'86 F250 + '72 Tradewind - HELP! I 've never towed before!

[harestream]

Thanks everyone for reading. Any help is great. We are about to purchase a towing vehicle for our '72, Tradewind, weighing in at aprox 5,500 ilb. (we think).
We have an extremely tight time frame to make this purchase, (between now and 2 weeks. Oh, we also live in NYC without a car, so cruising around looking for a deal really means scouring the web for great deals, and having to depend on our instinct from the owners we speak to over the phone.. I must admit, I'm totaly lame when it comes to cars, I've always been a walker/bike rider/mass transit rider.. now im out looking for a gas guzzler to compliment my new lifestyle. but my budget is between 1,000 - 5,000 bucks. perferable I get a truck for 2,000. I found this for $1,950 what do you all think? Will this be able to tow my Tradewind right out of it's storage? Looking for all parental advice...(I'm waiting for somebody to say, "this is perfect!")

The guy tells me it's goes on about 35 miles a gallon, and is in great shape all around. just a bit of rust around the rear wheel. Do you think anything additional will need to be purchased on my behalf? We'll be full timers, so getting something reliable is important, but, I know that's tough to find with my tight budget, etc. Open to all suggestions... THANKS!!!





Price $1,950
Body Style Truck
Mileage 147,000
Exterior Color Blue
Interior Color Black
Engine 8 Cylinder
Transmission Automatic
Drive Type 2 wheel drive
Fuel Type Diesel
Doors Two Door
(1983 FORD F250 HEAVY DUTY).THIS TRUCK IS IN GREAT SHAPE IN AND OUT SUPER CLEAN. LOW MILEAGE FOR THE YEAR JUST BREAKING IN. WAS NEVER HARD WORKED. HAS A STRONG DIESEL MOTOR RUNS AND SOUNDS GREAT. AUTOMATIC TRANNY SHIFTS VERY SMOOTH. INTERIOR IS ALSO IN GOOD SHAPE. BRAND NEW TIRES. NEEDS NOTHING. ITS READY FOR A GOOD WORK TRUCK OR EVEN TO HAVE AROUND THE HOUSE FOR YARD WORK OR PROJECTS. ALSO HAS ELECTRIC PLUG WARM UP AND TOW LIGHTING PLUGS. (1983 FORD F250 RWD)

Air Conditioning; AM/FM Radio; Cruise Control; Rear Window Defroster; AM/FM Stereo Cassette; Power Steering; Tilt Wheel;

[azflycaster]

Ford F250 with a diesel should have no problem pulling a 25 foot trailer. BTW, the dry weight of your trailer is listed at around 4200 lbs. Loaded up it might hit 5500. Your hitch weight is close to 600 lbs most likely more when loaded. Did you get a weight distribution hitch with the trailer? I noticed that you have a ball on the bumper. That may not be the best way to go. A reciever hitch would be perferable. If you do not have one yet, you will also need a brake controller to activate the brakes on the trailer when you stop. There are alot of things involved with the safe towing of a trailer. Ask questions and get the right equiptment. Your truck looks like a great start. Did anyone say that this was going to be easy?

[davidz71]

35 mpg sounds a little more like INCREDIBLE! I'd be curious how they achieved this mileage solo.

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by davidz71

35 mpg sounds a little more like INCREDIBLE! I'd be curious how they achieved this mileage solo.

Downhill?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by davidz71

35 mpg sounds a little more like INCREDIBLE! I'd be curious how they achieved this mileage solo.

I had an F350 with a 7.3, and a 5 speed, that got 18 mpg at 55 mph, air off, on the road, not towing or carrying anything. 25 mpg would bemore than I would believe, but the truck is still very usable for what you need. I would believe 14 mpg, unloaded, etc. Also, don't plan on going more than about 60 with it, that is about top end for that vintage, with that transmission.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

Downhill?

With a tailwind!

