Towing in Overdrive????
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Towing in Overdrive????
I have a 1993 F-150, 302, 4wd, 5 speed, with the towing package. At least I think it has the towing package because it has stabilizers. It also has a limited slip 4.10 rear end, which I think is the source of my trouble. I am trying to tow a boat, which is fairly heavy, though not above the capacity of the pick-up, and fourth gear is too low for the highway. (3000 rpm at 60 mph) I was wondering if the M5od can tow in overdrive, or if that will over-heat the transmission. Thanks in Advance
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Thanks,
So if I don't feel the clutch slipping it will be OK? I was afraid the added load would cause the transmission to overheat even if the clutch felt good. I have towed it about 20 miles, 10 in overdrive, and the clutch was fine, I think
So if I don't feel the clutch slipping it will be OK? I was afraid the added load would cause the transmission to overheat even if the clutch felt good. I have towed it about 20 miles, 10 in overdrive, and the clutch was fine, I think
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Thank you very much. I'm in West Texas, so there aren't many hills, but you have to drive a couple of hours to the lake. Maybe this will speed up my time.
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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Towing will really depend on the rear gear ratio of the truck, but I'd guess it to be fairly low if OD is required to get it below 3000 rpm.
One thing about 302's...they're not overly powerful for this sort of job. You might want to consider a cam upgrade, as well as a 4V carb to help out, or consider an upgrade to a 351W block, better off being stroked a bit, and built for the job.
There are to many styles of 302 heads out there to give decent reference to head porting, so that might be better left up to an actual machine shop, and based on the heads you have.
302's perform decently for light duty, installing an inline 6-300CID, which has more low end and mid range power might be the way to go as well. It really depends on what you're willing to spend on mods.
One thing about 302's...they're not overly powerful for this sort of job. You might want to consider a cam upgrade, as well as a 4V carb to help out, or consider an upgrade to a 351W block, better off being stroked a bit, and built for the job.
There are to many styles of 302 heads out there to give decent reference to head porting, so that might be better left up to an actual machine shop, and based on the heads you have.
302's perform decently for light duty, installing an inline 6-300CID, which has more low end and mid range power might be the way to go as well. It really depends on what you're willing to spend on mods.
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The Pick-up has 4.10 gears, and I had actually thought about changing them just for the gas mileage, until I looked at the front end. When (if) this engine goes out, I would like to go back with the 6 cylinder, I've had good luck with both engines. I don't tow that much, so I'll probably just piddle along when I'm pulling the boat.
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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Originally Posted by ford390gashog
i got a 428 that puts out 460 ft pounds at 2,600 rpm. it will pull anything.
My former 69 had a 390, bored out .060 over, cammed, ported heads, etc.
I debated between shifting gears or just stomping on the fuel when I hit a hill(lived in the Canadian Rockies at the time) with a load behind it.
A 302 will not live in that world, and requires some mods to help it along, they're more of a revver type block, and not a pulling block.
More at home in a mustang or lighter vehical that is more about speed than pulling power.
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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Originally Posted by Buster11
I'm on a pretty tight budget, what can I do to help it out for a reasonable price, and without wearing out clutches too often?
The RV cam, 4 barrel carb will help out in the long run. With such low gears, going to a taller tire size may help a bit with engine rpm, but don't go extreme. You should be able to get away with 31 inch tires all around and notice a slight drop in 3rd gear rpm, but not a huge drop. I wouldn't go much bigger than that, as the engine isn't a huge tourque monger. You'll want to retain some rpm to allow it to work in it's power band.
If you really want a truck that can tow, consider the 351 W block upgrade, or find a truck with an M block in it, or an I6.
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From: Concord, NC
The 351 swap is more than a "block upgrade" and I would not put a 4 barrel carb on a '93 EFI truck. I would think that no more than 2500 lbs you should be able to tow in overdrive, but I would be careful. I wouldn't worry about the clutch, I'd worry about the load on the shafts inside the transmission. With one to one fourth gear, the power goes straight through, but with overdrive fifth, the torque goes from the input shaft through the other shaft and out the tailshaft. I think as long as it doesn't lug too much, overdrive should be ok with that weight.