97 4.2 towing question
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Cranbrook,BC Canada
97 4.2 towing question
I have a chance to buy a mint 97 shortbox 4x4 regular cab....standard with the 4.2...I have a 5000 pound travel trailer when fully loaded..will this truck/egine do the trick or should I pass on it...I figured being a standard,it might have a bit more lower gearing for better pulling.....I have equalizer hitch and bars.....the farthest I would tow ever would be around 300 miles to the inlaws..not real hilly or mountainous
Thanks for any advice
Bob
Thanks for any advice
Bob
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From: N. Fort Myers,FL
I personally wouldn't use that truck to tow 5000lbs.. esp with the manual that comes with these trucks...they are a weak transmission.
A short bed regular cab, with the 4.2 and a manual tranny is probably the worst combonation for towing anything heavy in these trucks. The only thing that would make it worse is if the truck had the 3.08 gear ratio
.
For that kind of weight i would recommend a f-150 with at least the 4.6 and a auto tranny.
A short bed regular cab, with the 4.2 and a manual tranny is probably the worst combonation for towing anything heavy in these trucks. The only thing that would make it worse is if the truck had the 3.08 gear ratio
. For that kind of weight i would recommend a f-150 with at least the 4.6 and a auto tranny.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: South Texas
I had a 2000 4.2 regular cab with the 5 speed. It was a fun truck around town, but wouldn't use it for any kind of serious towing. I loaded it once with 1/2 yard (one scoop of a small frontloader) of gravel and sand, and the front end was up in the air and really hard to drive (only drove it about 5 miles with it loaded).
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: South Texas
the I6 probably had more torque than the V6
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Cranbrook,BC Canada
Alrighty..thanks fellas...I have a 97 supercab with the 4.6,not a real powerhouse either...time to go get a new one I guess
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Cranbrook,BC Canada
The truck had 385 000 miles on it when i got it,probably closer to 500 000 now..I think it just may flat out be tired..no smoke or leaks though
I don't know if it's been redone at all some point,doesn't look like it...I don't know if anything has been done to the tranny either...
I just don't want to risk it breaking down on the highway somewhere
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shewelt
1997 - 2003 F150
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Jul 13, 2002 11:13 PM