Aaron

[john hd]

that looks like a servicable truck even though i like chevys.

you will need a reciever style hitch with a brake controller.

you can get some ideas at http://www.reeseprod.com/ look at the weight distributing hitch section.

john

[route66]

....................The 6.9 liter International diesel that ford put into those 80's trucks had very little pulling torque . They came equipped with either a 3:54 or 4:10 axle ratio. If , the truck has the 4:10 ratio it will pull alot stronger than with the 3:54 , which is really TOO high a ratio for anything other than just runnng down the road .
....................One of the Major problems that those engines had was BAD INjector pumps . I had a 1984 , 4x4 and it had to have the In.Pump rebuilt twice in about 50k miles . Cost around 700 or so to get it rebuilt , SO You should take the truck too a qualified International diesel mechanic and have the Pump checked , BEfore spending your money . And , IF it requires a Rebuild I'd subtract that amount from the sales Price .
....................You'd be wise to look around for a truck equipped with a 460 gas engine which has more pulling power than that diesel . Good luck with your choice . r66

[ALANSD]

I bought a 97 F250 Diesel 7.3 to tow my 31 Trailer. There are deals out there on older diesel trucks ... but not really easy to find, where they haven't been beat to death. The one you did find may work ok for you, but mileage will not be anywhere close to what was stated.

[route66]

...............Addendum...A couple of additional Items...(1) that truck will have a "C6" automatic tranny in it and at the milage that you stated , it IS A prime Candidate for a REbuild . You should really have it checked by a competent transmission shop .
...............(2) Be fully cognizant that , That truck , given it's age and milage is going to require alot of R&R , i.e.repair and Replacement of various parts . Tires , fan belts , water pump , power steering pump , etc . IF , you were simply going to drive it back and forth to work over short distances you might let some necessary repairs simply slide until they(the components) quit or became defective , BUT , When you start towing a 5000 lb. trailer , every mechanical\electrical system will have to function at 100% OR you're going to be spending alot of Time on the SIDE of the Road waiting for a Tow truck . At the very minimum you will need to ADD a Transmission Cooler to ensure that the tranny does NOT over heat while towing a trailer . Maintenance , on a truck of that age is critical to ensure that you enjoy your trips without constant breakdowns . r66

[Silverhobby]

I have inherited a 1989 F-250 regular cab from my Dad. It has the 7.3 diesel without turbo. It is very adequate towing my 72 Ambassador 29'. I feel the transmission does better when I shift the C-6 manually. Solo mileage is more than 20 mpg. I can go over 580 miles on the two tanks of fuel.
Kev

[harestream]

Well we decided to nix the truck idea, and get something more like an SUV. We are looking at a military issued Blazer this weekend, and it seems promising. has never everything! well.. we'll see. thanks everybody for all your details.. if the military car sucks butt then we might just go and get this truck. its just so hard trying to find a reliable diesel truck for under 5K. secret.. i typed in deisel and turns out there were more deals, in fact these people were cutting the prices down cause no body had called...hmmm. maybe cause they typo'd!
thanks again!
-kelly

By the way.. it has a Pintel Hitch on it.. will i need to do anything in order to hitch up my Tradewind properly? Also anything I should look out for with military vehicles? I already have a brake adapter to install.. thanks!

[AZstreamin]

Originally Posted by harestream

We are looking at a military issued Blazer this weekend, and it seems promising.

Depending on which Blazer you are referring to, that make has been around for years but some of them have a really short wheelbase which wouldn't be the best choice for a 25' trailer.

[harestream]

and description.. sounds perfect!

There are way too many brand new parts in this truck to possibly get it all. The transmission and transfer case were rebuilt a few months ago. ( I have the receipts for everything) The work was done at lee miles and i believe is warranted. The tires are not even 2 weeks old and I have all receipts for that as well. It has a brand new injection pump, flywheel and vacuum pump. The front wheel bearings, caliper, pads, and dics are about a year old. I would drive this truck to alaska and back without a doubt in my head. I bought the truck from nebraska and drove it back home to new york without ever even seeing the truck. I have a great amount of faith in these vehicles and it gets around 20 miles per gallon being that it's a deisel.

In addition he told me it had a new windshield, installed a cd player, and the roof comes off! and it's going for $2500.. it has a pintel hitch? Will that work?


Thanks!

