Ryan Barngrover

Question on my 2013 f150.5.0 I have a topper. And about 400 pounds of tools in the back. Then a 16 foot trailer. And about 6500 pounds of equipment. I have 110k miles. I did get a Tuner and air kit.. And bigger throttle body. 100 pound airbags. Seems to pull good. No tranny issues. But... How long will that last. I drive alot pulling all that. Do I need to upgrade anything, or get a f250?
Truck is running fine. Its at the point I have some resale value. The rockers are rusting. Looking for options.

tuckr2

Well, looks like you have a couple things going. The engine and trans should hold up just fine. I assume you don’t drive hundreds of miles a day towing but instead use it to carry your work tools back and forth on the job. I’m going to say the issue might be the rockers rusting. Sales if someone really looks at the rust may well affect the value. You don’t need an f250.
Might be able to find a good late model replacement or wait till fall and get something new with the next model changeover.
Drive on.

Ryan Barngrover

I own a lawn care business. So that's all I do. I drive average 50 a day maybe.

Ricktwuhk

You are way over payload, beating the crap out of that truck. Your payload is reduced by that topper, the tools, and you. Likely down to maybe 800 pounds. Trailer would be limited to just over 6,000 pounds in that example. You are likely way over.

What does your payload sticker say?

Ryan Barngrover

1725 payload. Topper weight 200. Tools in back 400. Myself 200. Passenger 200. 1000 payload. 6500 lbs trailer tongue weight is roughly 700 pounds. I favor my heavy stuff to the back tandam axle. I don't see how that is beating my truck? I added the 100 lbs airbags to help the squat.
I'm probably right at my max payload. And I'm guessing on some of the weight on the high side.
So that should be fine. My question stands.. Is the trucks motor and tranny going to hold. I know the brakes and suspension may take its toll. I change my front brakes yearly.
I found a nice F350 with the v10. Only 60000 miles on a 2008. Considering trading mine in for it. I'd rather not spend 1000's on repairs.

Ricktwuhk

Math is wrong. 1,725 - 200 - 400 - 200 - 200 = 725. 725 / .13 = 5,525 max trailer. At 10% tongue weight, 7,250. Of course you added equipment, so your payload is further reduced.

Visit a scale and get accurate weights. I expect that engine and tranny will not bear up to the strain. And you already had a CAI.

sholxgt

What speed are you towing at?

I ask because a friend of mine runs a landscaping business. They have multiple vehicles that all tow/haul 100% of the time, but they are in Orlando, FL where it's rare to get over 40 mph. Their vehicles last many miles towing heavy because they never get up to any real speed.

Brakes are another story. They have to do brake jobs as often as most change the oil.

I'd rule out the v10 unless you want your profits be eaten up by fuel bills.

Edited to add...if you keep your truck, monitor transmission temps. If they are getting the slightest bit hot, add an auxiliary cooler. Also, add transmission fluid changes to your maintenance routine. Max is 30k between changes if it's a dedicated two vehicle.

Ryan Barngrover

Average 25 mph. I have a few jobs 20 miles away I do all in one day. 60mph that day.
I know I'm guessing high on weight. I will get on a scale. I'm under my payload. I just want a response to a f150 5.0 if pulling daily a heavy load with 110k miles is worth keeping. What trucks do people recommend.
My truck has a transmission cooler.

StonedFX4

With that many miles on it, one never knows when something will go south. Only you know the maint, etc., done. The truck could last another 50K or more, but then again not. If the truck in ? has a major breakdown (tranny), do you have another vehicle ready to take it's place while it's in the shop? Customers don't care if you had a breakdown, they just want their yard cut.

If you keep your work vehicles for several years and do routine maint, with the loads you pull daily, I would consider a F250 (used). Gas or PS would depend on what's available IMO.

marshallr

You need an F250, or an F150 with a heavy duty payload package. You're probably over what the truck is designed for. The tongue weight of a 6500 lb trailer is closer to 850 lbs. Plus you are required to add a Weight Distribution Hitch with tongue weights over 500 lbs which is another 100 lbs. And we're not including the weight of the trailer. The way you worded it you have 6500 lbs on the trailer. So lets add another 1500 for the trailer. You're actually pulling closer to 8000 lbs.

With a WDH you have closer to 1200 lbs on the tongue. Add another 600 for the tools and cap and you're now at 1800 lbs. And assuming you weigh 200 lbs you have 2000 lbs on a trucks suspension rated at 1725. You need to also look at the GVWR on the truck. Go to some scales and actually weigh your truck along with you in it and everything you keep in the truck. Then subtract that number from GVWR. This is your TRUE payload. It will be a LOT less than 1725. That is the weight left over for tongue weight. Then work backwards to determine how heavy a trailer you can tow.

You don't mention which axle you have. If you have 3.55's or 3.73's then the tow rating will be around 8000-9000 lbs and you're borderline. But if you're truck has 3.31 or 3.15 gears you are over the tow rating.

At BEST you're pushing the truck right to it's limit. For recreational use where someone is towing a travel trailer 3-4 times a year then going right up to the limits is probably OK. But for commercial work towing that much on a daily basis will severely shorten the trucks life.

Adding air bags and other modifications are band aids. They might help the truck handle a little better when loaded to max, but they don't increase the amount of weight you can tow or haul.