To all of you unfortunate people out there who purchased a 5 speed without doing your homework and assuming as most people do that a manual can tow more than an auto. The truck tows fine.

I have a 2002 4.6L 5 speed with 3.31 gears. My boat is a Seaswirl 2301 O/B with tower. The boat is upwards of about 5000-5500 lbs depending on fuel in the boat gear etc....

I towed it from North Carolina to Maine through the Pennsylvania mountains on Interstate 81. The truck did great. I was able to cruise at about 60-65 mph @ 2300- 2700 RPM respectively. Of course very steep grades 4% +, required a downshift to 3rd @ 3000 rpm doing 50mph. Essentially you keep up with the loaded tractor trailers.

You just have to be smart when you tow. Don't beat on the truck. I could have done 75+ mph in overdrive on the straights and downslopes. Why?

The tranny is plenty strong. No problems what so ever. I spoke with alot of Ford techs prior to making my trip to get the boat. They said they had almost never seen a manual tranny break. Clutches were a different story though.

don' ride the clutch. engage the clutch as quickly as possible. Don't try and have a nice smooth takeoff. engage it and let the engine do the work.

I was very happy with the performance of the truck and 5 speed. I guess if I had one wish to make it would be to put at least 3.55's in it. Even when I tow nothing I think the 3.31 is hurting my fuel mileage. They make the engine work to hard.

 

Thanks. Good, common sense post.
I'm sure it will be referenced often as this topic comes up all the time, usually in the Towing Hauling Forum.

 

After much concern with my own 5 speed & Fords tow rating I have concluded the same.. I tow aprox 3500lbs in moutain regions of Ut, ID & WY without a problem. Also have talked with several tranny mechanis who just say keep it out of 5th unless going down hill, wich I did anyway