Say I wanted to tow something. . .

Motocentro · Post by **Motocentro** » December 12, 2007, 9:37 am

With a 2600 lb. tongue weight. 6700 lbs Total weight. It's a double axle Airstream that I'm getting a killer deal on. I don't want to tow it far, and not often.

What kind of setup would I need under/inside my 1965 f100. Is it even possible? Is adding bigger springs enough for the rear end?

Before this trailer came up I started in with a plan for a 302 roller swap. Could a fairly hot 302 (heads, roller rockers, big oil pump, etc.) with a torque cam pull off the towing duties? Or is this strictly big-block territory?

Thanks for helping a "city-slicker" like me and mine out. . .

Lowell · Post by **Lowell** » December 12, 2007, 10:20 am

You can get by with a good load leveling hitch such as a Reese . having your brakes in tip top shape also is a must . That includes the electric brakes on the trailer. If your running an automatic transmission an extra cooler would help. A four speed manuel with a granny gear sure helps getting started especially up hills. I pulled a trailer about that same weight with a Bronco with a 300 six for many years. my only problem was the three speed with overdrive . First gear wasnt geared low enough for getting started . Luckily i didnt have any clutch problems.

The Big M · Post by **The Big M** » December 12, 2007, 10:22 am

The 2600 lb tongue weight is definitely way too high without a load distributing hitch. Even then it may take way too much weight off the front wheels, which would compromise your steering and braking ability. Your brakes would definitely be overwhelmed by the 6700 lb load without making provisions for trailer brakes.

I don't think a 302, even with the upgrades you mentioned, would have enough jam to haul it at any appreciable speed. It would be labouring quite badly. A 300 six might be a better choice if you don't want to go with a big block.

65TremecGT · Post by **65TremecGT** » December 12, 2007, 12:08 pm

Sounds like a good excuse to pick up a slick f250!

64fordf100292v8 · Post by **64fordf100292v8** » December 12, 2007, 12:44 pm

I kinda doubt the tongue weighs 2600 pounds. Trailer hitches weigh 10-15% of the total trailer weight. So that means 930 at the most. Im sure the truck would tow it but I would want at least a 351 engine otherwise you would be slow going up the hills.

Motocentro · Post by **Motocentro** » December 12, 2007, 12:55 pm

64fordf100292v8 wrote:I kinda doubt the tongue weighs 2600 pounds. Trailer hitches weigh 10-15% of the total trailer weight. So that means 930 at the most. Im sure the truck would tow it but I would want at least a 351 engine otherwise you would be slow going up the hills.

I read the tag on the overlander - granted it is nearly 40 years old - and I thought the weight distribution was 2600/2600 with a total weight of 27. Now that might not be the actual "tounge weight." And now that you mention it, that does sound a little heavy.

I'm pretty sure the engine will handle it ok. An 302 HO roller torque curve looks equivalent to that of a well-built 300 in stock trim. With an Isky Torque cam installed I bet I'd have little problem getting it from storage to the lot.

norville · Post by **norville** » December 12, 2007, 12:57 pm

My own issue about towing if you don't mind.

I have a 65 f250 w/390 and "3spd" manual tranny. I'm looking to trailer a 4000lbs vehicle. The decision is to either use a tow dolly or a trailer.

Uhaul
Dolly = 700lbs
Trailer = 2000lbs surge brakes

So can a 65 F250 tow 6K lbs safely? I have an brake setup on my truck but the trailer is not setup for it.

I have 4wheel power drums and a class 3 hitch.

I need to travel about 100miles one way. and live.

Or is a dolly a better solution for less weight??

thanks,

bob

Effie · Post by **Effie** » December 12, 2007, 1:08 pm

I always see a lot of towing questions on forums, and it's always people wanting to know if their engine can handle it. The bigger concern is overheating the transmission and if you've got enough vehicle that the trailer doesn't wind up pushing you, instead of you pulling it and enough brakes to stop it.

Look into an electronic brake controller.

And a transmission cooler. Heat is the number one killer of a transmission.

The ones I always loved were on the horse forums. "Well, I've got a Jeep Cherokee with a V8, it should pull ok." Yeah, but you've got 2000 pounds of live weight moving around in a trailer behind a truck that doesn't weigh much more than that...think about it. They don't consider the fact that horse loses his balance or lunges to one side or the other because he's not secured and suddenly you've got a wreck on your hands.

Lowell · Post by **Lowell** » December 12, 2007, 1:12 pm

I also think that your tongue weight is much less than 2600 lbs. Airstreams are some of the best designed rvs for towing. my 24 foot Prowler is less than a 1000 lbs . tongue weight.

frank66 · Post by **frank66** » December 12, 2007, 2:09 pm

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I tow a 24" enclosed car trailer with my '66 F-250. My truck has 300ci 4spd 3.73 rear. The truck has more than enough pulling power and doesn't squat too bad. I bought the best hitch receiver and the best load-leveling hitch I could find. The front end still feels a little too light for my liking.
I also bought the best brake controller I could find. To try to keep the drums cool, I down shift and slow down using the manual thumb switch for the trailer brakes whenever possible.

