You are splitting hairs and sweating the small stuff. Save your money and pull what you have with what you got. Period.


No trooper or cop (16 year veteran here) will mess with you as a non-commercial entity that is pulling for recreation. Even your insurance company is not sweating the numbers of the truck, trailer, or additional equipment if you are not pulling for (documented) payment.


Keep rollin'. Carry on....

 

It's not the cops or weight police you need to worry about. It is the insurance company that will claim that you were towing more than what the truck was "rated" for. Gears, tires, etc will technically allow a higher weight capacity, but the insurance lawyers will continue to point at the manufacturer's rating.

 

GSSF17 has got this right. No insurance company is going to drag a mangled wreck of a SD and 28' boat to a scale to find out you were a little over what the stated GCWR is. Besides that, you have a boat manual that shows a boat weight of #8500 lbs. (saw it in another thread) . Besides all this, it's not a legal limit as previously stated. I have read about this before, and I found a comment from a diesel forum I used to frequent:
"The GCWR in the Owner's Guide is not a law, either. It is a guide. If you exceed the GCWR on a stock truck, then you won't have enough power and torque to drag the trailer up a steep mountain grade at a reasonable speed - without overheating and "burning up" your equipment."
I just trying to save you $3200 in gears although I think you would enjoy them while towing.

 

I changed my gears from 3.73 to 4.30 platinum mike. Not sure on warranty stuff I heard if ford does it they may warranty it. Gears from what i've seen in both small trucks and semi's are one of those things that work or don't work. If not shimmed or installed properly they will whine pretty quick so its not really something that shows its head later on (From my experience). About the tuner thing you don't need that so don't buy it. Get the gears installed and drive away. The speedo reads at the wheels and my odometer was correct nor does it affect the computer. Install and enjoy if that's what will give you peace of mind.

 

and how would a different gear set affect safety? maybe acceleration, but not stopping or safety? or am I missing something?

 

The OEMs take a lot of factors into account when they come up with the GCWR and trailer ratings. For towing what rear gears affect the most is acceleration along with some effect on engine braking.

If you can afford going to 4.30 gears I would because it will make a difference in performance, especially at that weight. I find it hard to believe the dealer won't change gears with Ford parts and warranty their work. Any changes that need to be made for the 4.30 pcm wise the dealer can do. A lot of dealers do really suck so maybe it should not be that hard to believe.

 

Well I found a used 2015 f350 fx4 lariat 6.7 with 9,500 miles on the clock. I went and rest drove it tonight after work. Very nice truck identical to mine but not platinum. The platinum has some nice features I got spoiled on. It has the camper package which I didn't have before but everything else I have except skid plates. They ran some #'s and going to do some thinking. Test drove in a snow storm and couldn't open it up but it felt good and definetly was there. Truck has 3.55 gears. Looked at the hitch and it has a class V hitch, 2.5 receiver. 14k rated at hitch and 23,500 on the GCWR. Asked for extended warranty through ford. Decisions, decisions. I really don't like dealerships and they play the game to get lowest #'s.

Will keep everyone updated. Will miss the gas prices for sure and the $36 oil change I have now.

 

I have not had the 4:30 gears..

I have found.. the 3:73 pulling .. in the 3,500 to 4,000 RPMs going up long hills. can get bothersome. and If a 4:30 might be better.. as 4th or 5th instead of 2nd, 3rd.

bothersome as being, exhaust noise, engine vibrations. and some droning... with stock exhaust.

trailer is 9,000 loaded, 1,500 in truck bed. total rolling is 16,800 pounds. and 2 wheel drive.

I think I would like the 4:30 better. don't get me wrong.. truck with 3:73 works well. just pulled 1,000 miles in the hills.. No issues. O,WV,V,NC....

 

Someone's trading a truck . But if you get the diesel you're going to feel the need for bigger toys. Enjoy the new ride.

 

I think we have decided to keep my 2015 platinum for now. I decided the only truck I would trade in on is another platinum, but diesel. We like the options our truck has in it. I found a couple used platinum in the Pgh area and went and looked at them and test drove them both. One was 2013 6' bed that had 17k on it and it was sharp 6' bed and other was used 2014 with 17k on it 8' bed. Both F250. Both dealerships won't give me much($41,000)for the trade (with 6,200 miles only) and I don't want to give it away. So we are going hold off unless a dealership calls and offers us something we can't refuse.

 

Did both of those trucks have 430s? How did they feel in comparison assuming they were gas?
If you're so concerned about being overweight or legal why don't you just get a 350 drw?
I wouldn't be going from a 350 to a 250 if I was concerned about weight issues either

 

Finding a used or new gas truck on a lot is hard to find but I did find one. It was a f350 xlt and interior wasn't as nice.

The two f250 were diesel and both had the 3.55 gears which put the truck at 23,500 GCWR and hitch at 14,000. Gvwr though is only 10k on each.

I did think about going into a drw gas but garage space would be tough to get in and out. Still an option though.

 

Just get a new garage. I have the same problem when i got my f350. Too long for garage so wife decided to move and now i'm getting a 24x40 shop with 12 foot door. That should let me fit . I still think you'd be better off sticking with gas job and 4.30 gears.

 

Lol. New garage would be nice. That sounds like a nice set up. I don't think the wife would ever see me if my garage was that size. That's enough room for all the toys. I can get a SRW truck in and even with a 8' bed but width with the wife's car would be tight with a drw and I won't let it sit outside.

 

Its attached to the house I bet it won't take long until she's complaining about the air compressor and the welder going all the time. Maybe I'll get the air chisel out if she does though .