Towing a Million Pounds

[Mongoose9400]

https://youtu.be/bXFHgoon7lg

[travelin texans]

Soon as I saw the title I'd of bet money it would've been the ALL powerful, super duper tow beast F150 with the 3.?? Eco boost, but worse yet all electric. Hope it's equipped with a looong extension cord.
I'm 3rd generation retired oilfield, don't need no electric truck. I have a RC truck to play with.
I can here it now, "Yep I can tow my 38' toy hauler all day & never know it's back there!!!!".
Sorry folks not a Ford fan! Just my opinion! Don't hurt me!

[Frank G]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Soon as I saw the title I'd of bet money it would've been the ALL powerful, super duper tow beast F150 with the 3.?? Eco boost, but worse yet all electric. Hope it's equipped with a looong extension cord.
I'm 3rd generation retired oilfield, don't need no electric truck. I have a RC truck to play with.
I can here it now, "Yep I can tow my 38' toy hauler all day & never know it's back there!!!!".
Sorry folks not a Ford fan! Just my opinion! Don't hurt me!

You do not need to be hurt, just educated on Electric Traction Drives. You or I might not like the direction the automotive market is headed, but electrics will be pushed to the front.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by Frank G

You do not need to be hurt, just educated on Electric Traction Drives. You or I might not like the direction the automotive market is headed, but electrics will be pushed to the front.

Hopefully I'll be able to hold out til I'm too old to drive though!
And if not it wouldn't be spelled with a "F".

[chuckster57]

Locomotives have been powered by electric motors for years.

Diesel engines onboard are for generators. Back in high school (1970’s) I had the pleasure of riding in one. It was cross country practice, I was all sweaty. A buddy and I decided to try to “thumb a ride” and were shocked when he stopped. I was advised NOT to lean on the panels behind me as they said 440Volts. Rode about a 1/2 mile and he let us off. It is a memory that will live with me till I die.

[ctbruce]

Electric will pretty much kill the discussions about how many miles can you drive in a day. Either the batteries will need to be recharged and end the day or you will have pulled your million pounds the 300 yards have to quit.

Either way, discussion over.

[ronheater70]

I find it odd, that they are hooked to a million pounds with what looks like a snatch strap I would use to pull someone out of a ditch with with my truck. You see the rubber band effect when they take off. Obviously its a stunt, 1. because 4 rubber tires wouldnt retain enough traction to pull the weight without massive downforce, and 2. the whole strap thing. That has to be a hell of a nylon strap to handle a million pounds. This tells me that its noteworthy in appearance only and the same feat could probably be accomplished with just about any 4x4 vehicle , even 4 cylinder ones with proper gearing.

[mwemaxxowner]

Originally Posted by ronheater70

I find it odd, that they are hooked to a million pounds with what looks like a snatch strap I would use to pull someone out of a ditch with with my truck. You see the rubber band effect when they take off. Obviously its a stunt, 1. because 4 rubber tires wouldnt retain enough traction to pull the weight without massive downforce, and 2. the whole strap thing. That has to be a hell of a nylon strap to handle a million pounds. This tells me that its noteworthy in appearance only and the same feat could probably be accomplished with just about any 4x4 vehicle , even 4 cylinder ones with proper gearing.

You're correct. I am on several Ford pages and this video has been making its rounds. There was a discussion I read started by an engineer who works for railways. He went through the math and calculations that they use to determine how much force is required to do things like this when they are doing their work. More or less, it actually came out to only about 10,000 lbs of "towing force" to move this load like they did on level ground. It's cool, but it's definitely nothing more than a stunt, designed to wow and impress the uninformed.

[Larrylane]

I am a retired railroader and would occasionally have to pull a loaded freight car or cars with what ever pickup truck or forklift was available. A typical empty freight car weighs 30,000lbs and a loaded one weighs between 230,000lbs-286,000lbs. These freight cars with modern day roller bearings will roll relatively easy and once moving will roll a long ways on level track.

[Larrylane]

It's kind of funny that you have a Ford pulling a freight car considering the largest diesel electric locomotive manufacturer since the steam engine was General Motors with thousands of locomotives around the world with to many to count still operating today. until it was sold to another company about 10 years ago. We always joked with the younger folks that most of our locomotive we still use today were built before they landed on the moon.

[JRTJH]

I noted the strap they were using (hard to miss a 6" yellow nylon "jerk cord") and thought, "How the hell can they actually put a million pounds of force on a 30 thousand pound strap without breaking it?"....

Looks to me, like others have indicated, a "stunt" much like Toyota's stunt of "pulling the space shuttle".... Meant to "WOW" the uninformed, but great advertising with little factual implications for owner use benefit.....

[Northofu1]

Nothing reasonably priced is happening until all the $$$$ can be sucked out of big oil

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by mwemaxxowner

More or less, it actually came out to only about 10,000 lbs of "towing force" to move this load like they did on level ground.

And that's the easy number. What's the tongue weight of a railroad car? Oops, it's zero, because they used a strap. If I could use a strap on my TT, I wouldn't have had to trade in my F-150.

[Northofu1]

Ford should check this stuff out online before tooting their horn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDeWqGyCYNI

[Kylemcmahon1]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I noted the strap they were using (hard to miss a 6" yellow nylon "jerk cord") and thought, "How the hell can they actually put a million pounds of force on a 30 thousand pound strap without breaking it?"....



Looks to me, like others have indicated, a "stunt" much like Toyota's stunt of "pulling the space shuttle".... Meant to "WOW" the uninformed, but great advertising with little factual implications for owner use benefit.....

I agree with you. Only I would thing that 30,000 lbs would be the breaking strength. I am in the crane industry. In a lifting application that strap would be good for max of 15,000 lbs max. But this is not a lifting but pulling.

[Frank G]

I believe the Ford electric truck promo (stunt) worked. It has everyone talking. Electric vehicles are coming and they need to convince the uninformed that
electric vehicles can get the job done. Will they be capable of pulling a Montana 400 miles down the road? In the future I would not bet against it.

[Cbrez]

I am a satisfied ford owner (sorry Danny for using the F word), but the ad is a stretch. I expect any manufacturer’s truck could do this, so not impressed with the Ford ad. Just give me the towing capacities and let me evaluate them and the basic creature comforts of the truck. Plenty of great trucks and brands to choose from.

[CaptnJohn]

It will not tow my 16,000# Montana 600 miles I’m sure. [emoji16]

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

It will not tow my 16,000# Montana 600 miles I’m sure. [emoji16]

It wouldn't tow the little 4x5' Uhaul trailer, by me anyway!!

[rhagfo]

Now we will have F150 owners with electric truck figuring if it can pull over a million pounds, they can tow a 16K 5er!