Hello everyone... I new in this forum. I do not know a lot about trucks and I need your help guys..

I have a 2001 F-150 Lariat extended cab 4x4 V8 5.4 Triton. The differential said H9 i think is a 3.55LS gears.

My intention is tow a car one's a week 40 miles by using the freeway, but I do not know if this truck will be good for that. I work fixing cars and this will be the only way I can get them to my place of work. Already has 220.xxx miles. I am also planning using a car dolly, not a ramp.
I would like to know what is the max tow loading for this truck and if I will be able to do it without killing my machine. I am short of cash and that is why i do not buy a V10.

If u need more info please let me know

 

I believe it is rated to tow 6500lbs.

 

You should be fine. Most cars plus dolly is not going to weigh in m ore than about 4000lbs. As you are using a dolly, tongue weight should not hit the limit of 500lbs (limit without a WD hitch). Only thing to be sure of is the shape of the transmission. Serviced? May have to tow with OD locked out.

 

A trailer would be a much better way to tow a car than a dolly. Your truck has enough tow capacity to pull a car on a trailer.

 

Make sure that there's a cooler on the fluid circuit.

 

Brake fluid? Power steering fluid? Engine coolant? Transmission fluid? Axle fluid? Engine oil? Could you be maybe a bit more specific than fluid circuit?

 

I've towed a broken full sized bronco before. My truck is simular to yours. No issues. Little scary but the truck handled it..

 

The subject is towing so it has to be the transmission fluid. Heat is the biggest killer of an automatic transmission. I have a gauge on my trans fluid output line before it enters the radiator and it reads 150 degrees.

 

Why does it have to be transmission fluid? Every fluid gets hotter towing.

 

You can do what I have done so far. I have installed an external oil cooler and a remote oil filter where I can use a larger filter and have pressure/temperature gauges monitoring the system. I did all the labor and saved a ton of money. Helping build race cars sure helped. The radiator has been replaced also to keep things cool with the A/C on. This is getting ready for the engine rebuild where the extra ponies are gonna make more heat. There's a 4 link rear suspension not leaf springs. The coilovers are triple adjustable to tune in perfect to driving conditions. Airbags for overload conditions to.

 

I am living in an Apartment Complex and for now is the only thing that the manager allow me to park there.
Is there any advantage or disadvantage between using car dolly or trailer?

Thanks everyone for yours amazing help... know i feel better.

 

One advantage with the dolly, is you will not need a WD hitch, something you will need with a trailer. Trailer + vehicle could easily hit over 5000lbs, which is the limit for not using a WD hitch.

 

The big disadvantage to a dolly is you CANNOT back the rig up without unhitching the dolly. It will jackknife.