In 2004 I purchased a new F350, V10 4X4 3.73 automatic crew 8'box. My goal was to pull a 5th wheel trailer after retirement. This truck only has 30,000 miles on it and I am now approaching retirement. The 5th wheel I'm planning to buy will weigh around 10,000 lbs. Now I'm learning that my truck won't pull this much weight very well at all.

Have any of you pulled this amount of weight with a 2 valve V10? Please share you experiences. I can't afford to buy a new truck and trailer too and now it looks like that is exactly what I'll have to do. I'd appreciate any and all ideas of how I could get my truck to pull 10,000 lbs. Thanks.

 

Ignore the ignorant source of those "can't pull it" comments. It will do it. It will not do it like a turbocharged diesel will. If your definition of "tow well" is pulling any load at 2000 rpms, then you need a diesel, or you will not be happy.
JL

 

Regear your differentials. What size tires do you have on it?

 

If you are running stock 235/85 or 265/75 tires regear the truck with 4.30 gears, that will put your max rated towing capacity close to 13k lbs.(Your at around 10k lbs with 3.73s) I would recommend getting a tuner also, 5 Star has a Tow tune that will help the truck perform better empty and towing.

 

I can vouch for that. The shift strategy is VERY much improved. But I would use it unless I was towing heavy It's rather rough when the truck is empty.

 

It should work for you. I am pulling a Jayco 5th whl. It scales out at 11,200lbs. I have a 2000 V-10 4x4 with the 2Valve. It does fine. Your truck will be a bit heavier than mine, mine is a Super Cab short bed. I also have the 373 rear end. You won't be first to the top of the mountain. But if you aren't in a hurry it will get you there. Just put it in second gear and keep the Rpm about 3,500 to 4,000. If I remember right that will be about 50 to 53mph.
I found on the flats I get better mileage by locking out overdrive and running about 60mph.
My Truck scaled empty with full fuel, my wife and I in it & the fiver hitch installed at 6,940. My pin weight loaded was2300lbs.
On the flats here in Illinois I get low 9's to low 10's for miles per gallon. They told me my traile was to heavy for the truck too. But I have been very happy with it. Hope this helps you. That engine is a work horse.

Forgot to add, get a transmission guage. get something that plugs into the OBD port. I have one that is inst in the test port and I have a Scan guage that plugs in there is a 40 to 45 degree diff. My temps are fine as long as I'm not in the mountains. If you are getting much over 240 it might be a good idea to pull over and let it cool. Change fluid if it gets burnt look. I normally change mine every couple years as a precaution. But that is just me, fluid id cheaper than Trans.
Also I had 700lbs to spare before being over on truck GVW, but was no where near over axle ratings.
Forgot to mention mine is a SRW, nota dually

Good Luck : Hope I helped

judgerr

 

Good advice from everybody. Your v10 will handle that weight just fine. You can regear the truck to 4.30 or 4.56 cheaper than you can get a new diesel truck. And with those low miles on the truck no need to get ride of it.


Call us if you have any other questions.. Be glad to help out..
Mike

 

I would give it a try just the way it is and if you think it needs a little more change the gears to 4.30s or 4.55 depending on what tires you have. I pull a 16K 5ver with a 2V V10 with 4.30s and 215/85/16 tires all over the country and over any pass I want. I also had a 2V V10 F350 work truck with 265/75/16 tries and I could tell the difference between the two trucks that's why I would take a look at 4.55 gears if you have 265 tires.

I just used a RPM calculator and with the 265 tires and 4.55 gears you would be very close to the rpm I run with 215s and 4.30.

Denny

 

You will be slightly over the manufacturers recommended towing guidelines . Based on my 2003 Ford RV and Trailer Towing Guide ( page 19) Fifth wheel Towing :
For F-350 , V10 , 4x4 , Crew cab, Auto Tranny , Single Rear Wheel

3.73 Rear axle rated for max. 10,200 Lbs (maximum loaded trailer ).
4.3 Rear axle rated for max. 13,200 Lbs.

If you significantly go over the max. , most likely the weakest link (the tranny) will give up first. As mentioned by others , your engine is good (rated for max 13,600# of 5'er ) , it is just a matter of having the right rear axle ratio installed .

Good luck and happy trails,

Ken

PS. Also ,consider the hitch weight of your future fifth wheeler . Your max. payload is about 3,500 Lbs ( again according to 2003 Ford brochures I have ) . Your max. hitch should be about 2500 Lbs .

 

GEARS GEARS GEARS!! it will be like night and day when towing! i would agree with the info given that 4.30's should be the least to go with. some people say there is an "overkill" to gearing, but it all depends on your liking. for reassurance you can gear to a 4.56 or even a 4.88. 4.88's would put you around 2200rpm's cruising @ 60mph, 4.56's would put you at about at 2000rpm's at 60mph. the different between the 4.30's and 4.56's is only about 75-100 rpm's. if you're going for the swap, i'd go ahead with the 4.56's right off the bat (if it were me).

 

You could sell it to me.

 

Judgerr,

Thank you for all that information. It helps me feel better about my truck. Just two more questions: you say your truck weighs 11,200 pounds, is that loaded and ready to travel or empty? And it sounds like you stay out of overdrive all the time, is that correct?

Thanks,

Greg

 

No the Camper weighs 11,200. camper and truck together, (GCWR) is a little over 18,ooolbs! My truckk with trailer attached is 9,200lbs. Truck W/O trailer is 6,940. As I said yours will be slightly heavier due to the Crew cab, and Long bed, also if you have duallys!
I do lock out O/D It pulls O.K. in O/D on the flats. But I found I get better fuel mileage with out it as stated above. I found in O/D I was lugging the engine. In order to get in the power band, I had to run 70mph. I am not comfortable towing this much weight at that speed.
People told me I wouldn't be able to pull this much weight. I was going to change the rear end. But with 4X4 you have to change two, it is expensive! But certainly cheaper than trading trucks. But I would try towing the way it is first then decide. You can change the gearing if you decide you can't live with it the way it is. But I bet if you aren't in a hurry to get up a mountain you will be fine.
Another thing you might checkinto is an auxillary transmission with over /under gearing. I thought about that, but decided I am fine with the truck the way it is.
Good luck

judgerr

 

Judgerr,

Thanks again for your information. I was trying to learn more specifically about your trailer weight. Is it 11,200 dry ie. empty, the way it came from the factory? Or, is it 11,200 all loaded up with your camping supplies and ready to hit the road?

People have told me that when I head out for a several month long trip I could easily load up to 2000 pounds of camping gear, food, clothes etc. So I'm trying to figure out if you are pulling 11,200 down the road or perhaps it is more than that.

Thanks again.

Greg

 

We were loaded for a month long trip. Empty trailer weight was 10,260 with nothing added but full Propane tanks.
You don't have to take everything you own. But I had tools, and we had all we needed. We added a little less than 1,000 lbs. I am certain we are heavier than that now. Things get added over time. But it still pulls fine. I really need to weigh it again. I bet we have added at least 500lbs now!
you don't need to haul a lot of groceries etc. some things you can buy when you get there.
You will probably be fine!

judgerr