I'd have to say that's pretty dang cool! Engineering rocks

"To measure Super Duty wheel braking, stability and transmission control on hill descents, Ford must conduct the testing the old-fashioned way."

Meeh. Ford engineers doesn't know to install electromotors and batteries instead of simple coils to make that extra push from trailer , to simulate wheel braking, stability and transmission control on hill descents. Lame engineers.

Ford engineers realize the number of batteries required to simulate 30,000lbs pushing down 7% for 50 miles would weigh more than 30,000lbs. Lame comments.

Are those GM Corvette tail light lense's?

Another great way Ford shines in all their testing, well done, cant wait for the new military grade HD!

Ford engineers realize the number of batteries required to simulate 30,000lbs pushing down 7% for 50 miles would weigh more than 30,000lbs. Lame comments.

Posted by: W | Mar 30, 2016 1:59:51 PM

Your comment is really lame, because Tesla batteries would push it much harder and I don't know any 7% hill 50 miles long.
They could just hook up stripped down Tesla behind it and simulate even downhill braking. Lame ford engineers.

How do you account for the added real world tongue weight of the varying heavy trailer(s) and its dynamics on the truck? Rear end squat and such.
Overall impressive technology Ford is utilizing.

He is towing just 4020 lbs. Too much for ford super duty.

Some valid questions there, as well as silly commentary. Basically, if they're using coils to simulate loads for towing, those coils could be used to help maintain a charge on a battery pack which could then drive those coils to generate thrust to simulate the downhill side of the grade. It's really not that hard to figure out.

Jealousy abounds from the ram clown. Hey i'm a poet and didn't know it. This is the future so Ford has shown what it will bring. You cant just sit back and wait for Ford to do it all while your 22+ year old truck just loses more ground everyday. Wake up. I think this is a great thing and it sure saves time and money. Gm will have it soon. Fiat will have to wait a long time for a worn out model. For now they pull around an old Neon!

@fed up, he must have been a chevy guy before that, like I said they just trash talk Ford but dont say anything about how great they are, which means they cant so the only thing left is to bash....

maybe they should have a fire truck following it

that highly engineered trailer is very low profile, so it has no wind resistance and or sail effect . So it can simulate a heavier load but a lot of heavy loads are big boxy and i do not see this simulator simulating that at all. I sure do notice a load in my 2016 F150 a lot more than in my old tundra so i find ford's testing methods suspect. I don't tow or haul much very often so it doesn't concern me much, but enough to install some firestone air bags when i do tow or haul.

If you don't have any technical information to share, or discuss the valid points I raised, please don't post any personal subjective feeling in this forum. It's worthless. Don't forget , you talk to Mechanical Engineer in the first place and RAM owner then.

That is one nice looking Super Duty.

That is one nice looking Super Duty.

If you don't have any technical information to share, or discuss the valid points I raised, please don't post any personal subjective feeling in this forum. It's worthless. Don't forget , you talk to Mechanical Engineer in the first place and RAM owner then.

Posted by: RAM | Mar 30, 2016 3:29:00 PM

We strongly encourage to NOT post on Ford Post, you add nothing but utter garbage and confuse real people. GO AWAY....post on your RAM JUNK!

If you don't have any technical information to share, or discuss the valid points I raised, please don't post any personal subjective feeling in this forum. It's worthless. Don't forget , you talk to Mechanical Engineer in the first place and RAM owner then.

Posted by: RAM | Mar 30, 2016 3:29:00 PM

We strongly encourage to NOT post on Ford Post, you add nothing but utter garbage and confuse real people. GO AWAY....post on your RAM JUNK!

**We strongly encourage YOU to NOT post on Ford Post,

I just said, that ford engineers didn't finish their job. They did 50%. Another 50% easily achievable is missing. Do you have anything to say to this ? No ? Keep your personal problems to yourself.
This is technical stuff we are discussing in here and if you don't like it, find another forum or go to fasbook.

What do the manufacturers use on their test trucks to black out the rims on the trucks? Cuz I like those blacked out rims!

Ram Ram Dumb Dumb

"How do you account for the added real world tongue weight of the varying heavy trailer(s) and its dynamics on the truck? Rear end squat and such.
Overall impressive technology Ford is utilizing.

Posted by: Wrigley | Mar 30, 2016 2:16:09 PM"

Why do you think that every Ford SD you see pulling moderate sized trailer has its headlights pointed up into outer space? This is just another way they can certify artificially high tow ratings without actually proving anything. Its like when they ran an Ecoboost on an dymamometer for a week and claimed it was "equivalent" to 100k miles or something.

All this test proves is that the engine and drivetrain can handle added strain. Its pretty dangerous to infer anything beyond that. My question is, how much simulated weight can a small tandem axle trailer actually induce before the tires start slipping and the truck just drags it around with locked up wheels, similar to when you test your trailer brakes. If that test rig only weights 3000lbs, there is a limit to what kind of load it can simulate before you break traction either on the tow vehicle because tongue weight wont be accurate so your rear wheels have less grip compared to if you were pulling a real trailer that was properly loaded and balanced, or on the trailer itself because the tires provide more grip with additional weight, which isnt possible on this rig, you are just increasing resistance.

