Ayup, but if you're doing something like say, registering an F250 that has identical rear springs, right down to the aux and overload, and the heaviest FGAWR offered on SRW trucks, where the only difference is a little number on a sticker.... why not bump that number up to what's on the sticker on a SRW F350. My truck could easily be loaded down to 11,800# without any worry at all, entirely within the design spec of the truck. 2k pounds of payload for writing a check for $120 instead of $63 and I don't have to buy a new truck? That's a no-brainer.

And remember, per that email from Texas, the load rating of the tires is the ultimate max, so you couldn't pull 20k with a F150 anyways because the tires aren't going to be rated for nearly enough to cover any kind of tongue weight. Gotta look at the entire picture.

 

I have read numerous post on this subject on this and other forums. I have one question...if a rv has a GVW of 14000lbs how can the manufacture put "ST" tires on it rated at max of 3042 lbs ea? My math says this adds up to 12168 lbs. And two 6k axles!!! I know because I have a 5er so rated. My 2013 F-250 6.2L pulls it just fine. I am very comfy with it!

 

Not 7K axles?

On 5er's about 20% of the weight will not be on the RV axles so that is how they get by with some of this but if your 5er gross is 14K then you should have 7K axles on it.

If they are only 6K you have a problem. Look at the data plate on the unit.

Remember also that each tires rating are on the sidewall. So multiply that x2 for each axle.

 

My trailer only weighs about 10k empty. It will never see the 14k rating. Just a mystery to me how rv manufacturers put 12k worth of tires and axles on a unit rated for 14 or more. And just my option...I think these "weight police" need to give it a rest. These trucks are made to work!

 

I agree with you on all points -- just better be ready to prove that you were not overloaded if something bad happens. And you probably will be able to for the criminal case - the civil case will be tougher.

And you are only as good as the weakest link. If you are bumper pulling that goes for the ball and hitch (and receiver). I looked at my 3-ball solid 2" receiver and the 2 5/16" ball is only good for 10k pounds. So if I get a 14k capable trailer, even thought the truck is rated to pull it and I am registered to pull it, I couldn't "legally" pull it with the receiver and ball combo I have. And god help you if you did pull that weight and the ball broke and caused an accident.

I'd like to see a trailer size tire that could handle 10k pounds as well...

 

The tires don't need to be rated for the entire weight of the trailer, only the weight they're actually carrying. If the trailer's GVWR is 14,000, roughly 2800 lbs of that (20%) will be pin weight. That means the tires would be carrying 11,200 lbs. I'd certainly be more comfortable having tires with a higher rating, but they are within legal limits.

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F250 and f350 springs are different, I know because I had broken leaf springs on the rear last summer I replaced them and the f350 springs are different. I didnt check the front coils but I would bet thier rated hevier even if they would interchange.

 

The comment was that the most you can register an axle to carry is 20k pounds. You would need two 10k pound capable tires for that. The person commented that they don't make 10k pound capable tires (in normal trailer tire sizes) so it is not a restricting limit.

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Even the F350 springs are different across the F350 line. I have a camper package which gives me the stiffest springs possible. Snow Plow Prep package will do that as well. Otherwise, it is how the vehicle is configured.

 

D - you hit it on the head - it's how it's configured AND registered - the lower of the two
just like if the axle can handle 40,000, but your tires can only handle 2000, then your limit is 2000 !

And - thanks for this thread ! It made me go look at my truck while the wife kept me out of her way getting ready for the SB festivities

I guess I was stuck on my 250's old rear gawr of 6200 lbs... and never really looked at the 350's sticker - it's rawr is 7000 and the tires are rated @ 3750 each @ 80 psi...
so tires are not the limiting factor on MY rawr as long as I put them to 80 psi.

The dealer registered it new @ 11.5k I think (best check that too !),
so are you saying I could register it here in Texas @ 3750 x 4 = 15k lbs if I ran 80 psi in all tires if I wanted to ?

or 5600+7000 = 12,600 since that's the total of the axle ratings ?

I'm fine on all my weights but truck gvw - I do see that the truck is at 5080+6840=11,920 gvw or 420 over my trucks gvwr so guess I need to bump it up a bit to be strictly legal.

but then that may open a can of worms in that may put my 'registered' gcwr at say 12000+ 16000 = 28000 even though my real weight is much less than that and require more special licensing ?

 

You have a '99. A lot has changed since then. The current version F250, '11+, with the camper package (overload spring) is the same as the F350. Front springs are identical as well.

S

 

Front coils were optioned based mainly on the engine and load package, not the badge. The 4x4 6.0 came with 5200# as the base, with plus-1 5600# and plus-2 6000# springs. I don't know what the 5.4 and 6.8 had as a base, but the springs go down as low as 3600#, and go up in 400# increments to 6000#, then there's 6500# and 7000# options for F450s/F550s. So it's very common to see an F350 with 5200# FGAWR on the sticker, but an F250 right beside it with 5600# or 6000#.

On the rear, up until at least 2007, the main leaf packs were identical, with the F350 getting the upper aux and lower overload springs standard while the F250 had to be optioned with either the camper or snow plow packages to get them. After 2011, there's been some changes to the length of the leaves, the number of springs in the packs, and the rear spacer.

I have an F250 that has maxed out springs on each axle from the factory, my GVWR is 9800# on paper, but I would have no issue pushing the registration to 11,800# GVWR and using 7000# as my RGAWR, since I've upgrade the load index on the tires. 17" OEM tires had a load index of 121, which isn't enough to cover a 7000# RGAWR. I'm not 100% sure, but I think there are F350s with de-rated RGAWRs, but I'm not sure if that's because they came with base 17" rims or because they have the 10k GVWR de-rating package.

 

I stand corrected. Looking at the chart on page 1, there is absolutely no ratings difference between F250's and F350's. So, the OP is probably OK with his truck (assuming the trailer isn't loaded to full GVWR capacity). Hopefully he hasn't run off to trade it.

I guess I was thinking of the older (7.3 vintage) trucks.

 

I don't believe the plow package changed anything on the rear springs, as far as the '11+ trucks are concerned. I think this package simply means 6000# front springs and an upgraded alternator. My F-250 has it, but the rear springs are the basic F-250 setup. Its interesting to note Ford did not make a diesel-specific plow package; as it stands now the gas versions can tote a heavier plow around with less sag.

 

It used to be you could combine the snowplow and camper packages, the snowplow got you +2 (4x4) front springs, a 140A alternator, and a special fan clutch (at least with the 6.0). The camper got you rear aux and overload (F250) and a rear sway bar. Now it seems like you can have the camper packer OR the front heavy service, but not both.

 

Correct, I don't believe you can have both. Why, I'm not sure. It seems to make sense some users might want to plow snow in the winter, and put a truck camper in during the summer.

For 2012, I know the plow package on mine is simply 6,000 # front springs and a 185A alternator (vs. the standard 157A). But then again, it was only like $85 more.