This is my first post, so I hope I'm asking the question(s) in the right place. I bought a 2002 F-150 regular cab that came equipped with the 4.6l V8 and the 6050# GVWR package and class III trailer towing group. The problem is that the axle ratio is the somewhat whimpy 3.08. I know I don't have the hog enginge but I am disappointed with the 2000 lb capacity for trailers.
My first question is what did I get besides the frame mounted hitch for my package?
2. What kind of rear ratio do I need if I want to be able to do occasional towing, moving and occasional recrational?
3. Any idea how much a rear upgrade would cost?
4. what else would I need to upgrade if I wanted decent towing?

Thanks ahead of time for your help

 

I don't know your model specifically but in general most magazines say you can do occasional towing of upto about 5,000 with a 150 and the correct combination of running gear, ie factory rated for the load. bandaiding is just that, a temporary and not necessarily permanent fix.

Tow ratings are based upon many components in a truck. I will miss a few but... engine, tires, wheels, axle ratio, axle type, springs, shocks, brakes, tranny, cooling, sometimes frame etc will affect the rating. You cannot change just one or two things and expect to be safely or legally up to a new rating.

If you carefully review the manufacturer options for a tow packaged 150 versus your model, you might be able to pick out the main items that are affecting your rating. No guarantee that replacing these items will get you up to spec but they will improve things.

I suspect that your truck badly needs a higher number gear set, maybe up to 4.10. Don't know the cost but if you have 4WD you can double the cost since you must change both gear sets if you ever plan to go into 4WD. I would also look at your tires to check the load rating. Your rims might also need changing. Next I would consider a larger tranny cooler if one isn't already installed. You might also consider helper springs.

Once again let me say, technically and perhaps legally you may still not be upto spec if you change these things. All you can be sure of changing is the particular item replaced will probably last longer than the original. Manufacturers rate a truck based upon the expected and desired service life. You can tow almost any weight, the question is for how long and how safely.

Brakes are probably your biggest weakness, and possibly the hardest to seriously remedy without doing some significant changes to the system. Bad brakes while towing makes for a very tired driver at best and perhaps a really interesting ride at worst.

If I was forced to tow say 5,000, I would do the gears, cooler, helpersrings, tires and maybe wheels and pray.

Good Luck, do some serious studying before you boost weight appreciably.

Jim Henderson

 

I currently tow a tow hauler that weighs approximatley 5,800lbs. when loaded. My 4.6L definitely struggles and wish I had the 5.4L or Superduty diesel truck. Since I cannot afford switching a fairly new truck for another new truck without losing lots of money, I have to dela with the with what I have.

First, get rid of the 3.08, I can't believe that came with the tow package.

Second, you need the anti-slip differential. This should have come with the tow package, as should have the 3.55 differential. The minimum gear ratio for towing shoulde be the 3.55 differential. At 4.11 gear ratio your non-towing mileage will realy stinks. I don't know 3.75 gear ratio mpg loss.

Third, even with the two upgrades on my truck, K&N FIPK and Hypertech programmer, the power is slightly improved but stinks.

If you are only going to tow 2,000lbs, you should be fine with a 3.55 differential and the two bolt-ons that I described above. Granted you will not win any towing races, but take it easy and don't be in a rush. Remember, it's only a 281 motor.

I'm in the same situation and also always looking for advice as well.

 

Thanks for both of the replies I have recieved. Marty, yours was especially helpful. Jim obviously you didn't even bother to tread the post because I never mentioned bandaidindg and described that I had the towing package, what this entails I do not know. I feel as thoguh your "advice" was overly generic and I have checked the manual which DOES NOT MENTION a 4.10 as a rated gear option for the 4.6 engoine. My truck is two wheel drive and I have never hauled anything. I unlike you want to get things right before making my first endeavor be it in posting to a question or hauling a trailer

 

As Jim Henderson suggested, a tranny cooler is a must. Also, the correct trailer hitch setup and trailer brake program such as Prodigy should be installed. Since you have a tow package, it should have a factory tranny coller installed. To ensure that a tranny cooler is installed, look down in front of your radiator and if you see something that looks like a small radiator in front, you are in luck, otherwise go purchase one. I suggest you to always go to the dealer to verify what I am saying.

If you collect information that may be useful for towing, please forward it on. I have asked the same questions and continue to ask new questions as I experience them about towing to get the best time on my camping and dirt bike excursions.

Enjoy

 

I have a 01' 4.6l Scab. It came with the 3.08 rear end and no tow pkg. I up graded the rear end to a 3.73 cost about $300. to do it myself, figure $700 min to hire it done. I installed the largest tranny cooler I could find, the cooler in front of the radiator on the drivers side is for the power steering. and tranny temp and water temp gauges. The stock temp gauge is not very useful for monitoring the engine temp. I installed a rear swaybar, and a flipchip, and elect. brake control. Tows a 24' trailer very well, I will probably put a larger radiator on it before next summer and I'll be replacing the P tires with LT tires as soon as the original tires wear out. I only tow once a year, otherwise it serves as my daily ride quite nicely. IMO you should change the rear gears, and make sure the tranny cooler is large enough to do minimal towing.

