I have a 1988 150 XLT Lariat, 4.9 liter 6cyl...it has less than 77,000 miles on it...and I am the third owner. I purchased it with the intention of installing a hitch and towing a horse trailer. I have had some discussion with my husband as well as some horse friends as to what my truck should or should not tow? I would love to know what kind of trailer (any kind, camper, horse, etc.) weight others have towed with this particular truck or similar truck?

 

It sounds young and unabused but I'd do a quick visual on the suspension to make sure the shocks or leafs don't look like they're about to give. People tend to neglect them until they have a larger issue. But as for weight limit it depends on the hitch itself and what the vehicle is rated for. I'm sure it can easily exceed 5000 pounds.

 

The official tow rating of the truck depends how it is equipped.. what transmission and axle gearing it has and if there is a trailer tow package installed or not. Unfortunately many of the I6 trucks were crippled with excessively high(numerically low) axle gears which can produce high fuel milage numbers on flat terrain but which also reduce the rated towing capacity to as low as 2000lbs. The motor itself is willing and capable of towing up to 7000lbs with 4.10 gears and one of the automatic transmissions but if you're unlucky enough to have a truck with 2.73 gears and a manual trans it's essentually useless for anything but driving around. You will find the axle and trans codes on the drivers door pillar calibration decal and you can decode that here.. Ford Axle Code Chart .: Articles

 

Is it the supercab in your avatar? It depends on how it's set up. Here is a guide but it doesn't list every combo. Ford F-Series Fifth-Wheel Trailer Towing Selector

At most you could pull 5300lbs with a super cab if you have a 2wd with 3.55 gears and an auto transmission. Also be aware of the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) which is the maximum weight of truck and trailer loaded. It'll be listed on the door tag.

 

Be sure your trailer has good working trailer brakes too!