Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Ford’s brilliant tech allows the 2017 Super Duty to tow 32,500 pounds

By

2017 Ford F-450 Super Duty Platinum Crew Cab 4x4
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The Ford F-150 has always been a dependable work truck, but if you need to haul something truly massive, you’re better off with the Super Duty. As its name suggests, the Super Duty range is bigger, tougher, and more capable than the entry-level F-Series. In true American fashion, however, the roster has just gotten a whole lot … superer?

Read more: We’ll drink to that! Ford and Jose Cuervo want to turn agave plants into car parts

Recommended Videos

Ford has officially revealed specs for the 2017 model year Super Duty, and the lineup’s towing and hauling capabilities have been significantly ramped up. For example, the F-450 now features a maximum gooseneck towing capacity of 32,500 pounds, and its fifth-wheel and conventional towing ratings have been boosted to 27,500 lbs. and 21,000 lbs. respectively. In addition, the truck boasts a maximum payload weight of 7,630 lbs., which makes the Super Duty the undisputed hauling king.

2017 Ford F-250 Lariat Crew Cab 4x4
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Just how did Ford accomplish this? There are a variety of factors at play, but let’s start with the simple stuff — the body and frame. Just like the F-150, the Super Duty lineup wears a military-grade aluminum alloy body that cuts weight by up to 350 lbs. This allowed the brand to bolster the fully-boxed frame, which features 95 percent high-strength steel and is 24 times stiffer than its predecessor.

Related

The engines have been significantly beefed up as well. The 6.7-liter V8 that comes standard on all Super Duty diesel trucks now makes 440 horsepower and an outstanding 925 pound-feet of torque, which may well be enough power to move a house. The 6.8-liter gasoline V8 also offers 385 hp and a best-in-class torque rating of 430 lb-ft.

2017 Ford F-450 Super Duty Platinum Crew Cab 4x4
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s the Super Duty’s tech, however, that really brings it all together. The truck equips adaptive cruise control for effortless freeway towing, and its collision-warning system is optimized for big payloads with trailer-brake advisories. It also offers a variety of camera systems that provide views into the cargo box, behind the trailer, and all around the vehicle with 360-degree support.

Pricing info for the 2017 Super Duty range will be published near the truck’s on-sale date toward the end of the year.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Andrew Hard
Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Rivian R2 vs R1S: How will Rivian’s cheaper SUV compare?
The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

Rivian has finally unveiled the R2, its long-awaited attempt at a more affordable electric SUV. The new vehicle may not be available just yet, but fans of Rivian's design aesthetics and feature set are already looking forward to being able to order the new car. The R2 is targeted at being a more affordable take on the electric SUV and will sit alongside the flagship-tier R1S.

Let's get this out of the way right now: The R1S is most likely going to be a better vehicle than the R2. Rivian isn't replacing the R1S with the R2 — it's releasing the R2 as a more affordable alternative, and there will be some compromises when buying the R2 over the R1S.

Read more
Cybertruck production reportedly halted over pedal issue
Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck. Tesla

Tesla’s Cybertruck has been hit by a production delay caused by an issue with a part of the vehicle, a number of media reports have claimed.

Read more
Don’t let the gimmicks fool you. The Ioniq 5 N is a serious track car
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N drifting.

We’re finally getting to the fun part of automakers’ methodical quest to replicate their lineups with electric cars.

Performance versions of ordinary cars have been a staple of the auto industry for decades. But while we’ve already seen some variants of EVs boasting more power and more impressive stats — think Tesla Model S Plaid or Lucid Air Sapphire — the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the first to truly apply that format to an EV.

Read more