F-150 4x2 with a 133" wheelbase, styleside pickup (regular longbed), has the Mazda 5-Speed Overdrive manual transmission, has 3.08:1 gears in the rear end (but is NOT a limited slip differential), which is rated at 3800 lbs. capacity.
To add to this, 6250 GVWR, 5.0l engine. We want to pull a 1974 Prowler trailer (registered at 4000 lbs. but was told by previous owner it is NOT this heavy. I know, weigh it). Can't weight it 'til we find out if truck can pull it to the scales...and make it home again.

 

is it a Travel Trailer? do you have a weight distributing hitch?
you 5.0 and trans combo has plenty of power to pull that trailer . you don't have the suspension to though without the use of a weight dist.(equalizer) hitch . what year is the truck? also what size is the trailer?.

 

The truck is a 1993, rated at 6250 gvwr, 2800 front gawr, 3800 rear axle gawr. The trailer is a 22' Prowler. I realize you could give a much clearer answer if I had the actual loaded weight of the trailer but until I get brave enough to pull it to some scales somewhere, I won't get the REAL weight. Oh yes, it has a Reese dual cam w/d hitch.

One of our problems (besides not enough $$) is that it costs to get the receiver put on the truck and then, if we find AFTERWARDS that the truck can't handle the trailer, we've got to shell out more $$ to get the receiver removed. Sheesh. Why didn't he just get a nice BIG truck???

 

this isn't for yourself? are you mechanicly inclined at all? those hitches have 6 bolts max holding them to the frame . no drilling required. even if you are less then mech inclined you should be able to install it in a few hours . ( i do them in 30 to 60 mins).
the thing about fleetwood products is they are built outa toothpicks to make them light as possible . with the hitch if you had 4 wheel drive i could lift the entire back of the truck off the ground and you could still drive it with the front end . that trailer shouldn't scale out over around 6800lbs by itself and then you take off 10% or 680 lbs for hitch weight . with that truck you should be ok as far as power/towing ability but don't expect to win any races. ..lol..i've towed bigger with mine just down to have them scaled w/out a w/d hitch but my butt was draggin .lol.
we sell the "cougar" fifth wheel trailers that are built for 1/2 ton trucks . and the smallest is 6550 lbs , that is with 800 lbs on the hitch . they do fine . i've even put 35 foot fifth wheel trailers on 3/4 ton trucks and they have been ok also . you should be fine .

 

You are right about the 6 bolts. But you have to drill all six of them, 1/2 in holes. The rear 2 line up with holes in the frame SOMETIMES, but you still have to drill them out to 1/2 in.

 

I think it's the rear axle ratio (3.08.1) that worries me more than the weight (although I know weight is the primary consideration when towing). The fellow at the garage said we'd burn out the tranny within the first 50 miles. Or blow the engine or whatever. Now, that's not too neat to hear. I thank you for your answers. I guess the next stop is to get the receiver on and the whole thingy weighed. Maybe then my worries will be eased a bit.

 

Olefafl and Macgyver...we're going to take the truck to the local camper place to have them put the hitch on. Figure they should know what they're doing more than any of the local garages, right?

 

Penny:
The hitch should be about $130.00,
$30.00 to install,
$15.00 for the T-One (light hookup that just plugs in),
$6-10.00 for the plug if its a 6 or 7 wire plug,
$85-up for the brake control if you have brakes on the trailer, anything over 3000lbs should have brakes.
$35-50.00 for install of the brake control and plug,


I have a 95 F150 XLT, ext-cab, short bed, 5.0, AT and when I hook up to the car trailer at work my truck drops about 3-4in, and that with an empty trailer. You will be better off with the equalizer hitch.

If you think a big truck is the answer think again. My parents are comming home a week late from a trip to TX & AZ.
Rock in the radiator, blown head gasket, fried starter, leaking freeze plug, blown injector pump. All on a 93 F350 crew-cab duelly.


Have fun.

 

actually it depends on the hitch . they are made to be a easy bolt on application (doesn't mean they are though ..lol).

 

I have a '91 F-150 with 302/auto that I've posted about a few times here. The truck pulls my '02 Silver Star 3-horse gooseneck trailer just fine, but struggles in the hills. Trailer weight, loaded, is about 6500 pounds. Never do carry more than 1 horse (that will happen when I can afford the bigger truck).

No breakdowns... yet. I try to keep the truck in shape, but worry that inevitably something will happen. 6500 pounds IS a lot of load, especially in hilly terrain.

Fuel economy--about 8 miles per gallon out of overdrive at 70 miles per hour.

Trailer has its own brakes, but never ever get close behind any vehicle when pulling. My experience has been that you can't stop quickly, regardless of your trailer's brakes and you need that extra time/distance to react and stop, especially with grabby, new electric brakes like the ones on my trailer.

My only concern with you truck is that manual transmission and the gearing! Treat the transmission gently, and consider upgrading to a 3.55 or 3.73 rear axle if you find that performance is weak.

-Mike

 

I know (well, I'm pretty darn sure) we won't be over the truck's OR the trailer's GVWR or the GCWR but I AM a bit concerned about the rear axle gearing. How much, if we decided it just wasn't doing a good enough job with the 3.02.l axle, would a 3.55 or 3.73 axle cost INSTALLED. Nope, neither of us is really that mechanically inclined so we would have to have someone do it for us. Do you have to buy those things new or can you maybe pick one up at the local bone yard?

I really appreciate all the feedback I'm getting on this. It IS clearing up the engine concerns, more or less, and some of my other concerns.

 

i have a 90' F250 w/5.8 L and mazda 5 speed at work . i will check monday what the rear end is . it pulls good .

 

Ray-
The F250 should have at least 3.55's, and can handle a trailer weight of 6500 pounds. If it's got 4.10's, it can handle an 8000 pound trailer.

Penny-
The 3.08's will probably be the death of your truck. Your maximum acceptable trailer weight is only 2300 pounds. Installing 3.55's would bring that up to 3600 pounds. Installing an automatic tranny (w/ the 3.08's) would bring it up to 4800 pounds (auto trans & 3.55's brings it up to7300 lbs.).

Take care,
-Chris

 

lol . we've put 12,000 on it :-)

 

You Texans always do things big, don't you!

Take care,
-Chris