The amount of weight a 2021 Ford F150 can pull is dependent on the type of engine you choose. The engine can only move more weight if it produces more power. The 2021 Ford F150 has 6 dynamic engines with different towing capabilities from which you can choose for a range of purposes.

The Ford F150 Engine Towing Capacity and Payload

The 2021 Ford F150 engines are of 6 different types with each having a different towing capacity. The best of the lots is the 2021 F-150 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine. It is capable of pulling weights of up to 14,000 pounds. It can pull a house trailer with relative ease. Below is a detailed description of all the 2021 Ford F150 engines:

2.7L EcoBoost V6

The Ford F150 2.7L EcoBoost V6 engine will channel your energy into getting the job done correctly. This engine features a ten-speed automatic transmission, a torque of 400 pound-feet, and 325 horsepower. Ford F-150 2.7L EcoBoost V6 engine is available on the 2021 F-150 Lariat trims, XL, and XLT. If what you need is an engine with power, consider this engine.

‍Highlights

Transmission: Ten-speed SelectShift® automatic

Maximum Towing: 10,100 lbs

Maximum Payload: 2,480 lbs

MPG (city/hwy): 20/26

Torque: 400 lb.-ft.

Horsepower: 325 HP

3.0L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel

The 3.0L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel is a great option for towing a large travel trailer. It features a ten-speed automatic transmission, 440 pound-feet of torque, 1,840 pounds of payload, and 250 horsepower.When properly equipped, the 3.0L Power Stroke engine can tow up to 12,100 lb. It is available on the 2021 F-150 King Ranch, Lariat, and Platinum trim levels. If what you need is a diesel engine configuration, consider this engine.‍

Highlights

‍Transmission: Ten-speed SelectShift® automatic

Maximum Towing: 12,100 lbs

Maximum Payload: 1,840 lbs

MPG (city/hwy): TBD

Torque: 440 lb.-ft.

Horsepower: 250 HP

3.3L Ti-VCT V6

The 3.3L Ti-VCT V6 engine features a ten-speed automatic transmission, 265 pound-feet of torque, 1,985 pounds of payload, and 290 horsepower. The 3.3L Ti-VCT engine is standardly equipped on the 2021 F-150 XLT and XL trims. If what you need is a light-duty hauler with essential features, consider this engine.

‍Highlights

‍Transmission: Ten-speed SelectShift® automatic

Maximum Towing: 8,200 lbs

Maximum Payload: 1,985 lbs

MPG (city/hwy): 20/24

Torque: 265 lb.-ft.

Horsepower: 290 HP

By the way, have a look at our other blog post that covers Ford 3.7.V6 problems here.

3.5L EcoBoost V6

The Ford F150 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine features a ten-speed automatic transmission, a torque of 500 pound-feet, and 400 horsepower. This engine has a towing capacity of 14,000 pounds and a maximum payload of 3,250 pounds. The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine is available on the 2021 F-150 King Ranch, Platinum, Lariat, and Limited trims levels. If what you need is the F-150 truck engine with the highest towing capability, consider this engine.

‍Highlights

‍Transmission: Ten-speed SelectShift® automatic

Maximum Towing: 14,000 lbs

Maximum Payload: 3,250 lbs

MPG (city/hwy): 18/24

Torque: 500 lb.-ft.

Horsepower: 400 HP

Ford 150 3.5L PowerBoost Full Hybrid V6 engine is new to the F-150 2021 lineup. This all-new engine features a ten-speed automatic transmission, a torque of 570 pound-feet, and 430 horsepower. It is also equipped with a towing capacity of 12,700 pounds and a payload capacity of 2,120 pounds.

The 3.5L PowerBoost Full Hybrid engine is accessible on the F-150 2021 Platinum, King Ranch, and Limited trim levels. If what you need is an engine with a solid mix of electric power and gas, consider this engine.

‍Highlights

‍Transmission: Ten-speed SelectShift® automatic

Maximum Towing: 12,700 lbs

Maximum Payload: 2,120 lbs

MPG (city/hwy): 24/24

Torque: 570 lb.-ft.

Horsepower: 430 HP

5.0L Ti-VCT V8

The 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 engine is the 2021 F-150 engine with the highest payload capacity – 3,325 pounds. This engine features a ten-speed automatic transmission, 410 pound-feet of torque, and 400 horsepower.

