Towing capacity of 01 7.3 F250

[Ncotton]

I have a 01 7.3 F250 auto trans stock 75k miles. I have been asked to help a friend haul a peice of equipment that weighs about 7k not including the trailer. They need it hauled over the mountains. The truck has a stock hitch but I am unsure of what the capacities are.
I regulary tow a 6k travel trailer but one time fully loaded with water, fuel, and 4 peoples gear I overheated the tranny and it released tranny fluid. This issue was completely my fault I was pushing the truck to hard on real rough slow and steap 4X4 terrain for a couple of hrs.
I don't want to over do it again. So I want to know what my max towing capabilities are off the bumper. Thanks for any help

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by ncotton

The truck has a stock hitch but I am unsure of what the capacities are.

Depending on the weight of the empty trailer, it sounds like you'll probably max out the weight capacity of your F-250 and it's receiver hitch.

Towing 10,000 pounds or more is serious business, especially over mountains, so don't try to get by without the right equipment.

It's posssible your loaded trailer will gross less than 10,000 pounds if it's a light-weight trailer with tandam 5000-pound or 6,000 pound axles and not more than 20' long. You need to know the empty weight of the trailer.

Crawl under the rear of the tow vehicle and find the embossed area with the weight capacities stamped into the frame of the receiver. The big number will probably be 1,000/10,000 WD. That means your max receiver capacity is 1,000 pounds hitch weight and 10,000 pounds gross trailer weight provided you have a weight distributing hitch.

So rule 1 is do not try to tow 10,000 pounds unless you have a weight-distributing hitch.

If your empty trailer grosses more than 3,000 pounds, and if your receiver is rated 10,000 pounds WD, then you don't have enough receiver for the job. So replace your receiver with a Reese or Drawtite Tow Beast class V receiver, which has a WD capacity of 14,000 pounds and costs about $300. Click here then scroll down to the Tow Beast.

If you don't already have a weight-distributing hitch for that trailer, then you can get one from any RV or trailer hitch store - even from a U-Haul store. Be sure you get one for a hitch weight of at least 1,000 pounds. Click here for one on-line source. Note that the "shank" is probably separate, but you have to have one that matches the rest of the hitch and receiver. The shank is the part that fits into the receiver.

So with the proper receiver and weight-distributing hitch to tow a 10,000-to-12,000-pound trailer, your next concern is the tranny.

You shouldn't have any tranny overheating problem towing a 10,000 pound trailer over the mountains provided you can keep the speed up over 40 MPH. But if there's any chance the road is too crooked or slow for you to maintain over 40 MPH, then I wouldn't try it without an aftermarket tranny temp gauge. Put the sender in the pressure port on the side of the tranny, and don't allow more than about 225º or 230º tranny temp. If the tranny temp exceeds 225º for more than a minute or so, then pull over and stop, put the tranny in park or neutral, and elevate the idle RPM to 1,200 or so until the tranny temp gauge shows 210º or less.

If you add a tranny temp gauge, then you want one with clear markings around the red line of 225º. I like the ISSPRO Enhanced Visibility gauge. Click here.

I regulary tow a 6k travel trailer but one time fully loaded with water, fuel, and 4 peoples gear I overheated the tranny and it released tranny fluid.

Then I hope you replaced all the tranny fluid shortly thereafter. If not, then do it before you try to tow 10,000 pounds over the mountains. Buy 20 quarts of MERCON or MERCON V ATF, and follow the procedures in the '99-up FAQ to replace virtually all the ATF. Click here for those procedures.

[Ncotton]

Thank you, that is a great reply. They don't have the trailer lined up yet but at least now I know what to look for and feel a little more comfortable. I did replace all my tranny fluid and filter after I overheated it.

[86GLHS]

I've never towed with a weight distributing hitch with the factory ford hitch and have had no issues. The factory hitch is only good for 5K lbs without a dist. hitch and 10K lbs with.

