I LOVE MY F150 SUPERCAB WITH 5.4 V8 AND 3.55 RATIO. I HAVE ALWAYS JUST USED MY 150 AS A WORK VEHICLE. IT HAS 79K MILES BUT ITS IN GREAT SHAPE AND NEVER CAUSED ME A PROBLEM. I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A TRAVEL TRAILER WHICH HAS A DRY WEIGHT OF 6600LBS AND A GROSS WEIGHT OF 8600LBS. I DO NOT WANT TO GET RID OF THIS TRUCK SO I AM ASKING, IS THIS TRUCK CAPABLE OF TOWING THIS TRAILER OR IS THERE AN UPGRADE TO MY TRUCK I CAN HAVE DONE.

 

If you really love your truck, you won't tow that trailer with it.

I guess your manufacturers tow limit would be about 4 ton.

But, when the truck is seven years old with 80k on it the manufacturers limit doesn't apply, the owners limit does and she ain't what she used to be.

I have 72,000 on my 1999 and I would not tow more than 2 1/2 ton with it.

 

See this sticky thread. i don't know if you have 2wd or 4wd, or if you have 16" rims or 17" rims, but your limits are in the 7700-8000 range if you have the factory tow package, or have added an upgraded trans cooler. Go ahead and try it, but I think you will be much happier towing that much weight with a 3/4 on truck, even if you had the same engine.

 

Oh yeah, I forgot about the sticky thread.
That is very helpful, thanks to whoever put that out there, you are a helluva guy.

(and probably good looking too!)

 

That's a lot of trailer for an F150. Sure, you'll be able to physically move it. It might even tow "okay". But, you'll probably be over every weight cap that your truck has.

In my own case, I tow a #4500 fully loaded travel trailer and while I'm waaaaaay under the tow cap from the above list, I'm at the trucks GVWR of #6250 when I'm all hitched up and ready to roll. I'm over a ton UNDER my GCWR of #12500 too, but since I've reached one of my caps already, I can't really tow any heavier of a trailer, because the additional tongue weight of a heavier trailer will put me over.

Now, my truck is not going to just break if I exceed the GVWR, as I've done that before with just payload in the bed...... But, I also want to have a decent towing experience and not have to fight the rig the whole way to my destination..... Also, towing puts a different kind of strain on the entire truck and depending on the road conditions and route you take, you might not like the results of towing something that weighs more then you do.

Also, towing a #8000 boat is way different then towing a #8000 travel trailer. Wind resistance is the biggest factor on a TT. You have a lot of surface area in front and the sides of that thing. Not near as much as on a boat, so the boat will tend to tow 'easier'.

It's really up to you and your comfort level of towing. What's comfortable for me is not necessarly comfortable for you and visa-versa......

IMO, that's too much trailer. I'd stick to one that has a GVWR of no more then #6500 on the trailer, but that's JMO....

Good luck!

 

I have a slightly dumb question while on the subject. Why are the trucks with the 17" wheels down rated when compared to their 16" tire brothers? Are they basing it on a 235/75/16 compared to a 265/70/17 or a 265/75/16 to the 265/70/17? Because the latter of the two are the same size so rollout would be the same.

 

F.L.U.F.

It's based off of the 235/70/16 or 255/70/16 tires (~29" tall) compared to the 265/70/17 tire (~31" tall) as those are the stock sizes available. Like you say, a 265/75/16 is about the same height as the 265/70/17......

 

With a equallizer hitch you should be able to pull up to 10000(CGVW) lbs, I believe, talk to your local trailer dealer.

 

You guys are starting to scare me.

 

I dont claim to be a expert in this field but from what I have researched in hitches lately, I would recomend a equalizer hitch The link is self explainatory and really increases a vehicles towing capacity. There are lots of different styles to choose from but all provide the same basic principle: This comes from my local trailer store. With this type of setup and the power in the 5.4, they say no problem.
Sway Bars
Reese

Good luck, hope this helps

Sorry, I assumed that people know about their CGVW

 

You will find that you will exceed your combined weight limits (CGVW) before you tap out your towing limits. Make sure you weight the whole package, kids, pets, and all.

Also, consider the terrian which you will tow over. If you live in the flat lands, you can push the limits more than others who cross mountain ranges - the truck limits cover all senerios.

I wholehearded endorse the use of weight distribution hitch, especially for a trailer that big. Get a good break controller too.

Good Luck!

 

The weights you mention do sound a bit heavy. I'm currently towing a 28ft TT that has a dry weight of 5230 lbs and a gross weight of 7350 lbs. Loaded with food, clothes etc. the trailer comes in at 6000-6300, depending on how much stuff we take. Our truck/trailer combo is at about 12000 lbs - which according to Ford gives me 1500 lbs to spare. We never tow with water in any of the tanks, only the 6 gallons in the water heater. The H20 just adds too much weight.

I'm pulling it with my 2000 F150 XLT 7700 S/Cab 4x4 - 5.4 V8 and 3.73 gears. There are times I wish I had a diesel - like going up grades (can you say 3000-4000 rpms?) or every time I pull in to the gas pumps. I get about 8 or 9 mpg when pulling. I always lock out O/D - the tranny seems to hunt if I don't, even on flat ground.

In your situation, I would downsize the trailer, since you don't want to replace your truck. If you do decide to use your truck to pull that trailer, you really need not only the weight distributing hitch, but sway control as well. Do not let anyone try to tell you that friction sway control will do - it won't - not for that heavy of a trailer. I have been very satisfied with my Reese Dual Cam setup. I'm sure there are other options out there, but my DC is what I have and it works.

 

Take your time towing and leave plenty of room to stop if you plan on towing that much.

 

Your Gross towing weight would be maxed out if you had an F150 2x4 with the 7700 Super Duty option which, by seeing the 3.53 gears, you don't have. It's always a good rule that your max trailer weight is at least 1500-2500 lbs. under the Gross towing weight of the truck.

Sure it will tow it but forget any long trips, you will slowly burn out your truck and your nerves.

As mentioned before, downsize the trailer unless you are towing once or twice a year and for only a few hundred mile on flat ground! And only do this with a transmission cooler and a hitch with a weight distribution setup.