I've towed many times my 19ft Mallard with my 99, and 01 Exploder 4x4 4.0's. That being said...
The 4.0' have a fault with the rear timing chain and cassette. I'm told that #3 runs hot thus it burns the cassette up. The fix is pop the motor out, do QUALITY chains and cassettes, disable the front balancer chain (common on the 4x4's) run synthetic oil from then on.
As for the trans. On my 01, it has 206k on that trans, the engine is 40k with 2k on the chains. I installed the upgrade valve body on the bottom of the trans. It made a world of difference. Of course, if you are running a stick, then this point is moot.
If you are running an automatic, put an additional cooler on AFTER the factory cooler. If you can swing it, then put electric temp gauge somewhere either on the pan, the lines or the pressure test plug on the side of the trans. I see no more than 210 deg on a hard heavy pull fully loaded on a 90d day...
The transfer case. Synthetic oil that too with the emulsifier oil added in. The rears are actually very strong. But swap the oil out for synthetic, which takes abuse and heat better.
2600 is nothing. I am tipping close if not over 5000#. Two weeks ago we took the trailer with the 99 Exploder up over the Grapevine, into Frasier Park then over to 166 to 101 in California. There are some heavy hills. Nothing like Colorado. But I did pull the trailer twice with the 99 and the 01 from the floor of Yosemite WB on 41 thru the tunnels up to top then down to the valley. That pull is no joke, but we kept the Ford in 2nd and 3rd all the way, outta OD, the coolant temp ran 210 once in a while, mostly 205ish, temp on the trans ran 210.
Brakes wise, I upgraded to larger thicker rotors. With metallic pads. The suspension is KYB on one and Bielston on the other.
The poor 4.0 has a reputation. Deserved from a design flaw that can be corrected. Mine are. I have no issues. And guess what??
We have hella fun, and not making those huge strokes monthly on a hemi or a power stroke or likewise, and the Fords do the job. I am a firm believer of making due with what you got. While the prevailing thought is to buy a $50k tow rig, some folks have deep pockets. Mine are full. And I plan on keeping them full.
At the campsites in Yosemite, I have had many a Scamp owner using lets say a Tacoma towing, wonder by inquiring about my 1/4 million mile Fords. We were at Truckee last spring when a guy came by chastising us for what he said, making the roads unsafe by using too light of a tow rig.
I offered to buy him a beer and send him on his way. In the FWIIW catagory, last week we were on the coast of Cal, from SLO up to Monterey on Highway 1. This time with the 2wd 01.
What was on my tail the whole way? A SMART car towing a small tent trailer, behind her was a Ford peeekup with a huge cruise ship 5th wheel.
At one turnout, they all pulled in behind me to let the tourist in rented Mustangs get by us, and to take a leak, and to let the dogs take a leak, the Ford truck asked me if I had a gallon of oil he could buy.....I gave him a gallon of Walmart dino 10-40 which seemed to make him happy.
The SMART car owner, while not my type, was a gutsy lady. She likes her SMART, and wanted to go camping. They said it could not be done, she does it. And has been for a year or more. She readily admitted that while going up a grade she might be down in the gears, her rig gets a whole lotta attention, and I must add, I was impressed too.
https://postimg.cc/Z9jk2yNh
