Hey Folks,

I have a '96 F-250 7.5L automatic tranny 4x4 with a Class V hitch attached to the frame that I want to tow with. Never have towed since I bought it. I need to tow a small car and was going to rent a trailer from U-haul, but what should I do to prepare the truck for towing? It'll be about 1,000 miles round trip. 500 up, 500 back with the car in tow.

I should mention that it has only 55,000 miles on it (yep, that's all folks!), and I had to put in a new tranny because the folks that owned it before me burned it up towing a 10' dump trailer. It's got a 3" body lift and 33 inch tires.

What should I do to make sure it's good to go? I think the maybe ensure that those auto locking hubs that always seem to stick are rolling free, maybe check the brakes, tune up maybe? Not sure, so I welcome any and all advice. I'm mechanically inclined at the beginner level to be honest. I can follow directions and pictures pretty easy, but don't be afraid to dumb it down for me - I won't be insulted!

Thanks everyone!
Woody

 

Definately check your truck's fluids, tire pressures, etc. before the trip. Also, whenever you make a stop (fuel, rest room, food, etc.), check the straps on the trailer holding the car down, check the hubs on the trailer to make sure thay are not too hot, check the hitch and chains connecting the trailer to the truck. The U Haul trailer will have surge brakes on them, so you won't need a brake controller. One other thing, BEFORE you leave the U Haul lot, CHECK THE LIGHTS! Sometimes brake lights aren't working on a U Haul trailer. After you pick up the trailer, practice towing it before you get the car on it.

 

You are on the right path, just ensure all fluids are in good shape, lube job and the suspension, tires are rated for the load. Hopefully E-rated tires.

I have hauled many with the u-hual car trailers. They are surge brakes so you don't need a controller on the truck.

Does your current reciever have the 4-pin in it? That is what you will need to you can power the lights.

Your hitch and ball...a 2" with about 7K capacity is what I would recommend. You may want to put that on there and then go over and measure the trailer and see if you are going to be level going down the road. If not then you can adjust the hitch to a different one.

use a lower gear if needed on the hills, know your red line on the truck.

Best to practice a little when you get hooked up before you head out on the open road. Turns will be the biggest changes, as an example, if you have a double left hand turn, use the outside lane so you get a better turning radius and don't cut the inside lane or jump over a curb.

 

Rule of thumb - triple the distance you usually allow for stopping.

When you call to reserve the trailer, ask for the ball size and hitch height. You want to show up with the right equipment, and you want the trailer to ride level. With your lift, you may need a 4" or a 6" drop hitch.

Tires, tires, tires. Make sure you have the correct load rated tires for your truck, and that they are inflated to the pressure called out on your door sticker or manual. 500 miles of trailer sway will drive you insane.

After you are loaded, drive a short distance (5-10 miles) and stop and check your rigging.

 

Thanks everyone for the tips! I should mention that the truck has a brake controller on it, but I don't know how many pins are on the connector. I suspect the 7 pins since it has the controller - dunno. Will have to check that.

As for tires, it has 305 70R 16's on there now and I don't know what they're rated for. How can I check that? They're about at their last 1/3rd of their life and the right rear has a plug in it. Bad idea to tow with them? Since it hadn't been driven much I think they're rather old and thought that a trip like this would put them under and force me to buy new tires afterward rather than tear up new ones. What do you think?

I see from the other "trailer towing" posts that a transmission cooler and temp gauge are recommended. It has with that newly rebuilt tranny a new transmission cooler, but no temp. gauge. Is that expensive and/or hard to install?

Should I be looking at the rear axle seals on the truck or any other wear items? I'd hate to get into the mountains of PA and run into mechanical problems with my truck.

I already know I'm gonna pay through the nose for gas. It gets about 10 uphill and downhill both, with and without a load, but at least I know what I'm gonna get!

Thanks everyone,
Woody

 

I am just north of you and have traveled through out PA, you will be fine as far as hills are concerned. There are some but in my opinion not so steep to cause any concern.

A tranny temp guage is almost a must have for a significant load but we are only talking about 5-6K here. Doing a downshift and keeping your rpms up and speed around 60 mph and the hills should be fine. A tranny guage if you can get it done though is the best route.

Look on the sidewall of the tires for evidence of weather cracking..if it is there then replace. Also on the sidewall will be max air pressure and the load rating. Some of the newer tires don't have the old A, B, C, D and so on instead they have another number like 119 or 120. But they still have the single or dual wheel LBS.

Your tongue wt will not be signifcant but you want a truck tire not a passenger tire on there.

You will have to look at the reciever to see what kind of pin connections are there.

 

Hey Woody,

You have gotten some good advice here. The only thing I want to chime in and say is that you'll be fine. The fact that you are on here asking these questions tells me that you are conscientious enough to be aware of your surroundings and do the no-brainer things like provide enough stopping distance, check your mirrors during turns, etc. You're not talking about a significant load here, and honestly unless you are planning to tow often I wouldn't waste the money on a trans temp gauge. Just make sure your fluids are good and your tire pressures are up and don't be afraid to run the truck at higher rpm's than normal and you'll be fine. The Uhaul place should be able to set you up with a drop reciever IF you need one. Have a good trip and don't fret too much.

Bob

 

These guys are giving you some great advice Woody. Nothing I can really add to it but best of luck with the trip.

 

Thanks for the Reps!

 

Thanks Senix! I'll check that out. Route 15 over Bloss Mountain is rather hilly and a long steep grade, other than that it's not too bad.

 

Thanks everyone! I'm looking forward to it.