I've posted in the towing forum and someone suggested I come here. My husband and I have a 2004 F-150 Heritage, 4x2. 4.2L, v-6, automatic, 3.55 axle ratio, with tow package. The manual says we can tow 5700#. We are wanting to buy a travel trailer, but all the advice we've been getting is not to tow one with this truck. Has anyone here towed a travel trailer? If so, how much weight did you feel the truck could handle without "laboring". Sure don't want to wear the truck out before it's time.

Thanks so much.

Trudy

 

I'd say it all depends on what size travel trailer you are talking about getting and what length trips you are planning on pulling it on. I pull my bass boat with my '05 4.2 auto 3.55's almost daily with no problems or worries, but it probably at the most only weighs in at somewhere under 3,000lbs and is a lot more aerodynamic than a TT. As long as I keep my OD turned off I feel really comfortable towing my boat anywhere I want at anytime for any distance. The truck has plenty of power to tow it, but I dont plan on winning any races with it back there. I'd say if its a small/light trailer that you only plan on towing around for weekend trips then ya you're probably alright. But I personally wouldnt hook up to a 26'er and try and head across country with it. It would probably tow it, but its bound to be hard on it. It might help if you posted the size/weight of the trailer y'all are considering buying?

 

We're looking at a 24' Surveyor. As it sits now, it weighs 3640# with all installed options. GVWR is 5480#, but that weight is full tank of water, full propane tanks, and loaded with 1840# of "stuff". We would be traveling with little or no water and there's no way we'd let ourselves pack over 1000# of extras. We feel we could easily stay below 4700 or 4800#.

Some people on other forums have suggested swapping gears to 4:10, 4:30 or even 4:56. My husband doesn't see how that would help. I know NOTHING about that!!

Thanks!

Trudy

 

Its probably a coin toss, the truck can probably handle it but will it prematurely wear it out?? I too was going to suggest doing a gear swap, to at least a 3.73 or 4.10's.

 

I tow a work trailer loaded down it is around 4000 lbs.,only 16 ft. long.I have Troyer tunes and an xcal2,I use 93 octane gas and I don't see any problem with towing on the highway.I hit 70-80 mph.I am a flat lander so I see no large hills or mountains.The truck does fine.06 4.2 4x2,auto trans.,33" tires,3.55 gears

 

Thanks everyone. TSDan, how tall is your work trailer?

 

I really would look for a bigger truck. I hate the way my 5.4 with the 3.55 tows a 6X12 cargo trailer. You'll want to set your truck on fire if you try to tow 5500lbs with a V6.

KC-10 FE out...

 

9 foot but it has a rounded front

 

 

Can you pull the TT you are looking at, yes. Will it perform very well, no. Will it cause greater wear on your truck, yes. In an ideal world we all could have a powerstroke for towing but cost and budget will not allow that in all cases so you have to work with what you have. The V6 can pull the weight you listed as long as you take it easy. Putting in different gears like 4.10 would be a great investment and greatly improve towing performance but lower MPG. Just make sure that befor you do purchase a TT you take it to a certified scale and weigh it because the RV dealer and the weight listed on the trailer are often way off. Any good deal will have no problem with you hooking up to your truck and going to a scale.

 

I have a 99 f 150 with a 4.2. I have used it to tow my race car and it definately has shortened the life of the motor. I bought the truck off of my sister with 72000 miles on it. It was well maintained my dad bought it new. It now has a v8 at 100200 miles because it wasreally hard on the motor. So I pulled it out before it blew up. My trailer weighs about 2000lbs. and race truck weighs 2723. So if you figure all the tools and gear to go to the track its just at 5000lbs. I take the interstate the whole way and I have to pull in
4th gear and the least little hill I drop from 70 mph to 55 and on decent hills I loose even more speed. And when in town I try not to avoid stopping on steep hills. I hate to say it because I love my truck I would trade it for a v8. I made the mistake of putting a v8 in my truck and the wiring is a nightmare. I am still working on it. Its easier to trade the truck for a v8 version. And I have a friend with a 4.6 v8 and he pulls about the same weight and he has no problem. His pulls fine. Hope my info helps.

 

jdrags10, do you think the fact that our truck is newer ('04) and has around 35,000 miles on it would make a difference? I thought I read somewhere that they make the newer F-150's more powerful than the older ones. Dunno.

Also, thanks all for the advice. My husband checked into the gear swap and that's probably what we'll wind up doing. If we traded our truck right now for something with a bigger engine, then we wouldn't be able to afford the travel trailer!! It's always something!

 

I'd be more concerned with the transmission than the engine. I would lock out overdrive when you are towing, that should be okay with the 3.55's. Don't expect any kind of decent gas mileage.

 

I would definately worry about the tranny. I don't have much experience with the newer trannys but on the older ones they recomend a shift kit for towing. What this does is make it shift firmer so that it doesn't slip between gear changes. When it is real soft changing from one gear to another with an automatic transmission the clutches slip really bad. This causes high heat in the tranny fluid and extra wear on the clutches inside the transmission. On your application I don't know if they make a shift kit but I think some of the programers help the shifting. I would also put a remote transmission cooler on it to be safe. This should help your tranny live longer. Also the programer may help in the power department. And get a cold air kit to help improve performance as well. The little boltons as they call it will help. Hope I have helped you.

 

I hope that I'm not too late! I just found this site and love it! I've got an 04' heritage with the v6 4.2 liter and I've towed a small travel trailer! I don't know exactly how much it weighs, but it's a 17 foot Roadrunner TT. I love my v6, but I had to get a v8 to pull the trailer! I pulled the trailer all over eastern AZ (mountain terrain, steep grade with sharp curves), and the v6 struggled to get up to highway speeds. I also used the v6 to pull the trailer to Eastern Texas and it did good on the interstate, but it struggled above 55mph!!!! I bought a v8, and it's pulls the trailer like it's not even there! I love my V6 and use it as a daily driver, but it's not the best solution for towing even a small travel trailer. Hope that I helped!