I just towed a trailer 2,000 miles with my 90 XLT with a 5.8. I hope I never have to do this again. It was only a U-Haul 5'X 8' trailer filled with the usual household junk. Nothing that your grandpa wouldn't pull with his Cadillac. Lemme tell you, my Bronco felt like it was pulling the Queen Mary. Every little hill was like a mountain. In western Kansas I had to turn off the overdrive completely to maintain 60 mph without flooring it. That actually sounds worse than it is, because western Kansas on I-70, going west into Colorado gradually climbs a few thousand feet, so you are always going slightly uphill. There was also a 30 mph sidewind from the north. But even so, I was getting passed by old folks in Winnebagos. Not to mention a steady 10 mpg, and 8 mpg in west Kansas. My Bronco is in good tune and runs like a normal Bronco, it was never fast but I was disappointed in its towing behavior. Why are these things so lame?

 

A 460 turns it into what it should be.

 

I wholeheartedly agree!!! A EFI460 would remedy the situation....

 

I'm guessing 3.08's and 33's (or higher) tires.

 

No, 31's and I think a 3:55, something like that

 

Then I don't know. My '96 351 with 33's and 3.55's pulled 5500 pounds real well. It did suck the gas with 12's being the best and I never towed in OD.
I know the 302's were dogs in the Broncos. Always thought the 351's were acceptable.

 

I am driving an 86 with a 302EFI. Won't win any races but I pull a boat with it and it is just fine. I run at 70 mph and I am not finicky about tuning it. You might want to do a good tuneup and do a compression and vacuum test on it before you spend a bunch of money sticking a 460 in it.

 

I'm not about to put a 460 in my Bronco! It runs fine. It is in a good state of tune. I don't think I would have thought it underpowered, even towing 5,000 lbs, if I was just going across town or something. But it was no fun cruising cross country with the maybe 2,500 lbs I had on there. I probably should have left the od off all the time, but the mileage would have been really bad.

 

PS - maybe I am overreacting, there were times when I was cruising 75-85 with the trailer. Probably going slightly downhill. But it wasn't floored, I wasn't trying to see how fast I could go with a trailer. It would cruise at 70 no problem but any little rise would make it slow down fast. After a while I learned to shut the od off when beginning a rise, and it would hold 70 mph. Western Kansas was rough though, with the wind and the constant gradual incline. I just remember pulling a similar trailer about 1,000 miles with a 95 F-150 with a straight 6 and it seemed to do a better job.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/dcforum/User_files/mil1ion/3bd23d9c72044d68.gif
I hope this helps !

I truly empathize with you.
I used to pull a single axle 20' Holiday trailer with my F-150 400M.It wasn't a pretty site that Fuel gauge and the headwinds ,side winds ,winding roads here in the Rockies.
The truck turned into a monster when I swapped in a 69-429CJ.
Just as good a mileage with it too.






Dennis

 

First, when pulling a trailer at 5000lb, you shouldn't be in OD, especially going uphill. That is in your owners manual.

Second, do a tuneup and add an after market coil to that engine.

Steve

 

How many miles do you have on that engine? I pull a 5k # boat with mine and I can maintain 70 on all but the steepest hills. Real steep long highway grades slow me down to 60. That was with a 3.55 gear and 32" tires.(I now have 35's and I'm putting in 4.10 gears) Your Bronco may be in good "tune" but maybe not as good as it could be. Your truck may run good for running around town but towing puts more demands on things like fuel filters, catalytic converters,coils etc. Also I run at least 91 octane gas when I tow. If you run the cheap stuff and the engine starts to knock the computer will automatically retard the timing and you will loose power.

Joe
94 Bronco XLT,5.8,E4OD,4" skyjacker lift,K&N FIPK,Custom SS Exhaust

 

You're looking at less than 150hp in a brick shaped 5000+ pound rig with an engine management system designed for passenger cars. I don't care how you tune it, enginewise it's just not a serious work or play truck. By the late '80s, SUVs were marketed as grocery getters. That's why Ford dropped the inline six; probably the best tow engine in the lineup. Torque is not required to carry alpo and briefcases.

I've owned my '82 Bronco since '85, and I drove it one year before losing the stock 351W. I thought it was dangerously underpowered. If you want to stay with the 351W, you can build or buy some nice combinations that will do the job, but don't expect your stock Bronco engine to perform up to frame and suspension capabilities.

 

I am in agreement with George. And my Bronco COULD do the towing, I just think it is underpowered for all those cubic inches. There are 4 cylinder engines out today that make more power than the 351w. The 351 Cleveland was another story, however that is not available anymore, and I don't think any Broncos had one. My truck has 98k, doesn't leak, doesn't burn oil, and runs as it should.

 

WEll, I have a '95 EB with the 351...also have a 6'x12' Wells Cargo trailer that I haul around quite often, fully loaded. Recently I carried a late model Ranger Super Cab (on a trailer bed). Have never had a problem...at least holding 75mph. Crosswinds are a different story.

MPG was 16...

But......I have JBA headers, Gibson exhaust, Jacobs power-team ignition, Hypertech module and K&N...

Only real problem is that you need to use 91 octane gas!