Ford Towing Specifications:
I have a 1999 Trailer Towing Guide published by Ford. The brochure specifies identical trailer weight of 10,000 lbs for:

F250,
"conventional towing", as opposed to 5th wheel
V10 or diesel engines
3.73 or 4.30 axels
automatic or manual transmissions

My 1995 F250 owners manual, however, gives very different numbers for transmission and axel ratio options. for example:

F250 supercab with 460, manual trans and 3.55 axel rates @ 6300 towing capacity. The same configuration with 4.10 axel rates @ 10,000 lbs

The same truck with automatic and 3.55 axel rates @ 9,400 lbs and with 4.10 axel, 12,500 lbs.

Has Ford changed the way they rate trailer capacity or something? I can't believe the technology from 1995 to 1999 is so advanced that auto vs stick and highway vs load bearing axel ratios are no longer a factor.

Look forward to any practical insight on this.

Regards,
Jack

 

I wondered the same thing since my new (used) '95 F-150 is rated to tow 2,000 lbs, but with auto tranny 4,600 lbs. I saw in a back issue of Trailer Life (around mid-year '95 or so) this question addressed. Basically, the manufacturer rates manual tranny way lower for towing because most people don't operate the clutch right and burn it up (in some cases the tranny may not be as strong either, but mostly it seems to be the clutch). Logically, given the same gear and axle ratios, a manual should tow as much or more than a n automatic because the auto sucks power to turn all that fluid in the torque converter.

 

My wife works for an RV dealership and I asked their people why an Automatic is the preferred method of towing over a manual. They told me that the biggest reason is that an automatic trans can be cooled with a tranmission cooler, a manual can't. Don't know if this helps.

 

Interesting, but I disagree. While I am not an engineer, it seems to me that a heavy load on a manual just puts more force on metal to metal contacts, which I would not expect to increase heat much. Whereas, in an auto tranny, I would expect the heavy load to cause more slippage in the fluid drive connection which would generate more heat. (I am arguing from logic, perhaps without all the facts, but with the bias that I just bought a manual tranny F-150 to pull my trailer)

 

First, the torque converter of an auto is exactly that,it converts the torque to a MUCH higher torque,therefore,increased ability to begin moving the load & once moving,drop off torque as not needed,but, always ready to 'convert' at any time.Lookin at old automotive manuals, the early "hydros" would name the torque converter a torque multiplier.That is why the gear ratios in an auto are so "high",the converter does the rest.For the manual gear box,I also would rather pull with a manual 'cause I know how to get the load moving without tearin' up the clutch,but I stick with granny 1st geared transmissions also.The manual trans also helps me slow down by allowing the engine to do some of the braking when in the proper gear vs. forward speed.Finally, the way I feel,if you have granny 1st,pull whatever hooks up to your trailer ball or 5th wheel.
Phillip

 

Let me tell you 1st hand. Towing with the manual is lower because of the clutch. I have an 86 F-250 with 351w and a 4spd(granny) and a 4.10 gear. I tow a 24ft camper trailer (approx 6000lbs loaded). If I try to leave in 2nd gear (3.09 ratio), which is like 1st in a normal manual transmission, you have to slip the clutch too much to get it rolling. 1st gear (6.32 granny) is no problem. Most manual trucks do not have a granny gear. Most have a 3.?? ratio 1st gear. An automatic has a torque convertor and fluid to cool its clutches upon takeoff. That is why you can tow more with an auto. After you are rolling it doesnt matter what you have, but getting it moving is the problem. The only drawback to my truck is no overdrive. (3200 rpm at 65 mph...whew!)