Going up is the easy part. I think I started most passes at 70+ and topped them around 55-60. It is going down that is a safety concern with a lighter truck. That 10k lb trailer is going to push like a bear and some passes are too long to ride the brakes all the way down.

 

That's why trailers have their own brakes.

 

I use my '10 5.4 frequently to tow my 20ft car hauler (est 5k dry) for anything from atvs/bikes to a 2br apt worth of stuff. I moved from the NC mountains and back a few times and never had any problems. (yes it's not as great as a SD, but it's not 20mph 1st gear). You would be surprised, you won't be but maybe 15-20mph slower than most cars in tow haul mode, at least here in nc. (55 mph speed limit on the mountain)

 

That is with max tow package. I wish I had that on my truck. I just have the basic setup with a max of 9600 LBS. I think the EB can tow over 11K without max tow correct?

 

Those aren't mountains in NC. Those are tame compared to the Rockies. The plateau below the mountains in CO is at a higher altitude than anything you call a mountain in NC.

 

As I said, depending on tow package. The EB might be able to tow over 11k without the max tow package but I wouldn't recommend it since it isn't rated for it.

 

Thanks for the reply. Just to reiterate: You think I, with my 2010 F150 W/Max tow 5.4 and 6 Speed and 3.73 gears, will be able to tow a 10K trailer up a 6% grade and not drop say below 45MPH?

I'm OK dropping down to 45 MPH-ish for a few miles I just don't want to be down in the 15-30 MPH range. At least not on the freeway or rare circumstance. As far as down hill I alway error on the side of caution and shift down from the start with trailer brakes.

 

Not even close. 20 mph. Tuck yourself into the truck lane.

 

Have you towed 10,000 lb's with a half?

 

Nope, and I never plan to. I'm going on what I've heard and what I know. A stock 5.4 can't tow its way out of a wet paper bag at that altitude, the air is too thin. If I lived where you do and planned to tow anything over 5k, it would be with either a turbodiesel or a turbocharged/supercharged gas motor. Head on up I-70 from Denver to Vail, and just observe what is towing what, and how fast they are going. 10k is hard enough on a 5.4 (and a 1/2 ton chassis) at sea level.

 

great point. go see whats towing what and how its doing

 

All i hear from that post is a bunch of excuses to help convince the wife as to why you NEED to buy a blower.

 

I agree, it was almost to the point of being miserable pulling a 17 foot fishing boat with my dads from alabama to texas. Sure it'd pull the weight, but go full throttle and that thing would not accelerate at highway speeds.

My 5.0 tows much more weight better, but i still can't imagine towing 10k in the mountains with it and being satisfied with it's performance in any way. It's just to heavy of a load, and the only way for it to do it alright is in ideal conditions.

If you are going to do it once or twice, i think you'd be fine as long as you have a TBC installed but if it's a frequent load and route you plan i'd consider looking into a diesel of some sort.

 

Towing 10k on a regular basis really is done better with a 3/4 or 1 ton truck - and in the mountains, a diesel. A new Ecoboost might be okay, but 10k is still a pretty heavy load for any 1/2 ton chassis.

 

I pulled a 7200lb TT up to East Lake in Oregon. I believe it's around 6400' in EL. I had the truck floored in 2nd going up the hwy towards the lake, could barely keep 45mph. It was somewhat curvey and could never regain any speed. I've towed up steeper hwys in Oregon at lower EL's and didn't have that kinda trouble. @4000' the 5.4 still has enough power to do what I need to with 7200lbs. But at 6400' it felt like it lost 100HP and 150lbTQ. The 3.5 Eco would've done way better. But 10,000 lbs for any 1/2 ton is stupid.