The 2017 Ford F-550s were the most rigid Heavy-Duty trucks able to perform exceptionally well in all conditions. They reinforced the tradition of F-Series toughness and continued to handle the most hard-line towing jobs, and aggressive payloads.
Ford F-550 offered excellent performance, and torque with two available engine options which were a 6.8L SOHC V10, and a 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel Engine.
The 2017 F-550s were able to handle the most challenging towing jobs with a maximum conventional towing of 18,500 lbs, and a 5th-Wheel towing capacity of up to 31,800 lbs.
Let’s explore the 2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity with towing charts, engine configuration, towing features, and more. Without further ado, let’s get started.
2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity according to the Engine Type
A 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel Engine, and a 6.8L SOHC V10 Gas Engine were two powerful engines available for the 2017 Ford F450 Pickup Truck.
| ENGINE TYPE | MAXIMUM TOWING CAPACITY |
| 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel | 18,500 lbs (Conventional Towing) 31,800 lbs (5th-Wheel/Gooseneck) |
| 6.8L SOHC V10 Gas | 17,500 lbs (Conventional Towing) 20,700 lbs (5th-Wheel/Gooseneck) |
The 6.8L SOHC V10 Gas Engine produced a peak power of 362 hp at 4,750 rpm, and a peak torque of 460 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm. The 2017 F450 powered by this gas engine offered a maximum conventional towing of up to 17,500 lbs, and 5th-wheel/Gooseneck towing of up to 20,700 lbs.
On the other hand, the powerful 6.7L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel V8 engine delivered a maximum power of 450 hp at 2,800 rpm, and a peak torque of 925 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm. The 2017 F450 offers a maximum conventional towing of up to 24,200 lbs, and 5th-wheel/Gooseneck towing of up to 34,600 lbs with the V8 Turbo Diesel engine.
The 2017 Ford F-550 Super Duty Pickup truck was available in Regular Cab, Super Chassis Cab, and Crew Cab with 4×2, and 4×4 DRW configurations.
2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity Conventional Towing (Regular Chassis Cab)
| ENGINE TYPE | 4×2 DRW | 4×4 DRW |
| 6.8L SOHC V10 | 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
| 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel | 18,500 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 18,500 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity Conventional (Super Chassis Cab)
| ENGINE TYPE | 4×2 DRW | 4×4 DRW |
| 6.8L SOHC V10 | 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
| 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel | 18,500 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 18,500 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity Conventional (Crew Chassis Cab)
| ENGINE TYPE | 4×2 DRW | 4×4 DRW |
| 6.8L SOHC V10 | 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
| 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel | 18,500 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 18,500 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 18,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity 5th-Wheel (Regular Chassis Cab)
| ENGINE TYPE | 4×2 DRW | 4×4 DRW |
| 6.8L SOHC V10 | 20,700 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 20,400 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
| 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel | 23,000 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 27,000 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 22,800 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) 31,800 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 22,600 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 26,600 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 22,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) 31,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity 5th-Wheel (Super Chassis Cab)
| ENGINE TYPE | 4×2 DRW | 4×4 DRW |
| 6.8L SOHC V10 | 20,400 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 20,100 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
| 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel | 22,600 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 26,600 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 22,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) 31,500 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 22,200 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 26,200 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 22,200 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) 31,200 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity 5th-Wheel (Crew Chassis Cab)
| ENGINE TYPE | 4×2 DRW | 4×4 DRW |
| 6.8L SOHC V10 | 20,200 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 19,900 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
| 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel | 22,400 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 26,400 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 22,200 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) 31,200 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) | 22,000 lbs (4.10 Axle Ratio) 26,000 lbs (4.30 Axle Ratio) 21,900 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) 30,900 lbs (4.88 Axle Ratio) |
Towing features on the 2017 Ford F-550
Trailer Sway Control – Works in conjunction with AdvanceTrac® with RSC (Roll Stability Control™) to detect trailer sway and reduce it as necessary.
Trailer Brake Controller (TBC) – Ensures smooth and effective trailer braking by powering the trailer’s brakes with an output proportional to the towing vehicle’s brake pressure.
Tow/Haul Mode with Integrated Engine-Exhaust Brake – Tow/haul mode and tow/haul mode with integrated engine-exhaust brake (6.7L diesel only) with auto setting give drivers even greater control when traveling downhill.
Standard Hill Start Assist – Helps prevent rolling back on a grade by momentarily maintaining brake pressure until the engine delivers enough torque to move the truck up the hill.
Smart Trailer Tow Connector – Provides trailer connection status, lighting, and trailer alerts/warnings.
5th-Wheel/Gooseneck Prep Package – Provides the necessary under-the-bed hardware to allow mounting of a 5th-wheel/ gooseneck hitch in the pickup bed to put more of the trailer weight over the tow vehicle.
Trailer Reverse Guidance – Utilizes 3 cameras to provide multiple views along with steering guidance graphics to assist in backing and maneuvering a trailer.
Ultimate Trailer Tow Camera System – Available 360-degree camera with split-view display utilizes 4 cameras to provide an all-around view on an 8″ color screen.
Dynamic Hitch Assist – Included within the standard rear-view camera, providing added driver convenience when hitching a trailer.
Towing Technology – Provides driver-assist technology features to improve the driver-towing experience.
Conclusion on 2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity
The maximum conventional towing capacity of the 2017 Ford F-550 is 18,500 lbs which was achievable with the 6.7L V8 Turbo Diesel engine. Likewise, the maximum 5th-wheel/Gooseneck towing capacity is 31,800 lbs when properly equipped.
Some Important Information on the 2017 Ford F-550 Towing Capacity
- The trailer tongue (trailer king pin for 5th-wheel towing) load weight should be 10% (15% for 5th-wheel towing) of the total loaded trailer weight.
- Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight requires a weight-distributing hitch.
- Super Duty Chassis Cab does not offer a conventional hitch receiver as a factory-installed option.
- The trailer tongue load weight should be 10% of the total loaded trailer weight for conventional towing.
- The combined weight of the vehicle and trailer must not exceed the GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) mentioned in the vehicle manual.
- F550 owners must carefully read, and review the owner’s manual before buying or using their pickup truck for towing purposes.
- The maximum towing capacity may only be achieved when the 2020 F550 is equipped with a powerful engine (6.7L Turbo Diesel V8), Max Trailer Tow Package, required tires, wheels, and genuine/approved towing accessories.
- The towing capacity varies according to the vehicle configuration, cargo, the weight of passengers, addition of trailer tongue, availability of towing accessories, and other customizations.
Stellan Carter is an accomplished writer, entrepreneur, and avid Ford Raptor owner. As a co-founder and content contributor for this renowned blog website, Stellan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the automotive industry. When he’s not behind the wheel of his beloved Ford Raptor, Stellan can be found exploring new terrains, capturing the essence of his automotive adventures through his camera lens.
