Would like to know the experiences of other member’s in towing an RV with an F150. I have 1998 F150, XLT, extended, cab, 139" wheel base, 2WD, 4.6L V8, auto. trans., tow package, 3.55 limited slip rear end. Truck rated at 7000# trailer weight, 11,500# GCVR. Truck weight on scale is 4,600#.

What size and weight of trailers are you towing, and how does the truck handle the load?

 

Ive towed about 3000-4000lbs before, and it handles good. No problem with take off, handling, etc. I have only had it up to 50mph though {not highway, its the speed limit}.

 

See also "towing connectors and hitches"

 

Since your truck has a GCVWR of 11,500 and weighs in at 4,600 (people + fuel, I hope),
you can SAFELY tow a trailer with a GVW of 6,900# (11500 - 4600 = 6900).

Be aware that unscrupulous trailer dealers (used car salesmen that couldn't cut it) will tell you that your truck "can handle it" - no matter how much the trailer weighs!

For safety's sake, do NOT exceed your safe weight.

Good luck & good trailering.

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1999 F-250 XLT Super Duty Crew Cab Long Bed
V-10, Automatic 4R100, 4.30 Limited Slip.
GVW = 6700# Towing Capacity = 13,300#
4 Wheel ABS disks + Reese 15K hitch
Dark Hunter Green. Ford Running Boards.
Grey Rhino-Liner. Captain's Chairs. CD+Tape
Polished Stainless Steel Wheel-well Molding http://members.home.net/jchartier/jnctrk.html

 

Hi dmc98xlt.
I have a 98 - 4.6 S/C - with HD tow pak.
I tow a 5th wheel 22 ft long - mfg. plate says 5700 lbs add other stuff i throw in & it's probably 6000 +.

Ford claims I can haul 7000 lbs I think - long time since I checked.

You should also look at your tire press. for the max weight allowable.

I haul from Vancouver Island, Canada, down I-5, over Shasta, Grants pass etc, and the route out of Bakersfield goes from appx sea level to 4000 ft in a short period of time.

I ahve had no trobles handling that load, though it's only some places on I-5 that I can get into O'drive, so I normaly run NOT IN.

Gas mileage is the poop's, but then I am pulling 6000lbs.

Hope this helps

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98 F150 S/C 4.6 2wd Vermillion/Silver,HD Tow Pkg, Boards, Vents, Bug Chaser, DIY "breezer" Tailgate, 5th whl hitch, Tool box, 16" OEM Mag's

 

Thanks for your response roadrunner.

Glad to hear your F150 does a good job with that amount of weight. You are right, 7000 lbs is max trailer weight specified by Ford.

I was looking at a 25 foot lite RV travel trailer, dry weight about 4,200 lbs, and GVWR at 5,900 lbs, and was concerned that I maybe didn't have enough HP for that weight of trailer.

It's hard to find people pulling RV with F150, since most use a Super Duty.

Have you experienced any strong head winds, and did your truck have enough HP under this condition?

By the way, how bad is the gas mileage when your towing?

 

