All, I'm currently sitting in Afghanistan (so you know why I'm not consulting my owner's manual) and need a towing capacity question answered. My brother in law's Suburban just crapped out on him and he wants to use my 2004 F150 SCREW 4X2 with just the 4.6, to haul it back to his house (125 miles) on a trailer. I figure a trailer that will haul his vehicle will weight in a around 2000 lbs and his Suburban has got to weight close to 5000 lbs. I'm thinking that my truck is not built to handle that much weight. Anyone care to chime in and either support my concerns or refute them? Appreciate any insight-

 

Towing with the 4.6 I believe is maxed out at 6,000Lbs.....So yeah, you will be over by some.......

 

Truck is built to handle that kind of weight but you may just be a little under powered and have to take it easy. Suspension and such will take the load but the way it is distributed with the Screw is the reason it has the lower CGVW. If concerned use equallizer bars. I wouldn't worry about exceeding the CGVW as long as I didn't have to report to any scales. I have a heavy 18' equipment hauler, load it up til the max and I started out towing it with a early Bronco, 77, with a 4.10s and a lot of snot before I went to the Dakota and now my 04 Screw. and it's only a "2 hour cruise", what could happen Gilligan .

 

Check this out. It's handy.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenance/owners_manuals/

 

btw depending on gearing the 4.6 will handle a minimum of 6300 lbs and a max of 6800
for 4x2 it starts on page 180

 

125 miles is a long haul at (probably) highway speeds. I wouldn't do it without an electric trailer brake - which you probably aren't set up for. A sudden stop will have the tail wagging the dog without a trailer brake. As far as towing capacity, just be sure to keep the OD locked out to protect your transmission.

 

Not no but, Hell No!

Tell your friggin brother in law to come sit in your foxhole and you will tow his Surburban with your truck.
Otherwise tell him to get bent.

The fact that he would even ask is a clear indication he'd abuse your truck.

 

I would not try it with the 4.6l. I have the 5.4l it is rated for 8800lbs. Evan so I would still be leery. The burb probably weighs more than 5000lbs.

 

Ive towed a suburban with my 5.4 no problems 60 miles down the road But the thing is, the 5.4L I have has the tow package. So the drive train and all of that is made for such abuse. But my old mans 4.6, gets a little warm, trying to pull such weight. If I were you, i'd tell him no. You might as well not risk your truck, and the nerve wrecking worry if hes being nice to it.

 

the truck can handle it and that is great but the breaks is what you need to think about trailer places don't care if you can move a trailer they just CARE you can stop it and so dose the dmv that's how they get there tow capacities its what you can stop not what you can get going or moving !