#1G
Ford F-450 Super Duty
89The pick — 37,000 lb tow rating, 5,590 lb payload capacity. Strong tow.
Best Ford Trucks for Towing
Every Ford pickup, ranked on tow score.
Here's how the Ford lineup stacks up on tow. Same rubric across every truck — no brand favors.
If towing has an establishment, it's parked here. Ford's truck lineup runs deeper than anyone's — from an F-150 that handles the boat without breaking a sweat, through the Super Duty ladder where F-250, F-350, and F-450 each answer a different weight class. That depth is Ford's structural advantage: whatever your trailer weighs, there's a Ford built specifically at that number, not stretched toward it.
What to look for on my Ford pages: the Max Trailer Tow Package on F-150s — it's the difference between a light-duty hauler and a half-ton that embarrasses base HD trucks, and it's exactly why two identical-looking F-150s wear different Towing Scores here. On Super Duty, watch the axle ratio and single-versus-dual rear wheel choice; the sticker — not the badge — sets the score.
Walk past if simplicity is the goal: the configuration depth that's Ford's strength is also a decision tax, and a buyer who just wants one honest answer may find it faster on a shorter menu. Otherwise, sort by Towing Score below and let the stickers argue it out.
Loading Ford F-450 Super Duty listings…
#2
Ford F-350 Super Duty
7621,000 lb tow rating, 6,400 lb payload capacity. Capable tow.
Loading Ford F-350 Super Duty listings…
#3
Ford F-350 Super Duty Chassis Cab
7221,000 lb tow rating, 7,550 lb payload capacity. Capable tow.
Loading Ford F-350 Super Duty Chassis Cab listings…
#4
Ford F-250 Super Duty
7118,000 lb tow rating, 3,770 lb payload capacity. Capable tow.
#5
Ford F-150
4513,500 lb tow rating, Max tow package. Marginal tow — occasional use.
Spec table
| Model | Max Tow (lbs) | Max Payload (lbs) | Powertrains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-450 Super Duty | — | — | — |
| Ford F-350 Super Duty | — | — | — |
| Ford F-350 Super Duty Chassis Cab | 21,000 | 7,550 | 6.7L Power Stroke Diesel |
| Ford F-250 Super Duty | — | — | — |
| Ford F-150 | 14,000 | 3,325 | 3.5L EcoBoost V6, 3.5L HO EcoBoost V6, 5.2L Supercharged V8, 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 |
How Goose scores Towing
Towing is math, not marketing. I read the sticker, not the ad copy.
Towing is math, not marketing. I read the OEM tow rating, payload, powertrain, and hitch hardware straight off the sticker — the same numbers the manufacturer certifies, not what the ad copy rounds up to. A truck that tows 12,000 lbs but runs out of payload at 1,400 gets called out for it, because your trailer's tongue weight doesn't care about the brochure. Higher score, more trailer, fewer surprises at the scales.
Frequently asked
- What's the difference between towing capacity and payload?
- Towing is what the truck pulls behind it; payload is what it carries, including the trailer's tongue weight, your passengers, and your gear. Most trucks run out of payload before towing. That's the number buyers skip and shouldn't.
- Can a half-ton tow a horse trailer?
- Some can, barely, with the right configuration. Two horses plus a steel trailer eats most of a half-ton's rating and nearly all its payload. I'd rather see you in a 250/2500 with margin than at 98% of a maxed-out 150.
- Why do two identical-looking trucks score differently?
- Axle ratio, powertrain, and tow packages. Two trucks with the same trim badge can be thousands of pounds apart in certified rating. That's why I score the actual configuration, not the model name.
- Does a diesel always score higher for towing?
- Usually on the rating, not always on the score. Diesels dominate heavy towing, but the extra engine weight cuts payload — for lighter trailers, a strong gas engine can be the smarter number.
- What's a good towing score?
- 80+ means built to tow heavy as a primary job. 50–79 handles boats, campers, and equipment with margin. Under 50 tows light duty — fine, as long as your trailer knows it.