 

aucatamount, your owner's manual should give you some idea of what kind of towing you can do if you equip your truck differently.

Look on the pages for trailer class II or III, then in the 6050# column. See what the highest trailer weight and gross combined weight is listed. Then look to see how it needs to be equipped for that rating. Example: transmission type, axle ratio, tow pkg, cooling pkg, stabilizer bars. There should be footnotes for each of those items and an explanation of each on a separate page.

But if the trailer weight is listed at a maximum of 2000# as your truck is equipped, with no option to go higher, then that's the most you can expect to safely get out of it.

You didn't say which transmission your truck is equipped with. If you have an automatic, then I would think it's possible to equip your truck to be able to tow a little more than 2000#, even with the 3.08 axle. But if you have the 5 speed manual transmission, then with your combination of engine and axle, that may very well be the limiting factor restricting you to a maximum of 2000# maximum trailer weight. In F150's the manual transmissions are designed for light duty economy trucks, not for heavy duty towing.

By the way: You have been given much good advice by everyone that has given you some of their own time to try and help you you with useful and informative replys. I don't think you should be dismissive of anyone or the information you've been given just because it's not what you want to hear.

 

First off, I was nodding my head throughout Jim Henderson's post.
Good information well delivered.

The Class III Trailer Tow Group for 2002 F150's (option code 535):
- 7-pin trailer wiring harness
- Class III frame mounted hitch receiver
- HD shock absorbers
- HD 72-AH battery
- Aux trans oil cooler (with 44U or 44E auto. trans. only); upgraded auxillary transmission . Oil cooler on 5.4L engines with 44U auto trans.

3.08 was the standard ratio for that configuration, 3.31 and 3.55 were both optional. Obviously the person who ordered that truck never meant it to be used for heavier trailers. It's a mileage truck with light trailer towing capabilities ... like a 16' boat or a light utility trailer.

Ford's 2002 RV and Trailer Towing Guide lists a maximum loaded trailer weight of 2,000# and a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 10,000#.

Extrapolating from the tables if you could find and install a 4.10 the truck *could* be capable of towing an 8,000# trailer but I wouldn't want to do it because of all the other limitations.

I thought Jim was kind, I'd say buy another truck or forget the trailering .

 

Thank You to everyone, sorry if I got off on the wrong foot, but I felt a little like people thought I wanted to break the law. I wan6t to tow responsibly and that is why I have asked for your advice.

 

Oh, sorry I never answered some of the questions posted to me. First let me give everyone as much info as possible. My truck is a 2002 2wd F-150 regular cab with an automatic transmission, the 6050 package and the trailer towing group III package. I have never towed anything so I cannot tell you how it responds to specific weight loads. The 2000 lbs number came from the manual which also showed I guess the factory optional ratios of 3.31 and 3.55. I do not want to go up to a 4.10 because I have no idea what it would require in terms of additional ad ons, nor do I want to phatom changes that big. This is the first full size pichup I have ever had and basically I want to be able to use it o move, a once a year thing right now, and eventually tow a boat, size to be determined by financial position at some point in the future. My other problem is that I use this truck to commute to work two hours away, I have a place on the other end, but from what I have seen the four hours I would drive a week would kill me in a 4.10 and probably even in a 3.55. Also I looked, in passing, for the cooler, but one of the posts confused me would it bee on the passenger or driver side of the truck?
Jim I also want to extend an apology to you , horsepuller, and anyone elese I have offended or seemed to have shrugged off on this site. I am truly a novice at this type of things and don't want to make enemies out of the gate.

Still searhcing for more info, aucatamount

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/specs/2003/2003_f150_1.html

I cant believe that changing gears from 3.08 to 3.31 and now you can tow over 3x as much.. thats bs.

Thats only a 7% increase in gearing.

Oh and it should cost about 400$-550$ to regear the rear. Parts labor tax etc. I would imagine unless you drive 85mph all the time even going to a 3.55 gear you would only lose maybe 1-2 mpg @85 on the highway. Around town you should see no difference as the engine works less to get the truck moving.

As far as the transmission cooler. You will have one in the radiator right now. You might ALSO have an AUX. trans cooler. Its a notebook sized thing infront of the radiator.

Rand

 

My understanding is that, Ford doesn't offer a towing pkg with the 3.08 rear end. No tranny cooler, and the rear end size, and a few other extras that limits Ford's tow rating, for warranty reasons. If you have a class 3 tow hitch reciever, it was probably installed by the previous owner, The Ford tranny cooler is mounted in the front on the drivers side, you would have two coolers up there if you do have the tow pkg. The little cooler on the passenger side is for the power steering, and the other is for the tranny, I may have this reversed it's too late to go look and see which is which. Bottom line is that there is more than one thing that makes up the tow pkg, and Ford is just covering their hinies by limiting the tow capacity of trucks without the complete pkg. Just putting taller gears in and no tranny cooler will still damage your tranny, and a tranny cooler without taller gears will still make towing unpleasurable and possibly damage your drive train.

 

I bought the truck new, so the hitch is factory, and according to the window sticker there was no upgrade in the rear end, but the class III group was included