I noticed you said 8000lbs in your other post. I would guess that trailer is closer to 8500+ when loaded. FYI.

 

The 8000 lb was estimating myself, wife, two young kids and all their toys, clothes, etc. We always tow with dry tanks so 8000 is probably in the ballpark. I'll probably weight it someday.

 

You might be suprised. Check out www.rv.net if you haven't been there already. That's a good source for people's experiences with trailers of all kinds. You're right that weighing is the only true way to know what you have. You've got experience towing so you know when you're pushing too hard. I still suggest a trans temp guage for anybody towing a rig like that.

 

I tow a 6' X 10' single axel Pace trailer with the Toroflex independent suspension. Loaded it weights about 3,000#. It tows like a dream. About 400# tongue weight, no breaks or weight distribution. I tow it with a 2004 FX4 Screw, with the towning package, and a 2" drop ball mount.

 

I'm sorry that I keep digressing from the original question posted on this thread, but where does one usually mount the gauge inside the cab? I'm still trying to figure out where to put my Sirius receiver!

 

There's some different choices. I actually took a hole saw and put mine in the dash panael aroudn the teering wheel, but I don't suggest it. There's a picture of it in my gallery.

http://www.autometer.com/cat_mounts.aspx Check that site out. They have some different "pods" you can use to mount guages.

 

The easiest gauge solution I've seen is the new Edge tuner for the 04-05 F-150. It will show coollant temp, engine oil temp & trans fluid temp, among other parameters. You have your choice of showing one to four different things at the same time. Their is a list of 19 choices. If you're worried about the warranty aspect, you don't have to use the tuning. You can use the tuner for gauges only. it just plugs into the OBDII port. Of course you'd have to take it off for service work to keep them from getting excited.

 

I have pull every size trailer imaginable, at work with a f-350 dually. But with my 150 I have pulled a 27' sportsmen traveltrailer. Weight was around 6000#

check out
www.kz-rv.com

 

I PULL A 17' FISH/SKI AND A SMALL TRAILER WITH TWO BIKES, I THINK ITS ATOSS UP WHAT WEIGHS MORE, PROBALY THE BOAT BY A LITTLE. THE BIKES WEIGH 780 AND 650 YA PROBABLY THE BOAT.

 

What is the engine and gear ratio of your truck? I pull a 30' Nomad with a Valley set-up (W/D hitch and sway bar), truck has the 4.6 Triton and 3.55 gears. Does ok on Va. flats, but the hills bog it down quite a bit. Looks like I will buying a programmer very soon given the feedback from various postings.

Would the interstate your are speaking of be the I-81 speedway?

 

I have a 2002 F150 ext cab 4x4 with the 4.6 and the heaviest thing I pulled was a 5x12 stock trailer weight about 2500 with 3 full size donkeys and 3 full size horses, to guess I would say that each horse weights in around 1100 to 1200 and the donkeys probably about 900 each. taht is an average for each so that would put the total weight just under 9000lbs. and my truck does not have the tow package. I only got about 7 mpg due to hilly roads and when I got to our new farm to turn them out I had to put my truck into 4 low to get the trailer upto the top of the hill but it is really step about a 50 degree angle on the hill so it was a little ruff to say the least. On a side note I was wondering if anyone with a 4.6 was having troble with really poor gas mileage, because no matter how I drive soft or hard I can not manage to get over 11 mpg and I only have 81,000 miles on my truck. I am also running 285 75 16 tires.

 

I have an '05 F150, 4.6/3.55, without tow package but I have added receiver hitch, 7-pin wiring and a Prodigy trailer brake controller. I usually tow a 20' travel trailer (4500# trip-ready) but occasionally hook onto that a 2500# fish and ski boat. When new it was pretty much a dog with the doubles, but after breaking in (has about 15000 miles on it now) and adding a programmer and upgraded exhaust it tows noticeably better now. I am considering adding a trans cooler this spring before the new boat/camp season which brings me to a question I have: I noticed (and a transmission shop tech advised me) that I already have a trans cooler on this truck even w/o tow package. Is it a waste of money to add another one or will this one suffice?

 

If you got one you're probably ok. There should be two coolers in front of the radiator if you do have it (one is power steering I beleive). If you're concerned about heat then install a temp guage so you know where you're at all the time.

 

Just picked up a 2002 Coyote Sportster 22' Toy Hauler, ~4300 lbs empty, ~6000 lbs with Goldwing and cargo. Husky wt. dist. hitch with sway control and Prodigy brake controller.
https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?num=10077

 

Nomad,

My 02 F150 FX4 has a 3.55 LS rear and the 5.4L engine.

It seems to be right in its "comfort zone" with the OD turned off running 60-65mph.

The interstate I'm actually speaking of is I-95. I haven't gotten my nerve up to try I-81 yet!!!!!!!! If you can't run 85mph on that road, you need to stay off of it.....and that's just not gonna happen towing my Outback.