Lots of good questions and answers here. I have a 2013 eco with 145WB and after weighing everything I find that I am 460lbs over on the drive axle. The question is can I upgrade my truck to the Max Tow Package? Right now I only have 1100lbs. of payload to play with which is not enough. Help.

 

While I agree it is a class IV, the WD weight is not a full class IV weight. Class IV can handle up to 12500 with WD weight. It also has a class III non WD weight. Class IV non WD weight is 7,500. Also a class III can handle 8000 lbs with a WD hitch.
The weights listed on the hitch point to the limitations of the truck, not the hitch, as it should be.

 

Nope. There is no legal way to increase your capacities.

 

Legally no, technically yes. You can upgrade shocks, tires, and rear leafs all of which increase load carrying capacities, just not in a legal(change the door sticker) way. I wouldn't be worried about the axle, just make sure your tires, shocks, and leafs are not overloaded.

 

Shocks do not increase any load carrying ability. They only keep the movement of springs in check. Otherwise when hitting a bump, the rebound would be going back and forth near forever. Also without upgrading frame and brakes, increasing what the springs can handle is meaningless and unsafe.

 

Load carrying capacity has a direct correspondent to the shocks, a light duty shock would not be able to handle the rebound or compression of a heavy load. There is a reason heavier duty shocks ride rough.

Frame strength is a none issue, since you can get the max tow on the 145inch wheelbase and there is no frame changes. However moving up to the 157inch wheelbase there is a frame thickness change. The brakes are the same size last time I looked on all the f150s.

 

(In a effort to keep someone else from hijacking your thread)

Nice work... we are looking into a new 2013 too.

My 2009 FX4 came with the tranny cooler/bigger radiator. Easy way to tell is to look in front of your radiator and if you see a mini-radiator that's your tranny cooler.



FB

 

The standard tow package does have a tranny cooler and larger radiator than a truck without the tow package. Max tow even adds a larger radiator over the standard tow package.

You get everything you need to tow heavy.

$8000 off, I don't think even anyone at Rv.net got that kind of deal unless it was a 2 year left over model or damaged. You are not including Prep and Delivery into your MSRP, are you?? Many dealers don't charge for those as mine. So they may not be discounting as much as you thought. None the less, sounds like a good price either way. Congrats!

 

The deals are out there, it's your money just keep calling around until you find the deal you want. I was able to find a dealer that gave me the deal I wanted and also ordered me a brand new truck to meet my criteria.

 

The deal on the TT did not include freight and PDI which was a reasonable $500.00 bucks.
They also gave me a 10% discount on a weight distribution hitch which made it lower priced than amazon installed.

Overall I am very happy with the dealer. Not pushy at all.

BTW I did my first trip this weekend and I love it.

The truck handled really good with no major issues.
It was only 1.5 hours from home with mostly flat surfaces so its still too early to tell what it will be like on the mountains.
I live in B.C. and we have a freeway here that goes through the Coquihalla mountains for a nice 40 kilometer hill with 8.5% grade.
I am waiting for spring before I hit that one....