need help making a "towing" decision
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Albany, Oregon
need help making a "towing" decision
I am typically on the 61-66 forum but need some input/decision making help. I have a 66 F100 with a 300 six and T18 transmission. The rear end has 3:25 gears. I have a travel trailer that weighs about 4500 lbs. What are the thoughts about the 66 pulling the trailer. The trailer has brakes so stopping is not a huge issue. I dont want to go 35 miles per hour up the hill and have been thinking about changing the gears. Can the 300 really do the job?
CO River Rat
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,209
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From: Lake Havasu City AZ
If you have a public scale nearby, get an accurate weight on that TT loaded up and ready for towing; then you'll know what you're up against. Like you mentioned, the 3.25 rear gears aren't really suitable for towing that weight, especially if the truck will be loaded with pax, gear, etc. I'm not familiar with the 300-6, so maybe its low-end torque can handle the 3.25 OK.
Steve
Steve
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
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From: So Cal
I don't know that model but some quasi educated guessing...
The T18 is a pretty light duty tranny I think. The straight 6 is a good torque engine but usually came in light duty trucks so I would not expect a high tow rating. The low gearing is also indicative of this as a "commuter " truck, not a work truck. The 6 also runs out of power when you need to get up to the higher speeds with a load, so you might have trouble keeping up with the flow of traffic on some highways, which is a safety issue in my opinion.
F150 trucks in the 90s(My Ford Truck Bible is from then, so that is my reference) were usually not recommended for extended towing of loads at and above 5,000# and that assumed the models with bigger engines and tow package. The daily drivers had a much lower rating. I would assume with your truck that the rating is not even near the more modern model.
Travel trailers are typically rated at the base level. The weight does not usually take into account accessories like AC, Furniture etc. So the weight may already be at rating or more even before a full water load and the usual junk we put in them.
It is important for the truck to also have brakes that are up to the task. It is a really exciting ride when your truck brakes fade from heat, even if the trailer brakes are fine. Been there done that, lots of white hair. Brakes from the 60s weren't all that good, and I would assume yours are on the light side for trucks back then.
I don't know if the older trucks had a door sticker that gave weight ratings etc. Sometimes the sticker is on the firewall above the engine. If you do find a sticker, it may give you things like GVWR and GCWR The GVWR is the total rating for the truck itself. The GCWR is the rating for truck and trailer and all the load. I usually look at GCWR first. If you exceed that , it is a "no go".
If it was me I would only tow the trailer short distances and probably only for things like club ralleys and shows, and only after I found out the ratings. That is an old truck that is probably more suited to antique type activities, not serious towing.
Wild guessing is that this truck is probably rated for a trailer more like 2,000# or so.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
The T18 is a pretty light duty tranny I think. The straight 6 is a good torque engine but usually came in light duty trucks so I would not expect a high tow rating. The low gearing is also indicative of this as a "commuter " truck, not a work truck. The 6 also runs out of power when you need to get up to the higher speeds with a load, so you might have trouble keeping up with the flow of traffic on some highways, which is a safety issue in my opinion.
F150 trucks in the 90s(My Ford Truck Bible is from then, so that is my reference) were usually not recommended for extended towing of loads at and above 5,000# and that assumed the models with bigger engines and tow package. The daily drivers had a much lower rating. I would assume with your truck that the rating is not even near the more modern model.
Travel trailers are typically rated at the base level. The weight does not usually take into account accessories like AC, Furniture etc. So the weight may already be at rating or more even before a full water load and the usual junk we put in them.
It is important for the truck to also have brakes that are up to the task. It is a really exciting ride when your truck brakes fade from heat, even if the trailer brakes are fine. Been there done that, lots of white hair. Brakes from the 60s weren't all that good, and I would assume yours are on the light side for trucks back then.
I don't know if the older trucks had a door sticker that gave weight ratings etc. Sometimes the sticker is on the firewall above the engine. If you do find a sticker, it may give you things like GVWR and GCWR The GVWR is the total rating for the truck itself. The GCWR is the rating for truck and trailer and all the load. I usually look at GCWR first. If you exceed that , it is a "no go".
If it was me I would only tow the trailer short distances and probably only for things like club ralleys and shows, and only after I found out the ratings. That is an old truck that is probably more suited to antique type activities, not serious towing.
Wild guessing is that this truck is probably rated for a trailer more like 2,000# or so.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
