Towing capacity
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Joined: Mar 2007
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Because todays manuels arent like they where yeaterday... Simply put.
They have atf instead of gear lube. They dont have the pressure plate preassure either. They also assume most people cant drive a stick anymore so they steer them toward automatics... any dummy can drive wona them.
My opinion is find you GCWR then weight your truck. subtract the GCWR of your truck from the actual weight of your truck. Whats left is you actual towing capacity.
They have atf instead of gear lube. They dont have the pressure plate preassure either. They also assume most people cant drive a stick anymore so they steer them toward automatics... any dummy can drive wona them.
My opinion is find you GCWR then weight your truck. subtract the GCWR of your truck from the actual weight of your truck. Whats left is you actual towing capacity.
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Joined: Aug 2009
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I've driven manual transmissions all my life so that piece of the equation is in my favor. I'm rated for 3600 lbs and the automatic is rated at 7800 and I want to tow something between 4500 -5000. Am I looking at replacing my current truck or can it do the job?
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Maryland
On various truck web sites, you know like this one, your issue has been going on for over 10 years now. I had a diesel, did not tow - so just stating what I have read from others. It's just what Mr. Mustang said above or so it seems.
The car folks don't want huge loads behind consumer grade manual transmissions, either beacuse they won't handle them (maybe - maybe not) or they are worried about us drivers not knowing how to use a manual tansmission anymore.
I have Silverado 2002 pickup right now and for that truck if you have the 4.8 V8 with a manual trans and 3.73 gears you can tow 5,100 lbs and with the auto 7,100 lbs. So it's not just Ford. Hope this gives you some more perspective. Maybe someone can post a recent F250 manual transmission comparison with the super low 1st gear ratings.
Mike ( I know, but ended up wtih the Sivlerado - still thinking about Ford Diesels)
The car folks don't want huge loads behind consumer grade manual transmissions, either beacuse they won't handle them (maybe - maybe not) or they are worried about us drivers not knowing how to use a manual tansmission anymore.
I have Silverado 2002 pickup right now and for that truck if you have the 4.8 V8 with a manual trans and 3.73 gears you can tow 5,100 lbs and with the auto 7,100 lbs. So it's not just Ford. Hope this gives you some more perspective. Maybe someone can post a recent F250 manual transmission comparison with the super low 1st gear ratings.
Mike ( I know, but ended up wtih the Sivlerado - still thinking about Ford Diesels)
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: SW Virginia
Hey Dennis, Welcome to FTE! A friend of mine had an '02 F-150 with the 4.6 and 5 speed. He also had a 24 foot travel trailer that he had been pulling with his '03 Expedition. The Expy was a 5.4 / auto. The Expy pulled it with no issues at all. When he tried to pull it with the truck, he smoked the clutch within about 500 miles. He has driven manuals all of his life so I know it wasn't a lack of experience with the transmission. The travel trailer weighed around 5500 pounds empty. It was just too much for the clutch.
I too find it strange that the manuals are rated at so much less weight than the automatics but it is what it is I guess. I would guess that at least a better replacement clutch and steeper gears would be in your future if you intend to keep your current truck to pull that load. I also think that Ford and other manufacturers under-rate their trucks purposely for the sake of safety and longevity of the drivetrain.
I too find it strange that the manuals are rated at so much less weight than the automatics but it is what it is I guess. I would guess that at least a better replacement clutch and steeper gears would be in your future if you intend to keep your current truck to pull that load. I also think that Ford and other manufacturers under-rate their trucks purposely for the sake of safety and longevity of the drivetrain.
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Thanks for the info, I was afraid that was going to be the case. I've been pulling a Fleetwood pop_up that weighed in at 3700 with no issue, can't hardly even feel it, so I had hoped to here that I could squeeze in some more trailer. Oh well maybe a new truck is in order. I hate payments!
Dennis
Dennis
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