Newbie here to this wonderful site!

This past week I purchased a used 2005 F250 with a 6.0L Turbo Diesel Power Stroke.

The sticker on the door reads:
GVWR: 10000 LBS
Front GAWR: 5600 LBS
Rear GAWR: 6100 LBS

I have a '25 trailer that is about 7500 LBS fully loaded and I know this truck will not have any problems towing the trailer. I use to tow it with a Dodge 1500 with no problems except going up hill and the reason why I went with this truck.

My question is what is the total capacity on the truck? I was told the truck can tow about 12500 LBS but what I see on the door is different.

Can anybody tell me what I can tow on this truck?

The reason I ask is our lil brats are getting bigger and we will eventually look into getting a bigger trailer or if possible a 5th wheel.

I apologize if this has been answered before, but I couldn't find anything doing a search through this site.

Thank you...Ory

 

Believe it or not, Ford actually puts this in the owners manual... You'll want your axle code (I'm betting 3.73), 2wd or 4x4, cab and bed length and if you are running stock size E rated tires. Then you'll be into the hitch rating. The 7500 one isn't a problem (assume it's a bumper pull?) and if you go to a 5er/gooseneck you can go much higher.

Do you have the owners manual? I wouldn't go much higher on the stock hitch -- your's is rated for 5 or 6k w/o equalization, 2x that with an equalizer.

Oh yeah: Welcome!!

 

The door sticker has no information about towing capacity. As was stated above that information is in the owner's manual. 12,500 pounds tow capacity is about right.

 

It'll be about 12,500 lb RV if 5th wheel.....

Here's a link to the Ford web site for your engine. http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../0560l6d3e.pdf

 

Thanks for all the input everybody!

I didn't get the owners manual when I purchased this truck so I'm stuck trying to figure everything out.

I'm not sure what the axle code? (I have no idea what that means..LoL)

It's a Automatic Lariat FX4 (4X4) Super Duty with a short bed and Crew Cab.

So what would be tow from max on bumper pull? 5er/gooseneck?

So does 12,500LBS sound about right? Is that for 5th wheel or bumper pull?

Thanks in advance! Ory

 

The 12,500 pounds would definately be for the 5th wheel RV, and you should be using a class 3 hitch for towing a tag a long type trailer. Not a bumper hitch. You should also have a weight distributing hitch which has spring bars that you can take some of the weight off of the rear of the truck and distribute some to the front and balance the load.
I tow a 12,500 pound fifth wheel and have had many happy miles with it, been from coast to coast once and half way across USA twice. I like the fifth wheel but I also had a 29 ft. Wilderness similar weight as your trailer. I used a weight distributing hitch with 1000 lb. spring bars, because I got a good deal on them, but a pair of 750 lb. bars would have worked. I also had a Reese adjustable ball for the hitch that allowed me to adjust the height of the ball to keep the trailer about 1 inch lower than level when the full weight was on the ball.
If you have any questions about towing with your truck the best place to go is your local RV dealer and usually they will have some good advice for towing your rig and for doing it safely. Too many times I have seen RV's going down the road with the front end way up in the air or almost dragging the ground, very unsafe for you and everyone else on the road. Don't know if that helps or not, hope so, but have a great time camping, it's a great time for the family and there is lot's to see in this US.

 

I had an 03 F-350 CC LB 3.73 and fifth wheel towing was 12500 in 05 ford upgraded everything to raise that I now have an 06 F-350 CC LB 3.73 and it says 15500 for fifth wheel towing those number are out of the owners manual for my truck. My trailer weighs approx. 15k loaded with 150 gals water and 40 gals fuel and four quads, etc.

 

I believe you meant he needs to have a class IV or V hitch....

And if you got the truck-- why put a smaller rated hitch on anyway???


Chris

 

I believe the f-350 came with a class III hitch until 04 then in 05 they upgraded to class V. I pretty sure this is correct.

 

These are from the manual for an 05+ truck.

 

The weights I quoted are for fifth wheel towing. I just went looking for my book and cant find it.

 

Wow, I'm surprised the F-250 can only do 600 pounds tongue weight and 6,000 pounds carry weight. I've never used a weight distributing hitch before and am not sure how they are setup. They can tow double the weight with one which is nice.

 

That's a huge safety margin for a stock Ford hitch, but that's what they gotta' do so they don't have to feed the lawyers.

If you want a hoot, do some searching on the stock Chevy hitch, which is tied into the bumper for added support (Ford's bumper and hitch are rated seperately) and was (maybe still is) of a tubular design and rated for 7500/750. The pictures of these failed hitches are interesting to see (all over the GM forums). 1st thing the guys tell you is to replace your hitch...

 

Silly GM...

They also have frames that like to tear in the front with a plow on the truck.