[2airishuman]

hi haresteam.....

nice name, are we related?

i've quickly read your posts now.
how exciting you've got the grand'ole opry trailer and want to roam the planet. now ya need a t.v. for under 5k$ that will be up to the task of towing your new/old trailer....and ya want something that won't cost 5K$ again over, just keeping it on the road!

why did you give up on the idea of a truck?

if you are going now for the suv stuff...get an older suburban not the yukon. better suited to towing, more interior space...they've proven themselves ahead of airstreams....

this yukon might work out...or not. it would be my choice...
http://www.airforums.com/forum...n-21080-2.html

you are getting good at collecting info on the t.v. don't forget the rear end/drive ratio....that is one of the things that will come up whenever towing is needed...


still i'd prefer an old diesel...that runs well, over a gas, but anything in your price range may have issues. towing puts stress on the drivetrain/chassis, suspension and tires that can bring out problems...many of the sellers of these used vehicles don't really know the issues with towing...

another suggestion is try to keep all the info about your process, buying and so on...in one thread...it will be easier to get good help imo....because once we know who ya are and what the issues are, it's easier to offer opinions...that are more specific...

you haven't told us how many miles or how many days you expect to be on the road.....any chance you will just pull into some place ya like and stay awhile?

just keep adding your possible tow options here....and the pictures are great!
or keep adding to this thread that tells us about you and the trailer...
http://www.airforums.com/forum...ind-24365.html

keep reading all the threads on towing and you will get smarter, then more confused, then smarter and so on....

your buying timeline is short, but life is hopefully long....
what ever you buy may need replacement or repairs in short order...
but so what....
just keep the big goal in mind...

regards
2air'

[harestream]

Thanks for all of your help everybody. I was so clueless when it came to selecting the right towing vehicle. Just when we thought we made up our minds, then we'd find out that we'd have to look for something else again which would be more suitable. We kept being told to just get a suburban, and we really didn't want to do it. Wanted something smaller and more practicle, and then.. we found the best option.. an 86 suburban with only 47k original miles, and only about 30 miles from us, so we headed out and bought it right away. for $2,950 its as clean as can be, no rust, and only very few small repairs needed to be done. We got a receiver hitch installed, a brake controller and we plan on getting 3/4 ton springs installed cause we tried towing for the first time and experienced some sag. we bottomed out leaving a gas station. but overall it towed extremely well, and we've been getting great milage considering.. 20mpg not towing on the highways and we think about 12-13 when towing dry. So thanks again everybody! We are so happy with what we got and we love the truck!!! Here is a photo!
[/IMG]

[route66]

.................Two suggestions you might want to consider , (1) Have a mechanic install a Transmission temperature gauge on the RETURN line going back into your tranny .(2) Next , You might want to also have a Transmission Cooler installed as well . Excessive heat is what Kills Auto trany's very quickly and with a gauge you can Monitor your temps on a real time basis . Might also look into having Synthetic fluid installed in the trany to replace what is in there now . Nice Rig , r66

[Condoluminum]

Congrats on the Suburban.. You may be surprised how easy it is to fill up the area in the rear with "stuff"...

A couple ideas on rear spring alternatives... First, stiffer springs are not an OK substitute for load leveling hitch with spring bars.. If you don't have those, they should come first, to distribute load to front axle of Suburban and improve handling.

There are also assist springs that bolt on rather than replace existing springs, and ride won't be as harsh when empty, though you may not drive around much in Suburban by itself. It is also possible to install air-adjustible Gabriel Shocks on rear of Suburban, which will raise rear end and increase load carrying to avoid bottoming out. You can lower air pressure in shocks when not towing as well...

Keep an eye on diff fluid levels, as low fluid can lead to failed axles in rear.

Enjoy!

John McG

[harestream]

i did forget to mention that we did have already a transmission cooler installed, but all the rest of what you all mentioned is very helpful. ill read the thread back and forth and inquire about all my spring options. thanks a million..

[Frank S]

Hi harestream--I towed our 1973 27' Overlander for a while with a 1984 1/2 ton Suburban with a 5.7ltr and a 3.73 rear. Had no problem with tail drag. I don't think heavier rear springs on the Suburban will solve your problem. You mentioned that you have a receiver hitch, but do you have a load distribution hitch? You should have, and when properly adjusted your Suburban should not sag in the rear. Looks like you got the deal of the century on the Suburban.--Frank S