Fire18100

Hi everyone,

This is my first post on here so forgive me of I screw this up. I have been shopping for a travel trailer and wanted to know if anyone out there is in the same boat as me. I have a 2008 F-150 with the V8 4.6L and was wondering if anyone with this same motor tows a travel trailer and what size they have.

Based on what I have read in the owners manual and online I can tow roughly 6600lbs. Any info/advice would be great.

Thanks!

Tom

joe mcmillan

I tow a boat with my 2004 4.6 liter super cab 4X4. The boat is approximately 5000 lbs.
No problem. My truck has the tow package.
Any hills will slow you down.
A tuner will increase your HP and torque. I have an Edge Evo installed.
A great plus for towing and or just everyday driving. The extra power is good.

jkenprice1

I've towed a couple hundred thousand miles with the 4.6 in 2 different trucks. I had a 3.55 diff in both trucks. The 4.6 did ok, but it's really under powered for towing any sized TT. A TT is a lot different to pull than a boat. A boat has a lot less frontal are than a TT. That big flat front creates a lot of wind resistance. Going down the interstate, any hill or wind would cause it to downshift.. Sometimes I just pushed the tow button and let the engine rev. That's no big deal. There was one isuue that bothered me. In the summer, when it got hot, the engine seemed to loose all it's power. Pulling away from a stop, I could floor it and the truck would barely move. Not a problem at a stop light, but pulling out from a side street, I had a few scary experiences. I think a 3.73 or even a 4.10 ratio in the rear end would have helped a lot. I'd definitely get a tuner. I can't say I wouldn't tow a TT with the 4.6, just be aware of it's limitations

Bobby Lane

I would add that the travel trailer will get to 6600 pounds pretty quick when you add water, food, cargo. It is surprising how much weight they accumulate. It is a drag to have to worry about every extra pound. Be conservative with whatever trailer you have or go with. I can attest to JK's experience, albeit with a 5.4 and a heavier load, but same situation basically, that the differential is huge. My 3.73 with big tires barely pulled the load from a uphill stop, or a long uphill grade. Re-gear and tune helped a bunch. Be prepared to just cruise up an long hills at 35-40 and don't trip that your not doing 55-60 and cant.

Mod (Ret.)

2007 4.6 with 3.55 tow gears. I tow a travel trailer (2014 Jayco Feather lite) often with my truck. As others have said, a tuner with a "tow tune" helps out, as these tunes firm up the shift points for towing.
If you don't have one already, a transmission oil cooler is a must for towing. Another advantage of having a tuner is that a good one (like the Edge) displays the transmission oil temps. You'll be surprised at how the transmission oil temps increase on hill climbs, so the oil cooler is a huge advantage to keep the transmission in shape. Your 2008 should have the larger transmission that was used in the 5.4's, so that's a good thing too (2007 and up 4.6's got the larger 5.4 transmission).
I went further in my truck and installed an engine oil cooler; used a "sandwich" adapter at the oil filter to plumb the lines to the cooler out front by the radiator.