Towing Capacities???
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2008
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Towing Capacities???
What are the the towing capacities for the our trucks? I am sure others would want to know thiers too, but I have a 77 F-250 SC with a 3.54 rear and 8100 Gross weight. I plan on towing my 2000lb car trailer with my 79 F-250 4x4. But I will be towing my other car which weighs 6000lbs, so I will be towing a total of 8000lbs at times. What kind of equipment will I need for this kind of towing? I have a sway control on my hitch. I have everything for the weight dist. setup except for the trundle head hitch. And my truck came with an older elec. brake controller, but I will be switching that for the newer one out of my other truck.
Are there any sites where us new guys could look this stuff up for ourselves?
Are there any sites where us new guys could look this stuff up for ourselves?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,948
Likes: 44
Dont know what the book says, (mine has been modified so these ratings probably do not apply, since I am lifted and such. I have more than likely decreased my capacities, dont tell the truck that though) but I pull this kind of weight all the time.
This particular day, I did not have any sway control, nor did I need it. This truck runs 4 wheel disc brakes, and the truck is capable of stopping this load efficiently. Trailer brakes should still be used, but this is about weight distribution. I do not get any types of push in turns, and mine did not sway, even at highway speeds. I was able to exceede the Ca 55 mph limits (with trailer).
I tow my other truck (73 4x4 with 44's) regularly with this set up. The 4x4 that I pull is heavier than this F250 was.
This red truck has seen an excess of 10,000 lbs. Shhhh, dont tell the highway patrol (though it was not at highway speeds)
This particular day, I did not have any sway control, nor did I need it. This truck runs 4 wheel disc brakes, and the truck is capable of stopping this load efficiently. Trailer brakes should still be used, but this is about weight distribution. I do not get any types of push in turns, and mine did not sway, even at highway speeds. I was able to exceede the Ca 55 mph limits (with trailer).
I tow my other truck (73 4x4 with 44's) regularly with this set up. The 4x4 that I pull is heavier than this F250 was.
This red truck has seen an excess of 10,000 lbs. Shhhh, dont tell the highway patrol (though it was not at highway speeds)
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 349
Likes: 1
From: Ohio
well, our old trucks are "Built Ford Tough"... what they say they can handle and what they actually can are 2 different things... just because ford says it can only handle this much weight, these trucks can well exceed these limits. these limits are set lower as a way of a saftey standard
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,312
Likes: 1
From: Eldorado Ca. USA
Towing with boggers must be expensive!
Seriously tho, I would not put it past a heavy duty 3/4 ton of this era with proper tires, brakes on the trailer, properly inflated tires, properly loaded trailer and proper driving techniques to haul an 8000# load. If you have an automatic transmission, I would invest in an auxilliary transmission cooler to help it live longer. Getting the load moving is only 1/3 the battle. Keeping the load on the road, and stopping it are 99% the main battle.
Seriously tho, I would not put it past a heavy duty 3/4 ton of this era with proper tires, brakes on the trailer, properly inflated tires, properly loaded trailer and proper driving techniques to haul an 8000# load. If you have an automatic transmission, I would invest in an auxilliary transmission cooler to help it live longer. Getting the load moving is only 1/3 the battle. Keeping the load on the road, and stopping it are 99% the main battle.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, NC
I've towed 7000 lbs with my 78 F-150 locally (5000 lb scrap metal sold + 2000 lb trailer.) This is with a 3" lift, 400, 4 speed, and 3.54 gears, no trailer brakes.
I've also towed 6000 lbs up the blue ridge on I-40 in NC, and I was passing cars while towing the load.
Funny towing story: I rented a trailer from U-haul to pick up a car I was purchased a couple of hundred miles away. The lady behind the desk asked the mechanic to look at my truck and see if it was OK to haul the trailer. He looked up from what he was doing, saw my truck and immediately said it was OK. Then the lady started asking if my hitch was too high (6" drop.) He hemmed and hawed and went over to look at it and finally stated I would need a 10" drop hitch. I told them that once the trailer was hooked up and the car loaded it would drop to a perfect height, but then insisted I get a 10" drop hitch. So I went to Wal-Mart and got one. It did fine for the drive out there, but as I thought, once I had the car loaded the dropped it down enough to where it would scrape going over humps in the road, driveways, etc.
I've also towed 6000 lbs up the blue ridge on I-40 in NC, and I was passing cars while towing the load.
