I'm looking at a new travel trailer that, according to the brochure, weighs in at 4600 dry. I'm assuming that once it is fully loaded with camping supplies and water, food etc., I would be into the 6000lb range. I know this is well below the 8200 limit that Ford specs for my truck, but I am interested to hear anyone's experiences that have pulled that much through the mountains. My truck is an '03 F150 7700 4x4. It has the 5.4, 3.73 ratio, 4R100 trans. and trans cooler, and 10.25 rear axel. I have pulled some trailers weighing in at about 3000, and I was not all that impressed to be honest. I do like this trailer, but I'm a little nervous about the weight. I know it will pull it, but will I be doing 20mph on the steep Rocky Mountain passes? I know a diesel SD would be much better, but I don't have one, so that's not really an option right now.

PS. I will have a all the proper towing setup with brake controler and distribution hitch and all that.

Thanks

 

2000 f150 s/c 4x4. I pull a 5th wheel trailer (7000 unloaded- 8000 loaded including stuff in trucks bed. no problems

 

id say its going to pull no problem, my f150 which is 02 5.4 with 3.55 pulls basically that same camper with no problem....i will not lie, you can tell your pulling a trailer, but 6500 lbs is no problem....

 

No problem, I tow that much and more with my 2001 quite a bit, and it does fine. It's not a 7700 model either, just a 5.4L, 4R70W with 3.55ls 4x4 SuperCab.
Just lock-out OD when in the hills.

 

I tow a 28' Outback travel trailer with a Full load weight of 7400 with a 98 F150. The truck so far has a 4.6 with 11500 miles, Jet performance chip, K&N filter, Flowmasters, trany cooler and air bags in the rear. I live in Delaware and will stay on flat land. The truck pulls the trailer good but plan on adding more power with a supercharger. As long as I have the brake controler to stop me Im fine.

 

I doubt you will have serious issues but, towing uphill you will not win any drag races while you are towing.....the truck is rated for it and should tow fine.

I personally have towed a 25' Grady White across Florida that weighed in at around 7000lbs loaded and did not have one issue. I do tow a 23' Concept on a regular basis, weighing in around 4000lbs loaded and the truck is clueless that it is back there most of the time. I have a 2000 4X4 with the 7700 option as well.

Your truck should have come with an engine oil cooler as well. I know mine has one in addition to the tranny cooler. One thing I did do was replace the stock fan/clutch with dual electric fans....more because it gets hot down here and I did not ever want to have an issue with cooling capacity.

If you have issues towing....you will have an excuse to start looking for the SD!!

 

I have towed 6000# with my 7700. You are correct in knowing it will handle it. The mountains I have dealt with don't have 10,000 ft pass elevations, though. Just in the 3500 ft range. I recently read (in the Ford towing guide) that you should subtract 2% of the tow rating and GCWR for every 1000ft and gas engines lose 4-5% of their power for each 1000 ft gained, just for your info.

Don't expect to get great gas mileage either... with the OD off expect to get 6-8mpg.

-Kerry

 

2003 5.4 auto 4x4, I pull a boat that when loaded is 6000, It pulls pretty good through the hills but I would say anymore than 6000, it is going to be a slow go up some hills, yours will probably want to down shift alot like mine does when you hit the steep parts. 5500 would be an Ideal max weight when going up hills

 

Well I bought it, if anyone is interested I'll let you know how it tows through the mountains once I pick it up. Thanks to all who responded.

 

Good luck with it. I have a 98 5.4 with 3.73s and tow a thirty footer that is in the 7000 lb range. I really should put it on the scales fully loaded. Going thru the mountains in W. Va. It does downshift a lot but keeps a decent speed.

Just to throw in my 2 cent. I worry about braking more than anything. The accidents I've seen on the road with people towing have most always been related to stopping distance. A brake controller is a must along with properly adjusted brakes. I hand adjust the shoes on all sixs wheels (truck rears and trailer) up tight every couple thousand miles.

Happy motoring.

 

In order to set the brake controller, I disconnect the ABS (pulled the underhood fuse) then do a brake lock up going down a moderate hill. I adjust until the trailer brakes are not quite out grabbing the truck's. The controller is set and I reinstall the ABS fuse.

-Kerry

 

We pull a 6700#(empty weight) 28" travel trailer around western Il and eastern IA with our 03 supercrew 5.4 3.55. It does pretty well if i run WITHOUT the overdrive. During the summer months with the air on, the tranny heats up pretty good(about 190) if i try overdrive so i just lock out most of the time. Make sure you have a good brake controller and get used to it first. I would also recommed installing a tranny temp gauge since this seems to be the weakest link. just my 2 cents.

 

I have a 98 F-150 Lariat SC. 5.4 4X2 with towing package and 3.55 gearing. Last August I pulled my car hauling trailer out to S. Cal to pick up a 57 Ford. It labored going over the Rockies and I thought the EEC would actually compensate for the altitude more than it did. On the return, loaded, I had to work going over the steepest grades, and really screemed up some grades in second gear. On the level interstate, I could cruise at 75 MPH in OD and it was effortless. Before the trip I had my cooling system flushed and had a fresh rebuild of my transmission. I have a K&N filter element and 3" exhaust from the cats back with a free flowing muffler that is also 3" in and out. I just bouight a 27' travel trailer, so will see how that goes. My truck has 117K miles on it now. I run Mobil 1 and have since it was new. On the way out with the trailer empty, which is still a load, I got 14 MPG. Normally at highway speeds I get around 16-17 MPG. I got 19/20 mpg once driving in Canada, they have a very low speed limit.
Paul

 

I live in Canada, and the speed limit on most highways is 110 KPH or just over 68 MPH. Some areas are 100 KPH or 62 MPH. Maybe you were driving on some secondary local highways, but I don't think that is much lower than any highways that I have driven in in the States. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen it above 65 MPH down there. Maybe things have changed in the last ten years or so since I've driven down there, I don't know.

 

Well, it was at least a few years ago. I was driving from International Falls to Red Lake, Ontario, on a secondary road. It was probably 100 KPH. Didn't run into any moose, but saw some on the road. In the Western US, some of the roads have a 75 MPH limit.