"Realistic" towing ratings

[ratdude747]

Silly off-the-wall question:

Assuming I installed an appropriate hitch (not the bumper hole), On my F150 (Stock 300, AOD, 3.08 gears, stock brakes, no brake controller) what sorts of trailers could I haul safely on an occasional basis? Single car hauler? Tiny U-Haul cube?

I didn't buy or build it to tow... but it seems that when it comes to project vehicles, my inability to tow is a huge limitation on the kinds of deals to be had. Ideally I'd run a F250/350 with a stouter tranny (C6, E4OD) and a steeper rear end... but this is what I have.

Just curious.

Larry

[Gary Lewis]

The specifications are on the page at Documentation/Specifications/Towing. That's what you can tow legally. Some may tell you "I towed 15,000 lbs with my F100", and while that is possible it doesn't mean it is safe. And, it certainly isn't legal. If you were to have an accident and you were beyond the specifications in the manufacturers documentation you could be charged and, probably, found guilty.

[HBF84]

The specifications are on the page at Documentation/Specifications/Towing. That's what you can tow legally. Some may tell you "I towed 15,000 lbs with my F100", and while that is possible it doesn't mean it is safe. And, it certainly isn't legal. If you were to have an accident and you were beyond the specifications in the manufacturers documentation you could be charged and, probably, found guilty.

I agree with Gary and vetted it a bit with local law enforcement when I upgraded my rear end to improve towing. They said the rear end as depicted on the door panel tag would be what they would look at in a court of law independent of modifications from an ASE certified mechanic.

What the officer did not specifically say was if I had to follow the recommended numbers in the brochure or GCWR subtracted from Happy Blue Ford's actual curb weight and payload/passengers. GCWR-(CW+payload+passengers)=MaxTW

However, my insurance company said that as long as I didn't go over a combined gross weight of 18,000lbs, they would cover me and said it was ok to modify the rear end and tow more.

So, what to do? Well, I upgraded the rear end which may have been a waste of money. HOWEVER, the main reason to upgrade was to get a limited slip and by changing from a 3.08 to a 3.55 will help the venerable 300 I-6 will tow things much more easily while staying within the legal numbers.

 

[ratdude747]

The specifications are on the page at Documentation/Specifications/Towing. That's what you can tow legally. Some may tell you "I towed 15,000 lbs with my F100", and while that is possible it doesn't mean it is safe. And, it certainly isn't legal. If you were to have an accident and you were beyond the specifications in the manufacturers documentation you could be charged and, probably, found guilty.

Figured. RFTM, ratdude. DUH!

Looks like the answer is 5200 lbs in the best case (with a frame hitch and brake controller). Not terrible all things considered, but I am a bit dubious of this rating in respect to that I have an AOD, not a C6 (great for highway use, not so great for heavy hauling). Won't be towing another full size truck with it obviously... but good to know.

[old55pete]

Figured. RFTM, ratdude. DUH!

Looks like the answer is 5200 lbs in the best case (with a frame hitch and brake controller). Not terrible all things considered, but I am a bit dubious of this rating in respect to that I have an AOD, not a C6 (great for highway use, not so great for heavy hauling). Won't be towing another full size truck with it obviously... but good to know.

I wouldent give, and dont give, towing a second thought with an AOD trans. I do it all of the time. When you get to a hill, take it out of overdrive and let her eat. I towed a 73 Buick Riviera from north of San Francisco to Az that way and that same trans is still in service . Do, how ever, put a large trans cooler on it.

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

I wouldent give, and dont give, towing a second thought with an AOD trans. I do it all of the time. When you get to a hill, take it out of overdrive and let her eat. I towed a 73 Buick Riviera from north of San Francisco to Az that way and that same trans is still in service . Do, how ever, put a large trans cooler on it.

I think stopping is a bigger concern than getting it moving.

My truck has 12x3" drums and very large ventilated rotors with dual calipers and a master cylinder with an 1 1/16 bore to displace enough fluid to actuate them.

A 250 HD/350 also has a larger booster and E rated tires.

If someone pulls out in front of you, or you're going down a long grade, with no trailer brakes and more than your curb weight pushing you there's little chance it's going to stop.

I've blown the friction off a pad with just a load of sheetrock in the bed.

Boy was I glad for a manual gearbox when that idiot short-stopped me.

They had no idea how close they came to being punted, hard.

[FuzzFace2]

I think stopping is a bigger concern than getting it moving.

My truck has 12x3" drums and very large ventilated rotors with dual calipers and a master cylinder with an 1 1/16 bore to displace enough fluid to actuate them.

