Flat towing, which also goes by the name four-down towing, is a towing method where all four wheels of a vehicle stay on the ground when you tow it behind another vehicle.
Now, while the Ford f150 truck sometimes works as a towing vehicle itself, you may be wondering if you can flat tow your Ford f150.
Can you flat tow ford f150?
You can flat tow a ford f150 if it is equipped with a four-wheel drivetrain. Luckily, many new models of Ford f150 are designed to be flat towed. However, if the vehicle has a two-wheel drivetrain, you can transport it by towing behind another vehicle by a trailer or tow-dolly.
Flat towing a vehicle is the easiest way to transport it. Even though flat towing is the fastest method, not all vehicles are equipped with the right features that allow them to be flat towed.
The main requirement for a vehicle to be able to be flat towed is the four-wheel-drive drivetrain.
You can’t flat tow a vehicle if it is not equipped with a four-wheel drive. You may be wondering what exactly four-wheel drive means. Well to put it simply, four-wheel-drive means the power is distributed evenly to all four wheels by the transmission.
So what happens is that when you turn on the engine, it sends power to the transmission. That power gets equally divided among all four wheels.
So all four of the wheels are getting the power provided by the engine and then the transmission. This method is often used for vehicles like RVs, motorbikes, and such.
You can flat tow some two-wheel-drive vehicles for small distances following necessary procedures but not all vehicles support this.
You shouldn’t flat tow a two-wheel-drive vehicle for long distances as this can damage the vehicle. There are other ways to tow a two-wheel-drive vehicle behind another towing vehicle.
Since most newer models of Ford F150 are designed and built to be flat towed, they come with the four-wheel-drive drivetrain. You can flat tow a Ford f150 behind a motorhome for effortless transportation.
Compared to two-wheel-drive vehicles, towing a four-wheel-drive vehicle is less expensive.
Flat towing a Ford f150 is not at all a complicated task. If you follow the steps properly, you can get your vehicle towed quite simply. Just make sure that the vehicle is eligible for flat towing.
| Ford f150 Model | Can be flat towed |
|---|---|
| 2005 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2008 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2010 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2011 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2012 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2016 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2017 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2018 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2019 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2020 Ford f150 | Yes |
| 2021 Ford f150 | Yes |
Can a Ford f150 be flat-towed behind an RV?
A Ford f150 is a candidate for a vehicle to be flat towed as long as it is equipped with a four-wheel-drive drivetrain.
Although some old models may not come equipped with the feature, most newer ones do. Therefore, a Ford f150 can be flat towed behind an RV if it has a four-wheel-drive drivetrain.
The Ford f150 is quite light and makes a good vehicle for flat towing behind an RV. Before flat towing the vehicle, you must make sure that it is properly connected to the RV and that the neutral tow mode has been enabled.
The procedure may vary a bit depending on the models. So it’s better to consult the manual for the best results.
What year ford f150 can be flat towed?
Ford has been making trucks for a long time and among them, the F-series has proved to be the most efficient and popular.
The main requirement for a vehicle to be able to be flat towed is for it to be a four-wheel-drive model. The Ford f150 models from the year 2007 and the newer ones since then are considered flat towable.
However, the company is constantly changing and upgrading the transmissions and four-wheel-drive transfer cases for the Ford f150 trucks.
Hence, you should check with the owner’s manual and the dealer of a particular year model to know if it can be flat towed safely or not.
3 reasons why you can flat tow a Ford f150
The most important factor regarding flat towing a vehicle is the drivetrain. A vehicle must have a four-wheel drive to be able to be flat towed behind another vehicle. Following are some of the reasons why you can flat tow your Ford f150.
Lightweight:
Ford f150 is a very lightweight vehicle even though it’s a truck. It is considered the lightest of Ford’s F-series trucks.
The lightweight feature of the Ford f150 makes it an amazing option to flat tow the vehicle. Not to mention, the truck can be used as a towing vehicle as well.
The perfect size:
The Ford f150 trucks are the perfect size to be flat towed behind a motorhome.
And not only that, while towing behind a motorhome like an RV, a Ford f150 provides a lot of extra space that can be used for accommodating camping gears and bikes.
Engineered for flat towing:
Some vehicles can be flat towed on demand while some are designed to be flat towed. Although some older models of Ford f150 may not be suitable for flat towing, most newer ones are engineered to be flat towed.
The new models of Ford f150 are equipped with the four-wheel drive which makes them eligible for flat towing.
How to flat tow a Ford f150?
Flat towing a Ford f150 is quite simple. With some simple steps, you can easily get your Ford f150 towed behind a towing vehicle.
Fastening the base plate and the tow bar:
You need to fasten the base plate kit to the back of the towing vehicle. Then you can fasten the tow bar to the base plate.
Now you need to adjust the height of the tow bar according to the height of your Ford f150 and then fasten it to the frame of the Ford f150.
Connecting the tow bar and safety cable:
Now you have to connect the tow bar wiring from the towing vehicle to the Ford f150.
You will also need to connect the safety cable and link it to the long cable that goes all the way from the towing vehicle hitch to the base plate arms of the Ford f150. Also, fasten the supplemental braking system.
Pressing the engine button and shifting the four-wheel-drive mode:
Now you will have to press the start/stop button of the engine without pressing the brake pedal. Once the button blinks green you can press the brake pedal while turning the four-wheel-drive selector switch to 2H transmission mode.
You will also shift the transmission mode into the neutral position. After turning it into neutral, you have to turn the four-wheel-drive selector switch from 2H to 4L five times. However, this last step needs to be completed within seven seconds.
Check for the message in the instrument cluster:
You should be able to see a message in the instrument cluster notifying you that the neutral tow has been enabled and that you should keep the transmission neutral.
Now you can press the engine start/stop button without pressing the brake pedal once and you are done.
Final Thoughts
You can flat tow a ford f150 but it has to be equipped with a four-wheel drivetrain. Although some old models may not come with the feature, most new models of Ford f150 are designed and built to be flat towed so they come equipped with the four-wheel-drive drivetrain.
I am an automotive enthusiast and have been interested in cars since I was a little kid. I have worked in the automotive industry for many years and have extensive knowledge of vehicles and their engines. I am a father of two and I love spending time with my family.
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