i towed a car 350 miles on a trailer with no problems..4.6 3.55 NLS gears and no mods

 

tires n gears are morn likely hurtin you pullin. but these trucks were never meant as dedicated towin trucks more of a DD that can get the job done when asked. if the 4.6 aint cuttin it sell her n buy a 7.3L PSD, i wish i could get the number i want for mine cuz i sure as heck would in a heartbeat

 

There is something missing in your equation. Just how fast are you trying to tow. My travel trailer weighs close to 6000 when loaded and we pull it from Canada to Tennessee twice a year. never fall below speed. It works hard up and down the mountains but I expect that. Did just upgrade to a 5.4 because I plan on keeping the truck for a while, but 2000 should be no problem at all. I've seen boats weigh that much towed by minivans and large cars.

 

true, i pulled close to 5k 350 miles and it wasnt "weak" taking off..but when i pull our 5k pound tractor on the steel floor trailer, guessing around 1.5k trailer, i definitely feel it back there!

 

Well what im getting at here is, I know for damn sure the 4.6 wont win a race towing. Im not trying to. Just figured that low of wieght it should pull decent. Now to all the people that say they tow 'X' amount of wieght with no problems, I didnt have problems either. The truck made it there and back, im not sure what "problems" your refering to? We have the same trucks as you, theres no way your pulling 4 times more than whoever and doing it like a diesel. Im not starting anything, please dont think that. Im just saying. I too have saw cars and vans pulling boats and such, but you know for sure the trannys on those and engines for that matter are sticking the middle finger out at them. I used to pull frequently 6k pounds with my 06 5.4, it did it well. I knew it was back there, but did well for me. I just didnt figure that the 4.6 would be so terrible at only 2k pounds. My tires I know had some effect on them, they are heavy. But dang, its like your pulling a camper around everyday. I will never own another 4.6, like Brian said, even daily driving sucks with it.
As far as how fast i was trying to tow the other day, well just fast enough to keep up with traffic. Then you hit a hill and you lose 15mph real quick. Downshifting would somewhat maintain the speed, depending on the hill. Ive been up some steep hills pulling before, these were nothing to write home about. I just assumed something was wrong with the truck, but i guess the only proplem is simply "the small motor in it". LOL.

 

lol
Yeah the small motor is a big part of the issue. Gearing and tire size (not just weight but the overall height reducing the final drive ratio) are a huge factor though as well. Better gearing would make a big difference but you are looking at $1200-1500 for parts and labor.

The 4.6L gets the job done, but like you said it sure isn't going to win a race towing! haha

 

It's not the just weight of the tires that's the problem...it's the diameter. It makes your gear ratio act like it's equipped with like 3.08s or worse. 4.10s or 4.30s will wake it up. And if it's 2wd, it should only cost about half of what brianjwilson listed.

 

I have always thought Ford needed a little larger engine in their trucks. But I prefer Ford because of the appearance and quality, over other brands.
I'd take a Ford 4.6 over a cheby 5.0 any day of the week.
I have an Expy with a 5.4 it is all wheel drive, and I always enjoy driving it, just because of that extra umph, that my 4.6 just don't have.
If I used m F150 for a work truck, towing and carrying tools, I'd definitaly have a 5.4. In another thread I mentioned pulling a party barge, but I have no idea how much it weighed, but it pulled it great. But in the wind, it didn't matter if it was a headwind, tail wind or cross wind, you know you have a big ole kite back there. I've been whooped side ways as much as any other direction. Any big cube trailor will be noticed back there. Even Semi's notice a head, or cross wind.

 

If your truck is struggling to pull only 2,000lbs then somethings wrong. Also don't fail to remember you have a stock truck, it's not a race car.

Heaviest I've pulled so far is a bobcat and trailer at 8,200lbs, and it did it just fine, just wasn't quick off the hop. I also used to pull 2,000lbs around daily when I still had my enclosed trailer for work and you couldn't tell it was even there.

I think if something isn't wrong then you just have unreasonable expectations which won't be solved by a 5.4L.

 

yea ive pulled a barge before with my 4.6..took off just fine, till i got going..wow thats a hell of a "kite" back there!!