Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I have a 2003 F-150 Stretch cab Ford with a automatic and 393 gears but not trailer package. Just curious what is the largest I can pull and maybe add a Transmission cooler to my truck. I want a 7 wide also with dual axles and brakes. Please tell me how big I can get to pull safe. I am in process of getting ready to start saving for a trailer to build

Here is a link to owners manual to your pickup. Look under driving and youo will find the trailer information you are looking for. Good luck.
http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pubs/c ... 12og4e.pdf

Earnest

This a link to all of the manuals in case your interested.

https://owner.ford.com/servlet/ContentS ... rGuidePage
E

Hi there I have a F-150 extended cad 5.4L with tranny cooler on it we are pulling a 7x14 flat nose Hal Mark dropped my gas mileage from 20 to 12 mpg but handles great I use sway bar and load stabilizers on it. But it was loaded with my furniture and washer and dryer. Hope when I start camping in it I get better gas mileage less weight.

An F-150 is a pretty beefy vehicle. I don't recall what the actual rated limit on one is, but I've pulled a tandem axle equipment trailer with a full sized backhoe on it with a F-150. I recall it handled ok, but didn't stop well. the trailer weight wanted to shove the truck down the road with the tires locked up
An F-150 weighs about 4000 lbs empty. As a shoot-from-the-hip guess, I'd say you'd be perfectly fine so long as the trailer isn't heavier than the truck pulling it. If you want to go heavier than that, read up on the manual, and invest in good trailer brakes.

The tow rating may be on a plate on the drivers side door or door jamb.

My 150 has an 8800 lb capacity. It's a 01 with an upgraded high capacity option....

A 6x14 will present no real work as long as you don't overbuild the interior. We used to pull a 6x12 with a full kettle corn setup and a couple hundred pounds of corn, sugar, and oil. Just be sure to investing a good brake controller (tekonsha p3?)

Thanks for the answers I had planned on buy good brake setup on the trailer. I am still thinking about once I get the trailer bought I might just buy a bigger truck. I am 60 and so close to retirement I just want to watch and not get myself to far in debt so I don't have to work longer than age 66

I would look at your trucks tow rating and figure 80% of that.. So say your truck is rated for 7000 (its probably close to that) That means your going to want to stick to around 5600 pounds loaded. The other thing to consider is the size. A seven foot wide will pull much better then an 8.5.. In my experience the length has much less effect. As in pulling a 14 foot vs an 18 footer is really no different on the highway given they are the same width and height..

I had a 4-cyl Mazda/Ranger, during the 13yrs I owned it I really put it thru the ringer. I towed trailers that were too big, it seemd that the frontal area affected the truck more than weight. The truck handled it fine, it just went from slow to slower.

I think bobhenry can chime in here...

Bob, what size if your dodge? And your barn?

You can't really go by other trucks even if they are half tons.. I pull a 7x26 with my 08 Tundra. The trailer loaded is 8k give or take. Sure its a half ton truck, But it also is built much heavier then an 03 ford with no tow package.. Mine has a 5.7 motor 4.30 axle ratio. 401 torq and 385 horse power tow ratings of 10,800Lbs. It handles my trailer pretty good.. I would not want to go much larger with that truck though. I do not like that just go slower line of thinking.. I want my truck and trailer to be safe and stable at highway speeds.. IMHO running 55 in a 70 causes more wrecks then running 85 does.

For your truck I would say anywhere from 7x14 to 7x20 and don't go crazy on the interior.. And if you can get your hands on a trailer to test drive go for it. I've seen people with medium sized trucks pulling 7x14 with nothing added but airbags. Then I've seen guys with full size 1/2 tons saying pulling their 7x16 is as much trailer as their truck can stand.. How trucks handle loads can vary a lot.. All the little things add up. The longer heiver the truck in general the better it will handle a trailer.

Bigbobdallas wrote:I have a 2003 F-150 Stretch cab Ford with a automatic and 393 gears but not trailer package. Just curious what is the largest I can pull and maybe add a Transmission cooler to my truck. I want a 7 wide also with dual axles and brakes. Please tell me how big I can get to pull safe. I am in process of getting ready to start saving for a trailer to build

itst as a comparison, my 2000 F150 came with the towing package and can tow 5000lbs as-is or 7500 with a weight distribution hitch. The tow package is more than just the rear-end gearing as I'm sure you know; it may also include an oil cooler, transmission cooler, heavier suspension, among other things.

In any case, I have the 5.4L V8 on mine and when towing 2700 lbs (cargo trailer with 2 Harleys), my highway mileage goes from 18mpg to 10-11mpg due to not being able to use overdrive, but it pulls just dandy.

Greg

I had a 2001 F150 with the 4.2L V6 and it was rated for pulling 5500Lbs. I pulled a 14*7 Vnose tandem axle with no problems. It works real hard on hills however. I live on FL. so not too many of those.

I did have to add some airlift bags due to the sag and poor handling. The F15o is sprung for a smooth ride. The airlift bags made a world of difference and leveled the load. The trailer dry is about 1900 lbs and Fully loaded, I probably never exceeded 3500 lbs.

You have to be careful not to exceed the Hitch weight and the Trucks Cargo capacity... but in general, unless you have a V6 with a manual transmission, you should be fine with anything 4,000 pounds or less,. If you go over that, probably should get the weight distributing hitch and etc..

I would recommend the transmission cooler regardless. Need to keep that cool. It is cheap insurance. Aso, install trailer brake controller. Will absolutely need that unless you are pulling something very light with only one axle.

Bigbobdallas wrote:I have a 2003 F-150 Stretch cab Ford with a automatic and 393 gears but not trailer package. Just curious what is the largest I can pull and maybe add a Transmission cooler to my truck. I want a 7 wide also with dual axles and brakes. Please tell me how big I can get to pull safe. I am in process of getting ready to start saving for a trailer to build

3.93 gears are good for pulling a trailer. You're good to go there.

What engine does your truck have? A V-6 or small V-8 is going to struggle in hills. You aren't going to get much for gas mileage pulling a trailer no matter what engine you have.

Not having the trailer towing package isn't good. I've had the towing package on the last four trucks I've owned (well.... one was a Suburban...). On Chevrolets that gets you transmission and engine oil coolers. Not sure about Fords but it's probably the same. My current truck has Chevys "Max Trailering Pack" which includes, in addition to the regular towing package stuff, a 6.2L V-8, a bigger differential with larger axles and 3.73 gear ratio, and rear disk brakes.

A 7' wide trailer with brakes shouldn't be a problem for your truck but I would look into installing at least a transmission oil cooler. An engine oil cooler wouldn't be a bad idea either.