2011 Ford F150 EcoBoost 3.5L 157" Wheelbase

[TonyDtorch]

so what was illegal  ?

 

[Oldgator73]

I was born in the sixties, by the time i was 10 i had traveled to every country in europe 2-3 times with my folks pulling a 1969 sprite muskateer european version travel trailer
Moved to western canada in 1973 may dad was the plant manager for scamper and skipper trailers.
On my 14 th birthday i got my learners permit and 3 months later i pulled our travel trailer with a 1975 ford ltd country squire stationwagon to sandiego andback 5000 mile road trip

I have been in the auto industry in various capacities for almost 40 years selling building designing everything from hot rods to lambos oil trucks to pickers and built the largest aftermarket truck accessories company in western canada
Cheers

so what was illegal  ?

I grew up in Daytona Beach, FL. We had to walk 10 miles to school, uphill, in the snow. And that was the summer. In the winter we used to go to the beach and ice skate. Good times.

 

[steveblonde]

I grew up in Daytona Beach, FL. We had to walk 10 miles to school, uphill, in the snow. And that was the summer. In the winter we used to go to the beach and ice skate. Good times.

I love Florida a few years back we went swimming at Daytona Beach on Xmas day people thought we were nuts
This year xmas day it was -30 with the wind chill -41

 

[steveblonde]

so what was illegal  ?

You tell me ? times have changed, rules have changed, vehicles have changed,
Europe was very heavily regulated by that time my dad actually used a bathroom scale to weight the hitch weight on the trailer so he wasnt over

Now we have to change with the times its called PROGRESS like it or not what you did then you cant do now get over it, nobody cares what we DID they care what we DO

 

[Oldgator73]

I agree with some of what is said about litigation in this article. Wouldn't it be in the auto manufacturers best interest to quell the idea that folks can tow with a passenger car. That way they can sell us a $70,000+ truck.

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/auto-biography/the-great-american-anti-towing-conspiracy/

 

[TonyDtorch]

I agree with some of what is said about litigation in this article. Wouldn't it be in the auto manufacturers best interest to quell the idea that folks can tow with a passenger car. That way they can sell us a $70,000+ truck.

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/auto-biography/the-great-american-anti-towing-conspiracy/

)

it's an attempt by big business to require us to spend more money.

 

[steveblonde]

)

it's an attempt by big business to require us to spend more money.

While that may be true in part i also think that because of Americans propensity to file lawsuits at the very notion someone else may be a fault for something therefore mitigating their own liability may be partially at fault - everyone is covering their own butts 

However i do find it funny that a CRV is considered a capable tow vehicle in Europe over a Toad only in America so yes its also part perception.

And oh yeah the mighty buck $$$$$$$ rules everything

 

[TonyDtorch]

So back to the original post question..

Should he go buy a new truck ?

 

[Oldgator73]

So back to the original post question..

Should he go buy a new truck ?

Sure. Anything to keep the economy going. I'll give him 10 grand for the 150.

 

[TonyDtorch]

The F150 would be fine for me too,  but I'd rather buy Grampa's old wagon for $10k..

 

[TonyDtorch]

While that may be true in part i also think that because of Americans propensity to file lawsuits at the very notion someone else may be a fault for something therefore mitigating their own liability may be partially at fault - everyone is covering their own butts 

The one part most 'Yellow sticker police'  forget is these Stickers really only apply for warranty and commercial purposes.

Your warranty is void if you exceed this labeled weight.
Commercial laws require you to be under this Labeled weight largely for road taxes. ( a company is always liable for safety, yellow sicker or not)

For the rest of the world. Warranty or not, We can take a sander and remove that Yellow Sticker and repaint the truck, cut/modify the suspension add axles to carry whatever you want, you can tow whatever you want.. (with the right license and as long as it's done safely in the eyes of a cop) .....and it's not illegal.

as a private citizen I'm just as liable no matter what I do with that vehicle. Yellow Sticker or not.

Whether or not you feel it's unsafe is really only true to you...just like riding a motorcycle/bicycle with or without a helmet. 

remember......" I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.".... For everyone's safety,  let's put this sticker on everything !       

 

[xrated]

So back to the original post question..

Should he go buy a new truck ?

Seems like he's already got that question answered.....you were too busy getting off track of the subject at hand.

Shaunsmo wrote:

  Hey everyone...  I really do appreciate the discussion.  I am going to go ahead and take the advice and keep my F-150 (Cant give up my baby) however I will be purchasing a used F250/350 to pull the camper. 

The things we do to get away... 

 

[TonyDtorch]

yeah,  I saw that when I re-read it.  but some other people could be still reading this..

and it will likely come up again next time someone says  "HELP..Yellow Sticker !".

 

[Old_Crow]

My old man used to pull a 24' Boles Aero TT with a 4 door Lincoln Continental.  What most are overlooking is that the Continental and Grandpa's old wagon both probably weighed more than the trailers they were towing. 
Back then it was quite common to see a TT behind a big car or station wagon, but I don't think there's a passenger car made today that would tow much more than one of those Harbor Freight 4' fold up trailers successfully.
Of course that Continental didn't get 33 mpg either.

 

[TonyDtorch]

Those old cars were built like tanks, and so were many of the trailers. (although that Continental was likely a uni-body no frame car, one of the first to do that, and is standard practice in today's light weight cars) 

one of the biggest issues with cars towing today is the lack of a frame.

The Navigator or Suburban still works pretty well,  Chevy has a diesel passenger van that's very capable of towing longer trailers.

Pickup tucks are not mandatory for towing.  You can make your own car for towing too !

 

[Old_Crow]

C'mon Tony, that's not towing...that's dragging.  8)

This is towing:

 

[Old_Crow]

Oh, and for the record, that '65 Lincoln had a full frame.  From the looks of the pics I found, a frame at least as robust as any pickup below a 3/4 ton made today.

 

[TonyDtorch]

I don't know about that Wally,  According to my research it appears the Continental went unibody in 1961 and didn't get a separate frame again until 1970.
After that it was on the Ford LTD chassis.

  I've worked on several 'Kennedy' Continentals (61-69).  I was under there for days putting air bags on them,  they don't have a full frame.

 

[TonyDtorch]

hey guys check out the specs on this old Ford brochure...want to tow a 6k trailer with a Ford car....yep it will do that.

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/brochure-outtake-pulling-a-trailer-with-your-1973-ford/

 

[Old_Crow]

I don't know about that Wally,  According to my research it appears the Continental went unibody in 1961 and didn't get a separate frame again until 1970.
After that it was on the Ford LTD chassis.

  I've worked on several 'Kennedy' Continentals (61-69).  I was under there for days putting air bags on them,  they don't have a full frame.

Yeah, you're apparently right.  I had just googled pictures of a "'65 Lincoln frame" and got a couple of diagrams.  Further research shows that those were aftermarket stuff for those who would actually attempt to hot rod a 5000lb car.
I always wanted one, but never found one I could afford that was in good enough shape to buy.  Now, I don't think my coach would pull it.