Towing with a 03 E-150
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Towing with a 03 E-150
I have a 03 E-150 with a 4.2l V6, I just ordered a class 4 hitch receiver and ball, my question is while it looks like its rated for 5000lbs towing, would a 4000lbs Crown Victoria on a tow dolly be fine for this truck? I know if it had the 4.6 it wouldn't be a problem but it seems small. The engine is spunky even thought she has 290k.
Need a little advice.
Need a little advice.
Post Fiend
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1. Are you towing it in a trailer with brakes?
Absolute must with a good brake controller, 2 axles.
Get a controller like the Prodigy that is real high tech.. practice a bit on a back road before you go Interstate or too fast.
Keep to 65mph max. Remember your stopping distance is long, and if you get into a wobble.. use the brake controller to straighten yourself out.
2. Dolly towing with Crown Vic rear wheels on ground is much riskier as you have no brakes for the combination trailer.
Disconnect the drive shaft or tow on front wheels only with the steering wheel locked and braced (so wheels cannot turn).
Only do so for short distances, 50mph max.
3. TOAD towing is not recommend. (towing on its own wheels) for any distance when there is that much weight and no brakes.
Absolute must with a good brake controller, 2 axles.
Get a controller like the Prodigy that is real high tech.. practice a bit on a back road before you go Interstate or too fast.
Keep to 65mph max. Remember your stopping distance is long, and if you get into a wobble.. use the brake controller to straighten yourself out.
2. Dolly towing with Crown Vic rear wheels on ground is much riskier as you have no brakes for the combination trailer.
Disconnect the drive shaft or tow on front wheels only with the steering wheel locked and braced (so wheels cannot turn).
Only do so for short distances, 50mph max.
3. TOAD towing is not recommend. (towing on its own wheels) for any distance when there is that much weight and no brakes.
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The dolly isn't setup for brakes, I've used a F150 (1993 V8) before and it seemed to stop ok, my speed never exeeded 60 otherwise the car moved around to much. Back wheels are on the dolly and the front wheels locked. I suspect as long as the weigh is under the max I can haul with the van, and I get all around new brakes it should be ok? Naturally I will be more careful. I bought 109 load ratted tires 6 ply for the rear, to assist with this.
Post Fiend
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The dolly isn't setup for brakes, I've used a F150 (1993 V8) before and it seemed to stop ok, my speed never exeeded 60 otherwise the car moved around to much. Back wheels are on the dolly and the front wheels locked. I suspect as long as the weigh is under the max I can haul with the van, and I get all around new brakes it should be ok? Naturally I will be more careful. I bought 109 load ratted tires 6 ply for the rear, to assist with this.
What the heck is a 109 load tire?
Load Range E is the heavy duty tire.
IMHO, 55mph max.
Secondary roads, no interstate.
The question is how much weight is on the hitch? Are you over 500lbs tongue weight?
If you are, that can blow your tires and also overload your chassis / suspension.
Check the GCVW for your Ford --- I swear you are either at max or exceeded it.
I certainly don't like the fact you have no brakes on the rear trailer.
Be careful.
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What the heck is a 109 load tire?
Load Range E is the heavy duty tire.
IMHO, 55mph max.
Secondary roads, no interstate.
The question is how much weight is on the hitch? Are you over 500lbs tongue weight?
If you are, that can blow your tires and also overload your chassis / suspension.
Check the GCVW for your Ford --- I swear you are either at max or exceeded it.
I certainly don't like the fact you have no brakes on the rear trailer.
Be careful.
Load Range E is the heavy duty tire.
IMHO, 55mph max.
Secondary roads, no interstate.
The question is how much weight is on the hitch? Are you over 500lbs tongue weight?
If you are, that can blow your tires and also overload your chassis / suspension.
Check the GCVW for your Ford --- I swear you are either at max or exceeded it.
I certainly don't like the fact you have no brakes on the rear trailer.
Be careful.
I will be going on the interstate at approx 60mph, being as the front of the car will be facing rearward on the dolly, the weight of the tongue will be appro 350-400lbs, its more pulling then weight on it I suppose.
Post Fiend
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2271lbs is the 109 load ratting so since its a 4000lbs car two should work as far as tires are concerned. Based on what the manual says its GCVW is 6000lbs. I will be upgrading the leaf springs with heavy duty 'helpers', they will increase the weight rating and stiffen the springs.
You are well beyond your vehicle limit.
A) Tires. that is 2271 lbs for your entire vehicle on that wheel.
B) GCVW is based on brakes, chassis, and engine capacity.
C) Helper springs does nothing for brakes.
The CV alone weighs about 4,000 lbs.
Get yourself a rental 4 wheel, 2 axle trailer with brakes and a good controller if you don't want to risk trouble.
Note: if you tow this, chances are your insurance is void...
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You are well beyond your vehicle limit.
A) Tires. that is 2271 lbs for your entire vehicle on that wheel.
B) GCVW is based on brakes, chassis, and engine capacity.
C) Helper springs does nothing for brakes.
The CV alone weighs about 4,000 lbs.
Get yourself a rental 4 wheel, 2 axle trailer with brakes and a good controller if you don't want to risk trouble.
Note: if you tow this, chances are your insurance is void...
A) Tires. that is 2271 lbs for your entire vehicle on that wheel.
B) GCVW is based on brakes, chassis, and engine capacity.
C) Helper springs does nothing for brakes.
The CV alone weighs about 4,000 lbs.
Get yourself a rental 4 wheel, 2 axle trailer with brakes and a good controller if you don't want to risk trouble.
Note: if you tow this, chances are your insurance is void...
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You have high miles for that engine, you are pushing it far beyond it's limits, it's not the old 300 inline, it's the smaller v-6, and I constantly see them with blown heads at only 97,000 miles, I think this is a bad idea.
Post Fiend
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There is no legal way to do it.
Car manufacturer sticks the label on the side.
You are pretty marginal or beyond factory specs even towing on a properly equipped trailer with brakes and a good controller.
Towing it on a dolly... 250miles each way, 2 times a month????
Get a new truck.
E-350 with the proper towing package rated to tow 5,000 lbs with a GCVW of say, truck weight + tow + 1,000 lbs safety margin.
At a very minimum, get a new trailer to tow the car in so the weight is not on the tow vehicle.
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Well I can't afford a new truck, so I am stuck with this one, I will be looking into trailer brakes, that and the helpers should help alleaviate any problems, same goes for the tires on the dolly, those were $180 per with 14" wheels because they are extra heavy load tires. I am pretty much trying to make is as safe as possible for myself and other motorists, all while making do with what I have. So we'll see, most everyone else said it was fine as-is but it seems you know more about towing, and gave some good ideas.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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Here is what the word from ford says:
GCVW of 10,000 lbs, 5,000lbs max. or 4,700 on the wagon.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...03_ESeries.pdf
You are OK on brakes on vehicle and stock tires up to 500lbs (10 to 15%) tongue weight.
But you do need a flatbed trailer with 2 axles that has brakes.
Good luck.
GCVW of 10,000 lbs, 5,000lbs max. or 4,700 on the wagon.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...03_ESeries.pdf
You are OK on brakes on vehicle and stock tires up to 500lbs (10 to 15%) tongue weight.
But you do need a flatbed trailer with 2 axles that has brakes.
Good luck.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 6,127
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Talk to your local expert in such matters: e.g. U-Haul hitch / towing mechanic.
It depends on specifics, the quality of the dolly, etc.
IMHO, I would think it is a very sad alternative to a proper rig.
Your own description says it is unstable --- would it be that much different with brakes?
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