I am looking at possibly buying a camp trailer and was wondering how much weight my truck can tow. Seems Like most newer 25' campers are around 6-7000 lbs empty. I would look in the owners manual but that didn't come with the truck The truck is a 1994 F150 excab 4x4 with a 5.8 (351), automatic (E4OD), tow package with a brake controller. It has 3.55 gears, 5" lift and 33's. If I were to start towing alot I would swap out the 3.55's for 4.10's or find a f250.

 

My 78 25' Prowler TT was 5000 lbs and my 91 24.5' Salem fiver is 4500 lbs. Both were self contained without slide outs. I have pulled both with half ton Fords comfortably for the most part. My SILs Terry 29" is about 8000 on the trailer sticker.
The vehicle equipment sticker on your driver's side door jamb should give you the axle and tire ratings. Most F150s with trailer packages can handle a 5000 lb load quite nicely. I have seen some that were rated for up to 7000 lbs but thats pushing it for a half ton.
There are many RV sites that have info on hauling and lots of info on different units.
regards
rikard

 

I didn't even think to look at the GVRW in the door jam! Thats the first place I should have looked.

 

The mid 90s F150s were not recommended for towing 5,000 on a regular basis and that assumed the truck had the 5,000 rating, many of those trucks had much less tow rating since they were "city" play trucks. This was from memory of reading old trailer life magazines from about that era.

A 7,000 trailer is way beyond the safety ratings for the early mid 90s F150s. A properly equipped F250 or a newer(say late 90s and up) properly equipped 150 would probably work better and last longer.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

I agree. 7000 lbs is too much for an F-150. The brakes, axles, and frame are not up to the task of regularly towing that much weight. You would need transmission cooling upgrades and new gears front & rear to even tow 5,000 lbs.

 

whew, loaded question (no pun intended)

my 90 F150 4x4 with the 5.0, aod and 3.55 is rated to yank 7200lbs all day every day.

But thats not fun. those who tell you that and F-anything yanking 6+tons of anything 'feels like nothing is there' are so stoned on drugs they spell FORD "Q T D P G"

suffice to say, last year I got back into Rving with a 24' sunline (1987 satellite) that was 3550 empty and 4000 loaded INTELLIGENTLY.

Comparatively, my 1986 Prowler 29R was 5450 empty and over 6000lbs loaded the same way.

In todays world of aluminum frames and plastics and tons of crap, Id find 24-25ft class rvs that are 4500-5000 empty. I wont go into the "do this's" for RV loading, you figure that out.

that all being said, if you saw my old project page for my F100 I had until recently, I towed said sunny with a 1981 F100 4x2 6 cyl with a stick. Modified to tow yes, but still a 6 cyl stick. it was fine at sane speeds and back roads. when the sunny had to hit the highway, out came the F150.

The 351, 3.55 rear and the auto should be good for 7600 or more IIRC - stock. yes, you will use a W/D hitch, yes you will use electric brakes, and yes it would be good if you had the 6250GVWR package (I had/have all 3)

however the lift and the 33" tires are going to be counter productive, the 33" tires alone make that 3.55 seem like a 3:1 and the lift is gonna screw with the hitch big time.

for grins - go craigslist up a few sunlines - satellites in the 24 or bigger range.

 

I would think w your engine, gears and TIRES , 5000lbs would be the MAX

 

Also consider that with the over-sized tires which are most likely 6 ply, the trailer will sway side to side a lot more than stock sized tire with a load range of D or E.

 

Quaddriver, my truck does have the 6250 GVWR.

I would plan on using an equalizer hitch, the brake controller will also help big time on the braking end of things.

I figured the 33's would be counter productive. I am thinking about going to 16" rims and either 265's or 285's so that will help out with that.

I would mainly need to tow it only a few times a year. I was thinking around 6000 lbs loaded wouldn't be to bad. I am fine going 60-65 on the highway.

 

Also, install the biggest TRANSMISSION COOLER you can find.

 

I have the HD tow on my 96: double thick radiator, 5.8, 3.55s, E4OD with the biggest trans cooler I've seen stock, engine oil cooler, and have towed a 4500-5000 pnd trailer with a 500 pound four wheeler in the bed many times. However, I have stock size LT tires with no lift.

That was in MN at low altitude and it seemed to handle it fine, no overheating (and I've even been stuck in traffic for 1.5 hours w/ ~95*F heat, said F-it and ran the AC haha). Never went over 65mph, and on a good weather day, no traffic or AC or 95*F heat, could get up to 10.5mpg taking it easy on the highway. IIRC, the owner's manual says 7400 pound trailer max. I would have liked dual axle electric brakes on the trailer, but well maintained single axle surge brakes did do the job, just pay attention to the road. I did lock up the truck brakes once, and the trailer was pushing me pretty hard, not what you want at all.

Then again, I did just have to rebuild my 8.8" rear diff

I'd regear if you're in love with oversized tires and a lift.
Oh, and I think severe service fluid change interval on the E4OD is only 30k.

 

I am planning on regearing it eventually. I didn't lift it, it came that way. The longer I have the truck the more I wish I would have found a fully stock one instead but for the price I couldn't pass it up. Lifts look good but are a PITA. I will have to figure out the cost of regearing and new tires and rims vs the cost of selling it and getting a 96 or 97 power stroke crew cab (dream truck). If I end up getting a trailer it will be because I will be driving it 10 hrs away and then living in it for 6 months to a year. So the current rig will only really have to pull it once.