5.4 Towing Performance
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Newark, Delaware
I towed a dump bed trailer loaded with firewood it weighed in at 8,000lbs i have an 07 F150 5.4L V8 with 3.55LS gears and it towed it like there wasnt anything behind it don't kno what to tell ya...
Sit. Stay.
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From: Washington State
Originally Posted by driximus
But the one thing i noticed that made the huge difference was his over drive was on. We turned off his over drive readjusted his shift points and firmness and it pulled great.
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Originally Posted by 07F1504x4
I towed a dump bed trailer loaded with firewood it weighed in at 8,000lbs i have an 07 F150 5.4L V8 with 3.55LS gears and it towed it like there wasnt anything behind it don't kno what to tell ya...
I was pulling the trailer loaded yesterday, up higway 8 outside of San Diego and on a few of the steep longer grades I was to the floor in second gear, slowly loosing speed cresting the top of the worste one at about 50mph. Im way below 8000 lbs, with frontal area and I can feel it in a BIG way.
As far as the new Tundras, I saw THREE of them broken down on the side of the road yesterday during my driving. One smoking badly as it was being driven onto a flat bed tow truck. THREE. Coincidence? Wow...
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From: Marion, VA
Originally Posted by gregghealy
3.73 I believe, it came with a tow package on it. Tires/rims are 20" take offs from a King Ranch, probably a little taller than the stock 17" tires that came on it. Maybe just shorter gearing will keep it running in a beefier part of the power when towing. Ill check out some of the gearing threads, thanks.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: kansas
I have a "04 3.55 with stock 17"s, Edge level 2 and a muffler. I tow a 17' V-nose enclosed trailer that loaded weights about 3500-4000 lbs loaded. Suspension wise the truck pulls it great, nice and smooth, you hardly notice it is back there. Engine wise it definitely lugs the motor down and it should. I tow with OD locked out and I usually run 70-75mph. The engine is turning about 2600-2700 rpms. It hardly down shifts, usually it releases the converter for larger grades. I usually get about 12.5-13.0 mpg depending on wind conditions.
I think to many people think that loading on a GVW of twice the vehicle weight is not going to make a difference. They are sadly mistaking. If you want to tow something heavy and not downshift and can run 80 mph in OD, get a diesel!<O
</O
John
I think to many people think that loading on a GVW of twice the vehicle weight is not going to make a difference. They are sadly mistaking. If you want to tow something heavy and not downshift and can run 80 mph in OD, get a diesel!<O
</OJohn
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From: East Tennessee
Last tow with "07 SCREW 4 x4, 5.4 & 3.73 tow package and 18" tires (BFG Rugged's). This was construction equipment w/ a good balanced load on a 16' long open trailer.
Towed 6,000+ lbs.(prob. about 6,300 lbs.) w/ O/D off in rolling hills of East Tennessee.
Truck could maintain 60-65 MPH+ with just depressing that long pedal to the right. Engine responded without much lag and I could have topped 75 MPH easy. I did push it beyond 70 MPH a few times to clear traffic congestion.
I'm pretty cautious when towing so I limit my speed to between 65-70.
Truck really did not complain.
Towed 6,000+ lbs.(prob. about 6,300 lbs.) w/ O/D off in rolling hills of East Tennessee.
Truck could maintain 60-65 MPH+ with just depressing that long pedal to the right. Engine responded without much lag and I could have topped 75 MPH easy. I did push it beyond 70 MPH a few times to clear traffic congestion.
I'm pretty cautious when towing so I limit my speed to between 65-70.
Truck really did not complain.
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Joined: May 2003
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From: Sunny tourist infested FL
Originally Posted by gregghealy
I have a trailer that weighs in at 6200lbs loaded. My 05 SC is a DOG with this trailer behind it. I have read and done some research on this site, but am still confused...
What chip/exhaust combo is going to give me the best end result for towing?
What chip/exhaust combo is going to give me the best end result for towing?
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Just to clarify, the truck does fine on flat land when up to speed (60-70). My problem is getting up to speed and passing power, especially if I am going up an incline. I was getting on the higway up a ramp and entering the highway on a grade the other day with the loaded trailer, I didnt think I would ever get up to speed. I get the feeling if I was starting off on anything much steeper, the truck would just sit there and not move with my foot to the floor.
I think I am going to go with 4.10 or even slightly steeper gearing if I can find it. I figure worste case is slightly lower city mileage. The steeper gearing should let the tranny shift into overdrive towing and maybe even run a gear taller (staying in third instead of hammering down to second to maintain speed) on some grades with a load.
Its a short bed SC with a 3.73 currently (I checked).