It also has a towing capacity of 13,000 pounds/ The 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 engine is available on the 2021 F-150 Platinum, King Ranch, Lariat, XL, and XLT trim levels. If what you need is an F-150 engine with the highest payload capacity, consider this engine.

‍Highlights

‍Transmission: Ten-speed SelectShift® automatic

Maximum Towing: 13,000 lbs

Maximum Payload: 3,325 lbs

MPG (city/hwy): 17/24

Torque: 410 lb.-ft.

Horsepower: 400 HP

Key Towing Terms

Here are some terminologies associated with towing:‍

GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating): The GAWR indicates the highest weight that can be held by a single axle.

‍GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating): The GCWR is the combined weight of the passengers, cargo, pickup truck, and the trailer that is being towed.

‍Gross Trailer Weight: The Gross Trailer Weight is the combined weight of your trailer and the cargo that is loaded on it.

‍Gross Tongue Weight: This is the weight placed by the coupler on the hitch ball. Typically, it is 10% of the Gross Trailer Weight.

‍GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): The GVWR is the total amount of weight your truck can carry when all passengers and cargo are loaded in it.

Towing Capacity: How Much Your Truck Can Pull

The towing capacity of your F-150 is the amount of weight it can safely pull. Depending on the axle ratio and engine size you choose, your 2021 F-150 can pull weight from 8,200 lbs. to 14,000 lbs. You can read more about towing capacity and how it is measured here.

All the 6 available engines of the 2021 Ford F-150 that you can choose from comes with a standard robust capability. It is up to you to decide on the engine efficiency, tower capacity, and power level you want.

The 2021 Ford F-150 has an engine to suit your preference whether what you need is a traditional V8 power, or the efficient and innovative all-new full hybrid powertrain, or turbo-diesel engine torque.

What Can Affect Your Truck’s Towing Capacity?

Your trucks towing capacity can be affected by any of the following:

‍Axle ratio

‍The axle ratio determines how the torque produced by the engine is used by the automobile; hence, influencing its towing capacity. The number of times the wheel turns will dictate how efficiently the energy produced by the engine is used.

If the wheels turn slowly, the engine will put more energy into pulling any weight. If the wheel turns quickly, the engine will not be very efficient in pulling weights. The towing capacity increases if the number of gear ratios is high.

‍Cab/bed configuration

‍The type of configuration of the cab and bed you choose plays an important role in determining the overall towing capacity.

‍Payload

‍The amount of weight added to your truck (weight of passengers and cargo) reduces the overall towing capacity of your truck. By the way, if you are interested in knowing which are the best tires for Ford, check out this blog post here.

‍Drivetrain

‍Your choice of either a four-wheel drive (4x4) or rear-wheel drive (4x2) can also determine the amount of weight your Ford F-150 can pull. The 4x4 drivetrains give you better traction but they add to your truck’s overall weight, thus reducing the towing capacity of the truck slightly.

‍Available towing packages

‍Towing packages also play an important role in your truck's towing capability. You can unlock maximum towing capabilities for your truck by adding an available payload or towing packages.

When you add more towing packages, they will help to optimize a wide range of components for the best possible performance. You can learn about the maximum tow package of F150 in our other blog post, that you will find here.

‍Engine horsepower and torque

‍Your choice of engine will determine the amount of weight you can pull with your Ford F-150.Have a look at the following information before making your choice:

• The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine can pull a maximum weight of 14,000 lbs.
• The 3.3L Ti-VCT V6 engine can pull a maximum weight of 8,200 lbs.
• The 2.7L EcoBoost V6 engine can pull a maximum weight of 10,100 lbs.
• The 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 engine can pull a maximum weight of 13,000 lbs.
• The 3.0L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel engine can pull a maximum weight of 12,100 lbs.
• The 3.5L PowerBoost Full Hybrid V6 engine can pull a maximum weight of 12,700 lbs.
• The F-150 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine is capable of pulling the highest weight – 14,000 lbs.

Final Thoughts

The Ford F150 is arguably the most popular full-size truck for pulling an incredible amount of weights. It is a great choice for towing travel trailers and truck campers. You will find joy using this truck when you use it with an engine that can pull the weight you want.

Although the Ford F150 is very strong, using it to pull a weight above the stated capacity can lead to safety issues. Select a 2021 Ford F-150 engine that is capable of pulling the weight you want. Keep in mind that from the above, you can see that different engines for the Ford F-150 have different pulling strengths.

‍