Towing capacity/comfort

Patsdeere

Well-known Member
So I need some opinions. I am looking at hauling my JD B and LA back to Iowa for the two cylinder expo. I have a 90 f150 with 225k on the clock and while it hasn't given me any trouble, I don't know if I am willing to go that far with it. Plus it would need a/c work, general tube up, coolant leak fixed and some other little stuff. It is 1900 miles from California.

Given my load (5500lbs or so) plus a trailer, I figure around 8000 pounds. Would I be pushing a 150 (would have to install brake controller)? If so, would the recommendation be a 250. This type a load would be a rare occurrence. Always could use a newer truck to replace the '90, but don't want to over/under buy.

Thanks.
 
With the miles and what you say that is needed to be done to your truck I would look for a 3/4 ton with a towing package and a lot less miles. I would think you would want a good truck seeing as that will be a 3,800 mile round trip and going throw mountains.
 
A 25 year old truck with 225,000 miles and known issues MAY make the trip from CA to the Midwest, but probably not towing a trailer loaded with two tractors.

Buy a new F250 or F350 for the trip! If you get a single rear wheel truck and the typical 4-door truck dealers keep on the lots today there isn't much difference in towing capacity between an F250 & F350.

And I'd get the big 6.2L gas engine too, forget the 6.7L PSD. I've owned three Ford trucks the last 35 years, have over 300,000 miles on my '96 F250 w/7.3 PSD, and would not buy a new Ford diesel pickup. I'd buy a new RAM with the Cummins! SON had driven Ford trucks for 15 years and followed my advice and bought a 2014 CTD RAM 2500 4x4 last winter and loves it!
 
As d beatty mentioned below, there are some serious hills between Ca & Ia. What part of Ca are your starting point and the preferred routing?
Last outfit I worked for let us do our own routing. I found that using the Interstates could save time & fuel if distance was up to 15% more than back roads. Even the authorized fuel stops were about 90% on the big roads.
Willie
 
Is this just a one time haul or are you planing hauling them around in the future? If its a one time deal you may want to have someone just haul them for you. Would be cheaper then looking for another truck
 
Even with a gooseneck or a weight distributing hitch that wouldn't be a fun ride. Especially with a 302 if that's what you've got. With the climbs between California and Nebraska I'd want a new double core radiator even with a 351.

If it was a 3/4 ton with a 460 and manual I'd say go for it. But I wouldn't pick one up for the trip at this point.

Empty the truck would likely be fine, but not loaded, and I say that due to the long grades in the Rockies and the fact the truck is already pretty well maxed out for flat ground.
 
Like already said either upgrade trucks or hire them hauled. Tip You do not want them tarped to keep the road grime off from them. Either hauled in an enclosed van or wash them after they get there for the clean tractor look. If you try tarping it will either wear the paint off where it rubs or color the paint from the rubbing. A covered wagon with enough height would work.
 
Just east of San Francisco. I don't have a route planned yet. Was kind of thinking heading due eastish to Iowa and then back on a more northernly route to see some new places and maybe cruise through a few YTer's yards to say high.
 
Thanks for all the inputs. I put out a call to a hauler I know and he was looking at an easy $2 per mile which means I am going to pay $3800+ each way. For $8K and a little extra I can find a decent truck and then at least I will have something for all the money I spend. I know I will still have fuel, but I figure that won't be anymore than 200 gallons each way, so another $1200. New is probably out of the question since this won't be a daily driver or used for work. It is more of when I need a truck type truck. So far this will be the only time I have really hauled my equipment any where, but heck if I have the ability, a few extra road trips might be in my future.
 
From there to the Corn Patch I-80 would be the route to take. Donner Pass will be your first serious hill, about 7000 ft climb in about 100 miles, starting just out of Sacramento. On the downhill side approaching Truckee, when you can see Donner Lake way down on the right side put it in high gear & let it coast, easy running the rest of the way down. If you have to use brakes more often than once every half mile you are in too high a gear!!! SET IT DOWN HARD before brakes get hot, downshift two gears & try again. You don't want to go faster downhill than you did going up!! Last serious hill will be between Laramie & Cheyenne. Basically flat ground from Cheyenne all the way to the East Coast.
This is not meant to scare you, but to be prepared if not used to the big hills. Over the years I have seen the results of big & small rigs getting out of control.
Willie- diesel pilot retired, with approx 4 million miles, 40 years.
 

sounds like it could be a great adventure or a very bad experience. It appears that you have your mind made up so good for you, but it would be a good idea to find a destination just the other side of the Sierra Nevadas to make a three day trip to as a trial run.
 
i'd go for a 3/4 ton or a 1 ton dually. Not much difference in a 3/4 and 1 ton single rear wheel.

I prefer diesel myself.

I wouldn't hesitate to make the trip in my 99 f350 or f450 either using the 7.3psd.
 
I'd look for a clean used F250 camper special, 2 lbs less gvw than a F350. Reason being that put's you under the commercial vehicle weight and you won't have annual inspections etc. ( at least that's how it works here, in the communist republic of ontario).
I pull a 14,000lb float around with '93 F150, just not too far or fast. It's really hard on the truck.
 
What is the rated towing capacity of your F150 with 225K on it? What kind of problems do you anticipate and can you sort those out before the trip? If you have a class 4 rated hitch and know the tongue weight rating and everything falls in spec with some to spare and you use a good equalizer hitch with sway control and possibly add air bags you may be fine, especially if you allow an extra day or two so you are not in a hurry.

Lots of recommendations regarding not pulling to capacity, but normal engineering practice is to engineer at least 150% of rated numbers-so rated capacity is what the vehicle should be capable of and that applies to all normal highway conditions including mountains.

Having said that you need to know what your weights are and how to distribute them to get a recommended 10-15% of gross on the tongue without exceeding it's capacity and to equalize so the front wheels have the weight they should have up to the front axle capacity. Try figuring what you will really have then decide if you need to buy another vehicle. Of course if you can get justifiable use out of another truck bigger is always better.
 
normal engineering practice is to PROOF the design to handle over 100%, but for rated, I know we design for 80% DUTY CYCLE.

Look at tractor hp ratings then and now... same with cars.

an 8n rated at 27pto hp COULD MAKE 27 pto hp till it's tank ran dry.

Take a car engine .. they show some fantasy hp #.. take that car out on a track and MAKE it turn that hp # out on a constant basis, and see how long ( it doesn't ) last.

If you are needing XXX hp for a haul, then I would buy more than needed. for instance. if i need 250 hp.. I'd buy 300, that way I was not running at the wall 100% of the time. What happens when you are at the wall and need another inch of pedal in an emergency?
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top