# Towing Fords



## GO WEST (May 25, 2009)

2009 F-150 Lariat Max Tow 
I saw this truck posted as one of your tow vehicles. Please comment on what features it has to be a "Max Tow." 3.73? special springs? trans cooler? etc? What is the tow capacity? I notice you towed a 300 ft Outback with a slide...


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

GO WEST said:


> 2009 F-150 Lariat Max Tow
> I saw this truck posted as one of your tow vehicles... I notice you towed a 300 ft Outback with a slide...










Nathan is gonna like this one!!!

-CC


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## GO WEST (May 25, 2009)

Okay, 30 ft...I should proofread before I click send!


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## Dan Borer (Feb 6, 2009)

I also tow with an '09 F150 with Max Tow. The package adds $450 to the sticker and according to Ford's towing brochure includes a class IV trailer hitch receiver, 7-pin wiring harness, upgraded radiator, auxiliary transmission oil cooler,upgraded rear bumber, upgraded rear springs, heavy-duty front eye bushing and 20:1 steering gear ratio. My truck also has the 3.73 ratio limited slip axle, 7000# GVRW package and the towing mirrors. The tow rating as equipped is 11,300#. I tow my 29RLS, weighing about 8800# with it with no problem. I just hit the TOW/HAUL button, set the cruise at about 60 mph and let the computer do all the work. I regularly tow over the Grapevine on I-5 and the truck has no issues in holding the set speed up the hill in either direction. Going downhill just requires a tap on the brake pedal to downshift to control downhill speed. If it the speed starts to creep up another tap on the brake downshifts again with more engine braking. The six-speed auto trans is so smooth that only a change in the engine RPM is noted on up or down shifts. I've put 31,000 miles on this truck in 10 months and it averages just over 20 MPG in most of my freeway driving, and 11 MPG towing. My best mileage was 21.4 on a run from Rancho Cucamonga to Vacaville and halfway back before I had to refuel. It's comforting to gas up and see over 700 miles to empty on the dash.

Yes, I like my Ford!


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## GO WEST (May 25, 2009)

I wonder if this Max Tow with 7000# package would be available in the crew cab four wheel drive? Without those features I am not going to upgrade what I have. I like the 20 mpg number, is that with the 5.4L?


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

GO WEST said:


> I wonder if this Max Tow with 7000# package would be available in the crew cab four wheel drive? Without those features I am not going to upgrade what I have. I like the 20 mpg number, is that with the 5.4L?


Do you really think Ford would make a mistake like that? Of course it's offered in Crew cab 4wd!!!!


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## Dan Borer (Feb 6, 2009)

Yes, that mileage is with the 5.4L 3 valve motor. You must realize that I'm a conservative driver most of the time, running at or just below the CA speed limits. Needless to say, your mileage may vary...........


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## GO WEST (May 25, 2009)

I received the new issue of trailer life and they have the Tundra featured in it. This is the crew max limited with 360 hp, 4.31 rear drive and it will tow 10,100 lb at about 12 mpg with 15.7 empty. But the price is so high...


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## Dub (Dec 8, 2008)

GO WEST said:


> I received the new issue of trailer life and they have the Tundra featured in it. This is the crew max limited with 360 hp, 4.31 rear drive and it will tow 10,100 lb at about 12 mpg with 15.7 empty. But the price is so high...


Guess again...I get about 9mpg...10 if I'm lucky towing 10K but it will handle the mountains of NC and WV without a problem, I just got back from towing from Ohio to Ft. Wilderness and back. Empty I get 18mpg highway, 15city. Around 17mpg mixed. I did get 11-12mpg towing my old 27ft trailer that weighed 6000#'s... Oh, and HP is 381, TQ 401. I got my truck new for $10K off the sticker last year, it's current KBB trade-in value is higher than what I paid for it--I got a deal. The 4.33 rearend allowed me to pull the outback up a 21% grade on a private drive, the worse part was coming back down....4LO 1st all the way.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Dan Borer said:


> Yes, that mileage is with the 5.4L 3 valve motor. You must realize that I'm a conservative driver most of the time, running at or just below the CA speed limits. Needless to say, your mileage may vary...........


A bunch of guys at work have seen the F150's go from ~17.5 - 18mpg hwy with the old trucks (08 and earlier) to 20-21 mpg hwy with the new ones (09+)!
Of course towing mpg is as much about drag from that wall you are pulling through the air than anything else.


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

Dang! I thought this thread was about TOWING a Ford!!!







Yeah. I've done that ... with my Tundra 5.7









btw, I get about 19mpg not towing & 10 - 12mpg pulling the 30fter ... and have never had any issue with any mountains that we've been thru (Whites, Greens, Berkshires, ADKs, Big Horns, Tetons, Owls, & Yellowstones)


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

wolfwood said:


> btw, I get about 19mpg not towing & 10 - 12mpg pulling the 30fter ... and have never had any issue with any mountains that we've been thru (Whites, Greens, Berkshires, ADKs, Big Horns, Tetons, Owls, & Yellowstones)


Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it was uphill... In the snow.... Both ways too! (Ahem)

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## 1jeep (Jul 24, 2007)

I never saw better than 15.9mpg empty on the highway with my previous 07 tundra(5.7) and 7-9mpg towing.


