The 2012 Ford F-250 can tow anywhere from 12,200 to 14,000 lbs. There are many factors that determine the exact towing capacity such as the cab size, bed size, axle ratio, engine type, and hitch.
The F250 that can tow the most is the truck with the 6.7 L V8 Turbo Diesel engine with a crew cab or supercab.
Below you will find the specific towing capacity for your vehicle recommended by Ford for your Ford F-250.
Though I tried to make this information as accurate as possible, you should always check your manual or contact your local dealer to determine the appropriate towing capacity of your vehicle and necessary equipment.
What is the towing capacity of my Ford F250?
In order to know the towing capacity of your Ford F250, the most reliable way is to calculate your own towing capacity, which you can learn to do in this article: How is Towing Capacity Calculated?
This will give you the exact maximum towing capacity of your truck at any given time.
However, you need to remember that the value below is the maximum towing capacity of your truck (assuming there are no people or cargo in your truck).
If there is any weight in or on the vehicle such as passengers and cargo, this number will change.
To determine the towing capacity of your vehicle, you need to know the:
- engine type
- bed size
- cab size
- drivetrain
- axle ratio
If you know all of these items, then move on to the next section by engine to determine your towing capacity.
To get your VIN, check the Safety Compliance Certification Label on the inside of the driver’s side door on the hinge pillar, door-latch post, or door edge.
You will also find the GVWR, and Axle ratio here.
Related: What is GVWR?
If not:
- Start with the VIN decoder from Autozone to determine the engine in the vehicle
- Your cab style is either:
- Regular (2 door, 1 rows)
- SuperCab (4 door, 2 rows with only 2 full doors)
- SuperCrew (4 full doors, 2 rows)
- Drivetrain should be determined with the VIN as well
- The axle ratio is listed on the side of the driver’s door on the certification sticker
The axle ratio will be written in a key using the following two-digit code which corresponds to the rear axle ratio on the F250.
| Axle Ratio | Non-Limited Slip | Limited Slip | Electronic Locking |
| 3.31 | 31 | N/A | 3H |
| 3.55 | 35 | N/A | 3J |
| 3.73 | 37 | 3L | 3E |
| 4.10 | 41 | 4N | 4E |
| 4.30 | 43 | 4L | 4M |
Now you will have all the necessary information to determine the towing capacity of your Ford F250.
Please be advised that the information presented in this article is taken from official ford documentation and is only to be used as a reference. You should always calculate your own towing capacity to ensure safe driving of your specific model.
Towing Packages
As Super Duty trucks are meant to be used as utility trucks, they come with more towing features in the basic models.
The standard features are:
- 7 wire harness
- 4/7 pin connector
- Hitch receiver
- Aux. Auto Trans. Oil Cooler
- Trailer sway control
- Trailer Brake Wiring
Aside from the basic features of the F250, there are no other towing packages available in 2012. The only offering is the Camper Package which has an impact on the payload capacity of your vehicle.
Camper Package (471)
- Increased capacity front springs
- Rear stabilizer bar
- Rear auxiliary springs
Towing Capacity by Engine
The weights below for each engine list the towing capacities for conventional towing. For this type of towing, the load weight on the trailer tongue should be between 10-15% of the total trailer weight.
The absolute maximum trailer weight on a weight-carrying Ford F250 should not exceed 6,000 lbs (with 6.2 L engine) or 8,500 lbs (with 6.7 L diesel engine).
6.2 L V8
The 6.2 L V8 gas engine is the weakest of the 2012 F250 series. It only supplies 385 hp and 405 lb.-ft. of torque.
As the smallest engine, the towing capacity is between 12,200 – 12,500 lbs for the 6.2 L.
Drive | Axle Ratio | Cab Size | GCWR | Towing Capacity |
4x2 | 3.73 | Regular | 19,000 | 12,500 |
4x4 | 3.73 | Regular | 19,000 | 12,500 |
4x2 | 4.30 | Regular | 22,000 | 12,500 |
4x4 | 4.30 | Regular | 22,000 | 12,500 |
4x2 | 3.73 | Super | 19,000 | 12,500 |
4x2 | 3.73 | Super | 19,000 | 12,200 |
4x4 | 4.30 | Super | 22,000 | 12,500 |
4x4 | 4.30 | Super | 22,000 | 12,500 |
4x2 | 3.73 | Crew | 19,000 | 12,400 |
4x2 | 3.73 | Crew | 19,000 | 12,000 |
4x4 | 4.30 | Crew | 22,000 | 12,500 |
4x4 | 4.30 | Crew | 22,000 | 12,500 |
6.7 L V8 Turbo Diesel
The 6.7 L V8 Turbo Diesel is the only diesel engine offered in the 2012 F250 family. It has a whopping 800 lb.-ft of torque and 400 hp.
