The reason most people get a Ford Truck, or any pickup for that matter, is because they need the power to haul a lot of weight. Maybe you have a trailer, maybe you work in construction, or maybe you just really love helping people move, but no matter what the situation, you love the convenience that comes with being able to tow intense loads with your personal vehicle alone. But, how does one know exactly how much weight a Ford truck can handle and handle with care?
At Kings Ford, we are determined to not just tell you what to buy, but truly explain to you why you should. One of the most complicated topics for drivers to understand is knowing exactly what their towing capacity for their truck is. That is why we wish to aid you in gaining some basic 101 knowledge in the art of towing, so that you may successfully choose the perfect truck for your needs
Sure you can just trust the dealership and manufacturers stats, but how much about these stats do you personally understand? It is time to take a deeper look into Ford trucks, and in what ways we determine how much weight they can take off our shoulders.
The Truck - Clearly you will need a proper towing truck if you wish to tow. Any Ford truck is perfectly made for this.
The Trailer - A trailer by definition is a wheeled structure that is being hauled by another vehicle. There are many types of trailers for different purposes. Some examples are popup campers, livestock trailers, flatbed trailers, and boat trailers.
The Hitch - The trailer hitch is the primary connection in the towing system that attaches the truck to the trailer. A receiver hitch is the most common type and is mounted to the frame of the truck.
The Mount - A ball mount is something like a tube or bar that inserts into the hitch to hold the trailer ball. These mounts can come is a large variety of styles and capacities that will suit different trailers.
The Pin - a hitch pin is a metal rod of small size that holds the mount to the hitch. These pins are usually bent into an L shape. They can be substituted for a hitch lock.
The Ball - The hitch ball or tow ball is the most direct connector between the truck and trailer. It takes the mount and the trailer's coupler and puts them together so the connection can tolerate turning and road bumps. Always be sure the trailer ball always fits the coupler perfectly to ensure a safe journey.
The Coupler - The coupler fits precisely over the ball and aids in keeping control of the trailer during the turns, bumps, and dips of the road.
The Tongue - The tongue is the straight front section of a trailer that you connect to the coupler.
The Chain - The safety chains are two powerful chains that connect the hitch with the trailer. They should be set up in a crisscross and are there to ensure safety in case the hitch or coupler should fail. These chains are required by law.
The Wire - Trailer wiring is essential in order to activate trailer lights which are also required by law. This can be an extremely simple process, or a very difficult one depending on your truck’s trailering features.
GVWR - GVWR or gross vehicle weight rating, is the recommended value of how much your truck’s parts can hold when it comes to the weight of the passengers and cargo items. The weight of the truck itself must also be added to this calculation. GVWR should always be greater than or equal to the truck’s weight and the weight of the items inside. If the GVWR is exceeded your truck’s engine, transmission, or even brakes could be at risk.
GAWR - GAWR is not the sound a scary monster makes; GAWR stands for gross axle weight rating. This is the maximum the front and rear axles can handle when it comes to weight. This rating factors in both axles, the passenger and cargo weight, and the weight being hauled. Each axle is given its own rating, and if either of those limits are exceeded, it will cause a plethora of dangerous performance issues.
GTW - GTW or simply gross trailer weight is the weight of whatever is being towed. This can include anything from camping equipment to a motorcycle. This will need to be measured by you, and you can do that by placing your fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale or check the manual of whatever you are attempting to tow.
TW - TW is tongue weight which is the amount of force pressing down on the section that connects what you are towing to your truck. This is essential for measuring how much control you will have over your load and is impacted greatly by the load’s position. A good general guide is to be sure the tongue weight is 10-15% of the GTW.
Owner’s manuals that can be found online for free will have the greatest amount of detail on the exact extent of your vehicle's capacity for towing.
Hold the wheel at the 6 o’clock position when towing in order to get much better trailing visualization.
2WD vehicles often contain a higher towing capacity due to being lighter than AWD and 4WD vehicles.
When loading your trailer, a good rule of thumb is put 60% of the weight near the front and 40% in the rear.
Larger trailers are easier to back up.
Ford trucks have proudly promoted their best in class towing capability, but it’s the numbers that offer the loudest encouragement. Here is a look at the current lineup of Ford trucks and what they can handle for you:
No matter which of the excellent and powerful Ford trucks you decide on, you will not fail to be impressed and now you also won’t fail to be informed!
