I nearly bought a 79 f150 (4,800lbs) 95 miles away from where I live but it had brake issues that made me very uncomfortable driving it on the highway so unfortunately I drove back the two hours with no truck. Everything about the truck is what I want and it recently had a lot of stuff replaced, and the seller is asking a pretty decent price, so I would like to make this happen. I have a 2001 f150 5.4L with factory hitch and towing package, the only way I can think to tow it without exceding my tow rating is to flat tow it. Who has experiance flat towing? I've found a few tow bars online for 125-175 that have a 5000lb rating so it seems to me it should work. Any reason it won't, or other things I should consider?

 

slide it on a tow dolly, pull the rear driveshaft off the diff

 

Only dollys I can find are from uhaul and are rated a good 1000lbs below the truck weight, and I wasn't sure if the dolly would be wide enough for a fullsize truck.

And yep, I was planning on pulling driveshafts before the tow.

 

The only issue I see with flat towing that 79' F150 is braking. The 79' F150 is with in the tow rating of your 01' F-150. The tow bar is rated for the weight of the 79' F-150. I'm not sure about the combined weight, but I'd think you are with in it. I would only be concerned with stopping that load. Make sure your 01's brakes are up to par and give plenty of stopping distance!

 

Is flat towing even legal in your state? I'd be totally safe and rent a trailer. It may put you over limits, but for a 2 hour tow you should be okay if you take it easy. Rental trailers should have surge brakes.

 

width is usually the limiting factor, we put a windstar on a Uhaul car dolly, that Uhaul said was too wide, and man it just barely squeezed on the trailer, with no room to spare.

 

So towing a little over my limit with surge breaks would be a better scenario than towing a little under it with no breaks? If this is generaly true than this may be the route I go with. What is people opinion on this?

 

I'd rent one of these and call it a day. It's your safest and easiest bet. I've used that trailer a few times for hauling cars. The surge brakes are quite decent on them. The 79' is with in the weight restrictions of that trailer, but I'm not sure about the wheel base of that 79'. Wonder if she'd barely fit on the ramps?

 

Seems like the best idea to me but I have a class III hitch, the total weight will be around 6900lbs, will this be an issue?

Also, from what I can tell a the truck(regular cab) should be short enough to fit.

 

those trailers are heavy heavy unloaded, I think they rate them at 2k empty

My truck pulled it fine, but was a little cranky. Approx 5500lbs, while lowered 3/3 (towed around 100 miles)


not much extra ground clearance under that big tounge



oh and here's the windstar on the tow dolly (towed 200 miles)

 

Definitely.

 

nope THIS is a BIG tongue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-kzBFzkc0U