We purchased our truck used, we don't know if it will pull our springdale trailer @ 6100#. We have a reese distrubution hitch, & prodigy brake controler. All the trailer dealers say no problem, but I thought I ask the people who really know.

What I am concerned about is if this will really strain the rig. We are planning to drive from Portland, Oregon to Las Vegas, NV and just wanted to see if anyone has any sugguestions that we should do prior to our trip.

Thanks in advance.

 

If you know your rear end gears, you can check Raoul's sticky post at the top of the towing forum. I think you are going to be close to the limit, I would make sure I had a large after market tranny cooler, the tranny will be the thing that suffers the most.

 

I looked at his listing and I'm at #6800, and realize it cutting it close. I have seen it mentioned what exactly is the tranny cooler? Where is this located?

 

Hi Mc

As you may already know..your certainly not overpowered. What rear. diff. gears do you have?

Tranny cooler..take a look in front of radiator..there maybe two separate units w/lines going to them. If so..as i recall the drivers side is power steering cooler..pass. side is tranny cooler.

Easy to trace lines...coming/going to verify what you have.

If manual tranny disregard..only a/t has cooler.

Will you strain your rig..unfortunaely w/that load YES. If you do have a/t...and havent towed with it before...when coming to grades..shift into 3rd gear...if long/steep 6%..you may need 2nd gear?

Your 4.6L will tow it..but i think the a/t could be the weak link?
You should be ok on straight aways..just go easy on the hills.
If a/t starts hunting/shifting alot between gears..just drop it into 3rd and leave it there. I did that alot. Took me awhile to learn about the a/t. In o/d..when you feel a/t shiftiing you may not be in 3rd gear..it maybe the t/q unlocking..its kinda like a gear between 3 & 4th..but not really..you may already know about that?

Also..dont know how your going...but i think its 97? south from Fallon, Nevada to LV...mostly flat...not mts. etc..easy drive...just alot of nothing to see...well alittle scenery/w.lake..but also alot of desert.
Stop in Tonopah...gas/eats etc..If you do go that way..pay attention to speed limits going thru all small towns. Some have real speed traps! Yeah..they got me

Good luck...OT

 

Thanks for the advice old timer. We will probably get another rig later on, but for now we'll take it easy and yes we are going via 97, thanks for the heads up about the speed traps.

 

At a minimum I'd get a tranny cooler put on.

 

First off if you have a manual tranny, you'll end up burning your clutch unless you are a big rig driver and know how to shift as though your truck doesn't have synchronizers in the tranny.

If you have an automatic tranny, look for the tranny oil cooler. If you have it, then you probably have the tow package. Look down through the hole where the hood latch is. The tranny cooler is mounted low and to the passenger side of the vehicle. You should have a cooler on the driver's side. That's for the power steering.

Will the truck tow your load? Of course it will. Just take it easy and turn your Over Drive off when you can't maintain your speed in OD. Don't let the tranny "hunt" up and down all the time. That's what wrecks the tranny.

I sure hope you don't have big tires on the truck. Larger diameter tires will really cut down on your towing performance.

 

I have a 97 F-150 with the 4.6 V8, automatic and 3:55 rear end gears. I pull a 6500# 5th wheel without any difficulty. I did have a transmission cooler added being that my truck didn't come with the factory tow options (we purchased it used). Have fun!