The Ford F-150 lost some of its power – at least in theory – as the pickup’s overall towing capacity was cut.
According to agency documents shared with Ford F150 Owner in Australia According to a Facebook group, both the short wheelbase (SWB) and long wheelbase (LWB) versions of the Ford F-150 have a gross combined mass (GCM) reduction of 450kg.
For the Ford F-150 SWB, its GCM has moved from 7720kg to 7270kgwhile the F-150 LWB’s GCM is currently at 7315kg from 7765kg.
“Ford Australia has updated the published maximum gross combined mass (GCM) of the F-150 to include a reduction in maximum downforce weight (TDW) – 10 per cent of the total trailer mass (ATM),” a company spokesperson said. Car expert.
“The vehicle itself and all other weights, including gross vehicle mass (GVM), payload and maximum braked towing capacity, remain unchanged.”
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While gross vehicle mass (GVM) refers to the maximum legal weight of a vehicle when fully loaded – unladen weight plus payload capacity – GCM is the maximum total weight the vehicle can carry and tow at the same time.
Unlike GVM and braked towing capacity, GCM is not an actionable number and is a calculation that gives customers a better idea of the towing capacity of a fully loaded vehicle.
In this case, Ford has listed TDW as 10 percent, whereas previously it did not include this figure. Other manufacturers vary in how much, if any, TDW is included.
Previously, the F-150’s GCM was GVM plus a braked towing capacity of 4,500kg, which was standard for a pickup when fitted with 70mm tow balls. However, with a 50mm hitch, the braked towing capacity drops to 3,500kg.
Most vehicles have a GCM that is lower than the sum of the GVM and the vehicle’s braking capacity, so owners do not push the vehicle’s weight past the upper limit.
For example, Ram 1500 The DT has a GVM of 3450kg and a braked towing capacity of 4500kg. The total is 7950kg, 237kg more than the GCM of 7713kg.
Besides, Ford Ranger The Wildtrak V6 has a GVM of 3350kg and a braked towing capacity of 3500kg, however the gross weight of 6850kg is 450kg higher than the GCM of 6400kg.
While the Ford F-150’s 1,000-pound curb weight reduction may sway potential buyers, its ranking among North American ‘lightweight’ pickup rivals remains unchanged.
