Towing camper

[sbow]

I have a 97 f-150 4x4 extended cab with a 4.6 v8 with a 5 speed and 355 gears and I'm looking at campers and not sure how big a camper I should pull with my truck. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Bothe]

I would say no more then 6500 pounds

[Raptor05121]

^^ This.

Do you have the owners manual for your truck? That will give you weight limits based off engine/tranny combo. Don't forget the Class-III hitch and brake controller. Anything over 4,000lbs I suggest anti-sway bars as well. Happy camping!

[D Roberts]

It's a Ford it will be fine for anything just keep the oil up to date lol

[Jersey_Joe]

D Roberts said it all

[squirell2_2]

Air bags help tremendously. Help tire life, less stress on tranny, smoother towing ride and no rear end sagging. Ford really points that out in alot of different areas; a wieght distributing system. Such as air bags or a wieght distributing hitch or both. Ford says that by having the truck level while towing (distributing the wieght) you towing cap increases. Now it wont increase significantly. I did a ton of research on this as well as hitting up my engineer buddies at Ford. Here is a snap shot of mine i just installed for towing my travel trailer

1325

[Jersey_Joe]

Looks good. Expensive

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? Easy to install? I had the helper springs on mine but fer the once a month I needed em. They made my truck ride like crap. How u like em!? Make ur ride better?!?

[squirell2_2]

Nah. Not to bad. They $289 for set and about $200 installed. so I don't know if thier easy to install or not but they look fairly simple. the instruction manual is very good

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the ride is much smoother when the trailer is it just not near as bumpy. even when the trailer's not hitched you can definitely tell a difference

[squirell2_2]

Oh and it lifts your truck up giving the taller look

[Jersey_Joe]

Cool thanks squirrel Somethin to look into. I can pull or load anything. I just hate puttin that damn helper spring kit on and off. When I have a load on it works perfect. Jus sucks when she's empty. I'm gonna check it out. Where did u get yours from? Any advice on where to go?

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Sweet truck btw. I love the new ones. I'd get one but mine is paid off with a new bad ass motor and just got it the way I want. So I think I'm goin bags

[squirell2_2]

I got mine from and installed at a place called 4 wheel parts. Been doin buisness with em for years, and they gaurantee low prices. Yea the cool thing is you dont have to take em off. When not towing just keep 5lbs of pressure in em. When going to tow, hitch trailer first then pump up to level out the truck.

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4 wheel parts has a special going on right now on them. Buy them and get them installed and get a free $60 compressor.

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I liked your old ford bod style better. Had an '03 that i had to trade in for a 4 door. I got a bit to go till mines paid off. But i still have the 5.4. Got it before they stopped makin them. Guess we are drivin dinosaurs now.

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One more thing. They are capable of handling up to 5,000 lbs. So yes, towing or hualing something in bed wont be a sagging prob anymore

[Jersey_Joe]

First off. Love my 5.4. Old motor. And new motor. I agree. Love it. I'm gonna check there web site. I also wanna get something with a gauge and b able to controls from the inside. Looks good though. It pulls my car no prob. I usually drive it. But I go to alot of shows and I need two vehicles so it works out. But thanks fer the info. Just went and figured out what I'm doin with my tranny tonight. New shift kit and tourqe converter ordered. I set out to make it bullet proof so we shall see. But yeah man thanks fer the tip. Where is this parts store? I'm in nj so I hope they do shipping. Lol

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I feel like a dinosaur. Lol. Keep em clean and change oil. They'll run forever. I'm Gettin buried in my truck

[cowboyupcuzick]

if yours are dinosaurs what's that make my 5.8l? lol

blue 1994 f150 5.8L on 35in Goodyear wrangler MT/R's, cold air intake, flowmaster exhaust

[squirell2_2]

Joe, 4 wheel parts is nation wide. There are dots on the map close by you but i dont know exactly how close. Google them or www.4wheelparts.com. They do free shipping.

When i said dinosaurs i meant that ford no longer puts the 5.4s in thier f150s any more. You can only get the 5.0 (special order) or the 7.2 ( raptor) now.

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Cowboy, yours went extinct before the dinosaurs. LOL. But a very good truck/ engine it is. Loved them trucks

[Jersey_Joe]

No sweat bud. I just laughed and said. I feel like a dinosaur. Laughed again and decided to write it. Lol. But that's cool man. Thanks fer tip. Pretty pumped about actually getting some time and ordering. I love the fed ex guy. Lol

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I had two fed ex trucks pull up at one time to deliver. Was very cool. Neighbors were out wonder in what I bought now. Lol. But all in all. She is a dinosaur. But. She whoopin up on some new s***

[Coldsteel1986]

Air bags help tremendously. Help tire life, less stress on tranny, smoother towing ride and no rear end sagging. Ford really points that out in alot of different areas; a wieght distributing system. Such as air bags or a wieght distributing hitch or both. Ford says that by having the truck level while towing (distributing the wieght) you towing cap increases. Now it wont increase significantly. I did a ton of research on this as well as hitting up my engineer buddies at Ford. Here is a snap shot of mine i just installed for towing my travel trailer

<img src="http://www.f150-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1325"/>

I'm having a pair install Wednesday, I can't wait to c the difference

[squirell2_2]

Howd they work out for you, or have you towed with em yet?

[Gingerman]

I have a 97 f-150 4x4 extended cab with a 4.6 v8 with a 5 speed and 355 gears and I'm looking at campers and not sure how big a camper I should pull with my truck. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Ford has towing specs on their website.