Well here I am,new and in need of some real life answers fron you guys who have been pulling a 5th wheel for some length of time with a SD. My wife and I purchased a new 2003 F-250 SD Crew 4x4 FX-4 with the towing pkg. and 3.73 rear and the limited slip rear and the new 6L diesel.

#1 Ford says the rating for my truck is 10600#
#2 The trailor that I think I want will be around 12000#
#3 I won't be in the steep Rockie Mts.
#4 Question???? How much difference is there between the the two weights besides the math. Can I pull a trailor without a "lot" of concern ?

I know I can adjust for some of the weight by not pulling with lots of water and other things but assume that we're looking at 12000#
I also know that many people tow "overrated" (this does not make it right or safe) but I'm talking 1400 #'s and would like to here form you guys who have had, or not had extra repairs due to being just over the line in pulling weight.
Thanks

 

Hello, my fiver is rated at 12,500. It is running right at that, fully loaded. The trailer axles way 10,000 so that meens I have 2500 pounds on my truck. it is rated for I think right at 2000. I havent had any problems yet. The main isue I had was power. I did a chip and exhaust and now have plenty of power. I would suggest getting guages to monitor everything.

I am over weight, but I wouldn't advise it. hasnt hurt my truck yet but it does kind of worry me. I try to haul an extra four wheeler in the back of the trailer to take some weight off of the tounge.

 

The Ford towing guide for 2003 shows GCWR of 20,000lbs and towing capacity of 12,800lbs (5th wheel).

 

but is that for F-250 or F-350?

 

I would be concerned of the legalities. The GCWR (truck & trailer wt.) is 20K. If you are over that, and get caught - big fine. So I wouldn't suggest towing over the limit, but it won't hurt your truck. I have heard of these trucks pull 3x what your trailer weights, but, I don't recommend it.

 

Guys I need your help. Am I reading the Ford towing chart right or am I having a brain "F"

We bought a 2003 F-250 SD; Crew Cab; 4x4; SRW; 6L TD; with the 3:73 rear. Look at the "*" at the bottom of the chart.

What # do you come up with for this truck towing a 5ver ?
Also what does my truck weigh (in the Ford chart), I can't find it.

Thanks

 

From what I see here it says 12,700/10,300 I don't understand what the differences are?? you can go to the sight I went to and see if you understand. You didnt say if it was manual or automatic

http://www.clubfte.com/users/monsta/TrailertowingV2.htm

 

Auto.

 

I know exactly what you are going through... I'm going thru it too.

I did all my research last year with the 2002 trailer towing guide, but didn't buy my truck til 2003. six weeks ago. I bought an F250 CC SRW FX4 6.0 diesel 5SP AUTO LARIAT trim package.

Here's how the weight ratings go as I am learning it.

The GVWR of our truck is 8800#. That means that the most weight allowable on the wheels of the truck is 8800#.
There are also front and rear axle ratings that are not to be exceeded as well, but their sum does not equal what you can put in the truck; they stipulate the front or rear maximums individually.

The trailer towing guide says our trucks can tow a fifth wheel up to 10400#; but that is based on the truck itself with a driver, mandatory options and no cargo. The F350 can tow 12700#.
Key phrase is "UP TO". They are the MAXIMUM you could tow if the truck had no options, cargo or passengers. All these extra things reduce pound for pound what you can really tow (legally).

In reality, you have to weigh your truck (look for truck stops with CAT scales; it'll cost you $8.00). If you weigh it with yourself and spouse in the vehicle, near full fuel tank, and the minimal cargo you will be carrying in your truck while you are towing your fifth wheel. You must subtract that weight from your GVWR of 8800# to determine how much is left over for the hitch itself and the king pin weight.

The firat time I weighed mine it was 8040#. Wooo!!! Doesnt leave much for the hitch and 5er. That was with my wife, myself, a truxedo plus tonneau cover with tool box, a few tools, a full tank of fuel, a cooler and luggage for a weekend at our campsite.

When we got home I took everything out and weighed it again with just myself and 3/8 tank of fuel. It weighed 7320#. That leaves almost 1500# for hitch and pin weight but no wife (hey??) no cargo, or food and drink, and very little fuel.

The pin weight of a 5er is generally between 15-25% of it's total weight. Mind you the weights listed in the brochures are lower than they really are, and get worse when you load up your gear.

So, the bottom line is the F250 with it's 8800# GVWR really limits the 5er you can tow. The F350 with it's 9900# GVWR gives you and extra 1100# of hitch weight head room.

Had the trailer towing guides from Ford been more informative than misleading, I and probably you would have bought the F350 instead.

Hope that'll help.

 

Alfonso
Thanks for the insight. It is a little dishearting the way Ford explains the stats. in their lit. but unfortunately I have a hard time beleiving (that only a few hundred lbs. here and there are going to make a significant difference) in towing a 5er. I'm not going to go over more than 2-300 lbs. even on your #'s. and I factor in how safe of a driver I am.
The 20,000 lbs. "Total" does'nt that mean that I can't tow a total combined weight of 20,000 between the two.

My truck is just like yours
2003/ F-250/ SD/ CC/ 6L /FX-4/ Tshift Trans/ 3:73 rear /camper pkg.

 

Yes. The truck and trailer can't weigh more than 20K, unless you get the rig registered to haul more weight, and that costs more $$$.

 

Well I do know for a fact that I'll be between 19-20000 #'s and I'm going to worry about a few hundred lbs.

Any imput from others who know their 2-400 lbs. over???????

 

Quote: "Had the trailer towing guides from Ford been more informative than misleading, I and probably you would have bought the F350 instead."

The 250 and 350 are the same truck. The ONLY difference is the 250 has a 2 inch block in the rear and the 350 has a 4 inch. That is why the 350 sits higher (it can take more weight before "sagging"). The suspension, tranny, frame, engines, wheels etc. are the same.

Add air bags to your 250 and you will have a 350 (without the door stickers and badges).

I researched the heck out of it before I bought mine. Let me say this before I get flamed....the above is true on 2003 for sure and I think 2002.

 

I like the idea about the air bags. How much and what is a good brand. Also running no air will not increase my height,correct.

I can understand the 350 having a 4" block and the 250 having a 2" block, but what I don't understand is why does the F-250 CC 4x4 have a heigth of 79.8 inches and the same in a F- 350 has a height of 77.1 inches

 

It's not as simple as that. A 3/4 and 1 ton are different in a few ways. The 1 ton has a narrower frame, to accomidate dual rear wheels. The rear axle ratings are different. For the 73-79 trucks, the rear axle for a 3/4 ton is about 5600lbs - a Dana 60 for example. My 1 ton has a Dana 70 rated at 7600. As far as springs are concerned, that is probably true. There are a few other differences, but I can't remember them all...