My 2002 F150 FX4 came with a "towing preparation package." There is no receiver and only a 4 pin harness under the bumper. Does anyone else have this? It looks like it is for towing a trailer using the bumber as the hitch. If I want to add the complete towing package what other items will I need? (tranny cooler? different radiator? different battery? etc)

 

What do you plan on towing? How much weight? What engine/tranny/rear gear do you have?

All F-150's come with what you have stanrdard. The OEM towing package include the following from the 2003 order guide:

CLASS III TRAILER TOW GROUP (535)
• 7-Pin trailer wiring harness
• Class III frame mounted hitch receiver
• Heavy duty shock absorbers
• Heavy duty 72-AH battery
• Auxiliary transmission oil cooler (with 44U or 44E auto. trans.
only); upgraded auxiliary trans. Oil cooler on 5.4L engines with
44U auto. transmission
NOTE: This package required to tow over 4000#. See
Salesperson's Source Book or Ford RV Trailer Towing Guide
for specific trailer towing limits and corresponding required
equipment.

 

I belive the FX4 package comes with the 3.55 limited slip rear axle. How much would I have to spend to have a dealer install this factory package?

 

Can you answer my questions above? I doubt you need all of the items in that package and the dealer is not ncessarily the best place to get/install them. If I were to guess, a dealer would charge $750-1250 for the items above installed.

 

I once saw a guy towing a double axle trailer with a full size older pickup(probably over 6,000lbs) on there with the stock bumper hitch on his Chevy. The bumper was bent downward 45*. When I told him he was crazy, he told me that his Chevy could handle it.

Right...

Get a tranny cooler and a Class III reciever. You can have transmission shops install the cooler for cheaper than that and many shops have hitches.