F-150 Trailer Towing Features

[JST]

Thought these additions to the F-150 were kind of cool--an oboard scale to measure payload and tell you what your trailer tongue weight is.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/40359/...asure-payload?

[3LOU5]

A lot of thought and innovative features have cropped up in many trucks lately.

Even a tailgate can do a lot of things:



The tailgate of my 1994 is just a block of metal that creaks a lot when being lowered or lifted, lol.

[lip277]

Originally Posted by 3LOU5

The tailgate of my 1994 is just a block of metal that creaks a lot when being lowered or lifted, lol.

But a regular tailgate doesn't have as much to break or drive additional complexity.
It also weighs a LOT less... Such fun to close with one hand...

I don't know that I favor all these new things. Sometimes it is a fix in search of a new problem.

Such as - If these new trucks were not so friggin big (and especially tall), would not need a step into the bed (in the tailgate) like we seem to now.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by lip277

But a regular tailgate doesn't have as much to break or drive additional complexity.
It also weighs a LOT less... Such fun to close with one hand...

I don't know that I favor all these new things. Sometimes it is a fix in search of a new problem.

Such as - If these new trucks were not so friggin big (and especially tall), would not need a step into the bed (in the tailgate) like we seem to now.

Some of the new features are borderline silly, some are brilliant, and many are somewhere in between in that if you really know what you're doing you don't need them, but most people buying these and doing actual truck things don't...and these things are helpful.

When you're loading up the truck for some kind of event and pulling a trailer full of race car, travel trailer, horses, or whatever else, having a zero extra effort good idea of both your payload and tongue weight can only be a good thing.

Having an indicator that's at least somewhere near close to reality for payload weight is a pretty good thing to have, especially if you're otherwise forced to estimate how much things weigh.

Having a scale on the hitch to measure tongue weight...the only other ways to do it accurately involve a lot of effort and/or some level of risk driving with an improperly loaded trailer.

Having a knob on the dash to steer while backing up a trailer is...something I really like the idea of other people having available to keep them out of jams. I am probably overly cautious at backing up a trailer in general and don't know how I'd feel about using that system if available to me.

Having multi-motion tailgates is an extra cost in a truck that's already too expensive I'd probably be happier not having to cover.

[kognito]

Originally Posted by clyde

When you're loading up the truck for some kind of event and pulling a trailer full of race car, travel trailer, horses, or whatever else, having a zero extra effort good idea of both your payload and tongue weight can only be a good thing.

Having an indicator that's at least somewhere near close to reality for payload weight is a pretty good thing to have, especially if you're otherwise forced to estimate how much things weigh.

Having a scale on the hitch to measure tongue weight...the only other ways to do it accurately involve a lot of effort and/or some level of risk driving with an improperly loaded trailer.

Having a knob on the dash to steer while backing up a trailer is...something I really like the idea of other people having available to keep them out of jams. I am probably overly cautious at backing up a trailer in general and don't know how I'd feel about using that system if available to me.

But does this loadcell on the hitch datalog when you are overweight??

Warranty loss issues it you are towing poorly/get in an accident?

{removes aluminum foil hat}

[3LOU5]

There's a neat feature called Transparent Trailer where the driver is able to see through an object he's towing.

I've always thought this was a great idea.

(Our minivan has a back-up camera. Still not used to it, but when I happen to look at the dash and see the view, I'm like, "Whoa !! I forgot about this !!" when I'm in reverse, LOL)