Last Updated: 02.08.2021

The all-new 2021 Ford F-150 is stronger, sturdier, and comes with impressive capabilities that help it take its competitors, including Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, head-on. Its towing and payload capacities have shot up, reaching a class-leading optimum of 14,000 pounds. So, if you are thinking of buying the F150 but would like to get more about its towing abilities, you have come to the right place. 

The F-150 is available in seven different trims, including the Limited, Platinum, King Ranch, Lariat, XLT XL, and the latest, Tremor. Keep reading to get answers to common questions, including “How much can a Ford F150 tow?”

How Much Can a Ford F150 Tow by Engine Capacity?

ford f150 pulling a trailer

The latest F-150 is an excellent truck, a workhorse perfectly engineered to get the tough job done. The body is crafted with high-strength steel for extra strength and aluminum alloy that makes it super-light. And if you are wondering how much a Ford F150 can tow, the answer will surprise you—a maximum of 14,000 pounds!

The F-150 is available in six different versions by engine size, and each of them comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission and different towing capacity. So, here is the maximum towing capacity of each:

  • 3.3-Liter V-6 Engine 

This is one of the most common F-150 variants out there, and it uses a non-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 engine that generates a maximum tow rating of 8,200 pounds. You get this towing capacity whether using the 4WD or 2WD with 6.5 or 8-foot bed. 

The second-highest tow rating is 8,100 pounds, which you can achieve from a 4WD SuperCab with 6.5-foot bed. The third highest towing capacity of the 3.3-liter V6 engine is 5,200 pounds, which you can hit with the 2WD SuperCrew with a 5.5-foot cargo bed and 4WD regular cab with 8-foot bed. 

All the towing capacities of the 3.3-liter engine are achieved with the 3.73 axle ratio. 

F150 parked with trailer

  • 5.0-Liter V8 Engine 

If you want the higher towing ability, it might be a good idea to ditch the 3.3-liter model and grab yourself a 5.0-liter V8 engine. This engine is designed to hit 13,000 pounds in towing capacity across a wide range of models. Like the 3.3-liter V6 model, the five-liter V8 F-150 hits the highest towing capacity when used with a 3.73 axle ratio. 

The 5-liter V8 models that can pull 13,000 pounds are the 4WD or 2WD regular cab rocking the 8-foot bed or the 4WD and 2WD SuperCab with the same 8-foot bed. If you go for the lower foot bed of either 5.5 or 6.5, the 4WD or 2WD will only hit a maximum of 12,900-pound towing capacity. The maximum towing capacity goes down further to 12,800 pounds if you increase the foot bed to 8 or 6.5 for the 4WD and 2WD SuperCabs, respectively. 

  • 3-Liter V6 Diesel Engine

What is the F150 towing capacity when using a 3-liter V6 engine? Here, the maximum towing capacity is 12,100 when using the 4WD SuperCab featuring a 6.5-foot bed. Note that to deliver higher fuel efficiency; the 3-liter V6 engine is available only with two axle ratios, the 3.55 and 3.31 ratios. The 3.55 axle ratio provides the highest towing capacity. So, if you were looking for a regular cab in the diesel category, there is none!

Another maximum tow capacity that you can achieve with the 3-liter, V6 engine is 10,500 pounds. You will hit this with a 4WD SuperCab of 6.5-foot bed when driving on either 3.55 or 3.31 axle ratios. The last highest towing rate when using the 3-liter engine, 4WD SuperCrew with a lower foot bed of 6.5-5.5 is 10,400. Again, you can hit this with both 3.55 and 3.31 axle ratios

  • 2.7-Liter EcoBoost V6 Engine 

This is the smallest engine in the F-150 category. The engine provides an excellent punch in towing capacity, hitting a maximum of 10,100 pounds when using a 4WD SuperCab and 6.5-foot bed. The 4WD SuperCrew will also achieve the same towing rate but with a lower foot bed of 5.5. 

If you get a regular 4WD or 2WD version of the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, the maximum towing rate will be 10,000 pounds. For both models, you need a foot bed of 8. For the 2WD regular cab type, there is a third highest towing capacity of 8,600 pounds, which is achieved with a lower cargo foot bed of 8-6.5. To achieve the highest tow rating with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost, you need the 3.73 axle ratio. 

  • 3.5-Liter EcoBoost V6 Engine 

When exploring how much Ford F150 can tow, the bragging rights for top performance goes to the 3.5 liter EcoBoost V-6 engine. It achieves the maximum towing ability of 14,000 pounds, which is incredible. You can hit this with the 2WD SuperCab with a 8-foot bed or the SuperCrew with a lower 6.5-5.5-foot bed. Hitting 14,000 pounds implies that the 2021 F-150 surpasses the 2020 model with about 800 pounds. 

  • 3.5-Liter EcoBoost V6 Full Hybrid

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 Hybrid engine is the recent addition to the F-150 pack. It is an impressive 430-HP twin-turbocharged engine that offers a breathtaking 650 miles per tank. This is why its demand has been surging pretty fast. The engine has a maximum towing ability of 12,700 pounds in the 2WD SuperCrew option. We also have to point out that this hybrid model is only available in one format, the SuperCrew cabin version. 

You can also get a maximum of 12,400 with the 4WD SuperCrew with a 6.5-55-foot bed and 3.73 rear axle ratio. The last maximum towing capacity of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost is 11,000 pounds for the 2WD SuperCrew and you can hit it with a 3.55 axle ratio and foot bed of 6.5 or 5.5. A 4WD with a 3.75 axle rate will also comfortably tow 11,000 pounds. 

How Do I Know If My F-150 Has a Maximum Package?

How much can a Ford F150 tow? One of the best methods of establishing this is by checking the owner’s manual that you got immediately after buying the car. If you do not have the manual, it is still possible to get one by contacting Ford and providing the vehicle identification number (VIN). You can get the VIN displayed on the truck’s window.

However, if you bought a used truck, you should also contact the previous user to learn if they upgraded along the line.

If the previous user acquired a Ford F-150 with a V6 engine and upgraded it to a V8 engine, the maximum towing ability will change significantly. Indeed, the question of whether the vehicle has a maximum towing package should be among the first ones to ask when buying a used truck. 

Is It Possible to Install a Tow Package on Ford F-150?

For some who have already bought the F150, thoughts of increasing the towing capacity rarely leave their minds. So, is it possible? While it is possible to install components such as upgraded front sways as well as auxiliary trans cooler, these additions mainly enhance your capacity to tow safely as opposed to increasing the actual tow capacity. 

What increases the towing capacity more is the engine torque. Therefore, unless you are working on increasing the engine ability, say changing from a V6 to a V8, the maximum towing capacity will not change much for your Ford F150.

So, if you have the old F150 model and want to get a higher towing capacity, it might be a good idea to get the latest model, such as the 3.5-Liter EcoBoost V6 Engine model that can tow a maximum of 14,000 pounds. 

You might also want to know how much a Toyota Tacoma can tow.