How do you determine towing capacity of an older vehicle? For instance if a 72 F250 has a GVW of 6900 lbs with a class III receiver hitch, 3.73 gears, 390 4V and a auto trans. How big a trailer could it pull? 6000#? 8000#?

Thanks for any insight you have.

 

I do nt have an answer for you. I do have my own thoughts and some advice... 72 is going to be drum brakes and most likely carburated.... Leads me to believe you should stop around 8000 MAAX. always use trailer brakes and you arent going to win any races.

 

Thanks. I've got a 3000# trailer now but one day plan to upgrade to something bigger. We are looking at buying an older truck and I wondered what I could pull. I will always use trailer brakes for sure. Any truck I buy will be upgraded to disc brakes. Most of the trucks I'm looking at have a carb with a 390 or 460. I certainly don't plan on buying something that weighs 8000#, a 5000# 24ft will be my max.

 

I had a F250 with the optional front disc brakes, and a transplanted 460. The thing was a stump puller for sure.

 

Here ya go:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-capacity.html

or here maybe:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-question.html

bottom line you can go to the myford site and see what's there for manuals

 

Check out this site.

1972 Ford Memorabilia