towing question
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towing question
I am new, signed up cause I am building a 49 f1 but I have a towing question. I have a 1995 f150 5 speed manual trans with the 302, 5.0 motor. I just bought a 27 foot travel trailer 5300lbs dry weight. I towed it home (first time towing anything) and it felt like it was too much. Am I bitting off more than the truck can chew? Thanks for any advice. I might have been babying the truck a little I tried to keep the RPM below 2000.
Last edited by carlsonj; May 1, 2010 at 07:12 PM. Reason: left out motoer size
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
That is a big load for that truck, but it will get there and back as long as you're not expecting to keep up with traffic on the freeway. Don't be afraid to rev the 5.0 a bit, the usefull powerband is all above 2000rpm. Incidentally what gearing does the truck have?
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: SF Bay area
You don't say 4x4 or 4x2, std or super cab.
And you need to look up your axle ratio to get the final answer.
But from my 94 owners manual :
94 150 5.0 with 5 speed, as follows depending on 4x2 or not and super cab or not:
4x2 Std cab
Axle code H8 (3.08) 2300lbs capacity
Axle code H9 (3.55) 3600lbs capacity
4x4 std cab
Axle code H9 (3.55) 3500 lbs capacity
4x4 super cab
Axle code H9 (3.55) 3100 lbs capacity.
The weakness, as I've heard it, is that Mazda 5 speed, and also the fact that it doesn't have a granny gear.
The 4x2 std cab 5.0 with the automatic and 3.55 rear end is good for 7300 lbs.
And you need to look up your axle ratio to get the final answer.
But from my 94 owners manual :
94 150 5.0 with 5 speed, as follows depending on 4x2 or not and super cab or not:
4x2 Std cab
Axle code H8 (3.08) 2300lbs capacity
Axle code H9 (3.55) 3600lbs capacity
4x4 std cab
Axle code H9 (3.55) 3500 lbs capacity
4x4 super cab
Axle code H9 (3.55) 3100 lbs capacity.
The weakness, as I've heard it, is that Mazda 5 speed, and also the fact that it doesn't have a granny gear.
The 4x2 std cab 5.0 with the automatic and 3.55 rear end is good for 7300 lbs.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 973
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From: Texas
Ahh, i towed 6000K with my mazda 5. But then again it died a few weeks ago.
The Ford trailer ratings are Recommendations. They dont really mean anything, they rated the manuals for less because most people dont know how to tow with a manual and they wanted to avoid clutch related warranty problems.
I towed alot of weight with my M5OD all the time, but i was hard on it. I also had a shift fork wear out. I dont really know what the cause of its death was, but after talking to the trans guy i sold it too, he said it was probably because i didn't rebuild it when the forks wore out, that lead to the problems i was having when i swapped it.
It sound like you might be much more gentile with your truck, so you may never have a problem with towing it.
The Ford trailer ratings are Recommendations. They dont really mean anything, they rated the manuals for less because most people dont know how to tow with a manual and they wanted to avoid clutch related warranty problems.
I towed alot of weight with my M5OD all the time, but i was hard on it. I also had a shift fork wear out. I dont really know what the cause of its death was, but after talking to the trans guy i sold it too, he said it was probably because i didn't rebuild it when the forks wore out, that lead to the problems i was having when i swapped it.
It sound like you might be much more gentile with your truck, so you may never have a problem with towing it.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: SF Bay area
Not exactly. Recall the F250 had a different 5speed manual, and it's tow rating with manual was right up there with the automatic. Different construction and, very importantly, different gear ratios.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 973
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From: Texas
Some of the F250's had different transmissions. If it was a light duty f250 with a 300 or 302 it got the M5OD, if it was a 351 it got the ZF5
If it was a heavy duty with either the 300 or 351 it got the ZF5.
i used to have the M5OD in my F150, when it started to act up i swapped it for a ZF5. And the ZF5 is a much stronger unit and has much better ratios suited for towing. But i still towed with my M5od for the first 130,000 miles with 3.08 gears and never had a problem until after the shift forks wore though.
If it was a heavy duty with either the 300 or 351 it got the ZF5.
i used to have the M5OD in my F150, when it started to act up i swapped it for a ZF5. And the ZF5 is a much stronger unit and has much better ratios suited for towing. But i still towed with my M5od for the first 130,000 miles with 3.08 gears and never had a problem until after the shift forks wore though.
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Thanks for the info, it is a 4 x 2 regular cab 8ft bed 5 speed manual, I have know idea what the rear gear is but I was just wondering if this would kill my truck. Hope to up grade to something that would tow it easier in the next year. This is my first attempt at towing anything.
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True about the ZF
Some of the F250's had different transmissions. If it was a light duty f250 with a 300 or 302 it got the M5OD, if it was a 351 it got the ZF5
If it was a heavy duty with either the 300 or 351 it got the ZF5.
i used to have the M5OD in my F150, when it started to act up i swapped it for a ZF5. And the ZF5 is a much stronger unit and has much better ratios suited for towing. But i still towed with my M5od for the first 130,000 miles with 3.08 gears and never had a problem until after the shift forks wore though.
If it was a heavy duty with either the 300 or 351 it got the ZF5.
i used to have the M5OD in my F150, when it started to act up i swapped it for a ZF5. And the ZF5 is a much stronger unit and has much better ratios suited for towing. But i still towed with my M5od for the first 130,000 miles with 3.08 gears and never had a problem until after the shift forks wore though.
My tranmission guy( cause I havent speciallized in any trans work yet) told me that the ZF was one of the best manual trans to have. He said it was in anything from a F250 -F550 while Ford was using them very strong trans and very respectable gearing. My first gear is 5.72-1 cant beat that.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Fayetteville, NC
are you using stabilizer bars ?
i just towed a 26 foot travel trailer across town with my f150, and will never do it again!
total miles around 30, total times able to get above 40mph, once......
that thing pushed me around like nobodies business, of course this was on the bumper, so now i need to get my bumper straitened back out....
ive been towing various things my whole life, and i knew i was asking alot of the truck, but this one scared even me.....
the biggest thing this truck will see from now on is my aluminum hulled 16' Starcraft, and the pig cooker....and im seriously considering doing away with the rear tank and putting in a hidden reese style hitch for that
i just towed a 26 foot travel trailer across town with my f150, and will never do it again!
total miles around 30, total times able to get above 40mph, once......
that thing pushed me around like nobodies business, of course this was on the bumper, so now i need to get my bumper straitened back out....
ive been towing various things my whole life, and i knew i was asking alot of the truck, but this one scared even me.....
the biggest thing this truck will see from now on is my aluminum hulled 16' Starcraft, and the pig cooker....and im seriously considering doing away with the rear tank and putting in a hidden reese style hitch for that
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,431
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From: Ohio
My truck's previous owner, a construction company, used the old gal for hauling equipment up and down the mountain. A 1989 4X4 F-250 302 5 speed with 4:10 gears, with no problems.
I currently pull a 24 foot tandem axle travel trailer with no problems.
I currently pull a 24 foot tandem axle travel trailer with no problems.
