the 11,300 lb towing capacity you cited. Important, but not actually related to tow capacity value at all.

We have a Glossary of RV Term in the site Resources section and these terms are defined there. https://www.rvforum.net/resources/glossary-of-rv-terms.38/

Here are the key ones:
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. The max the truck (or trailer) can way when fully loaded. The truck and the trailer each have their own GVWR and they are not related.
GCWR: Gross Combined Weight Rating. The max the truck + whatever it is towing can weigh when each is loaded. It's a combined weight.
Max Towing: The maximum allowed weight for whatever is being towed. This is the max amount the truck can physically PULL without undue stress on the its mechanicals.
CCC: Cargo Carrying Capacity. The maximum amount of people & gear that can be placed in/on an empty truck. The empty ("unladen") weight of the truck plus the CCC equals the GVWR.
Payload: Same as CCC
Trailer Pin or Tongue Weight: The portion of the trailer weight that rests on the hitch. For a 5W that is the weight on the hitch pin; for a travel trailer it is the weight of the trailer tongue where it rests on the ball coupler.
Hitch Rating: The trailer hitch has its own ratings for the maximum it can pull (tow) and how much it can carry (pin or tongue weight). Depending on the hitch installed, these may be less than the maximums for the truck.

The trailer tongue or pin weight is carried on the hitch and becomes part of the cargo in/on the truck. This any trailer you tow must be be less in total weight than the truck Max Tow rating and have a pin/tongue weight less than both the truck CCC/Payload & the hitch ratings.

So yes, that 1316 cargo rating is the max total weight of all people, gear and trailer tongue/pin weight while towing. Your specific truck will have a Max Tow Rating that is almost surely less than the 11,200 lb outer limit of what a EcoBoost F150 can do. That's because that 11,200 number is probably for a stripped down F150 with with no extra people or gear. Most nicely equipped and loaded F150s end up with somewhat less, though not a huge difference. The 2012 Ford Towing Guide can help refine that - see https://www.fleet.ford.com/content/...eet/towing-guides/Ford_Linc_12RVTTowGuide.pdf

 

[steveblonde]

Gary is 1zillion% correct. But dont load that truck with 1300 lbs of stuff or you will be riding on the bump stops and dragging your rear bumper with your headlights aimed for mars

 

[Triplegee]

Thank y’all very much.

 

[Triplegee]

You need to educate yourself about the ratings that relate to towing things. The key values are GVWR, GCWR, Max Tow, Cargo Carrying Capacity (aka Payload), Trailer Pin or Tongue weight, and the Hitch Ratings.

The truck 7200 lb GVWR is an entirely different number than the 11,300 lb towing capacity you cited. Important, but not actually related to tow capacity value at all.

We have a Glossary of RV Term in the site Resources section and these terms are defined there. https://www.rvforum.net/resources/glossary-of-rv-terms.38/

Here are the key ones:
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. The max the truck (or trailer) can way when fully loaded. The truck and the trailer each have their own GVWR and they are not related.
GCWR: Gross Combined Weight Rating. The max the truck + whatever it is towing can weigh when each is loaded. It's a combined weight.
Max Towing: The maximum allowed weight for whatever is being towed. This is the max amount the truck can physically PULL without undue stress on the its mechanicals.
CCC: Cargo Carrying Capacity. The maximum amount of people & gear that can be placed in/on an empty truck. The empty ("unladen") weight of the truck plus the CCC equals the GVWR.
Payload: Same as CCC
Trailer Pin or Tongue Weight: The portion of the trailer weight that rests on the hitch. For a 5W that is the weight on the hitch pin; for a travel trailer it is the weight of the trailer tongue where it rests on the ball coupler.
Hitch Rating: The trailer hitch has its own ratings for the maximum it can pull (tow) and how much it can carry (pin or tongue weight). Depending on the hitch installed, these may be less than the maximums for the truck.

The trailer tongue or pin weight is carried on the hitch and becomes part of the cargo in/on the truck. This any trailer you tow must be be less in total weight than the truck Max Tow rating and have a pin/tongue weight less than both the truck CCC/Payload & the hitch ratings.

So yes, that 1316 cargo rating is the max total weight of all people, gear and trailer tongue/pin weight while towing. Your specific truck will have a Max Tow Rating that is almost surely less than the 11,200 lb outer limit of what a EcoBoost F150 can do. That's because that 11,200 number is probably for a stripped down F150 with with no extra people or gear. Most nicely equipped and loaded F150s end up with somewhat less, though not a huge difference. The 2012 Ford Towing Guide can help refine that - see https://www.fleet.ford.com/content/...eet/towing-guides/Ford_Linc_12RVTTowGuide.pdf

Thanks for your help. I’ve been able to narrow towing down to 9,600 according to Ford (3.73 axle, 3.5 L ecoboost with twin turbos, Super Crew with 145” wheelbase, etc) but even I don’t believe their numbers. I may go the Class A route with a toad and save my lightweight truck. I already have a Hyundai Kona which is lightweight and shouldn’t be a problem to tow behind a rig. Decisions decisions. Thanks again for your information and I’m sure I’ll be seeking knowledge again soon.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Sorry to disappoint but your Hyundai isn't 4-down towable. If it is 4WD, it would have to go on a trailer. If 2WD, you could tow it using a tow dolly (front wheels on the dolly).

 

[Triplegee]

Well hooey. Might just rethink everything huh?
Thanks for the heads up sir.