Towing 4500 lb dry TT 03' F150

Has anyone towed in the mountains out west with their vehicle?

I towed a 1992 Jayco 265FS, which has a 4,100 dry weight, for a few years with a 2000 F-150 SCAB with the 5.4L and it towed fine. Does it tow like a new truck? No. But it should certainly do the job.

I also towed it with a 2006 F150 SCAB with a 5.4L and a 2010 F150 SCAB with the 4.6L and only 1,250+/- lbs of payload. All towed the trailer perfectly fine.

Thanks everyone! Payload shouldn't be a problem. It is 1600lbs for the truck minus 800lbs tongue weight/hitch, and I'm left with 800lbs for my family. We are only a combined 450lbs. So, if I'm reading everyone's responses correctly, it looks like we should be fine?

bgitler wrote:
Will this vehicle do the job?

Thanks in advance!
Ben

Towed this 6,000lb TT across the country twice with the half-ton Armada with great results.

You're probably good to go, but, there's more than just comparing trailer weights to the truck's advertised capacities.

Those capacities were for the truck as it left the factory, and do not allow for weight of anything but a driver. Additional people, aftermarket accessories, cargo, and a weight distributing hitch, all reduce those capacities, pound for pound.

Installing lift kits and changing tire sizes, have an impact on those numbers.

If the truck has not been modified and you don't have a lot of added weight (passengers, pets, cargo, etc), you should be fine. Your weight estimate for camper load, is probably pretty close.

To get your actual payload available, take it to a scale, get it's actual weight and subtract that from it's GVWR. What's left is available for people, pets, cargo, hitch, and trailer tongue weight.

With weight distributing hitch, your trailer will need close to 800 lbs out of your available payload.

I towed my TT (6500-7000 pounds loaded) TT with a 2003 Supercrew 4WD 5.4L/3.73 for 2 seasons. It did better than I expected. We replaced that truck more so for the 3 rows of seats. So I would have no problems with a trailer of your weight. Change all the fluids. Get a proportional brake controller and WDH with integrated sway control.

Be realistic with your expectations. You have two gears to accelerate and one to cruise. Overdrive off. Your engine likes 3000rpm more than 2200rpm. Speed will drop on overpasses and Michigan hills. I would tend to kick down to 2nd gear at 55mph, which was about 3800rpm in 2nd.