Ownership | Farmington, MO
Lake season's here. Before the boat or camper heads south on US 67, make sure the truck and the trailer are both ready for the hills between here and the water.
For a lot of us, Memorial Day weekend is when the season starts. The pontoon comes out of the barn and the camper gets aired out. By Friday afternoon it feels like half of St. Francois County is headed for Lake Wappapello, Clearwater Lake or a gravel bar on the Black River.
A Ford truck or SUV makes that trip easy when everything's matched up and checked. Trouble usually starts with a trailer that's heavier than somebody guessed, or a hitch that was set up for a different trailer. Camper brakes nobody's looked at since last fall don't help either. Spend a half hour in the driveway and you'll likely skip a long afternoon on the shoulder of a two lane road.
Quick answer: Your Ford's real towing limit comes from the labels on the driver door jamb and the towing chapter of your Owner's Manual, not the big number in a brochure. Before a lake run, weigh what you're pulling and make sure the hitch and ball match the trailer. Test the trailer brakes and lights, and if the truck's due, get it in for tires, brakes and fluids.
Your limits
Door jamb labels plus the Owner's Manual towing chapter
Helpful tech
Pro Trailer Backup Assist and Hitch Assist, where equipped
Before you go
Hitch, trailer brakes, lights, tires and fluids
In this post
How Much Can Your Ford Truck or SUV Tow?
It depends on your exact vehicle. Ford publishes maximum towing figures for each model, but those assume one specific engine, cab, bed, axle ratio and towing package. Two F-150s parked side by side on our lot can have very different ratings.
Start with the two labels on the driver side door jamb. The Safety Compliance Certification label gives the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the axle ratings. The Tire and Loading Information label tells you how much weight in people and cargo the vehicle can carry. That payload number has to cover the trailer's tongue weight too, which folks forget.
Then open the towing section of your Owner's Manual. It lists the Gross Combined Weight Rating, which is truck, trailer, passengers and gear all added up, along with trailer limits by configuration. Ford's towing guides by model year cover the same numbers.
- Weigh the trailer loaded. A boat with fuel, batteries and gear, or a camper with water and supplies, weighs more than the spec sheet says. A public scale gives you a real number.
- Count everyone in the cab. Passengers, coolers and the dog all come out of payload before the tongue weight does.
- Leave some margin. Running right at the limit on hilly roads in July heat is a lot harder on the truck.

What Should You Check on the Hitch and Trailer Brakes?
Most towing trouble starts where the truck meets the trailer. Go through these before every trip, and take your time on the first one of the season.
Match the ball and the coupler
The ball size stamped on the coupler has to match the ball on your hitch, and the ball mount should be rated for the load. Latch the coupler and put the pin or lock in.
Set the trailer level
A trailer that rides nose high or nose low handles poorly. A drop or rise ball mount fixes most of that, especially when you switch between a boat and a camper.
Cross the safety chains
Run them in an X under the tongue so they can cradle it if the coupler ever lets go, with enough slack to turn but not so much they drag.
Test the trailer brakes
If your trailer has electric brakes, roll forward slowly and apply the controller manually to feel them grab. Set the gain for the load you've got on today.
Check every light
Have someone stand behind the trailer while you run turn signals, brake lights and running lights. Boat trailer lights take a beating from ramp water.
A lot of F-150 and Super Duty trucks have an available Integrated Trailer Brake Controller in the dash, so you can adjust trailer brake gain from the driver seat. The Owner's Manual shows how to set it. If your truck doesn't have one, our parts counter can help you find the right setup through Order Parts.
Most towing trouble starts where the truck meets the trailer.
Does Your Ford Have Pro Trailer Backup Assist or Pro Trailer Hitch Assist?
Backing a boat down a crowded ramp on a Saturday morning makes plenty of people nervous. Ford offers two features on some models that take a lot of the sweat out of it.
Pro Trailer Backup Assist
Instead of steering backward in your head, you turn a knob on the dash the way you want the trailer to go and the truck does the steering. It's offered on the F-150 and Super Duty depending on trim and package, and it's standard on every 2025 Ford Expedition.
Pro Trailer Hitch Assist
Ford brought out Pro Trailer Hitch Assist for the F-150, F-150 Lightning and Super Duty, and it's standard on every 2025 Expedition too. You hold a button and the system uses the rear camera and sensors to back the ball up under the coupler, steering and braking on its own. You'll still need to make sure the coupler sits higher than the ball before it starts.
Fredericktown driver tip
If you don't know what your truck has, check the window sticker or look for trailer settings on the center screen. Then practice in an empty lot in town first. You don't want your first try to be at a busy lake ramp with a line of boats waiting.
Shop Ford F-150Schedule a Pre Trip Check
How Should You Drive the Hills and Two Lane Roads?
Around here the drive is half the trip. Lake Wappapello usually means US 67 south through Fredericktown toward Greenville. Clearwater Lake near Piedmont means winding two lane highways through the hills, and both roads feel a lot different with a trailer behind you.
