Five Days from Our Ford Super Duty Diary

The white-knuckled experience of hauling equipment affects both novices and veterans alike. Driving 60 mph down a steep grade in rush hour traffic hauling a skid steer loader safely is not necessarily a fun experience, so anything that can alleviate the stress of towing machinery is a welcome change to the owner/operator/equipment equation.

When outfitting its new 2011 Super Duty Series trucks, Ford kept a keen eye on towing features (a fact I personally noted at the Super Duty press launch out in Arizona in early March). First off, Ford’s lauded Trailer Sway Control (TSC) system joins the Super Duty lineup, giving customers segment-first capability. TSC is integrated with AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, which now is standard on all single rear wheel (SRW) configurations.  

The AdvanceTrac control module uses additional software to monitor the truck’s motion when a trailer is attached. TSC can determine from the yaw motion of the truck if the trailer is swaying and take measures — such as applying precise braking or reducing engine torque — to help reduce the trailer sway. It’s one of many new features that make towing easy on these new commercial capable vehicles.

Add those TSC capabilities to the cool Enhanced Tow Haul mode with integrated engine exhaust braking. This feature provides better control when hauling a heavy trailer load, especially when going down grades. Downshifts are commanded through brake pressure; enhanced customer control is enabled by a brake pressure transducer, which monitors the actual brake pressure applied. It system thinks for you when towing, working in tandem with the best-in-class towing and payload capability of the 2011 models.

Upping the ante, the company has also created the first-ever factory-installed and warranted fifth wheel and gooseneck substructure directly attached to the frame. The system is factory-installed and comes with a limited warranty from Ford. The electrical connection is mounted in the side of the bed wall, providing a clean installation, so that means no tearing up your truck bed when you need to mount a fifth wheel. Pretty clever.

Other enhanced towing, off-road control features and safety improvements include:
1. Hill Start Assist, which applies brakes to prevent rollback
2. Hill Descent Control, which uses the accelerator and brake to set, and then hold the speed
3. Electronic Locking Differential, which provides maximum traction by forcing the rear wheels to turn at the same speed
4. Standard tire pressure monitoring system on all SRW models
5. Optional side air bags and air curtains
6. A new available 4.2-in. LCD screen that includes information on specific features such as Trailer Brake Control and Tow Haul

And we can’t forget the industry-exclusive PowerScope side mirrors, which power-fold and power-telescope to enhance the towing experience. These now are standard on some Super Duty models, as is the Rear View Camera and SYNC, Ford’s industry-first, voice-activated hands-free communications and entertainment system. More to come tomorrow in our final day of the Ford Super Duty Diary.