How much can I tow

[steemer54]

How much can I tow with a 69 Range with a 390

[flyboy2610]

What model is it (F100, F250, F350). what gears does it have, is it a shortbed or longbed, drums or discs, bumper hitch or wieght distributing,manual or auto?
We need more info about the truck.

[steemer54]

Sorry auto shortbed have no idea about gear ratio

[flyboy2610]

I take it it's an F100?
Look at the VIN plate on your drivers door. Hopefully it's the original tag. See what it says under 'Axle Code".

[boots]

Should be 3.55?

[kid]

To shorten your tranny life exceed 2000 lbs trailer total weight.

My Dad's 69 LWB 240cid T18 pulled two horses and trailer up a mountain pass with 10-80 lb bails of hay on the bed. 2nd gear all the way. After 4 barrel coversion more hay and 3rd gear. But he was pulling 2100 lbs of horses and trailer without a worry.

The automatic must be spinning above 3000 to produce decent high torque lock up. If you can't get the C6 to lock up fully then 800lbs will fry it.

[cdeal28078]

The automatic must be spinning above 3000 to produce decent high torque lock up. If you can't get the C6 to lock up fully then 800lbs will fry it.[/quote]

I don't understand what you mean by this. The C6 does not have a lock up torque convertor in it to my knowledge.
I have pulled some pretty good loads with my C6 and it has'nt given me any trouble at all.
clint

[ToughOldFord]

Yeah, that doesn't make sense, using that logic then towing @ 2000 RPMs you're burning up your transmission. I imagine very few people tow @ 3,000 RPM and the Ford diesels used C-6s for many years, they would almost be redlining @ 3,000.

[kid]

Add a towing package to the base vehicle from the Factory like a default Diesel and the tranny had the better parts already. That is why even in the early 70s trannies were given the option by 3rd parties for tranny kits and those kits went so far as to add coolers and larger lines to cool the slipping trannies. Stock trannies lock up tight as they can get by 3000 rpm. That number is right out of my old Ford training manual for towing package transmission problem.

[spartman]

[willowbilly3]

Just make sure you have a good add on cooler. Heat is what kills trannys. Other than that I think you will find the little truck overwhelmed before the drive train is. If you have stock drum and non power brakes they aren't even good enough to stop the truck empty in city traffic. With power disc brakes maybe #2000. Any more than that and I would have trailer brakes but you should be able to haul a decent sized (16-18') boat or a medium sized car. If you plan to do it a lot then get a heavier duty rig.

[kid]

My Dad's 69 F-100 240 CID towed at 3000 or there abouts on the Highway at 75 and up mountain passes in 2nd before I worked on the engine at above 3000 in 2nd and after I built it at 2800 in 3rd. He and I both work our loads at higher RPMs to avoid lugging and to stay in the torque range when climbing.