Joe-M, is the EOSF the same on your '02 as on the 05-06 trucks. (the front ends are different)

 

I had to adjust my hitch to get my 5ther level. Basically had to drop the hitch 4 inches. Never had any issue with the 4x4 per say. Actually it came in use when visiting friends up north. They live on a grass runway and it was somewhat wet so I utilized my 4x4 to park the trailer. 2x2 was just spinning the tires.

 

Both the 5th wheel hitches and the pin boxes have adjustability for various towing heights. My Fiver tows magnificently with my 4X4. I see no reason to shy away from the 4X4 option. I din't want the 4X4 option when the salesman offered it to me, but it was the only one on the lot with a V10 so I took it. Now, just try and get it away from me!

My only complaint is it cost me twice the normal cost to switch from 3.73's to the 4.30's. So buy want you want factory installed and save a ton o' money.

I have had no other issues maintenance wise or mechanically. It just removes 400 pounds of towing cap, but it's worth it to have those super gears in a bind!

 

I'm on my 2nd 4X4 Ford and tow a 30' Prowler 5er. No problems at all....if you do adjust the trailer pin box so the front rides higher, be careful 'cause you just lowered the rear of trailer and if you have to go over driveways or curbs, you will drag (tear off) your rear frame mounted stabilizer jacks.

 

Bardave, I'll be posting more on my recent trip later, but for now, all I can say is "WOW!"

I bought the 2006 F-350 King Ranch Dually PSD Auto 4x4 with tow boss package (4:30 rears) on July 4.
After 500 miles of running around town, hooked on to the old '89 HitchHiker (10,000 lbs) and hauled it about 150 miles up I-64 from Norfolk to Richmond - gently rolling hills most of the way. Towed like a dream.
Traded the '89 for a 2007 NuWa HitchHiker Champagne 37CKRD weighing 15,620 empty and towed it back down I-64 to Norfolk. Ran around town for another week and had about 900 miles on the truck.
Then the fun began. Hooked onto the new trailer and took it up I-64, I-95, across I-68, n on I-79, across I-70 to Columbus, Oh. Like the tech pages say, hook on to a load, find a hill and get it warm. I did. I-68 has some hills and the truck pulled like a dream.
NuWa paid me to take the trailer from Norfolk to Goshen, Indiana to have an air-ride suspension installed. We decided to put the Trail-Air pin box on at the same time.
Dropped down to central Illinois for a few days to show the rig off to family.
Came back across I-64 from Louisville, KY. There are some 5 mile 7% grades along there in WV. Dropped down to 35 mph on one of those, but for the most part, I was able to maintain 45+ on the hills and cruised around 60 mph. I think my mileage is going to work out to around 8.5 mpg overall.
The only bad experience with the truck was when I was playing with cruise control and tow/haul. If the manual says anything about the cruise dropping out if you drop 10 mph, I forgot it. And when it happened, I thought "OH, CRAP! I just killed my new truck!" Looked down and it was sitting there at idle with no bad messages on the dash, coasting up that hill and rapidly slowing down. Mashed the accelerator and got that "Feels Good" feeling again.

 

Sorry to hijack...I've been trying to find any info about air bags for 5er.Would like to be able to lift a bit at times.I'd appreciate any help....

 

The TrailAir folks were great people and they make a fantastic product.
Did I mention that I put a cup of coffee in the kitchen sink and didn't turn it over for the entire trip? The wife had counted the number of cans and bottle I turned over in the rear pantry cabinets on the trip and the number was significantly lower on the return trip with the air ride.
It took them about 5 hours to do the installation on a triple axle fiver. The entire package is a bolt on. If you've got a double axle, any dealer should be able to get the parts and install it for you. The triple requires some extra alignement considerations.
To bring this back to the original subject, this system actually raised my trailer a little bit, so I am towing a bit more level with the 4x4.
PM me at glsurratt@verizon.net if you'd like more info.

 

I tow a 5th wheel with a 4x4 truck and have had no problems.

Modern 5th wheels are built different than the old ones. I had an older trailer that I wouldn't have been able to tow with my current truck, it was too low. The newer trailers are higher in front and will work just fine with a 4x4 truck.

 

Havn't had a bind problem yet. Thats an old statement about 4x4's and towing. The older trucks would run in 4x4 most of the time if you didn't have lock outs and the transfer case would turn the front drive shaft all the time.The truck would actually jump up and down when turning tight with it. Newer Trucks don't have that problem and will tow just like a 2 wheel drive untill you lock it in 4x4. Like others that have stated the 4x4 is great for getting out of tight spaces and not having to get towed. All the new trailers and hitches are adjustable and can be dailed in with no problems.