Yeah uhaul has light weight tow Dolly's... probably to keep people from going too big with vehicles. The 3900 is total vehicle weight. Some other companies have beefier Dolly's. Also they require the tow vehicle be 750-1000lbs heavier than the vehicle you are towing. I'm guessing for braking and swaying concerns.

I ended up just renting a car hauler and my 01 pulled the Highboy 160miles without issue. (Indiana is a bunch of flat corn fields) i think it would've done ok in the mountains but most likely would've struggled to maintain speed going uphill.

 

Yes, that would be a major concern if your running ceramic pads, specially if you get stuck in stop and go traffic on the e-way...on hot pavement, - I can just imagine. If your set up with a brake controller and trailer brakes, that would make a huge difference. Seriously, I won't pull with Ceramic car pads on a truck. A 3/4T won't have ceramics on it. It shouldn't, I'm not sure they make them. Although, I was riding along with a fella in his 350 dually 2wd who's brakes did the same thing the 98's would do on a hard stop. I don't know the particulars outside of that though and come to think of it, I've never experienced brake fade while pulling anything or with the bed loaded down. Just hard stopping under the vehicles weight. Guess I haven't been in that predicament and don't want to be.

With the 98, which has the Expy/7700 swap, I'm slowly getting to the bottom of it. Almost positive it's the hybrid pads which are a cross between ceramic and semi metallic. Since the only thing I haven't replaced in the brake system is the booster and pads. Anyway, I purchased semi-metallics from NAPA, thermo quiets, just haven't installed them yet. If that doesn't cure it all together, then I don't know...I'll replace the booster, but I really don't think that's the problem since it passes testing outlined in the service manual.

Regardless, the 4six shouldn't have a problem pulling the weight...as long as you don't pull in OD. Pulling in 3 on cruise will keep the heat down. The 98 w/E4OD is rated for 86 or 8800 lbs towing capacity. I can't recall what the 4six is rated for. There's a chart in your owner's manual.

 

That's why I am swapping the pads beforehand. Also went and got ATF last night, and I have a couple Motorcraft filters around here somewhere. I changed the oil in October, and it only has about 800 miles on it.

I think I'm going to tell him he needs to get something with a trailer brake.

 

If you have a controller, even better. Otherwise all it will have is a break away box, in case of separation. Emergency brakes in other words.

 

Well... I have a 7 pin connector. I assumed that would be all ready for trailer brakes. Do I need a controller too?

 

Personally, I wouldn't tow it without brakes. They made a huge difference when pulling our approx. 4200-lb TT.

 

The need is up to you as far as a controller, -

https://www.etrailer.com/question-176086.html

These trucks are set up for one. The so called "mystery plug" under the dash is the controller recepticle.

 

I just found my 7 pin tester, and everything works (minus the trailer brake). So I guess I better get one, whether I wind up pulling his truck back home or not.

Soooo... I just ordered a brake controller. I have never used one.... is it just as simple as plugging it in and going? I see it has a gain control. I assume that is a pressure adjustment.

 

You will want to get the appropriate adapter, and after connecting it to the controller harness, yes, it's plug & play. If you got a Tekonsha controller, you might be able to get an adapter that's ready-made and simply plugs in at both ends.

As for adjustment, the manual usually has a good procedure spelled out. I have a proportional (inertial) controller. Short and sweet, I find an empty parking lot or stretch of flat road, accelerate to about 15 Mph, then activate the brakes manually using the lever on the controller, turning up the gain until the trailer tires just start to lock up as I'm near a stop, then knock it back "one notch." It may (will) take a few runs to get it dialed in.

P. S. What did you order?

 

When you purchase a controller , I'd research for a highly compatible one. Put it this way, when we picked up my trailer at the dealer, truck was a 17 EB, trailer an 18 and we had to swap out controllers because it wasn't compatible. Just keep in mind, controllers aren't all the same. Yea the brakes wouldn't release on the trailer when I picked it up lol. That was some head scratching.

I don't have one for the 98, my old 99 1T had one from Ford, - well, they installed a kelsey hayes controller. But hell, that's way back when, not sure what's available for these trucks today.