The turbo diesel engine has the highest towing capacity of up to 14,000 lbs and as low as 12,500 lbs.
Drive | Axle Ratio | Cab Size | GCWR | Towing Capacity |
4x2 | 3.31 | Regular | 23,500 | 12,500 |
4x4 | 3.31 | Regular | 23,500 | 12,500 |
4x2 | 3.55 | Regular | 23,500 | 12,500 |
4x4 | 3.55 | Regular | 23,500 | 12,500 |
4x2 | 3.31 | Supercab | 23,500 | 14,000 |
4x2 | 3.31 | Supercab | 23,500 | 14,000 |
4x4 | 3.55 | Supercab | 23,500 | 14,000 |
4x4 | 3.55 | Supercab | 23,500 | 14,000 |
4x2 | 3.31 | Crew | 23,500 | 14,000 |
4x4 | 3.31 | Crew | 23,500 | 14,000 |
4x2 | 3.55 | Crew | 23,500 | 14,000 |
4x4 | 3.55 | Crew | 23,500 | 14,000 |
2012 F250 Towing Capacity Chart
5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Capacities
Payload Capacity of F250
Payload Capacity vs Towing Capacity
Payload capacity refers to the maximum amount of weight that can be put on a truck and carried.
Towing capacity refers to the maximum amount of weight that can be pulled from behind a truck.
For a more detailed explanation of these two, check out the GVWR vs GCWR article.
6.2 L V8 Payload
The 6.2 L V8 payload capacity in the 2012 F250 is 2,261 – 3,739 lbs.
Drive | Package | Cab Size | Bed Size | GVWR | Payload Capacity |
4x2 | Camper | Regular | 8 ft | 10,000 | 3,739 |
4x4 | Camper | Regular | 8 ft | 10,000 | 3,285 |
4x2 | Camper | Super | 6 ft 9 in | 10,000 | 2,991 |
4x4 | Camper | Super | 8 ft | 10,000 | 2,577 |
4x2 | Camper | Super | 6 ft 9 in | 10,000 | 2,892 |
4x4 | Camper | Super | 8 ft | 10,000 | 2,474 |
4x2 | Camper | Crew | 6 ft 9 in | 10,000 | 2,777 |
4x2 | Camper | Crew | 8 ft | 10,000 | 2,388 |
4x4 | Camper | Crew | 6 ft 9 in | 10,000 | 2,671 |
4x4 | Camper | Crew | 8 ft | 10,000 | 2,261 |
6.7 L V8 Turbo Diesel Payload
The 6.7 L diesel payload capacity in the 2012 F250 is 1,526 – 3,090 lbs.
Drive | Package | Cab Size | Bed Size | GVWR | Payload Capacity |
4x2 | Camper | Regular | 8 ft | 10,000 | 3,090 |
4x4 | Camper | Regular | 8 ft | 10,000 | 2,663 |
4x2 | Camper | Supercab | 6 ft 9 in | 10,000 | 2,322 |
4x4 | Camper | Supercab | 8 ft | 10,000 | 1,959 |
4x2 | Camper | Supercab | 6 ft 9 in | 10,000 | 2,158 |
4x4 | Camper | Supercab | 8 ft | 10,000 | 1,741 |
4x2 | Camper | Crew | 6 ft 9 in | 10,000 | 2,120 |
4x4 | Camper | Crew | 8 ft | 10,000 | 1,732 |
4x2 | Camper | Crew | 6 ft 9 in | 10,000 | 1,946 |
4x4 | Camper | Crew | 8 ft | 10,000 | 1,526 |
Conclusion
The 2012 Ford F250 has a towing capacity ranging from 12,200 – 14,000 lbs.
The engine type, drive, cab size, and bed size can all impact the towing capacity.
You should always do your own towing capacity calculations before you ever tow anything, especially those that are close to these limits.
If you need help calculating your towing capacity, I wrote an entire article that walks you through the steps to calculate your towing capacity along with other considerations you need to make when towing.
The resources used for this information were taken from the 2012 Ford RV/Trailer Towing Guide ebrochure.
