In a pinch I towed my '90 BMW 325is race car to Florida with my Jeep Cherokee. At the last minute the planned tow vehicle died so I had no choice. Well it wasn't too bad even though it was a tow dolly with no trailer brakes...it was fun though. This last year I towed with a properly setup truck (I won't mention which truck for fear of a beat down...but it ended with HD) What a difference.

So I want a crew or extended cab and enough power and brakes to make towing a breaze, and I need it for nothing else, just towing. I would also be investing in a cheap trailer with brakes but probably not lightweight.

What years of the F150 generations are going to be my best bet? A guy at work is selling a '93 Lightning but I think that's a bit over the top I don't want to spend much as my racing is eating up all my extra cash.

 

You do not want the lightning as it has a reduced tow capacity. As far as the F150, the newer you get, the more capable it will be for towing. Also, a 250 would be better than the 150 no matter how new.

 

How much are used 150 and 250 trucks going for? What is the life of a gasoline truck? What goes first on these two? Engine? Tranny? Suspension?

 

It may be overkill, but if you want a dedicated tow vehicle the best thing Ford has is a Superduty with a 7.3 PSD or a V10.

 

If I were looking for a 'tow only' rig on the cheap, I'd look for 1992 and up F250's with either the 460ci or the diesel.

After 1997, the F250 went to the 'Super Duty' that we all know and love and I'd think the 5.4 would be fine for your specific towing duty, but if a V10 or diesel popped up that was within my price range, I'd go for it instead.

F150's, I would stick with 97 and above, just for the fact that's all I've owned... I know the older ones are fine trucks in their own right, and can be picked up for almost nothing, but the old 302 or 351 that came in them are not too powerful compared to the 4.6 or 5.4 IMO..

I'd say you would have 'less' towing issues with the F250.. All of it's parts are HD, compared to the 'lighter duty' parts on any F150..

What goes out first?? That's totally up to the truck and how it was maintained in the past... You can buy one that checks out fine, but then the next day the trans pukes on you... What'cha gonna do?? How could you predict it?? No one can answer that one..

Good luck!

Mitch

 

Hey man, How much are you wanting to spend? Also, any future plans to get an enclosed trailer? Reason I ask is it would make more sense to get a 250 diesel and have the ability to tow more in the future. Are you racing BMWCCA, Nasa or Scca?

 

Smart money says Spec E30...

But yeah, budget determines it all. Right now, the 97-2003 F150s are new enough to be reliable (the whole point of towing is for the racecar to break down, not the tow vehicle), yet old enough to be cheap.

 

You might also consider E250 and E350 full size vans. If you are using an open trailer, the van will offer a secure place to store your gear or to sleep in.

With the high cost of gas and limited demand for a van, you might be able to find a good deal. One of my friends got an excellent deal on a low mileage V10 E350 van a few years ago. He put airbags, Bilsteins and big sway bars on it, and it towed and drove great.

 

Could be a KS or KP car. He could be running PBOC too. In that case lord only knows what class he's running.