Can 2010 Ford F-150 Automatic be Flat Towed

Question:

Can I tow a F150 Super Crew ford truck behind a RV flat tow.I got a blue ox tow bar.What do I need to make this work?I need a base plate for my truck But what do I need to take care of my auto transmission?

asked by: Oadues S

Expert Reply:

I took a look at the online version of the owner's manual for your 2010 Ford F-150 and it looks like if you have the automatic transmission it is not recommended to flat tow the truck with all 4 wheels on the ground. Doing this may cause damage to the transmission so your safest route is to use a car hauler to pull the truck with all the wheels off the road.

If you wish to proceed with flat towing though you would need to install a lube pump kit, which we do not currently offer. I do also recommend verifying the above information in your copy of the truck's owner's manual.

If you add a lube pump then you will also need a base plate kit, safety cables, a lighting solution, and a supplemental braking system (to go along with your existing Blue Ox Tow Bar). For these components I recommend the following:

- Base Plate Kit: Blue Ox # BX2606
- Safety Cables: Roadmaster # RM-643
- Lighting Solution: Hopkins Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit # HM56000 along with the Extension # HM48235 to connect to the RV
- Braking System - SMI Stay-In-Play DUO # SM99251 if your RV has hydraulic brakes or the SMI Air Force One # SM99243 if it has air brakes.
- Roadmaster Brake-Lite Relay # RM-88400 will also be needed to prevent the truck's brake signal from overriding the turn signal from the RV when applying the brakes during a turn.

The above mentioned Blue Ox Base Plate Kit is compatible with most Blue Ox tow bars and features hidden reinforcements to allow for a clean appearance when you're not towing. The Hopkins Wiring Kit will plug right into factory ports behind the truck's tail lights for a no-splice installation. I really like the SMI braking systems because after the initial installation they become a maintenance free setup that stays out of the way when you aren't towing but is ready to be simply plugged in when it's time for a trip.

I have attached a few video reviews on the products mentioned along with a flat towing article that you might also find helpful.