I have a 2001 f150 XLT Super Crew with 4.6L V8.
I am looking for a camper trailer to pull maybe every other weekend during summer distances not to exceed 100km with mid to morerate hills. I dont seem to be able to get an accurate number for how heavy a trailer I can pull. The GVWR on the inside of the door says 6350. Does this mean I can pull maximum that weight or is that the weight minus the weigh of my truck?
So, if the weight I can pull is less that about 4000lbs, and I decided to beef up the gear ratio do I have to replace the whole rear end/Axels or can I just open it up and swap out the gears?

 

OH for the record, I only have 168K on the truck. I presently pull all summer long an 18ft fiberglass pleasure boat with a 140 hp outboard engine and it pulls it with absolutely no problem.

 

I don't know what rear ratio you have or if 2 or 4wd.
Here is how it goes'
Page 178 in your owner manual tells you the towing limits for your equipage.
It goes by total combined weight of truck and trailer not just the trailer weight. It's called Gross Combined Weight Rating or GCWR.
Your truck is rated 11,500 absolute total no matter what the trailer weighs with a limit of 5900 pounds fully loaded and what the truck weighs.
This is the limit. Changing rear gear does not alter the legality of it should a check be made or a question arise.
To support this max weight the tires must be load rated, brakes and other items up to safe service.
Should have an Aux transmission cooler and will need an Electric brake controller.
At GCWR near 10000+ your towing speed on hills will suffer but that's what you have to accept.
A lower gear ratio will help but it winds the motor higher and requires the speedometer signal to be adjusted in the computer to bring back any reasonable accuracy.
Good luck.

 

sorry forgot to mention that one. Its a 2WD. I can ont find on the door jam anything saying GCWR. It only shows GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Ratio) and it says as stated 6350lbs. The axel code is H9. It also has Front GAWR 3100lbs and Rear GAWR of 3660lbs.
This leads me to think the truck is approx 4500lbs therefore leaving me the bottom of 2000lb trailer wieght to equal the 6350.
this all depends on as you said gear ratio. the 3.08 would allow 2000lbs, the 3.31 would allow 5900lbs and the 3.55 would allow 6900lbs.
Everything I can find online indicates these trucks only had 3.55 which explains the 6350 on the door jam.
I also stopped at a Ford dealership yesterday and the mechanic I spoke to assured me without even looking my truck would have 3.55 gears and I was sake for 4000 lbs.
So as you can see i dont know what to believe....
I really like my truck, not upgrading to a newer one and not buying a second one, but I need to be able to pull hopefully 3000-400lbs.

 

OK...I'm good...found my answer. Iwith the axel code of H9, I have the gear ratio of 3.55. I can pull up to 6900.
Awesome!
Thanks for your help

 

Well, I gave you accurate information and the Ford source of that information.
The gross weights you see on the jamb sticker is for the truck including for loads in the box and passengers etc. only, and does not include any trailer weight.
This is why the GCWR rules the question and not just the trailer weight.
The GCWR include ALL weight no mater where it is or what it is.
Believe what I gave you.
Either weigh your truck or go by what your licensed weight tells you, then subtract from 11,500 and that is the max weight you have to work with.
In that weight is the loaded trailer, any passengers and any other weight in or out of the box and full tank of gas.
Max tongue weight is 600 pounds.
I am giving you more info than you are getting from your sources along with an explanation of what and why
Good luck.