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## Joe/GA (Aug 14, 2009)

Dan Borer said:


> I also tow with an '09 F150 with Max Tow. The package adds $450 to the sticker and according to Ford's towing brochure includes a class IV trailer hitch receiver, 7-pin wiring harness, upgraded radiator, auxiliary transmission oil cooler,upgraded rear bumber, upgraded rear springs, heavy-duty front eye bushing and 20:1 steering gear ratio. My truck also has the 3.73 ratio limited slip axle, 7000# GVRW package and the towing mirrors. The tow rating as equipped is 11,300#. I tow my 29RLS, weighing about 8800# with it with no problem. I just hit the TOW/HAUL button, set the cruise at about 60 mph and let the computer do all the work. I regularly tow over the Grapevine on I-5 and the truck has no issues in holding the set speed up the hill in either direction. Going downhill just requires a tap on the brake pedal to downshift to control downhill speed. If it the speed starts to creep up another tap on the brake downshifts again with more engine braking. The six-speed auto trans is so smooth that only a change in the engine RPM is noted on up or down shifts. I've put 31,000 miles on this truck in 10 months and it averages just over 20 MPG in most of my freeway driving, and 11 MPG towing. My best mileage was 21.4 on a run from Rancho Cucamonga to Vacaville and halfway back before I had to refuel. It's comforting to gas up and see over 700 miles to empty on the dash.
> 
> Yes, I like my Ford!


Wow! You said it all! I also tow with a 2009 F-150 Lariat with Max Tow. I have a 30RLS and it seems to do just fine. I haven't been to any mountains, yet. I also love my Ford. This is my 4th F-150 in 18 years and they just get better and better! That said, I wish I had an F-350 Diesel!


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## P H (Sep 29, 2009)

GO WEST said:


> I wonder if this Max Tow with 7000# package would be available in the crew cab four wheel drive? Without those features I am not going to upgrade what I have. I like the 20 mpg number, is that with the 5.4L?


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## P H (Sep 29, 2009)

I have an 09 4x4 Crewcab long bed F150 with Max tow including the limited slip 3.73 rear end. I keep very detailed records on mileage for all of my vehicles for every mile driven. Forget 20mpg unless it is downhill with a tail wind! I think some folks just guess at what they are getting or quote their best ever mileage. My overall mileage to date is 12.4 mpg, best ever 15.9 [unloaded not towing anything freeway] and 8.8 mpg towing my loaded 23KRS [largely interstate miles to and from LA and AZ]. I have a friend with an 06 with 3.55 and he is getting about the same 12 mpg that I get. Also the trip computer reading is high by about .3 mpg on my vehicle. If you want 20 mpg better be tow hooked to the vehicle in front of you!


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## Joe/GA (Aug 14, 2009)

P H said:


> I have an 09 4x4 Crewcab long bed F150 with Max tow including the limited slip 3.73 rear end. I keep very detailed records on mileage for all of my vehicles for every mile driven. Forget 20mpg unless it is downhill with a tail wind! I think some folks just guess at what they are getting or quote their best ever mileage. My overall mileage to date is 12.4 mpg, best ever 15.9 [unloaded not towing anything freeway] and 8.8 mpg towing my loaded 23KRS [largely interstate miles to and from LA and AZ]. I have a friend with an 06 with 3.55 and he is getting about the same 12 mpg that I get. Also the trip computer reading is high by about .3 mpg on my vehicle. If you want 20 mpg better be tow hooked to the vehicle in front of you!


PH, you are right about the 20 MPG. It ain't gonna happen. I don't have a 4X4, so I am doing a bit better on mileage. I average between 12 and 13 MPG in town and 16 to 18 on the highway. That's dependant on how much foot I put into it. I'm not sure what I'm getting while towing because I haven't towed any further than 50 miles.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Slow down guys!









My 2006 F150 CrewCab 5.4L with 3.55 got 17.5mpg easily at 70 mph cruise solo. Towing was abysmal at ~7.5mpg at 65mph. Going to and from work I would get 14.5-15mpg. No, it wasn't a trip computer reading because the XLT didn't have one.









Anyway, I do know several guys who are reporting ~20mpg, but that is flatland cruising without wind.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

P H said:


> I have an 09 4x4 Crewcab long bed F150 with Max tow including the limited slip 3.73 rear end. I keep very detailed records on mileage for all of my vehicles for every mile driven. Forget 20mpg unless it is downhill with a tail wind! I think some folks just guess at what they are getting or quote their best ever mileage. My overall mileage to date is 12.4 mpg, best ever 15.9 [unloaded not towing anything freeway] and 8.8 mpg towing my loaded 23KRS [largely interstate miles to and from LA and AZ]. I have a friend with an 06 with 3.55 and he is getting about the same 12 mpg that I get. Also the trip computer reading is high by about .3 mpg on my vehicle. If you want 20 mpg better be tow hooked to the vehicle in front of you!


On the freeway (not towing) I get 19-20 mpg on my 2008 F-350.....Yep!

Towing I get around 9-10mpg


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