How much truck to haul a TJ and XJ?

loki_racer

loki_racer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
I'm going this weekend to trade in the car to get a tow rig. I'm interested in knowing everyone's thoughts on tow rigs. I'm looking to be able to pull a gooseneck trailer with a TJ and an XJ. Daily driving is fairly unimportant as I might have put 2000 miles on my daily driver in the last year.

Must be a crew cab. I like the F250/F350. Would I need a dually to pull the TJ and XJ? Should I avoid the 6.0L or does it have enough power to two these rigs? How many miles on a used diesel are too many? Anyone recommend any dealerships in the Charlotte area?

I've never licensed a trailer in NC. Is there any special permit needed for a gooseneck?
 
loki_racer said:
I'm looking to be able to pull a gooseneck trailer with a TJ and an XJ.
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You definately want a diesel


loki_racer said:
Must be a crew cab. I like the F250/F350. Would I need a dually to pull the TJ and XJ?
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Good choice. You don't need a dually, but they are more stable. With a gooseneck trailer it doesn't matter as much as with bumper trailers. I chose not to get a dually because of the extra width and cost of tires.


loki_racer said:
Should I avoid the 6.0L or does it have enough power to two these rigs?
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Don't avoid a 6.0 Ford because of power. They have more power than the 7.3L. The early ones had some problems, but they got better with the years. I bought a factory 100k warranty on mine just to be safe with all the stories I have heard.

loki_racer said:
How many miles on a used diesel are too many?
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They don't really wear out like normal engines. I had one with over 300k on it and I have a friend with over 300k on his. Both are 7.3L.

loki_racer said:
I've never licensed a trailer in NC. Is there any special permit needed for a gooseneck?
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Nope.
 
The f250/350's are nice ...but I wouldn't buy ANY 6.0 on a bet, unless it still had a ton of bumper to bumper warrenty(yes 6.0 owners I know they are great if you're willing to do 7 grand in updates, but hell any truck should be good for that kind of coin!!). Buy a Duramax if you want an auto and buy a Cummins if you'd rather go the manual route. Just my .02
 
Thanks for the input. I'm not interested in Dodge or Chevy at this point. Nothing more than a personal preference.

Good to know that dually wouldn't be missed with a gooseneck.

I've found a couple mid 90's F250/350's with less than 200k miles. Anything specific I should avoid or check when going to look at them?
 
Just check engine codes. All diesels are expensive to work on. Also get a 4wd as with a heavy trailer you will get stuck often. For me a limited slip was a must also, but I don't have a flat yard.
 
Stay away from non-turbo motors. I know that the 97's have turbo's and some of the 96's do to but I think that some of the 96's and older do not. just my 2 cents. I have heard that some of the 99's had problems but I could be wrong.

I have a 2001 7.3 F-250 4x4 with 180,000 and love it. Also use to drive a 97 7.3 that could pull a house.

As far as buying one, you want to crank it up with the motor cold. Check the motor by hand before you start it. If it is warm tell the guy that you will come back the next day. Alot of possible problems can be seen when it is cold. How long it takes to start first time (should not be more than 3 or 4 seconds), white smoke, black smoke from exhaust. You also want to check blow back on the motor when it is warm ( after test drive), to do this just take the oil cap off and look at smoke coming out of the motor. Just a little is normal, if there is a lot, run.

Test drive the truck for atleast 25 mins if not more and give 3rd gear hell, if 3rd don't feel good means your lossing power some where.
 
Good to know about the non-turbo. Wasn't sure if that would matter much.

What are everyone's thoughts on transmission. I've hauled stuff with F750 with a manual but the truck had way more power than needed for hauling the size load I had. With a smaller truck (than F750) is having a manual a pain? Is having an automatic a negative?
 
when you find one your interested in, take it to a shop that works on diesels often. they have a handheld machine they can hook it to and tell you if the injectors and what not are good/bad. they may charge you, but its good to do. my bro had a 99 7.3 and it had problems fuel related somehow. seemed like ti was somethin that had to do with under the little plastic thing on the engine that said 7.3 powerstroke? a mechanic siad it was a common problem with them, but maybe it was just his. maybe someone cna shed some light as im not to familar with them
 
kinlawk said:
Stay away from non-turbo motors. I know that the 97's have turbo's and some of the 96's do to but I think that some of the 96's and older do not. just my 2 cents. I have heard that some of the 99's had problems but I could be wrong.
I have a 2001 7.3 F-250 4x4 with 180,000 and love it. Also use to drive a 97 7.3 that could pull a house.
As far as buying one, you want to crank it up with the motor cold. Check the motor by hand before you start it. If it is warm tell the guy that you will come back the next day. Alot of possible problems can be seen when it is cold. How long it takes to start first time (should not be more than 3 or 4 seconds), white smoke, black smoke from exhaust. You also want to check blow back on the motor when it is warm ( after test drive), to do this just take the oil cap off and look at smoke coming out of the motor. Just a little is normal, if there is a lot, run.
Test drive the truck for atleast 25 mins if not more and give 3rd gear hell, if 3rd don't feel good means your lossing power some where.
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You're right on some of them not having turbos but you've got your years wrong. In 94 the turbo diesel came out as an option. It was offered but not standard. Some 94s are and some are not. In 1995 the Powerstroke was introduced. ALL 95s and up have turbos and are Powerstrokes. The 97 and prior trucks were not intercooled. In 99 the Powerstrokes became intercooled.

