2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

[js83]

Here's my situation...

About:
29 years old
Own a house in San Diego
Married
Kid on the way....

Mission:
I am obsessed with getting my first boat. I've been reading all about different bowriders for a long time and really want a 16-18ft bowrider.

Problem:
1) have a 2008 Manual Ford F-150 XL with tow rating of 2400 lbs. I can change the gear ratio and get up to 3500 lbs. I have 40k miles on the truck. I am upside down about 6k so I don't really want to trade in the truck for larger truck with a bigger engine and 80k plus.

Solution?

Realistically what should I do? There aren't too many 16ft boats around 2k here. Could I push my towing rates and still be safe? I want to drive up to Tahoe and I am concerned I won't be able to do it. A couple of my buddies say I'll be just fine, but I don't want to get stuck at ramp or climbing the mountain.

Any advice would be appreciated.

- Joshua

 

[js83]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

2000 lbs 16 ft boats is what I meant and my post wont let me edit...

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

I don't remember any F150 only having a 2500 pound tow capacity. Even my Escape would tow 3500 lbs. F150's towing is usually starting @ 5500 lbs. with an automatic.

Just go ahead and plan on towing a boat with your present package. You'll be okay with 200 horsepower.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

The major limiting factor for the 4.2L manual was the clutch. For my '97 4.2L manual W/ 3.55 gears, the tow limit was 3500. If it was an automatic, the tow limit was 5000.

 

[bigdee]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

I don't remember any F150 only having a 2500 pound tow capacity. Even my Escape would tow 3500 lbs. F150's towing is usually starting @ 5500 lbs. with an automatic.

Just go ahead and plan on towing a boat with your present package. You'll be okay with 200 horsepower.

I agree. You will be fine. The most important factor is the driver,be aware of the dynamics.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

Also deduct the 1500 pounds of things in the bed of the truck & the weight of people & stuff crammed inside the cab.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

Hard times I had a 1974 Honda Civic. Tiny white shoebox model. Me, wife & daughter = 500#
Boat 16' Aluminum fishboat, 28 hp motor, 1 week of food, clothes, bedding & the trailer = well over 1200"

Guess who ran in 2nd gear almost 1/2 the time?

Weight limit ? What company would be stupid enough to list it with a 6" brake shoe.

 

[chris.j.marshall]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

As a kid I remember going to the lake with my dad in his 4cyl 4spd S-10 towing a 2500lb boat/trailer combo. The Mercruiser 120 had more hp than the tow vehicle. I can't imagine that F-150 having much of an issue.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

Hook up and go. You probably won't be able to use top gear (overdrive) on anything but perfectly flat terrain but it should do fine. Just don't lug the engine. Shift down a peg if you have to. You will quickly learn where the sweet spot is for the engine so use whatever gear makes the engine "happy". How do you tell? Pay attention with your ears and the seat of your pants. Just like you do in a boat.

 

[roscoe]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

Here's my situation...

About:
29 years old
Own a house in San Diego
Married
Kid on the way....

Mission:
I am obsessed with getting my first boat. I've been reading all about different bowriders for a long time and really want a 16-18ft bowrider.

Problem:
1) have a 2008 Manual Ford F-150 XL with tow rating of 2400 lbs. I can change the gear ratio and get up to 3500 lbs. I have 40k miles on the truck. I am upside down about 6k so I don't really want to trade in the truck for larger truck with a bigger engine and 80k plus.

Solution?

Realistically what should I do? There aren't too many 16ft boats around 2k here. Could I push my towing rates and still be safe? I want to drive up to Tahoe and I am concerned I won't be able to do it. A couple of my buddies say I'll be just fine, but I don't want to get stuck at ramp or climbing the mountain.

Any advice would be appreciated.

- Joshua

Not according to Ford.

You are stuck at 2400# until you swap out the manual trans for an automatic.
ANd yes, Ford's tow ratings include the weight of cargo and passengers.

Good luck finding a 16'er, not many being made these days.
And most 17-18'ers are going to tip the scales at close to 3000# when you add in the the batteries, fuel, and trailer.

You can get under 2000# if you go aluminum. Say a Starcraft/Sylvan/Smokercraft 16' or 18' SS model.

Personally, being that you are upside down by 6G, I would suggest you sit tight, no boat, and work on getting financially situated.

You might be in need of a mini van within a year or two. :facepalm:

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

Go about your day, and tow with your truck. You're good to go on the relatively light load you're proposing to tow.

 

[matt167]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

Get a tinny as said like a Starcraft, Bluefin/spectre or simmilar. years ago My dad towed a '73 Starcraft Chieftan Mark 5 with a 1994 Nissan hardbody PU. 4cyl 5spd 2wd many miles. The boat empty, without much fuel or equipment was within the weight rating after he bought the Class 3 bumper for it ( Truck was rated for it, but not with factory bumper ). Stopped many times, but the paperwork was always in order and never got a ticket for it

Unfortunatly, the 4.2/5spd was a very rare combo by 2008, as it was the last year for the 5spd manual, and I think the 4.2L Also, but they are rated so in-capable, a Ranger carried simmilar tow ratings.. The 5spd can take the abuse, but Ford would not warranty clutches so, they dropped the ratings.

 

[bigdee]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

As a kid I remember going to the lake with my dad in his 4cyl 4spd S-10 towing a 2500lb boat/trailer combo. The Mercruiser 120 had more hp than the tow vehicle. I can't imagine that F-150 having much of an issue.

