I was just wondering what you guys think about a 86 F150 2wd trailer capacity. That is my work truck and i have been trying to find a trailer to haul some hay on so i dont have to haul it in farm wagons and so i can go longer distances. I looked at some bumper pull trailers but i know they can put a lot of strain on the pickup due to heavy tongue weight. I just found a 20ft 5th wheel flatbed for a great price-will i have problems if i try to pull it? Everyone i have talked to says 5th wheels pull easier cause they distribute the weight better and i have seen other half tons pulling 5th wheel stock trailers and flatbeds. My truck has a 3speed with overdive tranny and a 300 under the hood. I love the truck and cant afford nor do i want to replace it- i think it would be fine as long as i dont get carried away and overload the trailer. What do you guys think? Thanks

 

Do you have the owner's manual for the truck? If so, look under trailer towing and it will walk you through reading the door sticker. If not, I can figure it out for you from mine, I would need the information from the bottom line (transmission/axle) along with the engine code (8th VIN character)

 

That motor- obviously depending on mileage, care, etc. will do just fine. It's the tranny I'd worry about. As far as the weight of the trailer on the truck is concerned, check into a set of airbags for it. Just my .02

 

It will pull it, just don't expect to get in a hurry. And yes, watch out for that tranny, the 4 speed overdrives are not noted for strength. But I would try it anyway.

What you really need to add, no exceptions, is a brake controller box and wiring to hook up the electric brakes. I have found most any truck will pull any load, just some faster than others. But stopping ends up being the problem. Getting caught by a light at an intersection, and then sliding right on through, will change your priorities in a hurry.

 

You can get a good Class IV or V frame mount hitch receiver and a weight distributing hitch (like used on travel trailers) and use a pull behind trailer. Good used weight distributing hitches are usually not hard to find because so many have been sold for travel trailers. I bought one for $50 a few years ago and it included the optional friction type sway bar. The 300 I6 and manual transmission should be fine, just don't use OD when towing.

 

It has the 8.8in rear end and axle code "18" 8th VIN character "Y". It has 103,000 miles on it and has had a relativly easy life- it was always well maintained and runs excellant. I did rebuild the tranny last yr cause the overdrive bearing went out. so i rebuilt the whole thing and put a new clutch in it.

 

In my costly experiance ........The overdrive AOD transmission is a very poor transmission to tow with. I pull an 18' tandem axle solid steel flat bed trailer most everyday. I had an AOD rebuilt 2 years ago for $1000 , and it went out again. My suggestion is to look for the small block 3 speed C6. It's much more durable then the AOD. Granted you will loose overdrive when going to the C6, but it's much more reliable. The C6 has 2/3 less (big) parts to it also. There real cheap and easy to rebuild yourself, compared to the AOD , that has much more expensive and smaller parts. And the band is externally adjustable.
The AOD has a throlle valve connected to the transmission not a kick down.
The TV is much more complicated then the kick downs. The TV works throughout the throttle linkage stroke increaseing the line pressure as the pedal is pressed. If a TV valve is not properly adjusted , the motor will burn the transmission out. I have seen various ways to adjust the TV , but the only reliable way is with a line pressure guage hooked to the transmission.
Kick Downs don't even have to be hooked up on a C6 , And wont cause an internal problem as the AODs TV will.

 

hook it an let her roll.

out at the stock yards are a bunch of dodge and ford flat beds with huge gooseneck cattle trailers, and there is always one guy in an a vortec z71 with a tri axle bigger than all the rest hooked to it. granded he never gets it out out of 2nd get with it loaded, it pulls it....ignorence......haha but you should be fine.