Per Ford's own website specs, the towing capacity for an '09 F150 ranges from 5200 lbs to 11300 lbs based on how the truck is equipped (click the "towing" tab):

Get Specifications for trucks, like the Ford F-150 pickup, here | Ford Vehicles

Buying an F150 and planning to tow 11000 lbs is like buying a tow rope rated at 20,000 lbs and planning to use it with 19,999 lbs of weight, or like buying a tire with a max load rating of 2000 lbs and planning to load it up to 1999 lbs.

I prefer to work well inside of the maximum limits of equipment that I purchase. I would buy a 250 or 350 if I needed to tow 11000 lbs.

George

 

Remember ford has a pile of lawyers that make them rate stuff like tow limits well below what the truck can really handle.

If its rated at 11,000 lbs towing, I bet its fine towing 15,000 really.

 

We used to have our ropes and cables tested at a company that i used to work for. The bloke who tested them said that the cables have a rated capacity but they can carry well over their rated amount but if you do go over the rated amount then insurance would not pay out in a claim. They rate them lower than they can handle because they know people will use them upto their rated amount. This would be the same for most items that have a max rating includeing a truck.

 

Good luck with insurance if you ever get an accident while towing - of it you get pulled over for a random weigh.

 

What you guys keep forgetting is Ford and their lawyers have an out here. Its called max GVWR. Its 7,200 lbs. My 04 Screw with me in it, its heavy 10 ply tires, a tank of gas, my box cover, bed mat a few tools etc weighs @ 6,500lbs. Its gvw is also 7,200. So now I add my wife (118lbs) my son (25) and whatever gear I can fit in the box (bbq etc)maybe 250lbs plus the WD hitch another 50lbs and I got room for @ 257lbs of tounge weight on the hitch. A 11,000 trailer adds between 1,100 and 1,650lbs on the tounge. (based on rec'd 10-15%) Guess what?

GVW WAY over. And if they check your axles your rear is also WAY over. My TT has 700lbs dry tounge weight. So I'm running at a GVW of 7,800 - 8,100 depending on how much Cr@p my wife brings along. Leagally we can barely pull boats!

Max trailer tow ratings are pure PR. Does my truck pull/handle my tralier fine.... yep. (its @ 6,900lbs dry) I live on flat land too.

I asked my dealer about this and he stated 90% of the trucks pulling rvs are over. He told me back 10 years ago his 98 Chevy 1500 silverado had to weigh in, him and his family wife/ 3 kids and 3 bags of luggage in the back and they were over GVW. Its all a bunch of BS. Even many F250s are over when they haul the bigger trailers.

 

If its rated to tow 11,300 like the new f150 is, and you tow 11,000 its completely legal, so your statement is false.

 

Power kid how much does your boat weight? Our X30 Mastercraft weights about 4200lb without the trailer weight and abut 5400 with the trailer and no fuel. But i can pick the front of the trailer up without much problem and i guess it's about 150-200lb tounge weight. Your boat sounds like it's front? heavy? Is it a tandem wheel trailer?

 

You said you bet it could tow 15,000. I said in response that, good luck dealing with your insurance if your caught towing 15k

 

Ok there seems to be a lot of incorrect numbers being thrown around when talking about the F-150's max towing capability. I have in my hand as I write this the catalog from the ford dealer with the exact numbers for the 2009 F-150. The max tow rating for the screw 4x4 with the max trailer towing package (3.73 gears) is 11,200 with the 5.5 foot bed and 11,100lbs with the 6.5 foot bed. The GCWR for the same configuration is 17,100 lbs. This means that the total weight of the truck, passengers and gear must be less than 6,000 lbs.

The moral of the story: don't push your luck with the 150 upgrade to the 250. You get a much more capable rig and most importantly you and your family will be safer when towing your trailer.

P.S. if you decide to go with the 3.55 gears in the same 150 rig the towing rating drops to 9,700lbs.

 

I said I am sure it could tow 15,000 if fords conservative lawyers label it to tow 11,300....but i still think its best to follow their guidelines, and leave the safety margin they build in there.

 

Wrong, they'll check axle limits and weight the axles. They don't care at all what yoru tow rating is.

 

I was just making a point. My boat is light enought to lift too. But other trailer exceeds the @ 300lbs tounge weight quickly.

 

Thanks for all of the input all of you! I have been wanting to downsize from my diesel Excursion and was thinking maybe the F-150! If I am going to get an F-250 then I will just keep the diesel Ex!! I backed my 03 GMC 1500 Sierra up to my hauler and dropped it on the hitch just to see how it would hold the weight........ Ummm my questions are all answered! My unloaded toy hauler put the GMC all the way down onto the rear axle! Bottomed it out all of the way! I was retracting my electric tongue jack and kept going and going until there was no suspension left!! Unreal!! I know it's a GMC ... but no way in heck am I even gonna try it! Kind of bummed cuz I sure like the new F-150's!! 1000 pounds of tongue weight just might be too much for a 1/2 ton!!

 

I'm sure I got that now well at least 900 and I use a WD hitch with nothing else. Its basically level. Athought as cheap as airbagss or super springs are I'd beef er up a bit.

 

Most DOTs only care about GVWR and if your registered for it. So I say your right in saying the DOT isn't really concerned with the tow rating. They should be concerned with GCWR but they usually arn't.