I have a 1975 F250 Camper Special 2wd with the 390. I also have a late 70's 11 foot slide-in truck camper. My other baby is a 1979 Jeep CJ-7 with Dana 44 axles front and rear and 35's(more weight than stock CJ). Does anyone think I am going to have trouble with the camper in the F250 towing the Jeep? Also, what would be the best way to tow the Jeep? (flatbed trailer, tow dolly). Flat towing (all four tires down) the Jeep is out of the question, it sits too high (about 8 inches of lift) and the 2wd F250 sits too low. I have a Reese Class 5 Titan hitch with an extension to clear the camper (it is a wonderful thing to have a father-in-law that is a regional sales manager for draw-tite/reese!). My first big trip will be crossing the rockies from Denver CO to Moab UT.

I plan to install a tranny cooler (C6 tranny). I have a Dana 60 full-float rear in the F250. It has dual exhaust with only glasspacks. I also plan to install a Tranny Temp guage. I am trying to decide if I want to upgrade the ignition system (it runs like a friggin' top) or if I should do anything to it since it runs so well. What do any of you suggest to get more performance? Ignition? Carb? Intake?

I have pics of everything at http://www.geocities.com/jeepcj7maniac

Thanks for all of your help!

 

Welcome to the Towing forum!

I took a look at your camper on your link. It looks pretty heavy, so I'm thinking it might put the truck pretty close to it's maximum gross weight. The added hitch weight of a trailer might put you over gross and it would add more combined total weight. So you're probably better off with a dolly, or trying to come up with a way to flat tow the jeep.

With the camper alone, your going to know you're climbing hills and towing the jeep will slow things down even more. If your truck has a 4.10 or 3.75 axle ratio it will help on the hills.

I would guess that you would safely be able to tow up to 13,000# gross combined weight. That would cover your truck at gross if it's rated at 7,800# GVWR plus a 5,000# towed load. Believe me, that will be plenty heavy.

You might want to take the truck/camper combo to the scales along with the jeep to see initially what kind of weights you have to start. That will help you decide the best methood of towing the jeep. Be sure and leave yourself a margin for any gear you plan on carrying in the back of the jeep.

Scott

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 08-Jan-03 AT 10:13 PM (EST)]Thanks for your help! I would prefer to flat tow the CJ as it is cheaper and easier (except removing the rear driveshaft) but I am not finding a hitch to make-up for the height differences, so I am considering using a tow dolly and putting the rear of the CJ on the dolly since the front is full float with manual locking hubs. I am thinking that a flat bed trailer is not an option.

The camper is heavy but, the truck handles it EXTREMELY well. You know you have a big camper in the back, but you don't really notice it too much. The rear end sits high without a load and sits pretty level with the camper in the back. It handles extremely well and you really don't get much body roll (I'm not driving like adretti or anything, though). I think the truck will be great with just the camper.

I also think with the CJ behind it on a dolly it will do well. Now it will be slower going on the mountain passes, but I'm in no hurry!

Thanks for your input!

 

All I can say is BRAKING POWER these old 70s trucks have terrible braking power you will be certainly over taxing those brakes I can't remember if the 75s are drum/drum or disk/drum. Before you go anywhere give the truck a complete brake job replace the all the brake shoes and pads if your truck is 4 wheel drum brakes make sure the drums are all in good shape and the brakes are adjusted right up.

You may want to check your local laws you might not beable to flat tow that jeep without brakes you may have to put it on a trailer or make a dolly up with brakes on it.

Good Luck

 

I'd go with a good set of headers. Made the world of difference on my 73 F250 w/360.

 

 

I've got a 75 f-250 4x4. No owner's manual. Truck is 5 hrs away. Want to drive a 4000 lb car there, put the car on a 1800lbs trailer (call that 6000 lbs total) and bring it all back home. Trailer has brakes (U-haul standard).

360 engine - strong
Rear axle gears - unknown
Transmission - unknown

Registrations says:
"DVGW = 6000 lbs
curb weight = 4600lbs"

Known - I've hauled 2 tons of sand in the truck bed distance of 6 miles a few times. Just nearly bottomed out the axle on the frame (it's got helper coil springs back there). 45 mph, with front end tipped up, but it hauled it!

After much hassle, FMC research department took my VID and is looking into the question. I guess I'll see if the mother ship can be helpful.

Anyone have any thoughts? I want to be safe.

Thanks

 

I wonder what a DGVW is? It sounds like CO allows you to buy cheaper tags at a lower gross weight rating. The Ford GVW plate is at least 7500lb. Thats what really counts for safety and durability.

Curb weight sounds about right. CA uses that figure, not gross, to price tags. If only you could buy a new F-150 4x4 that is that light today.

Jim

 

Do you have a buddy the has an aluminim trailer? That would shed some weight.

I would want the jeep on a trailer with two braking axles. I have Cj's also. One on 35's.. CJ's are best rigs out there as far as I am concerned.

I agree with you about the tow dolly. I have had two buddies use them and not have much good luck. And they do not have any braking power. Would not be so bad if you were not hauling a camper.

Same thing about flat towing. No brakes.

I would install a tranny temp gauge. a very large tranny cooler and even consider a cooler with a fan that can be switched on while you are crawling up the mountain roads. You do not get much airflow during slow climbs. I was thinking of doing this with my 01 but I installed the 6.0 cooler on my truck and that did the ticket.

www.in2jeeps.com all my rigs
www.hrja.org my jeep club...


nice trail rig you built!

 

thank you. My guess is that dgvw means "Dealer Gross Vehicle Weight" It's a NM reg. I typoed. the curb weight on the registration is 4500, not 4600.

I'm still not sure whether it woud be safe to use the truck to tow an 1800lb trailer (with brakes) carrying a 4000 lb car on it (for total trailer weight of , say, 6000 lbs).