How to Flat-Tow a 2009 Ford F-350 with Four Wheels Down

Question:

I need to tow a Ford f350 2009 I want to know what kind of tow bar I need for my truck On my truck label by the door I have this Front gavr 4600 Rear. Gavr 8500 So Im confuse about what I need

asked by: Carlos

Expert Reply:

The (GVWR) Gross Axle Weight Rating capacity you mentioned refers to the maximum amount of weight that can be placed on the axle and is not necessarily relevant for a flat-towing situation. Instead, you will want to look at the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This is the maximum operating weight/mass of the vehicle which will be used to determine the correct towbar for your flat-towing setup.

According to the owner's manual for your 2009 Ford F-350, if you have an electronically-shifted transfer case then your vehicle cannot be flat-towed with four wheels down. As long as you have a manually-shifted transfer case then you will need a set of base plates, tow bar, supplemental braking system, wiring harness, safety chains, and possible high-low adapter in order to flat-tow your F-350.

As long as the GVWR of your truck is less than 10,000 lb then I recommend using the Roadmaster BlackHawk 2 All Terrain Tow Bar part # RM-422. The extra-long telescoping arms allow for the tow bar to provide extended maneuverability and easier towing. I will attach my recommendations for the other items you will need to flat-tow your F-350 for you below as well.

Base Plate Kit: Roadmaster MX Base Plate Kit part # 4412-3

Wiring Harness: Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit part # RM-15267

Braking System: SMI Stay-IN-Play DUO Supplemental Braking System part # SM99251

Safety Cables: Roadmaster 80" Coiled Safety Cables part # RM-653

High-Low Adapter: See Article/Selection

Accessories: Roadmaster Brake-Lite Relay Kit for Towed Vehicles part # RM-88400

I have attached several review and installation videos on the above products for you as well.