Thanks for the warm welcomes everyone!

I found the specifics on the 5th wheel - it's a Jayco Eagle 263. Sticker on the side says:
I couldn't find specs on the 2001, but the 2002 F250 V8 5.4L Supercab 4x4 short bed looks like it has GCWR: 13,500 and Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight of 7,100 lbs according to: https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...D_F250_350.pdf

I'm trying to piece all these numbers together but so far it looks to me like the trailer exceeds what the truck should pull.

 

With a 4:10 axel you would be right there at a GCVWR @15000lbs assuming you are loading the wheel light, remember the ratings Ford publishes are EXTREMELY conservative I scale my 07 for dune trips wet with fuel and toys and water for the week at 28500 to 30500lbs depending on wether I take the ranger XP on it's single axel trailer behind the wheel, and I have no pulling or stopping issues!
Jim & fat Monty

 

fyi, on the trailer GVWR is the max weight rating, not the weight of the trailer.

Most likely your trailer is 1500-2000 lbs lighter then that when dry.

FWIW, check the rating on the 1/2 ton you were using I'm guessing around 2k lower yet.

 

What you want is torque and any V10 will out torque the 5.4.

 

We tow a 30ft 8500~lb (10k lb GVWR) 5th wheel with our 2010 5.4L auto/3.73 F250. Around the southeast it does a fine job. 2700~rpm on the flats and 4200~rpm on the uphills. Maintains speed well. If that makes you cringe, you'll hate it. I'm very happy with it. I've owned six diesels so I'm familiar with them too. If you're not planning trips to the Rockies, it should do fine. I don't know what the hp/torque is with the older 5.4L. I think mine is 310/360.

 

yep I too have had the 05 5.4 and pulled a bobcat with my f150, it did it ok for almost 9k in trailer and equipment. When you start reving in the 4k rpm range you are sucking fuel like no tomorrow. Working it hard and I know they dont mind it but if you want to do any nice towing I would just got with a larger engine and be done......Heck the old timers never had power like what we have today but they hauled and pulled monster loads with their old trucks.

 

Hey! I resemble that remark! Even my '94 Cummins Ram only produced 160hp/400 ftlbs. My 5.4L would easily out tow it.

 

my opinion is a F350 v 10 with 4.10 gears

 

The truck with a 5.4 will do just fine. A buddy of mine tows his 26' toy hauler and it's an older one. He has a 5.4 in his SD and his toy hauler is pulled from a hitch. With the 5er it'll be even safer.

 

Im from Michigan myself and was a Chevy guy at one time. If your old Chevy 1/2 ton was a Z71 then it came with 3:73 gears, If it wasnt then it has 3:42 gears. I had a 97 Chevy Tahoe with 3:42 gears and it towed my 30 foot camper trailer decent. My trailer is around 6700 pounds. But when it was windy I felt a little uneasy. I now tow with my F-350 V-10 and it tows it great and I feel alot safer. Wind doesnt effect me at all and the trailer doesnt push me around like it did with the Tahoe. Sometimes I forget the trailer is even back there. I think a 5.4 would tow just fine. But a V-10 would tow nicer. Your old chevy was rated to tow 6500 lbs.