If you’ve got a 2004 Ford F150 then you need to know its towing capacity before pulling or hauling anything with it.
Towing heavy trailers weighing greater than the 2004 Ford F150’s max towing capacity will affect engine performance and it’s equally important for towing safety. Now, what is the 2004 Ford F150 Towing Capacity?
The 2004 Ford F150 Maximum Towing Capacity ranges between 2,200 – 9,9000 lbs. (998- 4,536 kg) for conventional trailers and up to 10,000 lbs. for 5th-wheel trailers when properly equipped with a tow package. The maximum payload capacity, on the other hand, ranges between 1,710 lbs – 3020 lbs.
This towing capacity is calculated depending on different truck configurations, engine types, GCWR, cab styles, axle ratio codes, drivetrains, transmission, and wheelbase.
The following table covers the 2004 Ford F150 towing capacity by each engine type and GCWR.
| Type of Engine | GCWR | Max Towing |
|---|---|---|
| 4.2L EFI V6 Manual | 7,200 – 8,500 lbs. | 2,200 – 3,700 lbs. |
| 4.2L EFI V6 Automatic | 10,000 – 10,500 lbs. | 5,000 – 5,600 lbs. |
| 4.6L Triton V8 Automatic | 11,500 – 12,200 lbs. | 5,900 – 7,100 lbs. |
| 5.4L 3V Triton V8 Automatic | 12,000 – 15,300 lbs. | 6,900 – 10,000 lbs. |
Towing capacities, shown in the above table, are the maximum capacities that can be achieved if your truck has one of these engine types.
Ford says that for all 2004 F150 trim levels and configurations, the trailer weight must not exceed 5,000 lbs when towing with or by bumper only. For trailer weights exceeding 5,000 lbs., your truck must be equipped with either Trailer Towing Package, Heavy Duty Payload Package, and a proper weight distribution hitch for easy towing.
Here I’ve collected all the 2004 Ford F150 towing and payload capacity information from the official Ford resources that include the 2004 Ford F150 Pickup Brochure and 2004 Ford RV and Trailor Towing Guide.
Table of Contents
2004 Ford F150 Trim Levels & Cabs
There are 5 different Trim Levels in the 2004 Ford F150.
- XL
- STX
- XLT
- FX4
- LARIAT
These trim levels are different from each other based on the features and other cosmetic additions. They may have different configurations, engine types, towing capacities, etc.
There are 3 body styles in the 2004 Ford F150: Regular Cab, SuperCab (Extended), and SuperCrew (Crew Cab).
Different cab styles and bed lengths will result in different Payload Capacities and GCWR resulting in different Towing Capacities.
2004 Ford F150 Towing Capacity Charts
To ensure that you’re fully informed and can make the right decisions for your towing requirements, we’ve compiled a series of charts below.
Whether you’re looking to tow with a conventional trailer or a 5th wheel, or are interested in the specifics of the Regular, SuperCab, or CrewCab variants, we’ve got you covered.
Dive in to get detailed insights on the towing prowess of the 2004 Ford F150.
Conventional Trailer Towing Capacity Chart
5th-Wheel Towing Capacity Chart
2004 Ford F150 Towing Capacity by Engines
Let’s look into the towing capacities of each of the 3 engine options in the 2004 F150. You can find your truck specifications and engine type by using the VIN decoder or simply by checking the Truck Safety Compliance Certification Label (Door Jamb Label).
| Type of Engine | GCWR | Max Towing |
|---|---|---|
| 4.2L EFI V6 Manual | 7,200 – 8,500 lbs. | 2,200 – 3,700 lbs. |
| 4.2L EFI V6 Automatic | 10,000 – 10,500 lbs. | 5,000 – 5,600 lbs. |
| 4.6L Triton V8 Automatic | 11,500 – 12,200 lbs. | 5,900 – 7,100 lbs. |
| 5.4L 3V Triton V8 Automatic | 12,000 – 15,300 lbs. | 6,900 – 10,000 lbs. |
4.2L EFI V6 Manual Towing Capacity
The maximum towing capacity of the 2004 Ford F150 with a 4.2L EFI V6 manual transmission engine is between 2,200 – 3,700 lbs. when properly equipped with Trailer Tow Packages.
This engine delivers a power of 202 hp @ 4,350 rpm and a torque of 260 lb.-ft. @ 3,750 rpm and has a GCWR between 7200 – 8500 lbs.
