Is anybody out there towing with an I6 and 5 speed? If so, how much weight, what gears on the rear? How does it do on the hills?

 

My brother tows an 18ft Lund boat with his '90 4x4. Auto tranny, 3.55 gears. Lots of low end, not nearly enough to keep here going down the freeway when she is loaded up for the weekend. Also, my stepdad tows 2 Model "T" fords to shows and stuff on a steel car hauler. His truck is an '84 2wd with the manual tranny (1st gear granny gear). That truck hauls those cars around a hundred times better than my brother's truck hauls around that boat, and I know that the trailer alone weighs more than that boat does. It dosen't have any topend either.

Crotteau

 

That's not a great towing combination. You would do better with an auto tranny. My 300/5spd does okay. The truck itself is loaded down with tools, and averages 6000 pounds every time it's on the scales. I have towed a 455 Olds ski boat, but I have no idea how heavy it was, and I towed it from the bumper. Everything was great, until we got off the highway and drove up into the hills, towards the lake. The towing wasn't the problem, the brakes were. They sucked quick. Fortunately, it wasn't much more than 10 or 15 miles of up and down rollercoaster like roads.

Take care,
-Chris

 

The most my truck has ever hauled, loaded with a travel trailer and a bunch of other stuff, was 13,500lbs total between truck and trailer. Most of the trips it went on, it usually totalled over 12,000lbs. The trailer itself weighed anywhere from 5800-6300, depending on how much stuff we packed in it.

All things considered, it did damn good.

 

Every other weekened I usualy have my dirtbike and my girlfriends quad in the bed at a combined weight of around 700ibs and I can't feel a thing!

 

Well, here's the official word from Ford:

With a 300ci / 5spd the MAXIMUM Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) in pounds is:

w/ 2.73's = 6,250 lbs.
w/ 3.08's = 6,450
w/ 3.31's = 7,125
w/ 3.55's = 7,800

Now, check out how much more the exact same truck can tow with an automatic tranny:

300ci / Auto:

w/ 3.08's = 9,000 lbs.
w/ 3.31's = 9,500
w/ 3.55's = 10,000

Anyway, that's the official answer.

Take care,
-Chris

 

Sure the auto tranny will let you tow more...but i cant live with out my 2nd gear chirp

 

Why the improvement with the auto? I would have thought it would rob power. Anyhow, I tow a 2,500 lb trailer frequently and the combo holds up fine. I've towed about 5,000 and could keep it at 60 except up those big hills.

 

Check your owners manual.

Take care,
-Chris

 

The auto has a higher rating because:

1) The M5OD is simply an undersized tranny, more suited to people who use their trucks like cars. The gears are too small and the ratios are wrong for towing a very heavy load.

2) The stock clutch is very light duty. Combined with the non-granny 1st gear ratio of the M5OD, you can burn up the clutch just getting the load moving

 

Jesus H, chris, you've got as many posts here as on the mustangworks!! Anyways, can you tell me where you got the gross load specs for that truck? I don't have the same one but I'd like to see what mine's rated at. Also, I'd like to learn more about the tranny if anyone knows. All I know is it's an auto(overdrive).

Thanks.

 

LOL!!! Not quite. I've got over 5100 posts on MW.

Sure, I got those numbers right out of my owners manual. If you still have yours, the same info should be in there.

If you don't have yours, I'll see what I can find out for you, but I need your VIN, your trans. code, and your axle code from your V.C. Label (inside the drivers side door jamb).

Welcome to the neighborhood!

Take care,
-Chris