Funny towing story: I rented a trailer from U-haul to pick up a car I was purchased a couple of hundred miles away. The lady behind the desk asked the mechanic to look at my truck and see if it was OK to haul the trailer. He looked up from what he was doing, saw my truck and immediately said it was OK. Then the lady started asking if my hitch was too high (6" drop.) He hemmed and hawed and went over to look at it and finally stated I would need a 10" drop hitch. I told them that once the trailer was hooked up and the car loaded it would drop to a perfect height, but then insisted I get a 10" drop hitch. So I went to Wal-Mart and got one. It did fine for the drive out there, but as I thought, once I had the car loaded the dropped it down enough to where it would scrape going over humps in the road, driveways, etc.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,312
Likes: 1
From: Eldorado Ca. USA
I've towed 7000 lbs with my 78 F-150 locally (5000 lb scrap metal sold + 2000 lb trailer.) This is with a 3" lift, 400, 4 speed, and 3.54 gears, no trailer brakes.
I've also towed 6000 lbs up the blue ridge on I-40 in NC, and I was passing cars while towing the load.
I've also towed 6000 lbs up the blue ridge on I-40 in NC, and I was passing cars while towing the load.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 97
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This came out of the 1979 owners guide book:
F250 4x2:
133'' WB conventional towing 6-8000lb
GCWR 15100 max
GVWR 7900 min
F250 4x4
133'' WB conventional towing 6-7000lb
GCWR 14700 max
GVWR 8400 min
Those are both for reg cab
F250 4x2:
133'' WB conventional towing 6-8000lb
GCWR 15100 max
GVWR 7900 min
F250 4x4
133'' WB conventional towing 6-7000lb
GCWR 14700 max
GVWR 8400 min
Those are both for reg cab
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Great thread! Does anyone have some 'official' Ford literature you could post on this topic? The numbers/tow ratings change quite a bit for gears/engines/WD hitches, etc.. I'm in a funky 150" wb F250 crew, and I've never seen my numbers according to Ford.. I should state that the reason I'm seeking the Ford numbers is for insurance-- I sometimes push it with the tow load (been up near 10K), and if I don't want to be the one that wipes out all those poor kids on the bus ;-) As a side note for RiffRaffs q, for me, the towing challenge is not the truck/frame/tranny or even engine.... it's the brakes. I use a Prodigy brake controller, but I still think this big '79 needs rear disc brakes ($400.00-ish).. Our factory drums are MASSIVE (read heavy and inneffective by design), and from what I've read, a disc brake conversion will help the stopping power quite a bit. One last thing.. you might look into some airspring overloads (about $275.00) to help too..
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 97
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For a 150.3'' WB truck:
With 3.54 gears, 351, class II hitch and tow package:
GCWR 9850 10550 11250 15500 max
GVWR 6700 7400 8100 8400 min
Trailer weight 2-3500 lbs
With 4.10 gears, 400, class IV hitch and tow package:
GCWR 13000 13700 14400 14700 max
GVWR 6700 7400 8100 8400 min
Out of 79 owners manual
With 3.54 gears, 351, class II hitch and tow package:
GCWR 9850 10550 11250 15500 max
GVWR 6700 7400 8100 8400 min
Trailer weight 2-3500 lbs
With 4.10 gears, 400, class IV hitch and tow package:
GCWR 13000 13700 14400 14700 max
GVWR 6700 7400 8100 8400 min
Out of 79 owners manual
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 106
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===========
For a 150.3'' WB truck:
With 3.54 gears, 351, class II hitch and tow package:
GCWR 9850 10550 11250 15500 max
GVWR 6700 7400 8100 8400 min
Trailer weight 2-3500 lbs
With 4.10 gears, 400, class IV hitch and tow package:
GCWR 13000 13700 14400 14700 max
GVWR 6700 7400 8100 8400 min
Out of 79 owners manual
============
....Looks like my load (legally) maxes out at about 9K.. Great info- thanks for passing it on!
For a 150.3'' WB truck:
With 3.54 gears, 351, class II hitch and tow package:
GCWR 9850 10550 11250 15500 max
GVWR 6700 7400 8100 8400 min
Trailer weight 2-3500 lbs
With 4.10 gears, 400, class IV hitch and tow package:
GCWR 13000 13700 14400 14700 max
GVWR 6700 7400 8100 8400 min
Out of 79 owners manual
============
....Looks like my load (legally) maxes out at about 9K.. Great info- thanks for passing it on!
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