bigger truck to handle load

D beatty

Well-known Member
After many month of looking for a good used older truck to pull trailer I Found a 95 Ford F 450 Super Duty that was not rusted and well taken care of.It is a gasser with a 460 auto trans, Good Radio, new tires all the way around, and AC ( which will feel good after all day in the sun at a tractor pull or show.I will feel more at ease with this truck with a load behind it.
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I had a very similar truck, tough as nails! Should get 10mpg most of the time, even pulling that trailer.
 
The E4OD transmissions only lasted around 150,000 miles behind the 7.3L Powerstrokes, yes there were exceptions, but I doubt they last any longer behind a 460 pulling hard.

The ZF-5 speed in my '96 F-250 still shifts like new. I replaced the dual mass flywheel around 250,000 miles, flywheel, pressure plate and clutch disk looked like new, could still see part number stamped in paint on the friction surface. The dampner springs between the two masses were getting compressed, too much movement, had heard of too many springs breaking and flying out causing problems/damage.

ANYHOW, I would take the ZF 5-speed over E4OD any day. Best shifting transmission I've ever had in a car or truck.
 
We live in a area that is rolling hills to flat. Truck is going to be used for tractor shows(5 or 6 a year) and pulls (12 a Year)and farest away is maybe 150 miles and set the rest of the time.
 
CONGRATS: I have run several of the 460 powered trucks through the years. Most with manual transmission but all did a good job. The old cliche: there is no replacement for displacement. ( Not exactly accurate in today's turbo charged world but rather accurate in that time period).
 
There's no way that truck will get 10 MPG loaded. I had one for 13 years, best it ever got was 12 empty, no trailer. Typical was 5.5-6 MPG with a 17,000 lb trailer, 7.5-8 with a 7,000 lb trailer. It would only run in overdrive with the heavy trailer downhill with a tailwind
 
Yours was a dud then. Mine got 10 pulling my 9k pulling tractor and 4 place snowmobile trailer going west on I-90 at 75 mph. Can't say I ever checked it on a real heavy load, but it would pull any load at most any speed I wanted to go.
 
Yours was ordered with the wrong gearing for pulling loaded. I had one that was geared too high. Very weak in overdrive. All the others I had would handle overdrive with whatever load I put behind it. Usually 2 5000-7000 lb. tractors. Not at all rare for me to gross 24000 lb plus. My 460 would keep up with smaller engine trucks hauling 1 tractor. Full mileage was 4.5-7mpg.
 
Change your trans oil new filter put a drain in the pan change it again after you run it a few hundred mile and it will last a long time
 
This truck has 4.63 gear ratio in rear end. I talked to local Ford dealer before buying it and he said 10 mpg loaded or empty and was told the same by owner.
 
I have to go into dealer and find out how to use this auto trans. My GMC you can shift in and out of over drive with gear shift lever but this has a button on the end of gear shift lever. I am going to try to find an operators manual for this truck (was none in glove box).
 
YAH! I am going in to town in the morning and stop by Ford dealer. I need to know how much oil engine and trans take. I have to go to NAPA and get a different trailer plug. The one they sold me was missing part.
 
I will never let any body flush one again. My GMC had a trans. flushed and not even 4,000 miles latter the trans went out.
 
(quoted from post at 22:43:09 03/27/18) I have to go into dealer and find out how to use this auto trans. My GMC you can shift in and out of over drive with gear shift lever but this has a button on the end of gear shift lever. I am going to try to find an operators manual for this truck (was none in glove box).

That button on the end of your shift stick is OD cancel. It keeps it from shifting in and out of OD and getting hot when loaded or towing.
 
My '95 F250 Ford/460 never seemed to be long on power. I even upgraded the cam, helped some. It had 4.10 gears, so 60MPH in overdrive was only 18-1900 RPM. It seemed like once it was 3000RPM and above, it would make decent power.

I replaced it with a 2000 Ford F350 with a 7.3, and it is night/day difference. It will pull hills in overdrive with the 17,000 lb trailer, just have to watch EGT as the exhaust system hasn't been upgraded. Glad you had better luck with your 460 than I did. Mine was a good truck, just didn't have the needed power for what I had to do.
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Bought tractors in Texas and southern Oklahoma and drug them back to the extreme North West corner of Ohio with old ugly. Old ugly is a 94 dorF E350 with the 7.3 that started life as an ambulance. My guess is you will love your truck pulling a loaded trailer.

Loaded and ready to pull out of Idabel OK. Run about 70 most of the way back. Except up the mountain North of Nashville.
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Most tractor pulls.
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Flushing Is ok if they start life out bieng flushed regularly but it not it? usually doesn?t turn out well
 
Our Dodge has two options "Tow Haul" and "OD off" always use "Tow Haul" pulling trailers once out on flat ground or down hill will switch back to normal. Having a trans temp gauge helps keep an eye on things.
 
Truck has small exhaust leak and apone looking at it the truck has no cat or oxygen senors so I think I will do away with the two mufflers thats on it and put one 3" performance muffler with turn down on it.
 
The only time I turn off the over drive is if it jumps back and fourth which has only happened with a strong head wind.
 
I have seen several of those that had been custom built sleeper and set up for bumper pull or goose neck.
 
Double check on if the OD should be on or off when pulling a trailer.My 94 F 150 says to turn it off when pulling a trailer.
 
Viewing comments below let me add: yes, the older trucks locked out the overdrive when in " tow mode". My 2016 F250 Super Duty has the 6 speed automatic. It is a double overdrive transmission and tow haul mode does not lock out the overdrive. Changes shift points etc but will still shift onto od.
 
Check your gearshift lever for a button on the very end of it, that's where Ford always put the overdrive lockout at.
Son's '93 Lightning had it there. If you need a spare trans, the E4OD out of that truck is sitting under a shade tree here. 205,000 miles on it, WAY beyond needing a rebuild. Son put a shift kit in it around 65,000 miles or it would not have made it beyond 150,000. Free but must pick up, I'll help load it.
 
I actually use the tow mode a lot when no trailer, but stop/go traffic with super duty, it does less shifting, and uses engine brake.
 
I was also told that with my GMC. Dealer said that in traffic 45 mph and lower not to use over drive.Shifting in and out of overdrive is hard on the over drive.
 

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