1969 NP435 Max HP and Torque Rating??

[karlatteberry]

I am currently in a lawsuit with a local AAMCO repair shop due to a major failure of my transmission after they re-sealed it (failed in about 1000 miles) The angle the defense attorney is trying to take is that my 1969 Ford F250 was being used for something it was not designed for. In other words, the transmission that failed because they left the thrust bearing out of the Counter shaft(proven by a 3rd party builder- on my 2nd build), was pulling too much weight (my 2008 Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV). I'm guessing the total weight is as follows - 3900 lbs boat, Trailer - 1500 (conservative) ( 50 gallons of fuel - 300 lbs). so total including gear in boat - say 6000 lbs.

So my two questions are as follows - what is the max towing weight of a 1969 F250 and (2) What is the max pulling capacity of the NP435 transmission - either in HP/TQ or total weight? I believe they even put them in 1 ton trucks too? My father swapped out the stock 360 with a 429 engine, but I know starting 1973 they starting putting 460's in to our trucks - so not sure if that really matters????

If someone could actually point me to manufacturers data rather than I've pulled XX,XXXX lbs, etc (which of course we all know these trucks can do!!). I just need something that I can pull that has actual data behind it to use in court.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Karl

[mrollings53]

The best info you could use is the door tag. It will list your gross weight rating. Take your trucks empty weight and add the tongue weight from the trailer. You are not at fault if the combined weight is less than weight shown on your tag.

[karlatteberry]

The GVW is 6800 lbs - which I am confident we are under. What about the towable weight? how is that determined on our older vehicles?

Thanks!!
Karl

[averagef250]

Your truck was rated for maximum axle weights. If you aren't exceeding those limits you're not doing anything the truck wasn't designed for. The law says you can operate a vehicle under 26K GCVW with a non-commercial driver's license. The vehicle and trailer cannot have axle weights that exceed the load limits of the tires.

The hitches sold for our trucks are usually rated for 6000 pounds trailer weight.

Something else that just occurred to me is that 435 was used in much heavier trucks in the 70's and 80's by Ford. A 70's F-600 can have a max GVW well over 20K pounds with the same 435 4 speed your pickup has.

So tow ratings of your specific pickup totally aside, just the GVW of the heavier vehicles the 435 was used in is much heavier than the total combined weight of your pickup and trailer.

The NP435 was also used by Ford as an option in pickups through atleast 1992, maybe later. I've only seen them in 300 six base model fleet trucks, but an F-350 DRW cab chassis with a 300 six can still have a GCVW that's way, way up there.

The GVW argument is hogwash.

[Flightman91]

Would love to hear the outcome.

[karlatteberry]

We meet for arbitration on November 20th. These things take forever -its crazy!!