I fail to see how this is "revolutionary" or even relevant for that matter.

@devilsadvocate
You are absolutely right. You must be an engineer or very smart fella. That's discussion I like. We can all learn something in here.

This must be the same technology that allows my 7.3 diesel Excursion to tow a loaded enclosed car trailer half way across the country with no issues, but then barf all of it's transmission fluid pulling that same trailer up the 16% grade entrance to Laguna Seca Raceway following said drive. You can run all kinds of simulations to gain the majority of background test data, but there is no substitute for actual real world conditions to quickly demonstrate all the parameters you forgot to include in the simulations. Please Ford, don't exclude real world testing.

That's how ford gets their numbers..by "Virtual" not "Reality"..

That explains why my F 350 struggles with a load and the Dodge and GM turcks fly past me,while my truck sways and cant stop like its supposed to..

No more "Virtual" Fords for me..I want a truck tested the real way...Hey I have 15 "Virtual" Supermodel wives....So can you !

Interesting story as to how technology can simulate towing. That should be the only take home message here. A device used by engineers to help with R&D.

@outnumbered, don't like your Ford then get rid of it. Its just that easy to go and get you another make of truck than to come on here and complain. I guess common sense just ain't to common anymore.

cmon beat me to it--this contraption does not mimic REAL towing of trailers that often have considerable wind loads and really test the capability of a tow vehicle.

Why simulate something that can be easily done in real life unless you are trying to spike "the numbers" to get a bogus rating that has doesn't actually translate to reality?

why are there so many negative comments about ford on every article? Get a life. If you don't like Ford then skip these articles. If you don't have something useful or informative to contribute then GO AWAY. Nobody cares what your opinion is if you're just going to spout negative nonsense about how much a certain brand sucks. When I see an article about for example a GM special edition truck that I think is lame, or a recall that doesn't affect me, or a new van, or something I generally don't like and don't care about I skip over it. Get a life people.

How does this contraption simulate changing air densities at different altitudes and the resulting power gain/loss?

Headlights are in the air alot because of the stupid leveling kits in use these days.

Virtual towing just like the virtual "military grade" aluminum. HAHAHAHAHA!

At least when the next HD towing test is run and the Duramax destroys FORD one more time, ford can point to their virtual test model and claim all the test data says we should have won. HAHAHA!

I could only imagine the huge circle jerk with the gmtools or the fiat losers if this tow sled was about their favorite brand. It is funny though, they cry this is a ford site and when their brand is on the headline, crickets. It always goes to prove my point. Losers at life Ram, gmsrgreat and johnny dilldoe have no clue about anything. Just how to bash.

Whew, good thing I don't like fiat or I'd think you were talking about me

@devilsadvocate
Other Automotive manufacturers use similar devices to test loadings.No far from new technology. Real world testing picks up problems not seen in this controlled environment

Wonder if they use this on the F150? Seem like it, but they for got to add weight for such load, probably why the rear bumper drags on the gound with only 1,000 in the bed of their max tow and haul package LMBO!

Meanwhile back at the Ram ranch...Tony is designing new Ram mustache grilles and thinking the Ram letters on the tailgate need to be bigger.

Wrangler owners are holding their collective breath awaiting just what an italian inspired new Wrangler will be....death clock is ticking.

Ford will be first for autonomies self driving vehicles. Good luck with the Law suits. What brakes Ford use to have would slam on with a reflection of my Ram Limited. lol

Hemiv8 will be the pivot man. Him and Rico Suave can swap off.

RAM
please don't flatter yourself, I am NOT sticking up for YOU or your Ram junk!
Even when I don't like Ford, Ram trucks are even a BIGGER piece of junk than Ford.
All pickups are junk, some of them are just worse than the others and your Ram takes the prize being the worst!

If you're hooking a trailer to te back of an actual truck, and pull it down actual pavement, then then testing isn't "virtual" (as in the title), but "actual".

Let me preface the rest of my comments by stating that I am no Ford fan, but I can admit that they build a damn convincing product.

The trailer being used weights just over 4000#, which is why that is shown on the read-out. It cannot create a condition simulating LESS than that load, since it is a non-motoring unit. It is built as aerodynamic as possible to simulate minimum conditions. Wind resistance AND weight up a grade can both be simulated.

"If you don't have any technical information to share, or discuss the valid points I raised, please don't post any personal subjective feeling in this forum. It's worthless. Don't forget , you talk to Mechanical Engineer in the first place and RAM owner then."
He totally doesn't get how ironic his statement is.

Brake testing, including engine/trans braking can be and is done on a chassis dyno. Regardless of what Popular Mechanics tell you, no battery that fits in a trailer could reliably and repeatably reproduce the power demands to simulate hose loads. it would overheat. EV batteries are not built to deliver or absorb 200+kw contiuously.

