I have a question about the Max Tow Package that Ford offers on the '10 F150. My lease is about to expire on my '08 and I drove a '10 today and love it. I want to find one with the Max Tow Package. When I look on Ford's website and build my truck it states that the rear springs are only heavier on the truck if I take the 18" tires. Does anyone have any experience with this since I am about to pull the trigger on this truck but sure like the looks of the 20's on it but will stick with the 18's if I have to since I have a 31' travel trailer and need the extra springs. Thank, Doocrue

 

Here is what I found on the internet.

Max Trailer Tow Package - $680
Upgraded rear bumper; Trailer towing preparation includes tow hook; Class IV trailer hitch receiver; 7-pin wiring harness; Heavy duty engine cooling system; Auxiliary transmission cooler; Upgraded rear springs (with 18" tires); Heavy Duty front eye bushing; 20:1 steering gear; Requires: [99V] 5.4L Flex Fuel 3V EFI V-8 Engine And [54P] Side Mirrors, Manual Telescoping Trailer Tow w/Power Glass And [X26] Optional Axle Ratio (3.73); Or [XB6] 3.73 Limited Slip Rear Axle; Excludes: [627] Heavy-Duty Payload Package

You might want to price out a 3/4 tonner if you are pulling that large of trailer. Might be less stress on you and the truck.

 

Yeah I know I should have a 3/4 ton but I probably only pull the trailer 5-10 % of my driving. I just can't justify having the 3/4 ton for basically my daily driver. Plus if I want a 2011 F250 Lariat it would be out of my price range. I wouldn't want a 2010 with the 5.4 or the v10. It would have to be the 6.2. When I drove the 2010 F150 today I couldn't believe the difference in power compared to my '08. It felt nice.

 

Ahh, that makes a difference. I hear you. That Max Tow should be the ticket for you.

 

Do you guys know if teh max tow package has a higher GVWR or whatever the acronym is?

You can always do airbags to keep the back end up (which I'd recommend even if you got the max tow package.

I'm not sure why upgrading to the 20s is such a big deal... they should be able to handle the weight the truck's rated for... and they can't weight that much more than the 18s...

Either way, airbags are the way to go and E-rated tires no matter what. The rest will be up to you.

Good luck.

-rockstate

 

Ditto on the airbags. Had them on my '04, and put them on my '09. They make a HUGE difference.

 

I think you get the 18's over the 20s because the springs are heavier, and you need the extra sidewall or the ride will be too harsh for most... Purely speculation.

 

OK its a bit confusing:

With the max tow pkg OR with 20's you would get 4 leafs (vs 3).

So its not that you got more with the 18's, you end up with the same thing. (4 leafs).

Example:
F150 non-max tow 18": 3 leafs
F150 non-max tow 20": 4 leafs
F150 max tow: 18" 4 leaf
F150 max tow: 20" 4 leaf

Clear as mud?

NOW as of the "Job 2" (mid year @ Jan/10) change to the F150, the max tow pkg now gets only 3 leafs no matter what the wheel. Ford did not advise as to why the change was made. However "capabillity" has not changed they were told. Same GVWR, GCWR, GAWR as before. We would assume the three are thicker etc, but eye-balling it, you can't tell vs. a non-max tow.

Hope that helps.

 

power kid,

do you think that they changed the height of the bump stops? Maybe added stiffer shocks?

I'm purely speculating, so what do you think bout this?

-rockstate

 

The Max Tow will need the extra leafs if you plan on towing anything as large and heavey as a 31' travel trailer. If I'm not mistaken, the 20" wheels are not up to the task. The laws of leverage make them a little weaker from side forces than the 17" or 18" wheel.

 

I still bet the 3 have same total rating as former 4. When I looked at one, they kept a short piece of a 4th leaf to keep hight the same as previous.

 

The 20's have the same weight rating as the others.

And totally depends on 31 trailer. Pin weight can fluctuate greatly.

 

Wow, thanks for all the info everyone. It is very helpful to have friends in the know.

 

I have a job 2 max tow with 3 leaf spring pack and put ride rites on and the factory bumpstops bent the lower air bag brackets. I also just put bilstiens on and could take the factory shocks and cycle them without much effort, 1500 miles on truck. I tow a Keystone Passport 290bh that is 6600# on the axles with 850#tongue wt. The backend drops 3"s at the fenders when hooked up and 800# wd bars bring it back up 2"s and the front gains 1/2" and the wd bars can't bring it back down. I just got a set of 1200# bars and hope it will bring it under control, I have a bad sway problem that I didn't have wiht my F350. I don't think I will put the bags back on and I did just get the replacment parts for them from firestone. The bags look like they cut the suspention travel in half.

Just to add 10psi in the bags would bring up the rear of the truck 1 1/2"s these springs are to soft. And letting them down to 5 Psi unloaded the ride would kick back like it was bottoming out the bags. Make an offer and I might sell you mine, I have a new hardware kit for them and all the bent parts a are replaced.

 

I hope the max tow is different than the standard!! I just picked up my 10 fx4 w/max tow. Putting my fifth wheel hitch in it this weekend. I am hoping to not have to buy Super Springs as now they are $350 compared to $180 when I bought them for my 06!
I understood the max tow to increase the towable weight from around 9500 to 11,300 and added about 800 lbs to the bed capacity. Again, I hope this is the case and it isnt just a bigger trans cooler or some crap like that. It does seem to ride stiffer than my 08.