Pre-Purchase Guidance and Thinking Points

[97WhiteCobra]

SOME are made for continious heavy use, others are not. Make sure you have the right one.

A hard wired charger is better if you can. You may even be able to use that exact wiring (ensuring current is set correctly).

Thanks so much, this forum has been absolutely fantastic meeting all you guys. I think I’m at the point where I got everything I need to make the decision to do it. I have a dealership close to me that has a very large inventory of Lightenings that were leased vehicles. They are very low mileage and good warranty life left.

Thanks again for all the help.

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[97WhiteCobra]

Hi everyone, I’m back. I haven’t been able to find a truck yet but I’ve come close several times. They get sold right out from under me. I think since Ford announced the Manufacturing stoppage it’s getting harder to get them.

I had a pretty strict list of things I wanted to get, but I wanted to ask the group what your thoughts are on the Max tow package, and is it worth holding out? It’s one of my requirements. I will be pulling an RV and I will be pulling a boat, but not all the time.

For folks that have it, or have had that option is it worth the weight? And does it actually help extend the battery life as well by keeping the battery cooler?

Are there any other benefits to other than just keeping the battery temperature cooled down to perform better under tow?

 

[Firn]

Hi everyone, I’m back. I haven’t been able to find a truck yet but I’ve come close several times. They get sold right out from under me. I think since Ford announced the Manufacturing stoppage it’s getting harder to get them.

I had a pretty strict list of things I wanted to get, but I wanted to ask the group what your thoughts are on the Max tow package, and is it worth holding out? It’s one of my requirements. I will be pulling an RV and I will be pulling a boat, but not all the time.

For folks that have it, or have had that option is it worth the weight? And does it actually help extend the battery life as well by keeping the battery cooler?

Are there any other benefits to other than just keeping the battery temperature cooled down to perform better under tow?

I wouldn't think of it as keeping the battery cooler, it would think of it as more power to cool the battery if it gets too hot.

Having monitored high speed charging i dont think the regular trucks are cooling limited there. And same with regular driving.

Regular towing big wide trailers up long hills, yes. But aside from that I wouldn't think the regular trucks are cooling limited for normal towing

 

[97WhiteCobra]

option

I wouldn't think of it as keeping the battery cooler, it would think of it as more power to cool the battery if it gets too hot.

Having monitored high speed charging i dont think the regular trucks are cooling limited there. And same with regular driving.

Regular towing big wide trailers up long hills, yes. But aside from that I wouldn't think the regular trucks are cooling limited for normal towing

thank you. That’s helpful. I passed on a few without it. I do plan to do some traveling hauling a camper. Sounds like the option would be be needed for the most part unless I was hitting some more extreme mountains.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Sounds like the option would be be needed for the most part unless I was hitting some more extreme mountains.

We've not had many reports of drive train overheating for trucks with or without MAX TOW option, if I were you, I'd hold out for the feature, better prepared than not.

 

[97WhiteCobra]

Will do, thank you, I have my local Ford dealer on the hunt. It’s been sort tough to find the right truck. We’ll get there.

 

[97WhiteCobra]

Will do, thank you, I have my local Ford dealer on the hunt. It’s been sort tough to find the right truck. We’ll get there.

Hi everyone, I’m back. I haven’t been able to find a truck yet but I’ve come close several times. They get sold right out from under me. I think since Ford announced the Manufacturing stoppage it’s getting harder to get them.

I had a pretty strict list of things I wanted to get, but I wanted to ask the group what your thoughts are on the Max tow package, and is it worth holding out? It’s one of my requirements. I will be pulling an RV and I will be pulling a boat, but not all the time.

For folks that have it, or have had that option is it worth the weight? And does it actually help extend the battery life as well by keeping the battery cooler?

Are there any other benefits to other than just keeping the battery temperature cooled down to perform better under tow?

Hi folks, I had some really good feedback on this question, thanks again to help. I saw a guy at a charge station pulling a boat similar to mine and I stopped to ask his thoughts. He said the following, hill decent control and trailer brake controller is worth the wait. He boats a lot in western NC like me, and said he sold his first Lightening to get one with the option (plus he wanted the 9.6kw package) and he said it really helps.

 

[Firn]

Hi folks, I had some really good feedback on this question, thanks again to help. I saw a guy at a charge station pulling a boat similar to mine and I stopped to ask his thoughts. He said the following, hill decent control and trailer brake controller is worth the wait. He boats a lot in western NC like me, and said he sold his first Lightening to get one with the option (plus he wanted the 9.6kw package) and he said it really helps.

Thats right. They moved the brake controller to max tow.

I dont think hill descent control has anything to do with towing though.

 

[WXman]

So the OE brake controller isn't a stand alone option on Lightning like it is with other Ford trucks? You HAVE to get the $1,200 Max Towing package?

If so that's stupid.

While I certainly wanted the Max Towing package (mainly for the rear locking differential) I ended up with a truck that doesn't have it and it's been fine for me. Not having it actually results in higher payload capacity, which in turn results in higher *realistic* towing capacity in many situations, and it also reduces a potential failure point by eliminating a cooling circuit. When I do tow heavy I just use my Curt Echo brake controller. No sweat.

 

[97WhiteCobra]

Thats right. They moved the brake controller to max tow.

I dont think hill descent control has anything to do with towing though.

Thanks, it will be great if hill decent is standard, I’ll keep looking in to it and report back.

 

[97WhiteCobra]

So the OE brake controller isn't a stand alone option on Lightning like it is with other Ford trucks? You HAVE to get the $1,200 Max Towing package?

If so that's stupid.

While I certainly wanted the Max Towing package (mainly for the rear locking differential) I ended up with a truck that doesn't have it and it's been fine for me. Not having it actually results in higher payload capacity, which in turn results in higher *realistic* towing capacity in many situations, and it also reduces a potential failure point by eliminating a cooling circuit. When I do tow heavy I just use my Curt Echo brake controller. No sweat.

I know I was pretty surprised as well. I like the point you make out of the potential higher payload and leverage a third party brake control system.

 

[WXman]

Yeah I mean ultimately the entire purpose of the Max Towing package is to add that additional cooling circuit to keep the battery pack and motors cool while towing heavy in the mountains. But if a guy with a non-Max Towing truck watches his gauges and has no temperature issues, there is no reason he can't tow just as much weight.

When I tow my 26' heavy duty enclosed trailer through the hills of Kentucky, I don't see any temperature rises at all with my truck. So I'm happy. Would I like the locking rear diff and OE brake controller? Sure. But there are advantages the other way too; my payload rating is over 2,000 lbs.

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