Ford F-450 still the heaviest hauler

Australia-bound Ford F-450 officially delivers a class-leading 14-tonne towing capacity

Ford has announced an unchanged 31,200-pound (14.15-tonne) towing capacity for its 2015 F-450 pick-up, which will become available in Australia next year.

However, the official maximum payload of Ford's biggest F-Series model reduces by 150 pounds (68kg) to 5300 pounds (2404kg) after the Blue Oval abandoned its practice of removing items to boost the payload ratings of its heavy-duty utes.

Australia's biggest importer of new American vehicles, Queensland-based Performax International, this week launched the 2015 F-250 Super Duty, the first F-Series to come with full-volume Australian Design Rule compliance since Ford Australia stopped importing 10th-generation F-trucks converted to right-hand drive in Brazil in 2007.

Performax will expand its F-Series range later this year with the F-350 and, next year, the F-450, all powered by the same class-leading 328kW/1166Nm 6.7-litre Power Stroke V8 turbo-diesel.

Ford yesterday joined other truck manufacturers by using base (rather than minimum) kerb weights to announce its pick-up payload ratings and by stating the F-450s towing capacity using the industry's SAE J2807 standard rather than its own internal tests.

Previously, Ford said it would adopt the J2807 towing standard only for redesigned models, and has now told Automotive News that the tow capacities for the F-250 and F-350 would not be restated under the J2807 standard until they were redesigned, but the F-250 and F-350's maximum payloads would be restated using base kerb weights.

Ford became the first pick-up maker to lower weight by stripping equipment in order to increase claimed payloads in 2010, and was soon followed by General Motors.

But its move to restate payloads based on base kerb weights now brings it in line with other truck-makers, while its decision to use the SAE J2807 towing standard also makes it easier for consumers to compare apples with apples.

While the former reduces slightly as a result, the latter remains a class-leading 14,152kg – 545kg more than its closest competitor, the single-cab 4x2 Dodge Ram 3500, and 998kg more than its nearest crew-cab 4x4 rival.

"We leave no doubt with customers that the F-450 pickup truck has best-in-class towing of 31,200 pounds – whether tested using our own internal towing standards or SAE J2807," said Raj Nair, Ford's Vice President for Global Product Development.

The SAE J2807 standard measures towing capability in three key areas – take-off, acceleration and climbing – in which vehicles must meet standards while towing specific loads.

It requires vehicles to be loaded with about 400 pounds (181kg) more weight than Ford's internal test (two passengers instead of one, and base kerb weight instead of minimum kerb weight), but Ford said the additional weight had no effect on the F-450's towing capacity.

While the six-wheel F-450 is produced only in 4x4 crew-cab form, all F-Series Super Duty models (250, 350 and 450) initially sold in Australia will be dual-cabs, although a sub-$100,000 F-250 SuperCab 'tradie' model is also planned.

The F-250 is a direct rival for the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and Dodge Ram 2500, while the F-350 competes with the Silverado 3500 and Ram 3500 and so on.

Exact Australian payload and towing capacities may vary from US figures. For example, Performax's new F-250 4x4 Crew Cab, which starts at $105,000 and measures 6.3 metres, has a US payload of 1.9 tonnes and a towing capacity of 7.6 tonnes.

However, according to Australian standards, the 3400kg ute can carry 'just' 1100kg and haul 'only' 4.5 tonnes with electric brakes, and up to 7.3 tonnes with air brakes. It can also be specified with a gross combined vehicle mass of less than 4500kg, allowing it to be driven on a standard driver's licence.

The longer-wheelbase, 6.8-metre-long F-450 adds a beefier ladder chassis and bigger 19.5-inch wheels.

As a result of the J2807 test results – apart from upping its payload to 2.4 tonnes and maintaining towing capacity at 14.1 tonnes – Ford has also increased the F-450's already best-in-class GCVM by 400 pounds (181kg) to 40,400 pounds (18,325kg) – 2500 pounds (1134kg) more than its nearest competitor.

Ford F-450 still the heaviest hauler

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