97 F150 4.2L Auto 3.55 (?) U transmission, Reg cab, Reg bed, no tow package.
Need to tow a travel traveler, about 5000 lbs, 2 hours, 70 miles, flat Florida road.

So far, from reading other threads, I learned the following:

1) Need an extra transmission cooler. Connect to the return line. That is, tranny > main >extra > tranny.

2) Need a 7 pin connector. I know nothing about this. The pickup has a 4 pin connector, but pins are dirty. Convert 4 pin to 7 pin?

3) Need a brake controller. I know nothing about this.

4) Travel trailer has to have a brake.

5) Should I take interstate or local?

6) Once I learn all thest things, what must I ask the seller of the travel trailer? Ball size? Height of the hitch? Thanks.

I have never owned a pickup before, never towed before. I am not asking you to explain all these. I have too many quetions to ask.

Please direct me to the right book, internet link, message board, or someone who wouldn't mind answering newbie questions. Thank you much.

 

As far as learning about general towing for travel trailers and such check out www.RV.net.

As far as the tranny cooler goes, I put in this one...
http://www.troyerperformance.com/cgi...gno=PPI-ATCKIT
You will absolutely need an auxillary cooler here in FL. This makes 2 in mine (have a stock aux cooler). I elected to do this because it will activate when backing up and push air though. Others depend on the radiator fan when not going forward. I think I posted some info in the tranny forum about what I did when installing this. I can repost the info again if you need. I would suggest a temp guage too. I got an autometer for $50ish from troyer. There are tons of different guages though. http://www.autometer.com/ This is the one I have http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugede...gid=2624&sid=7

Mine came with the 7 pin connecter, but I've wired them up before. It's not too hard. The wiring diagrams are on the box. You can have an RV dealer do this for you

I also had the brake controller bought/wired at the RV dealer as part of the "deal" on the trailer. Your trailer should already have brakes on it. Make sure they check the adjustment on the brakes on the trailer before you buy it. Mine didn't give me any respons when squeezing the test trigger onhe controler. You should feel it drag when hitting that trigger.

I travel on interstare mainly. 60mph in the right lane, slow and steady. I've also traveled 19 and some other highways. Try to stay out of congested areas as much as you can. A TT is a lot of work in traffic

Again www.RV.net is your friend. There's TONS of info over there about buying, maintenance, driving, etc.

 

Thanks. The RV forum has several how-to's, which are exactly what I need.

 

before you go pick up the trailer and tow back for the 1st time see if any friends have a trailer, any trailer, you can practice with at the local high school parking lot on a weekend. It'll do wonders for your comfort level....

 

If you are just pulling it this one time just hook up and go. I used to pull 5000 lbs with a 4 cyl. ranger auto.

The weather is cool now (in comparison to August), dont' need a cooler.

I would hook up the lights not worry about the brakes just give your self alittle more room to stop.

Take the interstate run 60 mph with the overdrive off.
No big deal.

When you start to pull it frequently then do all of the mods the others said.

 

Thanks for your advice. For last couple of weeks I was busy reading up threads and articles on towing. Unfortunately, none were written for a green newbie like me who didn't even know how a hitch is mounted.

Though pulling a camper trailer may be a single event, I may have to pull a utility trailer once or twice a year. So I decided to get the whole thing. Please tell me if I missed anything.

The travel trailer is 3500 pounds dry weight. Will travel dry. Tongue weight $430 lbs.

1) I bought a Prodigy brake controller, highly recommended by many. Ebay price was the best. $76 including shipping. I heard that it is against law not to have brake on >3000 lbs.
2) Class 3 hitch, 7 pin connector, and Ford wiring harness - Part Number, YL something. All from the same truck at a junk yard. $43.
3) Brake controller adapter for Ford: $6 at U-Haul.
4) Tow starter package (the shank ?, ball, pin): $22 at WalMart.
5) Transmission cooler: I read many threads here. They made me feel like it's almost a crime to tow without an extra cooler. Hayden 679, the largest, stacked plate. $43 at AutoZone.
6) Tow mirror: Fender mount, no name brand, good enough for infrequent use (or maybe just once). Ebay $28 including shipping for a pair.
7) Strong magnet: To line up ball to receiver without a helper. $19 at ebay. I still don't know how well this will work. Attach poles on the magnets, and set one on the ball and the other on the receiver. Line them up through rear view mirror. When the pole on the ball drops, receiver is right above the ball. Well...I will see.

Total cost: $237 including tax and shipping.

Pleast tell me what I missed. Thanks.

 

Just a couple quick notes. Make sure the ball you get is rated for at least 5000lbs. and is the correct size (2", or 1-7/8"). Some trailer ***** are rated for 2000lbs so watch for that. It should say on the top of the ball what weight it will handle. Also, before you take it out for the trip do a short test drive the day before. That way if there is anything that concerns you, you have time to address it.
Good luck...

 

If it was, 93F150 would get the chair.

A transmission cooler is usually less then $100, a transmission rebuild is $1500 on the low side.

Im glad you read up on the subject and decided to do the right thing.

 

Years ago when I got my first boat, I practiced in a parking lot. Soon after that a friend of mine was moving on the cheap (pizza, beer and whoever he could rope).
There was a trailer available which I hooked to my truck then backed to his front door negotiating various objects in the way. There were a half dozen people who I didn't know, standing around watching.
My window was down and I heard someone say, "Man, that guy can really handle that trailer.".
I remember how good that made me feel.
For the rest of the day, I wasn't just a laborer like the rest of them, I had skillz, I was the trailer guy.

Of course, I tried to make everyone else feel good too.
I said stuff like, "Man, those two guys can really handle that refrigerator." and "Man, that guy can really handle that washing machine.".

 

It's fun being the trailer guy. I got to bail out my sis-in-law's scuzzy boyfriend the first time I met him... He was futzing around on a busy boat launch on a Sunday afternoon in August. This clown was taking both lanes of a two-lane launch, jacknifing and making a fool of himself. Sis asked me to take over. I have NEVER backed up a trailer with more skill and finesse and I probably won't ever again. This in an Expedition/boat trailer combo I had never driven before. I thought the guys stacked up in the launch line were going to give me a standing ovation.

That guy's now gone - hopefully her next beau can drive a trailer (oh yeah, and has a little more class than this gomer...)

 

Fritz mentioned the Expedition as a tow vehicle. It is rated very high by some of the rv magazines. I always did better with my Expy while backing than with the Supercrew. Starting pulling a horse trailer when I was 16. Never had a problem since. I do know that it is better for the tow vehicle to be of a shorter wheelbase than the trailer. Sometimes my little 8 foot trailer gives me the fits on uneven ground.