A 250 HD/350 also has a larger booster and E rated tires.

If someone pulls out in front of you, or you're going down a long grade, with no trailer brakes and more than your curb weight pushing you there's little chance it's going to stop.

I've blown the friction off a pad with just a load of sheetrock in the bed.

Boy was I glad for a manual gearbox when that idiot short-stopped me.

They had no idea how close they came to being punted, hard.

Most states require trailer brakes on 2500 lb and more.

Now Uhaul has surge brakes on the larger trailers and car haulers so covered there.

When you looked up the weight rating was that for a ball mount only or WD hitch?

The WD hitch moves the weight off the rear of the truck back to the front steer tires.

It also makes for a more stable setup.

With Uhaul you don't get a WD hitch with the trailers.

Dave ----

[85lebaront2]

I think stopping is a bigger concern than getting it moving.

My truck has 12x3" drums and very large ventilated rotors with dual calipers and a master cylinder with an 1 1/16 bore to displace enough fluid to actuate them.

A 250 HD/350 also has a larger booster and E rated tires.

If someone pulls out in front of you, or you're going down a long grade, with no trailer brakes and more than your curb weight pushing you there's little chance it's going to stop.

I've blown the friction off a pad with just a load of sheetrock in the bed.

Boy was I glad for a manual gearbox when that idiot short-stopped me.

They had no idea how close they came to being punted, hard.

Jim, you are exactly right, braking is more important then whether you can pull it. When we first got our 5th wheel in Feb 1994, I towed it with my 1977 F150 that I had installed a 390 and C6 in with a 3.25 9" rear. It towed the 8800 lb empty/ 10,000 lb loaded 5th wheel, but the first long run with it, up I-64 from Newport News to Gordonsville VA the rear brakes I had just redone burned up the linings. These were, of course, the early post asbestos ban linings so were "vegetable" material.

Ford must have learned something between the 1986 and 1987 models, my original rear brakes were 12X2 1/2" which surprised me, my fronts are the same big ventilated rotors with dual piston calipers. When I rebuilt the junkyard dually rear with the innards from the 1990 F250 parts truck, I found it had 12X3" rear drums and used those shoes as they were in excellent condition. It wasn't until later I found that the dually rear was built for 12X3 1/2" shoes which are on Darth now. He stops quite well for a 6400 lb empty vehicle.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Most states require trailer brakes on 2500 lb and more.

Now Uhaul has surge brakes on the larger trailers and car haulers so covered there.

When you looked up the weight rating was that for a ball mount only or WD hitch?

The WD hitch moves the weight off the rear of the truck back to the front steer tires.

It also makes for a more stable setup.

With Uhaul you don't get a WD hitch with the trailers.

Dave ----

A weight distributing hitch does help get some of the weight off the rear tires and axle, but they're not cheap.

Bob (Nothing Special) did a good little write-up when he was discussing moving his parents camper back to their lot.

[85lebaront2]

A weight distributing hitch does help get some of the weight off the rear tires and axle, but they're not cheap.

Bob (Nothing Special) did a good little write-up when he was discussing moving his parents camper back to their lot.

You all would have loved this one. A few years ago I had to help my daughter move her stuff from a storage place in Virginia Beach to the house she had just rented in Chesapeake. I went to the U-Haul location in Chesapeake to get the largest trailer (preferably enclosed) they had. I already had my 2 1/2" ball on it's drawbar and a 7 pin to 4 pin adapter. When I got up to the counter the biggest one they had left was a tandem axle open cargo trailer. Of course they wanted tow vehicle information, when I said 1986 Ford F350, I got "we'll have to inspect your vehicle to be sure it can handle the trailer". I said sure, no problem. They sent a kid, who, at the time probably wasn't as old as Darth. We walked outside and he says "where's your vehicle?" I pointed to Darth, and his reaction was, that'll anything we have on the lot. U-Haul, of course, like many corporations is worried about liability, but their data base only goes back about 5 years.

I used a weight distributing hitch one time, I was moving a friend's camper up I-64 to a campground that was hosting a bluegrass festival. When I went to get it, I was told he had a hitch for it. He told me that "it's pretty heavy, so you need to set the ball up high enough". I did as he said, hooked up the trailer and raised the jack, Darth's bumper went down maybe 1/2", then he wanted to install the equalizer bars, I said no. I al least want to know it's back there. When I took it back, I put the adjustable hitch ball back down so it towed level, still didn't use the equalizer bars. I told them, that (a) mine was a Ford not a Chevy and (b) was a 1 ton truck with dual rear wheels.