I finally got my truck shopping done. I found a heck of a deal on a '00 F-250 (5.4L) to replace my '89 F-350 (460). I knew the GVWR was a bit less, but the 5.4L is actually rated for more HP and torque than the 460 (especially true considering how tired my 460 is getting). Now entering the buyer's remorse stage, I see that the F-250 is only rated to pull around 7000lbs of trailer! Where does this leave me and my 20ft aluminum gooseneck cattle trailer (12,000lb GVWR)? Will I really only be able to haul half of a load of calves with it? I know, I know, buyer beware and all that, but maybe someone has some experience with towing with one of these trucks? It seems like the engine is the only limiting factor here since the same truck with a powerstroke or V10 is rated to pull almost twice as much trailer (13,400lb) and an F-350 with a 5.4L is limited to the same low 7000lb trailer weight. Is it just a matter of taking longer to get to the sales barn, or is trying to pull a load of calves with this truck a bad idea (or worse: illegal)?
- Thread starter tjdub
- Start date
Most guys around here are pulling 20 to 24 foot goosenecks with a 3/4 ton. Some diesels some gas.
No one has been written up for overload yet. They have been written up in the sale barn parking lot for off road diesel in their trucks and no mention of GVW.
With working brakes on the trailer you should be fine.
Not saying it was right but I pulled an 18 foot steel livstock trailer with a 1/2 ton for 15 years.
Just my observation?
Gary
No one has been written up for overload yet. They have been written up in the sale barn parking lot for off road diesel in their trucks and no mention of GVW.
With working brakes on the trailer you should be fine.
Not saying it was right but I pulled an 18 foot steel livstock trailer with a 1/2 ton for 15 years.
Just my observation?
Gary
cole in mo.
Well-known Member
In my opinion, your tired old wore out 460 will still out pull that 5.4, that 5.4 is only 329 cubic inches, thats 131 cid's less than what you had. The 5.4 fits in with all the rest of the point something engines, they are high reving engines, and do put out decent power, but at higher rpms. They will not lug, they work better with an auto trans. Like I said, this is my opinion, but I like the older slower turning bigger cubic inch engines.
Allan in NE
Well-known Member
Yes Sir,
I gotta go with Cole on this one. Just don't think you are gonna like that engine.
They are just fine for the 'run to the post office or grocery store' duty, but I just think you're gonna run out of snort tuggin' that trailer.
Allan
I gotta go with Cole on this one. Just don't think you are gonna like that engine.
They are just fine for the 'run to the post office or grocery store' duty, but I just think you're gonna run out of snort tuggin' that trailer.
Allan
We've had several F-250s with the 5.4 now. They are what they are. They definitly dont have the power of a diesel or V10, but they get the job done. I haul my 7500lb tractor all summer with my truck, and at work I just recently pulled 10,000lbs of shingles in the dump trailer (I swear that roof didnt look that big!) 95,000 miles on that truck and its been worked all of them. It"ll feel underpowered but the truck handles it fine if you have trailer brakes and use some sense. I still drive by the scales and havnt been pulled over yet (knock on wood) The only problem I have is the exhaust manifolds warp. I bet I"ve replaced 5 of them now between 3 different trucks. Even with that though, if I was buying one tomorrow I"d get another Ford gas, I just cant justify the added cost of the diesel just to go a little faster.
I have an "07 F-250 Super Duty with the 5.4. I can legally pull around 9500 lbs using a bumper pull with just me in the cab. It is legally rated at well over 10,000 lbs with a gooseneck (cannot remember the exact number). I have pulled just under 9000 lbs using a bumper pull and didn"t really find it lacking for power except at the lower end (definitely is a bit short in the lugging category), so you have to drive accordingly. Gas milage was very unimpressive. Probably dropped to less than half normal when pulling.
Nebraska Cowman
Well-known Member
The 5.4 ain't no power horse but it will lug like who laid the chunk. Shift down and you will get there. I drug trailers all over for years with one. Of course I had a 5 speed and 4.10 gears (something they won't sell you any more)
I wouldn't worry about pulling your big loads with that truck. Just gear down and don"t expect to be the first one to get there. I pulled 10-12,000# loads alot with a half ton around locally. I wouldn't want to take off cross county with it but within a 50mi ridus of home my trucks have held up OK. I do run a 3/4 ton now but will be going back to a 1/2 ton next time. Gas mileage and the ride really sucks with my 3/4 ton when I'm not pulling. Not to mention they have made alot of improvements on the newer 1/2 ton trucks
I've ot an 01 F-250 SD with the 5.4. Same 7500lb tow capacity. It isn't a powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination, but it will pull way more than 7500 lb comfortably. If you have hills or a headwind you won't be setting any speed records. I have a pretty heavy old Hillsboro tri axle 20 +4 foot gooseneck with a 2 bottom plow and an F-20 it does fine but gas mileage is 8-10 depending on terain.
Ive got a 09 F250 with the 5.4, never a problem with a 24 foot flat bed and 14,000 pounds of hay on it. Doesnt handle it like my D3500 with a tuned Cummins but its not a diesel dually either. Ride, handling, braking are all very acceptable loaded. Same with a full loaded 20x8 aluminum cattle trailer full loaded. Only downside is the 7 mpg with a trailer. Ehish.... All my trailers are gooseneck so I cant comment on pulling on the bumper. Only thing Ive ever had back there were flat wagons with hay. No complaints on them either...