- Use Tow/Haul mode. Most Ford trucks and many SUVs have it. It changes shift points and adds engine braking so you're not riding the brakes down long grades.
- Leave more room. Stopping distances grow with a trailer behind you. Double the gap you'd normally keep.
- Pass with patience. On two lane roads, wait for a long, clear straight. A truck and trailer need far more room to get around a slow vehicle.
- Watch the curves. Swing a bit wider on tight turns so the trailer wheels stay off the shoulder.
- Plan the ramp. Clearwater Lake has several launch areas, including Piedmont Park, Bluff View and Webb Creek, and Lake Wappapello State Park has three boat ramps. Pick one before you leave the house.
Pull over and check if you notice
Trailer sway. Ease off the gas and hold the wheel steady. Don't slam the brakes. Sway usually means the load is too far back or the tongue weight is too light.
A hot or smoking wheel. A dragging trailer brake or dry wheel bearing can overheat fast on a long grade.
Transmission or engine temperature warnings. Find a safe spot, stop and let it cool down.
What Service Does a Ford Need Before Towing Season?
Ford's maintenance schedules count towing as a tougher operating condition. A truck that pulls a boat all summer may need some service sooner than one that never hooks up, so it's smart to have us look before the first long run.
- Tires: pressure set for the load per the door label, tread depth and sidewall condition. Check the trailer tires too.
- Brakes: pads, rotors and fluid on the truck, since they work harder with weight behind you.
- Fluids: engine oil, coolant and transmission fluid. Towing puts more heat into every one.
- Cooling system: hoses, belts and the radiator, before the muggy days hit.
- Hitch hardware: receiver, wiring connector and the trailer plug on the truck.
Call the service desk at 573-430-1693 or book online, and let the advisor know you're towing. If you're shopping for something that'll pull more, our team can walk you through Ford Super Duty trucks too.

Warranty Forever
Every new Ford and most used vehicles sold at Sam Scism Ford come with Warranty Forever at no charge. It covers listed engine, transmission and drive axle parts for as long as you own the vehicle, with no deductible, as long as you keep up the customary maintenance and keep records. See the dealer for details.
How it worksTow Ratings and Weight
Where do I find my Ford's towing capacity?
Use the labels on the driver door jamb along with the towing chapter in your Owner's Manual. That max number in an ad only applies to one specific setup.
Does the trailer's tongue weight count against payload?
It does. Tongue weight presses down on the truck, so it comes out of the same payload number as your passengers and cargo.
How do I find out what my boat and trailer weigh?
Run the loaded rig across a public scale. A boat with fuel, batteries and gear usually weighs well over what the spec sheet says.
Hitch and Trailer Setup
Do I need different hitch setups for a boat and a camper?
Usually. Each trailer sits at its own height, so a different drop or rise on the ball mount keeps each one riding level.
How do I know if my trailer brakes are working?
Roll forward slowly in an open area and apply the controller by hand. You should feel the trailer pull back on the truck.
Why should safety chains cross under the tongue?
Crossed, they make a cradle that catches the tongue if the coupler ever comes loose, so it doesn't hit the pavement.
Ford Towing Technology
What does Pro Trailer Backup Assist do?
You turn a knob on the dash toward where the trailer should go, and the truck steers while you handle speed. It's available on several Ford trucks and SUVs depending on trim.
Which Fords offer Pro Trailer Hitch Assist?
Ford introduced it on the F-150, F-150 Lightning and Super Duty, and every 2025 Expedition has it. Your window sticker will tell you if yours does.
What does Tow/Haul mode change?
It adjusts shift points and adds engine braking on grades. That keeps the transmission in a better gear and saves your brakes on long downhill runs.
Lake Trip Planning
How many boat ramps does Lake Wappapello State Park have?
Three, according to the state park. The Corps of Engineers runs more recreation areas around the lake.
Where can I launch at Clearwater Lake?
The main launch areas include Piedmont Park, Bluff View and Webb Creek, with several more ramps around the lake. Check lake levels before you go, because high water can close a ramp.
What should I do if the trailer starts to sway?
Get off the gas and keep the wheel straight instead of braking hard. Once you're safely stopped, move some weight forward on the trailer before you go on.
Service Before You Tow
Does towing change my Ford's maintenance schedule?
Ford lists towing as a tougher operating condition, which can move up oil changes and other service. Your Owner's Manual shows which items apply.
What should a pre trip towing inspection cover?
Ask for tires, brakes, fluids, the cooling system and the trailer wiring connector on the truck. It helps to tell the advisor what you'll be pulling and how far.
How do I book service before a lake trip?
Schedule online, through the FordPass app, or call 573-430-1693. Try to book a few days before a holiday weekend so there's time to fix anything the tech finds.
Get ready for lake season
Have our service center look over tires, brakes and fluids before the first trip.
Service Center