dmc98xlt - Long explanation - pls bear with me.
I towed same 5th wheel, to same places before I got the f150, with a Ranger 4liter-5spd. It was great on level, really, REALLY slow up big mountains, but I could manually dwnshift & control RPM's. I could even drive in o'd sometimes. I could get 250 to 290 kilometers, out of a tankful, normally twice that without trailer.
With the 4.6 & 2 more clys.& auto trans big hills I used to do at 40KPH, I now find I can do at 50KPH, remember, I dont want to overrev so I watch my foot on the gas. I have a prob running in O'd with the auto tranny, so I usually run with it off. I shift into o'd on downhills, or the level with a good tailwind, for some economy, but having said that, economy is NOT something you sould look for hauling a trailer!!! I almost prefer a manual shift, but Ford gives a LOWER towing capacity with the stick shift.
I have the 355 rr end (I think thats the ratio, the Std one anyway).
The Siskew (spell) range, at the border of Oregan & Calif. is a pretty good climb, I have a feeling the 4.6 auto did it better that the 4 5spd. but thats only a guess? who measures this stuff.
Hills (mountains) dont seem to be a problem heat wise on the engine temp gauge, and by just backing off a bit I try to hold down rpm's. A steep, fast climb,& I still rev up to abt 4000, some times in 2nd, just to make the climb, (i've never reved over that). At hwy speed's,- o'd off, I'd say I run at about 3000, actually I put the speedo on 100 KPH. it seems to work OK - on the I'states, not that quick of course on regular highways.
I was hauling out of Palm Springs, this spring, towards Riverside, a good hill,(sea level to abt 4000ft) hot, and a gale blowing at me, I thought I had the brakes on !!!! It was a REAL TOUGH pull, gas milage goes into dummper, you could almost watch the gauge go down.
I see some guys are using 308 rr ends, & no doubt 5.4 might have been a better choice.
I figured, since the 4L 6 worked OK, the 4.6 plus 2 more cyls would be OK. My gas milage with the 8cyl is a around the same, although I go further, because of the larger capacity tank than the Ranger, but, I still only go 300 to 350 K's, or half of what I get when not towing.
Ford claims they dont rate a std tranny as high as an Auto, because people dont know how to drive or shift a std ( they slip the clutch to much). I hauled race cars & trailers for years with a std.
No kidding, if I had to do it again (buy a new truck) I think I'd look at 5spd std tranny & 5.4 engine.
Anyway, thats my "life story". I hope it helps.
If I can give you any more info, just contact me. - best of luck.

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98 F150 S/C 4.6 2wd Vermillion/Silver,HD Tow Pkg, Boards, Vents, Bug Chaser, DIY "breezer" Tailgate, 5th whl hitch, Tool box, 16" OEM Mag's

 

Roadrunner,

Thanks for sharing your experiences, I really appreciate it.

You gave me hope that I have enough truck to pull the RV I'm looking at. Will probably go for a test pull in the near future, as they say, winter is the best time to buy an RV.

 

dmc98xlt....................well as you can see I have a truck almost like yours. The truck will NOT be fast with that amount of weight. And if you do the mods as I have the truck really does good for the size of the engine. My power range is about 3,000 to 4,000 rpm. The Triton engine likes to rev. The shop guys tell me the
Triton engine can easily rev to 4,500 rpm with out undo strain. I pull my trailer here in Idaho where the hills are quite abundant. 4 to 6% grades are common. The one thing I notice about the truck is that it never got off nomal on the temp gage. (good sign).......... also Dont use overdrive and service the tranny often and you will do fine.

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97 F-150 4.6 auto, 4x2, 3.55 LS, trailer tow pkg, Air box modification with K&N, Dynomax Super Turbo exhaust.
Oh yeah, it's Oxford White with crome wheels, Legacy shell & custom grill, mlaugh-Meridian, Idaho.

 

If you can do a test pull that's the only way you'll really know if you feel comfortable or not.

I had a 98 S/C 4.6. I really loved this truck and when I bought it I had no real intention of towing. I ended up buying a 26 ft travel trailer weighing 5100lbs EMPTY (no goodies). I was not satisfied pulling the trailer with this truck, and as you can see by my signature, I moved up a step.

The 4.6L just didn't seem to have the power to pull that much weight correctly. Top cruising speed was 50 mph, anything over that you could hear it and the front end was light. The weight of the trailer was heavy on the rear-end. When considering the weight of the trailer, keep in mind the tongue weight of the trailer plays a big role, it will affect the handling and the pulling.

I thought of upgrading my suspension and superchipping along with some other mods but I got a good deal on a 99, lost nothing on my 98, so it was worth it to me to just do it the right way. No regrets, besides, I like the improved access to the CD, the larger engine, and the 4th door.

I think you'll be alright if you stay in the 3-4000lb range, I wouldn't go any heavier. Just another opinion.

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99 F250XLT Supercab LD
5.4L 3.73 LS
White/Silver
Graphite interior
6 CD changer/Captain's Chairs