Beverly,

It may not be big enough.  The oldest brochure I could find on the Ford trucks was 2002 and the best they were rated to tow was around 13,200 lbs.

Sometimes, you have to find the appropriate "Towing Guide" to find the information you need.  What you need to do is to take the truck to a Ford dealership and let him get the information off of the data plate (or sticker) that is usually on the door post.  It is usually visible down low on the post when the front door is opened  That information will let him determine how that truck was equipped in the way of rear differential ratio, engine and other things.  That is provided, that there is still information out there for a truck of that age.

Also, look for the GCVW (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight) rating for the truck.  Then you need to know the actual weight of the truck with full fuel, passengers, cargo, pets, etc.  The weight of the truck is then added to the weight of the trailer with all cargo, accessories, fluids, etc., to get the absolute total weight of both vehicles.  That absolute total weight should NOT exceed the GCVW.  Incidentally, GVWR is spoken of a lot and is the gross weight of that particular truck or trailer while fully loaded.

While a "towing weight rating" is a reasonable guide, it should not be trusted for the truck's actual capacity.  It is possible to be within a vehicle's "towing weight" but be over on GCVW.

Also, be sure that you have a trusted mechanic check out any truck you are considering.  Diesel engines generally last longer than gasoline engines do, provided they are taken care of with regular maintenance.  Also have a mechanic check out all of the suspension, brakes, and other things.  While the engine may be fine, some of the other components of the truck may be wearing out.  If all that checks out, the truck should last a year at least.

With a trailer the size you are considering, look to see if the truck you are interested in has an engine brake or exhaust brake installed.  (Your mechanic likely could tell you.)  If the truck isn't equipped with either of those, check to see that the transmission has a "Tow/Haul" feature that will assist you in slowing down, especially on mountain passes or down long grades.  Also, a truck with dual rear wheels will provide better weight capability and stability in towing.

Good luck with all your research.

Terry

Edit: Removed link which had become unrelated to brochures, and possibly even to the dealership that provided them.

-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Wednesday 6th of February 2013 06:18:34 PM

There are a lot of people that would gladly take the F-350 with the older diesel in it. That engine is built like an anvil. Only way to hurt it would be with a sledge hammer. The transmission is most likely a C-6 if it's an automatic, which is strong, but does not come with a "Tow/Haul" feature. That is easily fixable with a pacbrake exhaust retarder. You can hope the transmission is a 5 speed, which would have been preferred in 97 expecially since you say it already has a gooseneck. Most "truckers" of that era preferred a standard box.

Unlike our resident "weight police" Terry (hey, you claimed the title), I would not hesitate to hook up to a 30 ft fiver with such a pickup. (OK Terry, shoot). Understand that a 97 pickup will have issues but you may have issues with a new one also. Recently, a firend traded his 2007 because of issues. Me, I am sticking with my 04 because I don't want to put urea in a special tank. My 04 is still strong at 103K.

Let us not forget, GVWR is the maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, not the actual weight of the rig. Mine has a 15800 GVWR and it weighs in at below 14000 (since I unloaded a bunch of things). Again, I would not hesitate to hook up a 350 or 3500 to a 30 ft fiver unless I had gone absolutely crazy loading my "want to haves" versus my "need to haves" in it. We, with myself included, will look at that big basement storage area that just ain't full and say, well this little thing won't matter all that much.

Personally, I am far more concerned with the tires on the trailer being adequate for the load than the pickup being slightly undersized for the load. A couple of years ago, I bit the bullet and removed almost new tires from my trailer because they were made in China and others with the same brand and size had suffered numerous failures and damage. I replaced the tires with Michelin XPS Rib tires with a stated capacity of 3042 per tire. Forgive the hijack of the thread with tires. I know it was about "is a 97 F350 too much truck" to tow a 30 ft trailer. Sorry.

Now, back on thread, an F350 is a beast. The 7.3 is an anvil, and given normal care in maintenance it shold be good for 250K miles. There are many of them out there with over 400K miles on them. Yeah, you have to expect to do body or chassis maintenance. Shock absorbers, hoses, belts, u-joints, bearings (both front and rear) will need replacement, and many other items will require help along the way. But would I trade the possibility of requirements of maintenance versus a new pickup payment? I don't think I would, especially now. The OP has the opportunity to get a fine towing vehicle by an even trade of an existing vehicle. To me, it is a no brainer.

I'm glad to be alerted to the importance of tires, too. My goal is to sail as worry-free down the road as possible! :)

Thanks for sharing your experience, Wayne. Almost 300,000 miles is amazing from my untrained perspective!

Plus we can also use are AC while we travel down the road as well..

hey 53merc i have an older 4x4 7.3 liter for sale to a good home.
i'm in new england, do you know where i should advertise it?

You can't get to much truck-----like others have said the 7.3L is a great engine---I have read a couple of different places that it is one of the ten best ever "EVER" made, and they have been making diesel engines for a long time. I like 53 Merc would have no problem with hooking up a 30 ft. fiver to it if it is in good mechanical shape. I say go for it, you may look for a long time and not come across a deal like this. You may want to get a little cash in the deal for any needed repairs. I know people who have 300k miles on a 7.3L and still going strong.  My concern would be the tranny---that can be replaced easy enough, a little costly but getting some cash in the deal would help.  Good luck

 

Flyone

Please feel free to carry on the thread, but to update everyone, I have postponed my RV plans while I help care for my disabled grandmother. After transporting my four cats by car several hours to her home, which was way stressful for all five of us, I have decided a motor coach will be best for me. I had been going back and forth between that and a 5th wheel, and that experience clinched it for me!

Best,
Bev