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- Jul 18, 2022
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Transmission cooler towing 8500# with f150
- Thread starter flash7210
- Start date
It will be a miserable towing experience. Do you tow? If you do-you would know that. The sweet spot for newer half-tons is between 5,000 and 7,000 pounds. That's the sweet spot. Again-regardless of what the books says. You can't and shouldn't put 12,000 pounds behind an F150-even if it's what Ford says.
That's the end of my comments.
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4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Air coolers work well after the fluid cooler …
However, if you understand hydraulics - you’ll know all those 180° tubes will create lots of friction. TruCool LPD (low pressure drop) is one you should read up on …
Last year I knew I was going to be towing a ~9500lb, 26’ enclosed trailer with my ‘19 F150 CC shortbed 3.5EB, so I bought the blue Sumo Springs to replace the bump stops. The truck didn’t have any issues pulling or stopping at this weight, but there were some times (broken pavement from construction) that you could tell the trailer was running the show and could have easily tossed the truck around.
I passed on pulling it again this year when I found out that in 2021 the guy who pulled it had a diesel F350 dually.
I've never towed anything over 28,000 tons.
You mean a 26' enclosed trailer with a GCW of 9500 pounds? Not the actual empty/dry weight you were towing?
The trailer and all the stuff in it were right about 9500 lbs. I know there’s still some room left according to Ford.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
I used to pull a 6500 lb trailer with a truck that weighed around 4600 pounds. Power and braking weren’t the issue - rather the trucks ability to remain settled with all that weight back there was. That was a Gen 1 tundra. It was rated for 6900. Upgraded to the f150 which did a much, much better job. I would not want to pull much more than that with an f150 on the interstate. Again, power and braking isn’t the issue, it’s the vehicles ability to stay planted and manage the motions behind it. Most RV guys start looking at 3/4 tons around that threshold.
we all know of that one instance where someone put a lot of weight behind the truck during unusual circumstances and it did fine… often for 9 miles at 45 mph. But that’s different than 6 times per year over several hundred miles. I do know a half ton owner who pulled a 32 foot travel trailer, and it was way too much for the truck. But he did it only 2 times per year, all back roads, and all under 45mph.
we all know of that one instance where someone put a lot of weight behind the truck during unusual circumstances and it did fine… often for 9 miles at 45 mph. But that’s different than 6 times per year over several hundred miles. I do know a half ton owner who pulled a 32 foot travel trailer, and it was way too much for the truck. But he did it only 2 times per year, all back roads, and all under 45mph.
Avoid Dorman.
Part of the reason that I bought a Tundra, over the Tacoma, was to have some “headroom” on the tow capacity.
Rated max on my Tundra - 9,500#. Packard with trailer - 7,000#.
Good control, plenty of power and braking.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Everyone I know that went from 150/1500 to 250/2500 took her along to look at trailers 
I see a lot of 1/2 ton pickups with options and so on to make them look like a "beefy" truck. But much of that is just cosmetic. At the end of the day they are still a 1/2 ton pickup. On a 3/4 ton pickup everything is just bigger and stronger.
But the thing is there are alot of ultra light trailers around 5,000 pounds that are real nice-that are ideal for a half ton.
I have this one-
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/grey-wolf/26DJSE/7037
If one wants a dinette slide that's another 500 pounds.