Ford surprised a lot of people when they announced that their new 2023 Ford Super Duty truck is rated to tow up to 40,000 lbs. I go to Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds to do just that with a new Ford F-450 max tow pickup truck. This route includes a 7% grade hill climb and descent. Can it actually handle it? Let’s find out!
2023 Ford F-450
The truck that is capable of towing up to 40,000 lbs must be specific. It’s a consumer version of the new Ford F-450 with a regular (two-door) cab and two-wheel drive. It has a high-output 6.7L Power Stroke turbo-diesel that is capable of 500 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. This truck should move a 40,000 lbs trailer, but can it control it through corners and descends?
This F-450 has a maximum cooling package with an additional radiator and a large-capacity fan. It has six aluminum 19.5-inch wheels without decorative caps, and it does not have a spare tire in order to same weight. On the inside, it’s just a two-seater with a small plastic center console. It’s very specific indeed!
It’s not just the truck that must be configured properly. It’s also the trailer, the hitch (3-inch ball), chains, tie-down, trailer tires, and more. All elements of the truck and trailer must be set up just right to make this towing job possible. Ford set up this truck and trailer for the purposes of this video.
Towing 40,000 Lbs!
When you put your foot down to accelerate, the torque from the engine and the heavy load twist the entire truck’s front end upward. It’s impressive. I was able to accelerate up to 42 mph on the way up the 7% grade. It was a short distance and the truck was still accelerating slowly when I ran out of runway.
On the way down, you can definitely feel the weight of the trailer. However, the 10-speed transmission and the exhaust brake do a good job to bring the speed down. I still had to use a healthy amount of friction brakes (the brake pedal).
Nonetheless, it is clear. This new F-450 tows a 40,000 lbs trailer without too much complaining. We cannot wait to get these new heavy-duty pickup trucks to Colorado for the Ike GauntletTM – the world’s toughest towing test! Please stay tuned for more!