@Michael- paint- they use black spray paint. Nobody outfitting test mules/trucks fives a phuk what it looks like.

@devilsadvocate- this is a powertrain development tool. It is NOT a chassis development tool, trailer certification tool, or vehicle dynaqmics develpment tool.

@Scott Lockhart- sorry about your trans, but this is the opposite of what you're thinking- it allows Ford to do MORE testing. This way they can start pulling loads earlier in development, and they can create conditions beyond reality- like the load up the eisen hower grade in the middle of death valley.

@Dav- Why- because they can hook this thing up, point the truck down I94 and get an eval of serious mountain grades, without spending weeks and tens of thousands deploying trucks, trailers and personell to those locations. don't worry, that still happens, too.

@ha- the leveling kits aren't the problem. Chotch-bags who can't finish their job by re-adjusting the headlights are the problem.

Regardless of what Popular Mechanics tell you, no battery that fits in a trailer could reliably and repeatably reproduce the power demands to simulate hose loads. it would overheat. EV batteries are not built to deliver or absorb 200+kw contiuously.

Posted by: Mr Knowitall | Mar 31, 2016 5:58:31 AM

I disagree with you. You don't know too much about the batteries. There are types of batteries, which will handle that easily, but are more expensive than Tesla or your cell phone uses, but not out of reach for ford, because I was thinking of them for my travel trailer. First of all, explain please, how did you get 200kW continuous power needed, if the Ika Gauntlet is just 7 miles roughly( I didn't check).
Batteries doesn't need to absorb 200kW continuously, but waste it, in the heat, like ford is doing exactly right now. Don't you think?
This trailer ford uses is not high tech. It works similarly, like load on the passive exercise machine.
Ford engineers did 50% job in here. It's better than zero, but they can use it just for rough data and final numbers needs serious testing, not this 50% gimmick.

enough of this stuff!
Tell us about MOAB!!!!

@Mark Williams:

Another poorly-written story by PUTC. You make it sound like Ford came up with this idea. That trailer is NOT designed or owned by Ford. It is made by Taylor Dyno and is used by ALL the manufacturers. Taylor also makes dynos like that for cars, medium duty trucks, heavy duty trucks, and buses:

http://www.taylordyno.com/products/towing-dynamometers/full-sized-cars-light-trucks/

Testing and innovations in testing are fascinating.

Believe or not one test does not fit all situations or satisfy all measures.

Believe it or not one piece of testing equipment does not fit all situations or satisfy all measures.

Testing presents data and if done long enough and properly delivers trends in performance/reliability and shows strengths and shortfalls.

You can have outrageously pointless testing nothing can ever pass or equally as outrageiously easy to pass testing. The testing can be too long, or too short, it can be unrealistic, it can be improperly conducted, the results can be ignored or improperly analyzed/conveyed. It can be overly specialized and most of all testing is expensive.

This is more like an innovation in testing efficiency. A gadget that prevents fork lift time loading and unloading trailers to get data on resistance issues. As long as they testers recognize the limits of the device and apply that to its specific purposes it makes a lot of sense. For testing drive train stress this is a brilliant idea. For testing sag, corrosion resistance, payload, tongue weight and so forth not so much...

The company that finds a better way to test (faster and more cheaply) has more money to pay its shareholders, invest in new products/innovations/technologies, and avoid bankruptcy or foreign take over. The trick is to not jeopardize the product.

What you forget to test for is often far more punishing than what you don't...

@sk PUTC is owned by Ford, Mike Lavine came from this site and went to Ford marketing, you can bet he sends over every rid bit he gets to promote Ford further.

@RAM- where do YOU work in powertrain development? And you can disagree all you want- when you write "because I was thinking of them for my travel trailer." about batteries 'too expensive for Tesla' my eyes glaze over. You COULD provide a link or factual reference to what battery tech you are referring to, but you didn't. Next.

@sk
It makes sense now. I was holding back and didn't want to acuse PUTC of hidden ford advertising, but I can do that now and it's even false one.

@RAM- where do YOU work in powertrain development? And you can disagree all you want- when you write "because I was thinking of them for my travel trailer." about batteries 'too expensive for Tesla' my eyes glaze over. You COULD provide a link or factual reference to what battery tech you are referring to, but you didn't. Next.

Posted by: Mr Knowitall | Mar 31, 2016 9:28:33 AM

That's what I expected. You didn't address any of my questions.

First of all, explain please, how did you get 200kW continuous power needed, if the Ika Gauntlet is just 7 miles roughly( I didn't check).
Batteries doesn't need to absorb 200kW continuously, but waste it, in the heat, like ford is doing exactly right now. Don't you think?

The batteries are LiFePO4, if you must know.

http://www.batteryspace.com/lifepo4cellspacks.aspx

Now is your turn to answer. Again. You missed one. Tro!!