Just to get an idea what you guys are towing or think is acceptable towing with the 4.6. mine is a 98 4.6 auto 4x4 i know its not the ideal tow rig (far from it) but would still like to know what you tow with your 4.6 what issues you have had etc.

 

I just got rid of perhaps the greatest and most reliable truck my family has ever owned (97 F150 X-cab, 4x4, 4.6, 5spd, 3.55) The truck and our trailer empty weighed in around 7200 lbs. The trailer weighed about 2200lbs empty. Fords manual says that our truck was only rated to tow 3000 lbs. When I hauled scrapped 2 summers ago, I crossed the scales at the junkyard virtually everyday loaded up with a GCWR of 14,500 lbs. Im sure the weight ***** will be along shortly to give me a hard time, but I did this safely, and with this much weight it was only around town, at slower speeds.

As for highway trips, Ive made several runs to NY and back with this truck, with a GCWR in the neighborhood of 10,500-11000 lbs. Never got hassled by any LEO about overloading, or anything along those lines. We just got rid of the truck with 140k on it last Spring in favor of a 2005 F250. The repairs (aside from brakes, fluids, tires) we had to make on the 97 F150?

1.Shocks at 120k (that was overdue)
2. One rear wheel seal

Thats it. No bulbs, no clutches, nothing.......

Yea, the ol 4.6 can handle towing, alot more than what Ford says, just use some common sense about it.

 

I used to have a 2001 F150 SC 2WD with 4.6 Auto and 3.55 rear. I towed an enclosed car hauler that was about 7,000 lbs at the time and the truck pulled it pretty well. I did have to add airbags to the rear to get rid of sag, but the engine and trans always worked well. I live out west and pull many grades. The truck worked hard but never felt like it was terribly over worked. The 4.6 is a terrific engine if your not afraid to let her spin up tight on grades. I never run her much above 4500 RPM though.

 

If you dropped a 4.10 or 4.56 behind it, it would surprize you what it would tow and not have to down shift and wind it tight on hills all the time either.

 

Hi
I have a 98 Expedition with the 4.6. I tow a 26 ft trailer a few times a year with it. The trailer empty weighs 4,700 lbs. The truck handles it well. I could use more power on hills, but I never go over 55-60 when towing. Im constantly hearing people say the 4.6 is a dog. I'll take the 4.6 over the 5.4 . The 5.4's are known for launching spark plugs through the head. In 98 the 5.4 only had 15 more hp then the 4.6.

 

There is nothing wrong with towing with a 4.6 as long as you have good gears behind it. I would guess that a 4.6 4.10's would tow about as well as a 5.4 with 3.73's

 

2003 Expedition 4.6L. We tow a 3500 lb boat back and forth to the Colorado River here in Cali/Az all summer long. Round trip is about 400 miles in 100+ weather with the A/c on. The vehicle never misses a beat. It also burns about half the gas my Chevy truck does for the same trip!!

We are about to set it up to pull a 7200 lb toyhauler!!

 

You better change your axle ratio or change tow vehicle if you move up to the bigger trailer because you will feel its effect more than you think.

 

When I get it set up the way I want, the trailer will weigh be about 500 lbs over the Expedition's 6000 lb limit. I will also run a tranny temp gauge. I don't see any issues there!!

 

I do if it does not have the proper rear axle ratio. For some reason people just tend to ignore this like it does not matter. Also I would worry more about a aux tranny cooler than a temp gauge for it.

 

I towed a 28 ft. TT with a 2002 expedition with the 4.6L and 3.55's with towing package. It was basically flat terrain from Allentown PA to the Jersey shore. I locked out OD and it did ok. However I did notice that the TC would unlock (in 3rd) often just to maintain highway speeds (60-65). Got home after the trip...check the tranny fluid and added 1 quart. Now let me say that loaded up the GCW was about 12,500#. I was over the rating and it showed. Never did that again.

 

I just towed my boat for the first time this weekend behind the EXPEDITION

It is a 2001 4.6L --EB --2wd - 3.31 axle --no tow package ---which I just bought from the original owner --- the boat weights 5000 lb loaded including tandem axle trailer -- and we had four adults but no gear in the Expy

Since I am in Florida, the Expy did fine -- not a lot of power -- but OK -- I have towed the same boat from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, and across the US several times -- thousands and thousands of miles --

I will be installing a trans cooler in the next couple of weeks -- allready have brake controller and 7 pin installed.

I would say however that with a 3.3:1 axle -- that the about 6000 lb tow weight max is about it --- and hills would be another issue altogether -- I would guess in hills you would definitely be in second gear a lot.

One question for others here --- I did try to go in and out of OD a couple of times -it would not even go into OD with that load -- it stayed in drive -- I would assume this would be normal given the towed weight / engine / axle / etc.

any thoughts ???
thx == Dale

 

guys help me then... my boss's 97 4.6 can't get out of its own way.... only mods are 18 dubs (same size as 16 for correct speedo)
on small hills empty it shift from od to d all the time... then when we put the single axle enclosed behind it .....real bad no power ... I pull the same tralier with my 87 astro (4.3) and my 00 explorer (4.0 sohc) and they both out pull his expidition.. what gives? I'm thinking of buying it from him (3rd row seating) for a trip vehicle but it stinks on gas milage I get 18 out of my explorer in town... axle code is 19 on it what gears is that

 

hello anybody???