Most of the tows I make are on flat land, on mountains I'd take the guru's advice!

Just an FYI the factory hitch is better than what the sticker says. Towed many loads in excess of 20K lbs but it's white knuckle driving even with the DRW. Never went past 65 mph with those loads. The motor can do it it's the auto tranny that will suffer.

[FloridaEd]

"the mountains" covers a lot of territory. I wouldn't be hauling your rig over a lot of places in Washington and Oregon.

Just my wussy 2 cents...

Florida Ed

[bigfords]

whats the gcvwr of a 99.5 f 250 srw?

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by bigfords

whats the gcvwr of a 99.5 f 250 srw?

GCWR = 20,000 pounds = max combined weight of wet and loaded trailer and tow vehicle when sitting on a CAT scale

GVWR = 8,800 pounds = max total weight on the axles of the tow vehicle, including hitch or pin weight, when sitting on a CAT scale.

No such thing as gcvwr unless you mean GCWR.

CAT = Certified Automated Truck

[Parts Jimmy]

I believe you will probably need a Class V hitch unless you plan on a weight distribution setup for your trailer. A trailer to haul 7k will probably weigh at least 2500-3000k.

[bigfords]

smokey wren,
so if my truck's dry weight is 7,000 lbs, I can only put 1800 lbs in the back of my truck? if so, that is pathetic. thanks much.

[MrJimi]

Originally Posted by richiewh3

smokey wren,
so if my truck's dry weight is 7,000 lbs, I can only put 1800 lbs in the back of my truck? if so, that is pathetic. thanks much.

And thats over 3/4 of a ton
don't forget to add for fluids, tools and passengers, like it says. DRY WEIGHT

[rws444psd]

i haul a full bed of gravel with mine all the time, long distances too, but i have TREMBLENS, they work great.

[Kronlundace]

I have a scale at work and weighed my 96' F350 CC 7.3L Diesel, with my 8' camper and trailer hooked up to the trailer, I'm 9960 on 4 wheels thats with 1/2 tank of gas and no one inside, and I'm 16840 when I get on with the trailer. So I am over weight GVWR when I fill up and put 4 guys in there, and under weight on the GCWR.

I see people all the time pulling 12' Campers and towing something also, how can you be legal then? What would be required to make it possible for me to tow correctly?

I haven't had a problem towing at all, so it also makes me wander what are the true numbers really are.

Thanks!

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Kronlundace

... I'm 9960 on 4 wheels thats with 1/2 tank of gas and no one inside... What would be required to make it possible for me to tow correctly?

Your problem is not enough GVWR with your current truck. It has a GVWR of 9,200 pounds. You need a truck with minimum of about 11,500 GVWR for your load. Even a '96 F-350 DRW has a GVWR of only 10,000 pounds. So you need a newer truck with more GVWR.

A '99-'04 F-350 SRW diesel has a GVWR of 9,900. Not enough.

An '05-up F-350 SRW diesel CrewCab 4x4 has a GVWR of 11,500. A '99-'04 F-350 DRW also has a GVWR of 11,500. That's the minimum you need. If you insist on single rear wheels, then look for an '05-up F-350 SRW. If you want to stick with the tried and true 7.3L Powerstroke engine and can "make do" with a dually, then you should look for a '99-'03.25 F-350 DRW with the 7.3L engine.

An '05-up F-350 DRW would give you some wiggle room and fudge factor. An '08-up F-450 pickup would be overkill with that camper and trailer, but would give you the option later to enlarge either the camper or the trailer or both without being overloaded.

[Kronlundace]

Thanks SmokeyWren, overall just need a truck that handle that.

[Deepwater]

He needs to go buy a new F150 Eco or 6.2L. Then he can tow more then his diesel

I have a 2010 F150 4.6L 3v and I tow 8500lbs once a week. To be honest it tows as good as my 1997 Fsuperduty (f450)