I'm about to buy a newer truck and can't decide between a 1/2 or 3/4 ton. I pull a load 8-10 times a year (goose neck trailer which weighs 4600 lbs. empty, probably will have another 1000-2000 lbs. on it). Most of these trips will be less than 75 miles each way. Can a 1/2 ton with a 4.6 handle that kind of load or should I go ahead and get a 250? I didn't want to compromise mileage if the 150 could handle it.

 

I don't know what the specs are on the 4.6 but with that kind of load I would go with most truck I could afford at the time. I have a 24' trailer that weighs about 7000 that I normally drag around with a F-350 but a few times I have used a F-150 5.4 to pull it around town and the pucker factor goes way up with the F-150.

alanscott


[link:ford-trucks.com/users/alanscott/|http://www.ford-trucks.net/users/alanscott/clubftesml.jpg]...Click!

 

So you at most would be pulling about 6,000lbs? You could probably be fine with a F-150 and 5.4L. I wouldn't go with the 4.6L with the amount of weight your pulling. The F-250 as alan said is better yet, but the F-150 should be adequate.

 

I'd read the owners manual and Ford's trailer guide - carefully. Your load can be pulled with a F150 but how far over what terrain and how much "pucker factor" can you live with.

Also try to weigh the load so you KNOW what it really is. Most of us are guessing and don't really know. I'd allow for a 10% increase in my load weight because we are always finding something else to bring along "just in case".

Bob
'66 7 Litre Convertible, top loader, 3.25 Traction-lock, 427 Sidewinder Intake, 780 Holley, Windage tray, SCJ Exhaust manifolds, H-pipe, MSD, Line-lock, AM/FM/8-Track/CB
'88 F150 XLT Lariat, 302, 5 speed, 3.08
'98 Mustang, 3.8, 5 speed
'99 Ranger, 3.0, 5 speed, 3.73 posi