You will probably have to do something to help the rear springs. What transmission do you plan to use and whats the ratio in the rear?

Motocentro · Post by **Motocentro** » December 12, 2007, 2:24 pm

I'm an idiot.

The GVWR per AXLE weight distribution is 2800/2800.

The TONGUE weight is more like 620-780.

The GVWR is 6200. That's fully loaded with all tanks full (right?).

This is a quote from an airstream fansite:

The tongue weight should be 10% to 15% of the gross trailer weight with 12% considered ideal. In other words a loaded trailer weighing 6000 lbs. should have a tongue weight between 600 lbs and 900 lbs with 720 lbs recommended. Lighter than 10% will cause handling problems (sway) and greater than 15% will overload the hitch.

turtle1056 · Post by **turtle1056** » December 12, 2007, 3:34 pm

very very doubtful the tongue weight is 2600 lbs given a class five hitch is only rated for about half that. Class five bein as big as you can go. If memory serves tongue weight should never exceed 850 lbs. An equalizer hitch is good insurance as well.

My 79 kingcab F150 had a carbed 302 auto no overdrive, in it and hauled my 6000 lb pullin truck n trailer (total 7400 lbs) all over the country and could easily keep up with the deisels and other assorted haulers my friends had.

Got around 12 miles to the gallon and only ever lost speed on "big" hills.

I then converted it over to a bone stock efi 302 outa a 88 cougar with AOD automatic, and hauled it until I got out of pullin - all told some 25,000 or so miles over 12 years.

I wouldnt worry too much so long as your equipment is in good shape.

As to brakes - well you shouldnt be relyin on your truck brakes at all with a load that big. You should be usin the trailer brakes for all but the final stopping.

LAst but not least - most places place a limit on the towed load as to be no more than the weight of the towin vehicle so dont be surprised if Johnny Law hauls ya over for an illegal load.

And many places also require a different class of drivers licence for any combined truck/trailer weight of 12000 lbs or more.

Motocentro · Post by **Motocentro** » December 12, 2007, 3:55 pm

THanks Turtle! That's the kind of plain-english I need to hear. Like I said in the previous post, I figured out the correct numbers on the weights, and the Trailer has brakes, so I bet I'll be fine pulling it.

After your story, I'm thinking that I need to consider a little road trip this summer. . .!

36truck · Post by **36truck** » December 12, 2007, 5:01 pm

If I can tow this from Nebraska to Michigan. I think your Slick will do just fine.

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » December 12, 2007, 5:30 pm

I am a big advocate of the SBF/Windsor in here. Some might say, about 2500 posts too many on the topic. But, even I would not haul an Airstream (very kewl BTW) with one. You need something with some torque for that pup. A 460 would fill the bill in my estimation, but a gas-sucking FE will also work, 390-up
Those that say smaller than that, have never set eyes on the Rocky mountains.

36truck · Post by **36truck** » December 12, 2007, 6:06 pm

JC congrats on 2500 posts

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » December 12, 2007, 10:15 pm

36truck wrote:JC congrats on 2500 posts

ditto.
line him up some beers and keep him going. :cheers:

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » December 12, 2007, 11:00 pm

JC wins the lucky door prize! :wink:

Alan,

6166 Junkyard Dog · Post by **6166 Junkyard Dog** » December 15, 2007, 8:30 pm

all that might be great for that little ranger,, but if DOT was to pull you over , weigh you up, then added gvwrs of both truck and trailer, then find out you are over that number you will be put out of service with you stuck in the middle of nowheres thinking how I am going to get truck car and ranger back home and after a list of violations to go with it + might have gotten away with it BUT If involved in a accident well you would not like the results... Heres the Federal Law,,, if towing lets use this as a example,,, F-350 gvwrs is 10500 then add a trailer with gvwrs of 14000 that ='s 24500,, If you try to haul wahtever that says = of 22500 then your ok but say if you need to add couple bales of hay fill up your 100 gallon tank of fuel couple of chains then your over say 25000 then you are over your gvwrs and our subjec to tickets, etc.. and remember does not make a difference in this country what you do with this truck if your truck is over 10000 gvwrs or combined weight of gvwrs of 10000 or over you are subject to all federal Dot laws startring with medical card , no radar detector etc... Some states DOT has other things to do but some states are finding out how much revenue is being lost that they are cracking down hard so just beware when towing

6166 Junkyard Dog · Post by **6166 Junkyard Dog** » December 15, 2007, 8:54 pm

Oh one more thing is that after that is said and done, still think your legal,, then look at your tires and see the load rating if your legal on weight but not on your rating of the tires , that is automatic out of service ticket and fine until new tires are bought on the spot and ticket signed off by the repair shop then proceed,, since we do tow in most states we have seen most of it,, just got pulled in La. yesterday,, cop saw what we had thought he had a big fish till he cried back to his squad car since we are one of the few in this country that is 100% legal in all aspects...