F-150 can it handle it?

4x4fever

4x4fever

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Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Location
abingdon,va
im lookin at getting an F-250 but if i have to settle i will get an f-150, not lookin to spend over 3500 so im lookin around late 80's early 90's. what im wondering is how well an F-150 will handle my 5000lb cherokee on a 16ft trailer? what combo should i look for? thanks
 
It will probably pull ok but you need a trailer with electric brakes. Brakes on a half ton are just not big enough.
 
Try and get the longest wheelbase possible and the 351 motor. I had a 94 longbed extended cab and it was very stable with heavy loads. Mine had a 302 though it it was absolutly worthless in the low end torque department.
 
and a big ass tranny cooler for that 1/2 ton tranny.
 
You're not going anywhere in a hurry. That's for sure. But it'll do okay.

And in all honesty, I'd try for something from the mid-90s. Those trucks are old enough now that it's getting to be a wash as to what parts are in them.... but the early OD transmissions were crap. By about 94, Ford had the bugs worked out, and things got reasonably reliable.

If the transmission has been replaced, there's a good chance that the updates have already been taken care of.
 
I had an '87 f150 351 ext'd cab long bed auto and that will be the last Ford I own. Blew the tranny 10 miles from home pulling my Cherokee. Other's have had better luck, but I didn't.
 
I had a 95 F250, extended cab, long bed, 2WD. Pulled great. 351W, 5 speed manual Mazda tranny. Never had any problems. Even with a M715 on a car hauler rolling down I40 at 90MPH!!!

I'd go with a 250, at least. There is someone on here selling a F350 4x4 in the Classifides section, for around the $$$ you are talking about
 
for that budget...I bet you can find a F250...the older they get the closer the price diff between all of em. And since they are all going to be higher mileage, pick the heavier one for your tow dollars!

(and trailer brakes are your best friend in either case)

Sam
 
rockcity said:
I had a 95 F250, extended cab, long bed, 2WD. Pulled great. 351W, 5 speed manual Mazda tranny.
Click to expand...

That was a ZF. The Mazda was only in the 1/2 tons and rangers, and then only behind the 300 and 302, FWIW.
 
If you find a f-150, just make sure it has a t-18/19 in it and you shouldn't have to worry about tranny problems, my father had one with a 302 and t-19 in it and it could pull 8500lbs of trash with no problem, like someone else said, trailer brakes would be something to think about too with a f-150
 
i have had very good luck with my company f-150. it tows great, shifts smooth, been a good truck. it is 2 wheel drive, and a 2002 model. 5.4 and auto. it has only towed between 5-6,500 pounds though.
 
My '01 F-150 4x4 w/ the 5.4L tows my yota like a champ. I don't tow very fast and try to take it easy on the brakes. While were on the subject of 1/2 ton towing, i've always towed with the O/D off just like i've always been taught, for obvious reasons. With the newer trannys and drivelines, is this still an absolute rule, or are there some instances where it's ok to turn the O/D back on so that I can tow over 55-60 mph without taching 3000+ RPM?
 
At that speed OD is ok as long as the tranny isnt "searching" for the proper gear. In the hills I would still take the OD off just to lessen the impact on the tranny by shifting. The RPM's wont hurt the motor but the shifting heat will kill the tranny eventually.

Benn through 3 E4ods. I hate them.
 
There's a quad cab F350 Dually for sale in Lexington at Garwood Cycles. I haven't looked at it, but I know it's 2WD. I think they want 4000 for it. It's a late 80's early 90's. It looks like it would pull a house down. I'm not sure how much abuse it's had, though.
 
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