I am new to the forum and new to heavy towing. I have had a pop up camper for years and towed it with a GMC 4.8L with no issues.We have upgraded to a much heavier camper. It has a dry weight of 8,400lbs. I am now looking for a different truck because my 4.8L is only rated for 7,000 lbs, and frankly I think that might be generous to say that of it.I have been looking at a 2010 Ford F 250 with a 5.4L Motor. I have heard mixed reviews of this motor. It is rated to tow 9,500 lbs. Is this enough of a buffer over it's dry weight. I usually am in the truck by myself and the kids ride with their mother. With that said, I have five peoples worth of clothing and groceries in with me.Any help on the subject would be appreciated. Thanks

I say no. Nobody tows at dry weight. Add at least 1500lbs for food, clothes, propane, ect. What is the gross weight. A F250 with 6.2l gas would be minimum.

By the time you load the trailer and truck, you will likely be above the manufactures tow rating on the truck if that is important to you.The answer of being acceptable depends on your expectations. That combo will likely downshift a lot and run high RPMs. Some don't mind those characteristics, and some can't stand it. Where do you fall?If it was me, I would look for more truck/engine.

look for a V-10. you will get the same mileage and have plenty of power!

The 5.4 is a good strong engine and served many people well. My father's F150 has it, and he towed a 7500 lbs Wildwood 5th wheel with it, and never had a complaint. He now has a heavier Heritage Glen 5th wheel and a 2014 F150 with the 6.2L. He liked the F150 combo better and believed it towed better. Apples to oranges since it's different trucks and different RVs.The 5.4L does have a significant problem with blowing spark plugs out of the aluminum head of the engine, it's an extremely expensive fix, so I would be careful buying a 5.4L with high miles.

Is Ford F 250 with 5.4L enough truck? | Good Sam Community

25 Replies

BulldawgFan
Explorer
Jan 17, 2015
I had a 5.4. I think you will be disappointed. It males for a pretty miserable towing experience. I now have a 6.7 diesel, no comparison. Towed Ga to Il back in Nov, 12 hrs each way, was a dream, even over Cumberland Gap in Tn. I just hated the high revs and high trans temps of a gasser.
thomasgunnar
Explorer
Jan 15, 2015
I pulled a 30' 5th wheel with a 99 F250 with the 5.4 and 4.10 gearing. A newer model will have a power upgrade. The 5th wheel was about 7200 lbs empty.

The truck pulled it fine, although slowly at times. The engine is very strong but not powerful. It likes the high rpms. I had the pedal mashed to the floor on many a hill. I ended up moving to a 6.0 diesel.
wintersun
Explorer II
Jan 15, 2015
Ford plays more games than the other truck manufacturers and uses gearing that is too tall for optimum towing performance with any gas engine. It is worth the effort to look for a truck with 3.73 gears or better yet the 4.30 gears for towing. Gas engines produce peak torque at very high RPM's and tall gearing makes it more difficult to keep them in their peak power band when towing and this hurts both performance and acceleration as well as fuel economy.
wbwood
Explorer
Jan 15, 2015
ccso58 wrote:
I am new to the forum and new to heavy towing. I have had a pop up camper for years and towed it with a GMC 4.8L with no issues.

We have upgraded to a much heavier camper. It has a dry weight of 8,400lbs. I am now looking for a different truck because my 4.8L is only rated for 7,000 lbs, and frankly I think that might be generous to say that of it.

I have been looking at a 2010 Ford F 250 with a 5.4L Motor. I have heard mixed reviews of this motor. It is rated to tow 9,500 lbs. Is this enough of a buffer over it's dry weight. I usually am in the truck by myself and the kids ride with their mother. With that said, I have five peoples worth of clothing and groceries in with me.

Any help on the subject would be appreciated.

Thanks

8400 from 9500 is only 1100 ... I would go with something with more towing capacity than that... by the time you start adding your stuff, your liquids in your tanks, your passengers in the truck, etc, you will be at that number quickly if not past it...

We had a TT that had a dry weight under 8000lbs but a max weight limit of 11,000 lbs....we did not carry any liquds in the tanks (not even fresh). We estimated pulling about 10,000 lbs (never put it on the scales though). We pulled it with an F250 crew cab with a 6.8L V10 (gasser)...towing capacity was 12,500. We could tell it was there at times...We also packed what we considered lightly compared to what we have seen others packed.
handye9
Explorer II
Jan 15, 2015
Here's a link to Ford's 2010 towing guide. Depending on gear ratio, 2 X 4 or 4 X 4, short box / long box, and cab configuration, the tow capacity could be anywhere between 9500 and 12,500.

That's a lot of trailer, close to 9500 lbs loaded for camping.

The 5.4 likes gas and it will pull it, but, you won't win any races, and the engine will be screaming (and sucking fuel) up the hills. Did I mention it likes gas.
Tvov
Explorer II
Jan 15, 2015
Yes, you can tow that weight, but you might be happier with a bigger motor. What is the transmission and rear end ratio? My truck has a 10,000lb tow rating if I remember correctly - 2008 F250, 5.4 engine, 5speed torque shift transmission, 3.73 rear end.

My F250 tows beautifully my 5,000lb TT - but you are looking at almost double the weight. I am also not a speed demon while towing, so I don't care if I take awhile to go up a hill.

I have to look into the spark plug issue, there seems to be so much conflicting information about it. I'm at 60,000 miles (with absolutely no issues)... I might have a repair garage replace the plugs, so I don't have to mess with them.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Jan 15, 2015
64thunderbolt wrote:
bukhrn wrote:
dodge guy wrote:
look for a V-10. you will get the same mileage and have plenty of power!
X-2

Not sure about plenty of power but milage will be about the same. But I am a diesel fan. I want mine to last forever. The 5.4 would not live long towing that plus you would not be happy with the performance. V10 @ the very least

The V-10 with 4.30`s is just as powerful as a stock 7.3L. and will last just as long.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Jan 15, 2015
64thunderbolt wrote:
bukhrn wrote:
dodge guy wrote:
look for a V-10. you will get the same mileage and have plenty of power!
X-2

Not sure about plenty of power but milage will be about the same. But I am a diesel fan. I want mine to last forever. The 5.4 would not live long towing that plus you would not be happy with the performance. V10 @ the very least

The V-10 with 4.30`s is just as powerful as a stock 7.3L. and will last just as long.
time2roll
Nomad
Jan 15, 2015
Keep the trailer GVWR within the tow rating and I think that rules out the 5.4L.
Forget the dry weight.
64thunderbolt
Explorer II
Jan 15, 2015
bukhrn wrote:
dodge guy wrote:
look for a V-10. you will get the same mileage and have plenty of power!
X-2

Not sure about plenty of power but milage will be about the same. But I am a diesel fan. I want mine to last forever. The 5.4 would not live long towing that plus you would not be happy with the performance. V10 @ the very least