With the gas engines the GCWR can change by 3000 lbs depending on the rear axle ratio. 3/4 ton with only a 7,000lb trailer rating leads me to believe you have a 3.23 or 3.54 gear. Bet the GCW goes up with a 4.10/4.11. Sorry I can"t remember the Ford gear ratio right now. Thats what I would look at first.
Second, if your rated for 7k, I wouldn"t go cruising around with a 14k gooseneck on back. IF an accident or something bad does happen, you"ll be the first one the lawyers look at. Don"t misunderstand me, I have pulled over weight too. I mean, just don"t go crazy and way overload your truck.
Rick
Second, if your rated for 7k, I wouldn"t go cruising around with a 14k gooseneck on back. IF an accident or something bad does happen, you"ll be the first one the lawyers look at. Don"t misunderstand me, I have pulled over weight too. I mean, just don"t go crazy and way overload your truck.
Rick
495man
Well-known Member
http://changingears.com/Ford-2000-Towing-Guide-Partial.pdf
I was looking at buying a 1999 F-350 5.4 crew cab 8 foot 5-speed and it was rated 7500 if it was a 3.73, was ample for the 7000 lb class stock trailer we have, but I passed on it.
Looks like a 5.4L 5-speed truck will tow up to 9700 lb if a 2wd reg cab with 4.10s. so your numbers are only limited by the GCWR limit.
I have a 7.3 6-speed and 3.73, bumper pull is 10,000 with that power train no matter what config, 5th wheel is between 12600 and 14000 depending on the truck config.
Sounds like to be towing a 12,000 gooseneck, you should really have the 6.8 or 7.3.
Don't compare a newer 2009 5.4..those have more power and were rated to tow more and could be had with a 12,000 towing capacity.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/rv_trailer_towing/2009/SuperDutyFifthWheel.pdf
This all comes down to your registration requirements and whether you are an idiot. If you can handle the rig and can get it licensed that is all that matters, this trailer rating stuff is crap and all made up by engineers. How they get some of these numbers is beyond me. BTW be considerate and make sure your brakes work.
Those engineers that make up the trailer ratings might be the same ones the make sure your brakes work... hmm now I don't know whether to trust them or not.
One other thing, without a deep rear gear, towing more than your rated for will cause your transmission to really build up heat and quick. But, I defer to the transmission expert Allan in NE. Think he will say the same thing.
Rick
RandyB(MI)
Well-known Member
Manufacturers can rate "towing capacity" wherever they want to protect themselves. A 350 w smaller engine if still far more safe to pull 10,000# ,even though not rated by Ford , than a 3/4 t with ANY engine they put in it. If DOT uses this Ford data plate for their reference and compliance then they are bigger knuckleheads than even Ford. What if Ford decided to put 200,000 mi warrantees on their F 350 but because of it to protect themselves they "rated" it at 5,000 # towing cap or less? Does that mean DOT writes you up at 6,000 behind a F350? Why don't we all just buy a semi and make all the knuckleheads happy?
I have a 03 f250 4X4 3.73 axle, auto, extended cab, with the 5.4 gas engine. It has pulled a gooseneck 14000 gvw trailer for half of it's 147000 miles. We have a old Dodge Cummins and a F350 7.3. End up taking the gas burner on the long trips 900 miles hauling our pulling tractor and another trip 350 miles one way, hauling two pulling tractors. If you just put it in drive and set the cruse on 65 it will do it but may be turning 5000 rpm. Little story. I went by the neighbors house he had his backhoe on his trailer and was waiting to get on the highway. He saw me coming and thought to himself, shoot here comes Vic with his backhoe and I am going to have to wait on him to climb the hill just South of his house. He pulled out right behind me, with his new Diesel and he told me later he never could catch me. My hoe does weight about 6000 less than his but I never let on. I looked up my truck and I thought it was rated for 12000 with a goose-neck. With the price of gas, versus, diesel. I would buy gas again. Vic
> Those engineers that make up the trailer ratings might be the same ones the make sure your brakes work...
Maybe it's not what you're trying to say, but as far as I can tell, the brake parts are the same on this 5.4L F-250 as they are with the F-250/F-350 that are rated for 13,500lb trailers.
As for my own uses, I only haul about 30 miles from home. I'm not too worried about the abuse. I'm not too worried about the speed either since it's all rural roads. The only real hill I have to climb has a granny lane, so I suppose I'll still get there even if I have to turn on the hazards and throw it into 4-low
Maybe it's not what you're trying to say, but as far as I can tell, the brake parts are the same on this 5.4L F-250 as they are with the F-250/F-350 that are rated for 13,500lb trailers.
As for my own uses, I only haul about 30 miles from home. I'm not too worried about the abuse. I'm not too worried about the speed either since it's all rural roads. The only real hill I have to climb has a granny lane, so I suppose I'll still get there even if I have to turn on the hazards and throw it into 4-low
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I worry more about stopping than towing...just mt 2 cents...
Nope you read it right. You should have the same brakes. Just watch the trans. temp. it can get hot real quick. Slower speed and common sense and you should be ok.
Unlike the idiot I passed the other day. Chevy 2500, 10 ton gooseneck trailer, JD410 backhoe. Way too much on a single rear wheel truck. His rear tires looked half flat. I figured 6-7K of trailer and 15K of backhoe.
Rick
Unlike the idiot I passed the other day. Chevy 2500, 10 ton gooseneck trailer, JD410 backhoe. Way too much on a single rear wheel truck. His rear tires looked half flat. I figured 6-7K of trailer and 15K of backhoe.
Rick
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