I have a question.

Most of the F150's I'm seeing now that are coming on here have a 5001-6000 lb GVWR (code D). My F150 has a 6001-7000 lb GVWR (code E), and is 4WD. From what I've seen online, my truck is rated for the same GVWR as a Light Duty F250.

So I guess my question is, what made the F150's with my GVWR so special? Is it because it's 4wd? My truck is shortbed regular cab too, so it's a short wheelbase truck.

Also, why have a light-duty F250 when you've got an F150 that pulls the same weight?

And a final question. I've noticed that the D code F150s typically have the T-18 4 speeds instead of the NP435 transmission. Is my truck rated 1000 lbs heavier because I have the NP435?

 

Gross vehicle weight rating is the weight of the truck AND it's rated load. If you add 1000lbs of 4x4 drivetrain components, then the GVWR will be 1000lbs higher than a comparable 2wd truck. The highest GVWR f150's will be the 4x4 extended cab versions.

 

That makes sense.

So GVWR is more or less the weight of the vehicle and whatever you want to pull.

So me and the truck together are about 4000 lbs. This means I could pull a 3000 lb trailer behind the truck and be within the rating AND safe?

Just wondering about all this stuff. I've never pulled a trailer before but figured it'd be good to ask the guys who have in case I ever end up pulling a trailer.

Time to go do some more reading online.

 

It means you can have 3000lbs of the trailer on the truck. Tongue weight. Wouldn't recommend a trailer that heavy but it can be done legally.

 

I don't know hardly anything about towing, but I know putting 3000 lbs on the hitch of a 1/2 ton truck would be absolutely nuts! Geez.

So how would I determine what weight trailer I could safely pull? I'm still doing some reading online, but the way I figure it is that trailer brakes and what size hitch you have makes the biggest impact on what you can pull. I know my truck has a Class III or Class IV hitch (2'' wide receiver).

 

GVWR = the total weight of the vehicle. So if your truck weighs in at 4500# then you could load it up with another 2500# of whatever is in the cab, bed, & tongue weight if pulling a trailer.

GCVWR = the total weight of the truck and all its occupants, cargo, & tongue weight + the total weight of the trailer.


Generally the amount of weight a vehicle can pull is based on many factors. Frame size, axle ratio, engine, trans, wheel base, brake size, cooling capacity, tire load rating, hitch type / class, etc...

 

Yes, exactly... Reps for that.

There are 50-some pages in the Owner's Manual with guidelines about this stuff with lots of tables and charts and such, and it tells you to bring your truck/talk to a knowledgeable person (e.g. Ford dealer, U-Haul rep, etc.) who can evaluate the configuration of your individual truck and make recommendations based on that.

Owner's manuals are cheap on eBay.

 

I don't know if it matters, but 4x4 F150's have 3" wide leaf springs. The 2wd F150's and American F100's have 2.5" wide leaf springs.

 

It doesn't matter. Some f350 chassis/cab trucks have 2 1/4" wide springs.

The GVWR has nothing to do with your towing rating(well it does somewhat, but not directly). You can go by a lot of charts and recommendations, but from experience I would not tow over #7000 with your truck. That's a #2000 trailer with #5000 load on it. That's the absolute max I would tow, and you will have to be very careful pulling that.

 

The most I would probably ever pull is a trailer loaded with stuff, in the middle of moving or something similar. Maybe firewood, etc, but I'd probably just use the bed for that. I'll probably never have need to pull a trailer and vehicle, but I think a vehicle on a trailer behind the F150 would be the max I'd pull.

I think it gets kinda iffy at that point because of braking power and the rear ends.

Thanks for all the info fellas.

 

10% of your trailer weight should be your max tongue weight.

 

For non distribution hitched "bumper pull", Goose neck / fifth wheel should be ~25%