Since the question gets asked quite often "Can I tow this?" I would like to compile as many towing guides as I can together for reference.

I was able to pull the 2002-2013 towing guides straight from Ford's fleet website, and I have found the 1999-2001 towing guides elsewhere as well. I'm looking for help in finding towing guides from other years.

I would like the full towing guides, preferably not online charts that may have been copied incorrectly or possibly without foot notes attached to them. Scans of printed copies will work as well, but I would like the information straight from Ford for accuracy. I'm going to focus on the F150-F350 before possibly adding the E series, Rangers, and SUVs as well.

Also of lesser interest to me would be what transmissions were used during different years on the various models. Currently, I am building my list using "automatic" and "manual" as my differentiation, but I would like to distinguish further if possible. For example, I know that both the M5OD and ZF5 were used on the 8th and 9th gen F150s, but I'm unsure of the year/model/options that got specific transmissions. This might help since the towing capabilities of the M5OD and ZF5 are vastly different.

Last updated 11:20 pm - Feb 2, 2013
Years entered in green have been entered into my Excel spreadsheet
Currently, I'm at 2733 line items
Towing guides I currently have:
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998 - Grabbed the towing charts from the owner's manual @ Ford Owner site
1997 - Grabbed the towing charts from the owner's manual @ The Diesel Stop
1996 - Grabbed the towing charts from the owner's manula @ The Diesel Stop
1995 - I've had these numbers for quite a while in Excel - no scan or PDF - Found a scanned picture of the 1995 brochure
1985 - Thanks to Otahyoni

 

I'm not sure on the half tons, but for F2/350s:
80-86: T-18/19 four speed manual, C6 auto
87-91: ZF-5 manual, C6/ E4OD auto
92-96/7: ZF-5 manual, E4OD auto

 

This is specifically for a 1985, but should apply 1980-1986... Straight out of the owners manual...

 

Thanks, Otahyoni

 

a labor of love...this should become a sticky when you have it ready.

 

I'm having a problem deciphering which model and engine combinations were provided in '85. Any help?

I know the diesel and 460 were provided in the F250/350 only, but they list 3.07/3.08 as an option when I though only 3.55 and 4.10 were available.

 

I'm not seeing 5th wheel towing capacities listed in the towing guides before 1999. Did Ford even produce a 5th wheel towing capacity for pre-Super Duty trucks?

 

Trailer Life magazine publishes a towing guide every year. You may be able to find copies online or for purchase. I think I have copies of 2003-2008 that I may be able to scan for you. I will check...

 

To the best of my knowledge, F250/350 with the diesel or 460 only came with 3.55 or 4.10 gears. Maybe it was a very rare option?

Going from memory here, the F2/350 could have any available engine, and the F100/F150 could have anything except the 6.9L or 7.5L.

I've been looking and can't find any application charts for the transmissions.

From what i've pieced together, the F150 could have a C4(5?) auto, AOD auto, NP435 manual, or 4 speed manual with overdrive (don't know the name). F250/350 could have C6 auto, T18 manual (small block gas engines), or T19 manual (big block gas or diesel).

 

Sorry to frankenstein the thread but...

This really confuses me: for all entries except for the 6.9L Diesel w/3.55 axels the automatic has equal or better (very often much better) GCWR than the manual. Does anyone have any idea if this is a typo or if something else is going on here?

 

No typo. It is because they are better able to manage the torque now with the auto.


The clutches are not strong enough in the manual.

 

Yes, the automatic being more capable than the manual makes sense, but why is the manual rated higher for the 6.9 IDI w/3.55 axels (13K for manual and only 12K for the automatic)?

 

Try this Ford Fleet website at the bottom of this post, showing tow guides back to 2002.

Here's my pages for my 07 F-250.







Towing Guides | fleet.ford.com

Hope it helps.

 

I don't get how the C-6 was rated to tow more than the "granny low" 4-speed.

Especially funny the 3.55 axle 6.9 manual trans out tows the 3.55 axle 6.9 auto, but the auto out tows the manual in the other two axle ratios?

Is the 4.9 manual the 4 speed OD or the "granny low" 4 speed. I have driven both in 84/85 F-150's, the 4 OD a slip the clutch to pull away in first, worse than pulling away in 2nd in the granny low 4-speed.

I have not drive a 6.9, and a 7.5 only briefly, but seems to me the 6.9 should out pull the 7.5?

 

Oh, also nice how a 4.9 manual "owns" all the small block V-8's in towing.