I did the same (3500#) with my 4 cyl 5 spd S-10 for years. The OP's F-150 is more than capable. The reason Ford has de-rated it is because they do not want to replace clutches while under warranty. If you know how to handle a straight drive and are not a klutz on using the clutch your fine.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

I'd suggest that you re gear and keep it as light as possible... a 16-18 foot tinny with an outboard as mentioned above will be plenty light and help prevent you replacing a clutch every year especially if you have a lot of steep ramps or hills at the lights and stop signs. Plus a light boat with an outboard will likely be easier on gas than a heavier boat would be helping you get ahead on the truck payment.....

Your truck would be plenty safe with a bit more weight but it could be fairly hard on it. Understand that ford isn't just being silly here and picking on the manuals... they don't rate my truck for any less weight with a manual trans but they felt that YOURS needed to be rated lower either because the clutch was weak OR possibly because the trans could run hot.... the zf-6 they put in the bigger trucks actually has a tranny cooler just like an auto has.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

ANd yes, Ford's tow ratings include the weight of cargo and passengers.

You are stuck at 2400# until you swap out the manual trans for an automatic.

And no, neither of those statements are correct. Look up GCWR and what it means... The GCWR for that vehicle is 7200 pounds. The vehicle weighs 4500 pounds. Simple math shows that 7200 pounds minus a full trailer of 2400 pounds minus the vehicle of 4500 leaves 300 pounds of cargo in the vehicle. The only time you get into a situation where cargo tow ratings include cargo/passengers is when the vehicle+tow rating is equal to the GCWR. If you find such a vehicle, it would then be true that every pound of passenger reduces towing by 1 pound.

Also, at least according to ford, swaping out the diff to a 3.55 DOES raise the tow capacity to 3700 pounds. Might want to check your sources... Its pretty much common sense. The chassis/brakes are basically the same across the platform and aren't the limiting factor. The clutch is the weak point. If you change the gearing, you are taking load off the clutch, so the tow rating goes up. (changing the gearing also raises the GVCWR by the same amount)

2008 Ford F150 Technical Specifications


Anyway, seriously, what did ford use as a clutch on that thing? Did they have pinto parts left over?? 200 horse power? Most minivan's have more than that!

 

[TOY BOAT]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

I would buy an aluminum boat. I just had to down size my boat for this reason. My last car, a 95 Chevy Caprice had a 5000lbs tow rating. So the sky was the limit. But my new to me 07 HHR has a 1000 lb rating. I wound up selling my 1400lb boat/trailer for a smaller 700 lb boat/trailer.

 

[Bronlonius]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

How many times a year do you plan to use the boat, and how far will you be towing it?

What gear ratio does the truck currently have? Is it a 4wd or 2wd?

Keep in mind if it's 4wd, changing ratios gets more expensive, because both the front and rear diffs need to be re-geared. Clutch replacement in a 4x4 is also more involved since there is a trasfer case and front driveshaft to remove. However, if it is 4wd, there is probably a "low range" setting for the transfer case. If you use low range when putting your boat in the water/pulling it out, it will have the same effect as re-gearing, but you'll keep your highway gears for better highway mileage when not towing. Right now your clutch will take a beating when taking off, because your not geared low enough in first gear, but probably not that bad on the roads unless you live in a hilly area and are starting out at the bottom of a steep hill. If you live in a relatively flat area, your clutch is really is going to get the most abuse when pulling your boat out of the water, and backing it up the hill. If you can shift into low range(obviously you need a 4x4 with low range transfer case) at these times, you'll be fine.

Also, change out your transmission fluid for a synthetic, and change it more often. I've seen beefy manual transmissions get wasted from towing if the fluid isn't changed often enough.

 

[helimech2003]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

I'm in the same boat as you (pun intended). I have a 98 F-150 set up just like yours. I've go a 21ft Searay cuddy and it pulls it just fine. the only issue is getting it out of the water. It's a bit of a strain getting back up the ramp but otherwise it's fine. I've thought about re-gearing it from 3.07 to 3.73 but haven't got around to it.

 

[roscoe]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

And no, neither of those statements are correct. Look up GCWR and what it means... The GCWR for that vehicle is 7200 pounds. The vehicle weighs 4500 pounds. Simple math shows that 7200 pounds minus a full trailer of 2400 pounds minus the vehicle of 4500 leaves 300 pounds of cargo in the vehicle. The only time you get into a situation where cargo tow ratings include cargo/passengers is when the vehicle+tow rating is equal to the GCWR. If you find such a vehicle, it would then be true that every pound of passenger reduces towing by 1 pound.

Also, at least according to ford, swaping out the diff to a 3.55 DOES raise the tow capacity to 3700 pounds. Might want to check your sources... Its pretty much common sense. The chassis/brakes are basically the same across the platform and aren't the limiting factor. The clutch is the weak point. If you change the gearing, you are taking load off the clutch, so the tow rating goes up. (changing the gearing also raises the GVCWR by the same amount)

2008 Ford F150 Technical Specifications


Anyway, seriously, what did ford use as a clutch on that thing? Did they have pinto parts left over?? 200 horse power? Most minivan's have more than that!

Source was Ford Motor Company website.
It clearly states that tow ratings include cargo.
And lists the engine and manual trans package, specifically.

I see where the website you referenced does indeed list a higher tow rating for the 3.55 gears, but that wash't listed on the Ford site I resourced.



OP said " but I don't want to get stuck at ramp or climbing the mountain.""


So, At the very least, change the gears, or buy a tinnie, but I wouldn't be pulling 3000# up a mountain with the truck the way it sits.

By the way, you can still buy a full sized Chevy, with the 190 hp 4.3l 6.

 

[NYBo]

Re: 2008 Manual Ford F150 V6 4.2l - Help?

The boat in my signature, which is fiberglass and 16'10" long, weighs less than 2000# fully loaded. A comparably-sized tinny would give you an even larger safety margin.