4.2L EFI V6 Automatic Towing Capacity
The maximum towing capacity of the 2004 Ford F150 with a 4.2L EFI V6 automatic transmission engine is between 5,000 – 5,600 lbs. when properly equipped with Trailer Tow Packages.
This engine delivers a power of 202 hp @ 4,350 rpm and a torque of 260 lb.-ft. @ 3,750 rpm and has a GCWR between 10,000 – 10,500 lbs.
4.6L Triton V8 Towing Capacity
The maximum towing capacity of the 2004 Ford F150 with a 4.6L Triton V8 automatic transmission engine is between 5,900 – 7,100 lbs. for all cabs when properly equipped with Trailer Tow Packages.
This engine delivers a power of 231 hp @ 4,750 rpm and a torque of 293 lb.-ft. @ 3,500 rpm and has a GCWR between 11,500 – 12,200 lbs.
5.4L 3V Triton V8 Towing Capacity
The maximum towing capacity of the 2004 Ford F150 with a 5.4L 3V Triton V8 automatic transmission engine is between 6,900 – 10,000 lbs. when properly equipped with Trailer Tow Packages.
This engine delivers a power of 300 hp @ 5,000 rpm and a torque of 365 lb.-ft. @ 3,750 rpm and has a GCWR between 12,000 – 15,300 lbs.
More Useful Charts
2004 Ford F150 GCWR and TWR
One important thing you need to know to calculate the towing capacity of your truck is the GCWR. This is the Gross Combined Weight Rating that can be seen on your truck manuals.
This value is set by the vehicle manufacturers and is used while calculating the actual towing capacity of the truck.
The below chart gallery contains all the GCWR and TWR of the 2004 Ford F150.
How to Calculate 2004 F150 Towing Capacity?
The ratings written on the Owner’s Manuals or Ford Towing Guides are the maximum ratings that must not be exceeded and are calculated with assumed passengers, cargo weight, and base configurations.
You may have a different no. of passengers, cargo weight, payload, and body additions to your truck. The situation can be different in your case.
While measuring the actual towing capacity of your specific 2004 F-150 truck configuration, you must calculate it considering GCWR, curb weight, passenger weight, cargo weight, and any truck body additions.
The simple formula for calculating the 2004 F150 towing capacity is GCWR – Curb Weight – Passengers Weight – Cargo Weight – Truck Body Additions ≥ Maximum Trailer Weight.
GCWR is the Gross Combined Weight Rating which is the max. combined weight of fully loaded vehicle and trailer set by the Ford.
If you apply the above formula, this will minus all the weights from GCWR, and the resulting value will give the max. trailer towing capacity of your truck (the max. weight your truck can tow safely).
You can find the GCWR and curb weight of your 2004 F150 by VIN decoder. Simply enter the 17-digit VIN of your 2004 F150 truck and press the decode button. You’ll find all the information needed to calculate the towing capacity.
The tongue load is the downward force that the tongue of the trailer exerts on the rear step bumper or the hitch receiver. It’s usually 10-15% of the trailer weight.
- For conventional trailer towing, the tongue load weight is calculated as 10% of the total loaded trailer weight.
- For 5th-wheel towing, the tongue load weight is calculated as 15% of the total loaded trailer weight.
Let’s take an example; if the max trailer weight (max towing capacity) is 10,000 lbs then the tongue weight must not exceed 1,000 lbs (or 10% of the total trailer weight).
Useful Resources
2004 Ford RV and Trailer Towing Guide PDF
FAQs
How much weight can a 2004 Ford F-150 tow?
The 2004 F150 can tow between 2,200 – 10,000 lbs. (998- 4,536 kg) depending on different truck configurations, engine types, GCWR, cab styles, axle ratio codes, drivetrains, transmission, and wheelbase.
How much can a 2004 Ford F-150 5.4L Triton tow?
The 2004 Ford F150 with a 5.4L 3V Triton V8 automatic transmission engine can tow a maximum between 6,900 – 10,000 lbs. when properly equipped with Trailer Tow Packages.
Conclusion
The max towing capacity of the 2004 Ford F-150 is between 2,200 – 10,000 lbs. (998- 4,536 kg) I’ve done deep research to find out and broken down as much information as possible within this article and made it an easy 2004 F150 towing capacity guide using charts, tables, and helpful resources, and recommended the best towing equipment.
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