Keystone Passport SL221BH or 268BH w/Ford F150 4.6L, 3.55

I had a '97 F150 4.6L with 3.55 gears and a 4 speed transmission that I used to tow a 24' trailer that weighed around 6000 lbs. The truck handled it great. The engine was a different story. I live in the west near lots of mountains. Just climbing Fourth of July pass (which is pretty minor) would bring that engine to its knees. I'd be going less than 15 miles per hour by the time I got to the top with my foot to the floor. I regeared it to 4.10s which breathed new life into it and allowed me to use that truck for a few more years.

I'm not advocating regearing. And I know the newer version of that engine had more power, but I would be very hesitant to do it again, especially with the larger trailer.

JMHO

F-150, 4.6L and 3.55 ? IMHO, keep the trailer weight below 5,000 LOADED and leave the bed empty !

Maybe give more information on the " light duty pickup truck"

I don't think the length difference will matter, while towing with your full size 1/2 ton. Both trailers weigh similar, and will have the same width front. One persons description of the tow, can be much different from another person driving/towing the same rig.

Someone like Grit above, or even myself, might say the tow was not too bad, sure could have used more power. The next driver, not used to towing with a light truck, with less than adequate power/gearing may say never again.

IMO, the 4.6 with 355s is not going to be enough, for anything more than short distance towing, with either of those trailers.

Jerry

kellem wrote:

Longer trailers have a way of bullying lighter tow vehicles with shorter wheel bases.
You may well be in spec with either trailer but wind and being passed by big rigs will be felt with more authority with the longer trailer.

^True story.
This part wouldn't bother me, fundamentally, but if you have to ask that question (OP), then it's not enough truck for you likely.

I'm not a member of the weight police either. Probably the furthest from it.
I've also towed countless trailers personally and professionally as well as had almost every model of F150/F250 from the early 90s to mid 2010s, including a handful of 4.6L tritons. Company trucks, new one very year basically, drive the piss out of it, work it, tow heavy sometimes, pass it down kind of thing.
I would tow 6-7klbs if I had to, with an old 4.6 truck, but generally under great protest. And that is assuming your truck is new enough and/or in good enough shape to basically run it at it's limits, power wise. If it's a high mile bomber (considering it's a minimum of 11 years old and possibly up to 25 years old) it's a hard NO.
If it's a good, tight, capable truck and you're not planning on running it through the mountains, the chassis and drivetrain will handle either of those trailers, set up right. Mountains = keep a spare 4 way flasher because you'll wear one out going up the hills.

With the 4.6, you have the lighter 8.8? rear axle and not awesome gears for a 4speed trans. Again solid and capable will pull it, but be very kind to the truck when towing.

What does the stickers show on your drivers door? GVWR, front and rear GAWR)

I had a 97 F150 with the 5.4 and 3.55's and towed a #5000 GVWR 22' total length TT for many years, but with just the 4 speed and a 230hp/330tq 5.4, it was in 2nd gear on any grade with that TT.

Heck, even not towing, it would bog down on grades..

I was once reduced to 1st gear, foot to the floor, going 25mph up a huge grade that's in my neighborhood (speed limit 35mph on that road) when I had to slow down for traffic one time. It's only about a mile, but it killed my 5.4...

Towing on the flats, 3rd gear only (only 4th on the down hills)

High trans temps, high coolant temps on the grades.. I'd suggest getting real gauges for those temps...

I had a dual pod A piller gauge mount with temp and trans gauges on the 97.

It only had a #6250 GVWR and I don't think it had a "payload" sticker on that year, but it was not much!

I weighed and I was a good #500 over GVWR and just a 'tad' over the rear axle rating, but I did have some 'upgraded' suspension and tires, but technically, it was still overweight... Towed that TT for over 12 years and the truck had 255,000 miles on it without any major repair on the drive train. Just regular maintenance.

It towed it just fine.. No sway, got a solid 9-10mpg while towing.. Just had no power.

I towed that #5000 TT with the new 13 F150 and it was night and day! OMG... I was "King of the towing world" with that combo!

Got myself a #7000 GVWR 26' TT for the 13... Well, I felt it and needed to make some changes (fuel octane rating mostly, but also some suspension and tire updates) to get the same comfortable and towing performance I expect..

Anyway, good luck with any grades with the 4.6... Expect high revs, slow speed and foot to the floor on the grades.. :)

Mitch

Thirty-one feet is too long for me and my half ton. That would be a bunch of sail behind you. Weight wise I think you are ok.

I'm not a member of the weight police but will add this.
Longer trailers have a way of bullying lighter tow vehicles with shorter wheel bases.
You may well be in spec with either trailer but wind and being passed by big rigs will be felt with more authority with the longer trailer.

Find out what your truck is capable of and remember, you'll be much closer to the trailers GVWR vs dry weight or UVW.