Hi all,

I am completely new to the world of F150 and totally confused about options. I am sorry if my questions are way off.

Trailer Tow Package

• Auxiliary transmission oil cooler
  • Q1: This is not listed in Max Trailer Tow Package. Is it not needed for Max Trailer Tow Package?
  • Q2: Is this an additional transmission oil cooler on top of basic oil cooler? In other words, would I not get transmission oil cooler at all if this option is not selected via the package or by selecting as a single option??

Max Trailer Tow Package

• 3.55 Electronic-locking rear-axle
  • Q3: It locks up the rear differential. How about the front axle? How does it limit torque in one of the front wheels when there is very limited amount of traction?
  • Q4: How does it do the wheel spin control if this option is not added in 4wd model?
  • Q5: How does it do the wheel spin control if the locking is not engaged in 4wd model?
• Integrated Trailer Brake Controller
  • Q7: Is this a trailer brake actuator wiring or some sort of more advanced and smart trailer brake control?
  • Q8: If this option is not added, how does f150 control the brake of the trailer.

Thanks for your help!!!

 

I am answering these as far as am I aware but I could be wrong. My answers are in red type following each questions.Auxiliary transmission oil cooler

Q1: This is not listed in Max Trailer Tow Package. Is it not needed for Max Trailer Tow Package?
Q2: Is this an additional transmission oil cooler on top of basic oil cooler? In other words, would I not get transmission oil cooler at all if this option is not selected via the package or by selecting as a single option??
I am not sure about the above two questions, I do know that I have seen a few F150's without the trans cooler, most of them do have it though, I would assume it would be part of any towing package but I cannot say that 100% confidently

Max Trailer Tow Package

3.55 Electronic-locking rear-axle

Q3: It locks up the rear differential. How about the front axle? How does it limit torque in one of the front wheels when there is very limited amount of traction?
The front axle does not have a locking diff, I am 90% sure the front is a LSD diff.

Q4: How does it do the wheel spin control if this option is not added in 4wd model?
Q5: How does it do the wheel spin control if the locking is not engaged in 4wd model?
Clarifying the above two questions. The rear locker has nothing to do with 4WD.

4WD - four wheels have power that way if one axle does not have traction to move the vehicle the other wheels have power to move the vehicle assuming those wheels do have traction.

Locker - during normal drive wheels rotate at a different speed, think about driving in a circle, the outer wheel covers more ground then the inner so it must be allowed to rotate more. What a locker does is make the two wheels connected so that they spin at the same rotational speed.

Non locker Diff - F150 has a LSD rear diff, that is how wheel spin is controlled without a locker or when the locker is not engaged.


Integrated Trailer Brake Controller

Q7: Is this a trailer brake actuator wiring or some sort of more advanced and smart trailer brake control?
Q8: If this option is not added, how does f150 control the brake of the trailer.
Both above questions are linked.
The F150 comes wired for a trailed brake controller to be added, I do not know what a smart trailer brake controller is, it works in the same way all other trailer brake controllers I have used work, you do have more options due to the fact it connects to the factory wiring and you can change setting in the cluster. Some vehicles come with the controlled installed from the factory, some do not, it depends on trim level. The dealer can install it no problem if it is not present on your vehicle, labor cost at my dealer is 1.0 hours.
If you do not have a trailer brake controller then the vehicle will not operate the trailer brakes.

 

Thank you so much for clarification. It clarifies most of my confusion.

What I meant by "more advanced and smart trailer brake control" is one that you can control braking power delivery, timing as such.

My confusion about the "Integrated Trailer Brake Controller" is that it is listed in Max Trailer Tow Package ($1,295 listed), but not listed in Trailer Tow Package ($995 listed). I was wondering if Trailer Tow Package does not come with Brake Actuator - meaning stepping on the brake in towing vehicle would engage the brake in the trailer. It is hard to imagine it would miss the brake actuator, but the description in Ford web page is a bit confusing.

I was trying to decide whether to get Max Trailer Tow Package or Trailer Tow Package. I tow a 5000 lb travel trailer.

 

I would buy the Max Trailer Tow Package if you are buying a new truck, the price difference sounds about right for the controller, I think its somewhere around $250 over the counter.
Part of installing the trailer brake controller is turning on the settings so the module sees when it does something. If you look at the trailer brake PID before turning this on they do not change when the brake pedal is pressed. This would indicate to me that the vehicle does not make any attempt to activate the trailer brakes unless you have the controller, I would assume this is cause with the controller and the settings changed you can adjust gain and time delay. But there would not be a way to adjust these to fit the trailer weight so the vehicle would possible apply to much brakes or to quick.

@hanky Can you chime in if you would know about this.

 

Thank you for the invite.
Since I am a firm believer in , "It is better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt ", This is a little out of my field so I cannot really offer any possible.worthwhile comment here.
Plus,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,as you know, watch out for the guy who thinks he knows everything. lol.

I believe Our Moderator, Hayapower, is well versed on this subject, how about it ?