I was pleasantly surprised at how well the new ford towed the other day. I used a goosneck trailer that Im guessing weighed at least 4000 pounds. I was towing the mini excavator I work with. It weighs about 17,000 lbs. What is the truck rated to tow with a hitch in the bed for a goosneck? I hooked the trailor brakes up, and they seemed to be working fine, but then as I was headed down a semi steep logging road the trailer brakes stopped working. I was able to control it but It was interesting. I put it in low and crawled down the hills, trying to keep the brakes cool. I had made the stupid mistake of not watching to cord to the trailor brakes very well. When I had turned around after hooking them up I ripped the connector out. Whoops.
Anyways. I have a couple pictures but I don't really know how to post them. I could email them to someone to post if anyone wants to see the beast.
How much weight do you all pull?

 

Keep in mind the truck will pull more than it will stop. I've pulled 22,000 where the trailer brakes quit working due to a short in the trailer. I wouldn't make a habit of doing this.

Tow ratings are dependent on truck configuration, but kind of like assembly instructions, I don't read those as well as I should.

 

That is good advice. I always make it a point to go down a hill slower than I could have pulled it. I have been in enough hairy situations to justify taking it easy down hills nomatter how many brake I think I have.

I pull our JD 310SG once or twice a month. I made the mistake once of taking off without brakes (didnt think I had the time to troubleshoot them, short trip, no hills). I will never do that again. It cost me a set of rotors on my pickup.

 

an exhaust brake will do wonders for you brakes on hills...on several occasions i've just flipped the switch let my foot off the gas and the EB keeps me at a resonable pace.

 

I forgot where I stole this saying from, but this is a good place to give it again..."you can tow a load down a steep grade too slowly as often as you want, but too fast only once"!

 

Which is another way of saying: "There are old truckdrivers and there are bold truckdrivers, but there aren't any old and bold truckdrivers".