I know it's probably on here already but I can't find it. I have a 1964 F100 with a 6 1/2 foot bed if I remember correctly the truck weight is about 4200 lbs. I was thinking about towing a Volvo 850 on a dolly from Alabama to New Mexico. Good idea or BAD idea? Thanks in advance.

 

The tow capcity will depend on a few things. 1, the type of tow kit you have. Is it bolted to the frame or is it the bumper hitch? 2, rear axle gears. The lower the gears the more strain that will be put on the entire drivetrain. 3.50 and above gears are good for towing a car that far. 3, Overall mechanical health of your truck. If your having issues now wait until you hit some of the hills climbing to New Mexico. I've done the trip a few times back and forth across the country. Plan your route with the least amount of climbing as possile. And deffinately have a few spare U-joints and a few jugs of water. Make a pre-trip checklist of items to have inspected or greased before you go.

 

1964 Flareside/Styleside will weigh (stock) roughly 3600 pounds.

1965 F100 8" Styleside 352 3 spd o/d .. a/c = 3725 pounds (add 325# more for the driver).

 

JP, I wouldn't be afraid to do it with my truck. I have experience towing and my trucks engine/tranny have been freshened up and the brakes upgraded at all 4 wheels.

Towing across most of your route should be fairly flat for the most part. I am not sure where you will encounter the mountains, that will be an issue.

Stopping should be your biggest concern. You will have to stop both the truck and the car with the trucks drum brakes. IMHO

John

 

I've towed a car on a steel car trailer over the western PA mountains with a bone stock 1965 V8 F100, so yours shouldn't be any worse. I've flat towed cars with a 1976 Ford Courier too. I would definately only do it with a frame hitch. As noted, your biggest issue will be stopping. Allow plenty of room, don't ride the brakes and be careful with those long downhill runs as you'll build up a lot of heat braking. These trucks were built to work, and can certainly handle that job provided you drive it like it's 1964.

 

Ok search is my friend.........
Let me kick this up a notch, My work has me traveling from site to site with extended stays and I am considering a smaller fifth wheel.....some I have looked at are around 1000 to 1100 lbs. hitch weight and 6 to 7 grand in weight. My rig is a '71 swb the tranny is fresh (old process), looking to drop a new motor in it (tired 302 currently), and has a 4:11 ltd. slip rear end (looking a 3:50s). I know the brakes will be an issue so what else do I need to consider? Your opinions/comments please.....
Thanks.
Jim

jpdover, sorry for the hijack

 

I TOWED A CAR HAULER TRAILER WITH A DIRT TRACK CAMERO ALL OVER S.C. WITH A 300 6CY,AND A 22 FOOT CAR HAULER W/2 FOOT DOVE TAIL WITH A RACE CAR ALL OVER NORTH TEX AND S.E. OKLA. BUT UPDATED TO A 351W AND C6....GO FOR IT...tbritt

 

Jim, A thousand pounds is pretty lite. You should be able to tow it just fine.


John

 

Thanks tbritt, jowilker,

I have a another thread in here (somewhere) and it was mentioned late yesterday that there would be cab clearance issues in tighter turns (due to the swb) but I didn't think the weight was too excesive

 

What would be considered max trailer weight? Iv a 64 f 100 w factory aux springs. With a frame mounted hitch would 6500lbs be overkill.

292, 4 spd, and 4.11

 

The short answer yes, the truck will pull it, but will it stop it? How far are you going to tow it? Is the area flat, or hilly? What is the experience of the operator?

A better answer, it's probably not a good idea unless you are moving an object once that can be done in an off peak traffic time of day on pretty level ground.

A long tow should be done with a larger truck with better brakes. I would pull 10,000 lbs with mine if conditions were favorable, but not on on the road in traffic when others would be in danger.


John

 

I have the same exact truck, a '64 F100 with a 6 1/2' bed. One time, my buddy's '65 Chevy truck stalled out far from home, and he called me to come help him out. For some reason we couldn't get his truck started again (something was ****ed up with his electricals), so we just wrapped a chain around my rear bumper and his front bumper, and I towed his truck home, with a LOT of hills all the way. My old Ford pulling his old Chevy. I never let him hear the end of it.

Granted, it wasn't a super long trip or anything, but my truck handled it without complaining. I don't know if its just me or not, but it seems like whenever I put more of a load on the engine (stuff in the bed or towing), it feels like it runs and handles better! Yay, Ford trucks are badass!

 

Old Fords love to work, some of the things we hauled/dragged with Grandpa's 66 F250 with the 300HD would scare the hell out of people now days... heck I got free gas all the time by winning bets on what she could/would do.

A few things, had side boards built and she hauled grain for years, dragged a broken 8 wheeled monster tractor 15 miles back to the farm across fields, moved a 14X60 mobile home 50+ miles across some nice Co hills. The one I love the best was pushing a brand new 4X4 blazer out of the sand in front of the guys girlfriend..she was laughing and he was pissed I didn't get stuck.

 

So in a nutshell upgrading to disc brakes in the front, and using a brake controler to operate the surge breaks and shell be fine. Ive towed about 2500lbs before with her and she didint skip a beat.
why the heck cant they sell a plain manual disc brake setup. I dont need power brakes.

 

Hello, long time lurker first time poster.

I've a 63' M-100 with a 223ci, three speed transmission & 4.11 rear end. I'm in central Alberta Canada.

Father in law wants to give us a 23ft Airstream which weighs 5,010lbs. It's in Texas.

Think the 223 & 3 speed are up to the task w/ the trailer brakes? I'm going to overhaul the engine & put a heavy duty clutch in before doing it. I'll be sure to run her durning the cool part of the day down south.

New F-150's with a 3.7litre (225ci) have a tow capacity of 5,500lbs.