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Purchasing a truck always requires asking lots of interesting questions while trying to predict the future. One of the questions some of us ask while truck shopping is how much we’ll use the truck for towing and what we’ll be towing. Purchasing a truck and using it to tow a load that’s larger than it was designed to can damage the vehicle and void the warranty. When you drive a new Ford Super Duty F-450 home, you don’t have to worry about how large a load you’re hooking it to, this truck can tow a jaw-dropping amount of weight.

A man climbs out of his Ford F-450
A man stepping out of his Ford F-450 | Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images

The towing capacity of the Ford Super Duty F-450

The Ford Super Duty F-450 is a towing machine. The truck has the distinction of having the best-in-class conventional towing rating as well as the best-in-class gooseneck towing rating.

If you’re using a bumper pull trailer, you can safely use this truck to haul a 21,000-pound load anywhere it needs to be. The towing capacity for a gooseneck trailer is a staggering 35,000 pounds. If you’re towing a 5th-wheel trailer, the F-450 will easily pull 27,500.

This is good news for construction companies who need equipment hauled and farmers who want a reliable truck that will haul large loads of cattle and grain. In addition to towing a massive amount of weight, the Super Duty F-450 can handle a wide variety of terrains.

Enormous towing capacity is just one of the things the Ford F-450 provides drivers

The Ford F-450 is more than a great towing vehicle. Granted, it’s size makes it a poor choice for a daily commuter. But if you’re someone who routinely hauls horses, heavy construction equipment, or simply likes big, powerful trucks, you’ll find that the new Ford F-450s have many features that make driving them a genuine pleasure.

Adaptive cruise control

Towing a heavy load already comes with plenty of complications, Ford doesn’t think you should also have to constantly worry about turning your cruise control off and on. Adaptive cruise control is a standard F-450 feature.

When you draw close to a slower moving vehicle, the F-450 automatically slows to the appropriate speed. Once you pass the vehicle, the cruise control automatically returns to the original setting.

Power deployable cab steps

The F-450 is a massive vehicle and not all of us are blessed with the height and athletic ability needed to vault into the Ford F-450’s cab. To help make the truck accessible power deployable cab steps are a standard feature. As soon as the door opens, the steps appear.

The steps retract into the truck when you close the door. The fact that they’re tucked away when you don’t need the steps helps prevent damage and decreases the odds of them getting slippery during bad weather.

Tailgate step with tailgate assist

The tailgate step makes it easy for everyone to get into the Ford F-450’s bed while the tailgate assist feature allows you easily open and close the tailgate even when your arms are full. This feature is one of the newer additions to the truck.

Dual-Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control

One of the drawbacks of carpooling is that it’s difficult to find a temperature where everyone is comfortable. This isn’t an issue in the F-450. The dual-zone electronic automatic temperature control is easy to use and reliable. This is definitely a feature that isn’t necessary, but it can save you a lot of fights in the long run.

BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with trailer coverage

The hardest part about hauling, especially a horse trailer or 5th-wheel, is how much of your vision is blocked. Ford’s blind spot information system (BLIS) allows you to view blind spots and safely navigate your truck and trailer through heavy traffic and difficult driving connections.

Ford has made some changes to the 2020 F-450. These include replacing the 6.8-liter Triton V10 petrol unit with a V8 engine. The old powertrain has been upgraded which improves the F-450’s overall performance.