Be careful buying an automatic 7.3. The 4R100 that's behind the 7.3 is not as reliable as the 5R110 that's behind the 6.0. It's either get the better motor and the weaker tranny or get the stronger tranny and motor that is notorious for problems.

My personal favorite in a Ford is a 95-97 crew cab short bed 5 speed but those are near impossible to find in even decent condition.
 
yoder519 said:
when you find one your interested in, take it to a shop that works on diesels often. they have a handheld machine they can hook it to and tell you if the injectors and what not are good/bad. they may charge you, but its good to do. my bro had a 99 7.3 and it had problems fuel related somehow. seemed like ti was somethin that had to do with under the little plastic thing on the engine that said 7.3 powerstroke? a mechanic siad it was a common problem with them, but maybe it was just his. maybe someone cna shed some light as im not to familar with them
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You are correct the 7.3 is very likely to have a fuel leak around the fuel filter. There are several places that crack and leak. Look under the cover and see if there is fuel on top of the intake. You should also pull one of the intercooler boots off if it's a 99 and newer and see how much oil is in there. That's a sure sign that the seals in the turbo are going out if oil pours out. It's common on a powerstroke to have some oil in there but it shouldn't be more than a light coating.
 
kinlawk said:
Stay away from non-turbo motors. I know that the 97's have turbo's and some of the 96's do to but I think that some of the 96's and older do not. just my 2 cents. I have heard that some of the 99's had problems but I could be wrong.
I have a 2001 7.3 F-250 4x4 with 180,000 and love it. Also use to drive a 97 7.3 that could pull a house.
As far as buying one, you want to crank it up with the motor cold. Check the motor by hand before you start it. If it is warm tell the guy that you will come back the next day. Alot of possible problems can be seen when it is cold. How long it takes to start first time (should not be more than 3 or 4 seconds), white smoke, black smoke from exhaust. You also want to check blow back on the motor when it is warm ( after test drive), to do this just take the oil cap off and look at smoke coming out of the motor. Just a little is normal, if there is a lot, run.
Test drive the truck for atleast 25 mins if not more and give 3rd gear hell, if 3rd don't feel good means your lossing power some where.
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On a 7.3 PSD they have a BPV (back pressure valve) that closes when started cold and gradually opens as it warms up.This is to help get the engine up to operating temp quicker and they wont turn very many RPM's while its closed,especially in cold weather.Once it opens(and you can hear it opening,on mine anyway) it will run like normal.I have a 96 CC 2wd w 384K on it and yeah I've been stuck a few times.No way would I have tried pulling my trailer/blazer up trail 10 Sat at Harlan.Mine might puke it's guts out tommorow but it's been a real good truck and Shawn can vouch for me its been worked.
 
Will an older stock powerstroke have enough power to pull 2 rigs? My 98 Cummins Ram struggles to maintain speed thru the steep mountains just towing one XJ on a trailer, maybe 5500 lbs.

Definitley get a 4x4. It was real nice to pull up Harlan Trail 10 last Friday after that 1:00 shower. I would have had to unload the XJ to get the tow rig up top. There have been many other times I've used 4x4, even for just a few feet. Other times, like backing a trailer, its just nice to have the low range to crawl around.
 
Hard to say for sure but Im sure it wouldnt be a speed demon.Mine is all stock execpt for a filter and straight exhaust and I have a 2400lb deck over trailer and a fs blazer on 1-tons and 42's and I have to drop some gears on big climbs.I'll cross the mnt on 421 goin to Harlan at 35mph.I got into haulin scrap last spring and one trip I liked 23 pounds bein 8ton,counting truck,trailer and load.I could tell it was back there.I got stuck in the field at the flats at the event last fall.
 
RenegadeT said:
Will an older stock powerstroke have enough power to pull 2 rigs? My 98 Cummins Ram struggles to maintain speed thru the steep mountains just towing one XJ on a trailer, maybe 5500 lbs.
Definitley get a 4x4. It was real nice to pull up Harlan Trail 10 last Friday after that 1:00 shower. I would have had to unload the XJ to get the tow rig up top. There have been many other times I've used 4x4, even for just a few feet. Other times, like backing a trailer, its just nice to have the low range to crawl around.
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You would definitely know they were back there and I definitely wouldn't want to do it much with a stock automatic. I wouldn't want one with 3.55s and have to tow that much weight. My dad has a 95 F-350 with 4.10s and a 5 speed with a 6 position chip and the cat removed and 90% of the time he has a trailer behind it. We towed a 100 hp Allis Chalmers on a three axle gooseneck back from North Dakota with it and it pulled the mountain at Jellico in 4th gear. Truck, trailer, and tractor weighed 23,500 lbs.