Thanks for the input guys, Ill let you know what happens.
I think I am going to go with 4.10 or even slightly steeper gearing if I can find it. I figure worste case is slightly lower city mileage. The steeper gearing should let the tranny shift into overdrive towing and maybe even run a gear taller (staying in third instead of hammering down to second to maintain speed) on some grades with a load.
Its a short bed SC with a 3.73 currently (I checked).
Thanks for the input guys, Ill let you know what happens.
Sit. Stay.
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Washington State
Originally Posted by gregghealy
I figure worste case is slightly lower city mileage.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Louisiana
I've driven my dad's truck on a long haul with his 7k lb camper, and it DID tow better with OD off. With it on the shift points were different(would not stay in the power band)and felt to smooth.
His is a 04 F150 screw 5.4 4x4 3.73s
I thought all OD would do was allow the tranny to shift into OD, but I KNOW the shift points were different(better for towing).
I call BS on the guy that said he towed 8k lbs and didn't know it was back there. He pulled a 4.5k lb boat and I could feel it was back there and I was just a passenger(OD off helped here too).
You could put a CAI, exhaust, a programmer, and e fans, and all that would give you more power, but you wouldn't notice a difference in towing that much weight.
A gear change on the other hand would help a whole lot for towing, and make it feel like you have a lot more power.
I don't know if they make 4.30 or so gears for these trucks, but those would be perfect. A gear change could run from $500 at cheapest-700
If the truck is 4wd, then both axles must have the gears change at the same time, so that would be an expensive mod.
His is a 04 F150 screw 5.4 4x4 3.73s
I thought all OD would do was allow the tranny to shift into OD, but I KNOW the shift points were different(better for towing).
I call BS on the guy that said he towed 8k lbs and didn't know it was back there. He pulled a 4.5k lb boat and I could feel it was back there and I was just a passenger(OD off helped here too).
You could put a CAI, exhaust, a programmer, and e fans, and all that would give you more power, but you wouldn't notice a difference in towing that much weight.
A gear change on the other hand would help a whole lot for towing, and make it feel like you have a lot more power.
I don't know if they make 4.30 or so gears for these trucks, but those would be perfect. A gear change could run from $500 at cheapest-700
If the truck is 4wd, then both axles must have the gears change at the same time, so that would be an expensive mod.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,063
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From: Ontario
Originally Posted by tomsold4x4
what gears do you have? I have previous experience in this area and nothing pulls better than a taller set of gears. 3.73 minimum 4.10 if you do a lot of towing.
Originally Posted by gregghealy
Its a short bed SC with a 3.73 currently (I checked).
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Senior User
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Unitrax says they can install a 4.10 or A 4.56 with new bearings, shimming and everything for $850. In addition to this Ill need a programmer to dial in the ecu to the new ratio, another $400.
Is the 4.10 going to make a BIG difference coming off the line? Im guessing the 4.56 is going to be too much and is meant for HUGE tire/wheel combos?
This is still MUCH cheaper than a new truck, Im just afraid Ill do it and still be bummed...
Is the 4.10 going to make a BIG difference coming off the line? Im guessing the 4.56 is going to be too much and is meant for HUGE tire/wheel combos?
This is still MUCH cheaper than a new truck, Im just afraid Ill do it and still be bummed...
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: CO
3.73 vs 4.10 is right around a ~10% difference.
BIG is a bit subjective, so I think it's hard for the rest of us to answer that for you. I'm fairly sure you will feel a 10% difference, but it's not going to feel like you suddenly have a super low 1st gear or anything, which you wouldn't want anyway or you'd beat it to death on the highway.
For reference, the difference between 1st and 2nd gear in the trans is a touch over 45% going from 1st to 2nd or 83% going from 2nd to 1st.
You can also figure what your rpm increase will be at a given speed to get a feel for what "too much" is to you. 4.10's will be ~10% higher and 4.56's will be ~22% higher than your 3.73's.
BIG is a bit subjective, so I think it's hard for the rest of us to answer that for you. I'm fairly sure you will feel a 10% difference, but it's not going to feel like you suddenly have a super low 1st gear or anything, which you wouldn't want anyway or you'd beat it to death on the highway.
For reference, the difference between 1st and 2nd gear in the trans is a touch over 45% going from 1st to 2nd or 83% going from 2nd to 1st.
You can also figure what your rpm increase will be at a given speed to get a feel for what "too much" is to you. 4.10's will be ~10% higher and 4.56's will be ~22% higher than your 3.73's.
Last edited by VFR_Man; Aug 6, 2007 at 11:40 AM.