Hi there, does anyone have any numbers on the 97 F250 for towing and hauling? I'm looking to get one, and it would have a 351 because diesel's just too expensive right now. Any help is much appreciated! Thanks in advance!!

 

Look on the door jamb sticker and see what it's GVWR is and it's GAWR. Get the truck weighed empty and what's left from it's actual weight and it's weight ratings is what you have left for payload.

I do know that a 1997 351 didn't have all that much HP. Less than the brand new at the time 5.4 (330). It'll have a good payload number (what you can load in the bed). It was also the last year for the F250 Heavy Duty. (The next model was the "1999 Super Duty" that came out in 1998).

It was the last year they put the big old 460 in those trucks too...

IMO, with the 351, you'll be making that 351 work with a #6000 TT pretty hard. You'll have plenty of payload capacity.. Just not a whole lot o' power...

Good luck!

Mitch

 

It would mostly be for towing my boat, which right now is just a 16' fishing boat, but would like to upgrade. Also, I'd like to tow my jeep, and maybe tow some run down vehicles that I could fix up and sell, plus throw mulch or gravel or whatever in the bed.

 

What's the most you have towed with your 5.4?

 

The TT in my sig. It's #5000.

I've also towed a 14' flat bed trailer that was loaded up when I helped my folks move. It probably weighed in at around #5000 too.

I could physically tow a lot more with the 5.4.. It handles the #5000 TT pretty good. But, it puts the F150 over it's GVWR by several hundred pounds, so it's all I would tow on a regular basis..

Back in the day, I worked for a construction company and drove a 1989 E250 van with the 351 in it and towed a #6000 covered utility trailer. It was just about all that van could manage and still be able to get down the road at the speed limit! It drank the gas too. Probably only 6 mpg. Going up any grades, it was in 1st gear, foot thru the floor and going about 25 mph. Rode right along with the Semi's!

It had lots of payload and got me where I needed to go (coast to coast a couple of times)..

For the stuff you are talking about, you should do fine. Just make sure you have both tanks filled and don't let too many gas stations pass by!

Mitch

 

Thinking about it now, since it would be mainly a tow rig, and not a DD, I might just save up and go straight for the diesel because I would have enough power and payload capacity, and actually get halfway decent mileage towing. I guess the question is...7.3 Powerstroke or 5.9 cummins? I love them both!

 

Does anybody know what kind of towing capacities I can get from either a F150 300 with the 5 speed, or the 351 F150 with the auto tranny?

 

The 5 speed manual is a weak tranny and shouldn't be used to tow much more than 3000#. A 300, 302, or 351 automatic should be good to at least 5000# in a pre-97 F-150.

7.3 Powerstroke (not IDI) or 5.9 Cummins are both great choices. The Ford is a better overall truck though.