There were also two different 5 speeds available in the early powerstrokes and I have not been able to find a way to tell the difference between the two from the outside of the tranny. 1st gear is a lot lower in one than the other. One is around 4:1 and the other is over 6:1. The lower geared tranny is a lot more tow friendly. They both have the same overdrive ratio so nothing is lost on the top end.
 
SolarYellow05 said:
There were also two different 5 speeds available in the early powerstrokes and I have not been able to find a way to tell the difference between the two from the outside of the tranny. 1st gear is a lot lower in one than the other. One is around 4:1 and the other is over 6:1. The lower geared tranny is a lot more tow friendly. They both have the same overdrive ratio so nothing is lost on the top end.
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Mine is the 6:1 five speed w 4:10's and unloaded,or around town 1st is about useless.I usually pull out in 2nd unless I'm on a hill.
 
1-tonmudder said:
Mine is the 6:1 five speed w 4:10's and unloaded,or around town 1st is about useless.I usually pull out in 2nd unless I'm on a hill.
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Yeah that's the best one to have. My dad's has the 4:1 for some stupid reason and it's a cab and chassis truck. Makes it hard to get moving on a hill with a heavy load behind it.
 
I just used my Excursion to tow a CJ-7 and a very loaded CJ-10a down to Texas. Somewhere around 10k for load, 4.5k for trailer, and 8.5K for Excursion... 23k total weight

30 foot Kaufman trailer, upgraded suspension/air bags on the Ex, plus 60hp DP Tuner Tow tune, AFE filter, 4 inch exhaust, gauges. I took off the wastegate control on the turbo because I was only getting 16 pounds boost and the exhaust temps were getting hot quick, when I disconnected it I would pull up to 22-24 pounds boost and the EGTs dropped 1-200 degrees.

The Ex did fine, got about 9.7 MPG for the entire trip. I did the same trip several years ago with a 99 PSD with about the same mods, and it got the same mileage pulling a gooseneck.

I HATED the automagic transmission logic, especially trying to tow in cruise control. It would bog down, then shift HARD into 3rd, pegging the boost to 28 pounds and throwing a CEL for overboost. It was not that bad if I had the cruise off, and it is a little easier maneuvering it around parking lots and fuel stops.

Over all I loved my manual transmission 10x for towing heavy


Pulling that much weight on that big of a trailer behind a regular pickup (not a medium duty or something like that) is not the least stressful thing in the world. No matter what anyone says about "not being able to feel it", you are working your truck to the maximum it was designed to do. Your brakes get hot, you are relying on your trailer brakes a bunch to stop you, and there is not much of a margin for error.

I just slow down and let the truck do its thing and I have never had a problem, but I know several people that refuse to get in the drivers seat when I am towing heavy.


If you have never towed a big, heavy trailer, you might want to try it before you put down a bunch of money on a tow rig.
 
Pic of said truck and trailer

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That's the longest bumper trailer I've ever seen.

I spent over 12 hours today looking at trucks. My 4 year old was a trooper and hung in there for 8 of them. Got jerked around a few times and at one dealership the truck went "missing" before I could look at it. Said truck reappeared 5 hours later and followed me home.

2000 F250 7.3L. 128k miles. Crew cab and 4x4. Gooseneck after market stereo and headlights. Off the lot for $19k.

If there are any diesel mechanics in the Charlotte/Gastonia/Lincolnton/Mt. Holly area that wouldn't mind giving it a once over, I'd love an experts opinion. They let me drive it home and I have the weekend before I sign the paperwork.

Now I just need to find someone that wants to sell me a gooseneck trailer on the cheap.

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alh4.ggpht.com__Gzxm7tdUec8_THCd7hq9EdI_AAAAAAAAIGM_Kc7pEaUf3A8_s400_IMG_1515.JPG
 
Haven't checked ford prices recently, but that seems kindof high? Have the 7.3 prices gone up that much? Nice truck though for sure.
 
braxton357 said:
Haven't checked ford prices recently, but that seems kindof high? Have the 7.3 prices gone up that much? Nice truck though for sure.
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I was gonna go there too... my Ex 1 year ago was 2k less with 50k less miles... and Ex's seem to have a huge premium...

But then again, 7.3 Ex prices have been skyrocketing too. Cant hardly get a good diesel anymore!
 
Ya, I know the price was more than KBB. Unfortunately, I had to pay the markup because I needed to trade my car in. If I didn't have the car and could have bought from an individual, I could have paid the prices you guys are talking about. I spent 14 hours looking at trucks yesterday and I felt this price was as good as it was going to get considering my position.
 
I rode around in Loki's 250 last night and it felt like it could have been brand new. Body/paint was in great shape, no rattles, transmission felt solid (no noises or slipping) and the interior wasn't very worn at all.

I hope you get 300k out of it man! :driver:
 
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