Fifth wheel towing
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Fifth wheel towing
Can someone please make sense of the 2018 towing guide for fifth wheel on a 2018 f250? If I bought a 2018 f250 diesel lariat short box the max my fifth wheel can weigh is 14,700 and gcwr of 22,500?
thanks
thanks
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Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Wyoming
Simple answer: You probably bought the wrong truck. Not even the F-350 SRW is rated to pull that much trailer.
EDIT: Sorry, read your 22,500 number as the trailer's GVWR. The more complicated answer is that the F-250 _might_ be rated to pull a trailer with a GVWR of 14,700. But it depends on your configuration. However, what it almost always comes down to is your rated cargo capacity. Your truck may not have enough cargo capacity to handle your trailers pin weight.
EDIT: Sorry, read your 22,500 number as the trailer's GVWR. The more complicated answer is that the F-250 _might_ be rated to pull a trailer with a GVWR of 14,700. But it depends on your configuration. However, what it almost always comes down to is your rated cargo capacity. Your truck may not have enough cargo capacity to handle your trailers pin weight.
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If you can't pull the loaded fiver across the scales, use 23% of the trailer's GVWR off the sticker on the side to get an estimated loaded pin weight. That number shouldn't exceed the leftover (on the scales with full fuel, all occupants, hitch and junk) rear axle capacity on the truck.
Rob
Rob
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If you take a 12,000 lb GVWR trailer and do a quick calculation on pin weight, you are going to come up with approx. 2400 lbs of pin weight. Add another 175 to 200 lbs of fiver hitch and now you are at 2600 lbs.......and that is before you add up the weight of the driver, passenger, any and all cargo/items that go on or in the truck. In short, a 12K GVWR trailer is too much for a F250, even a 2WD version. The one exception, and it would still be somewhat marginal, would be one that has the snowplow/camper package on it.
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Doug
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If you can't pull the loaded fiver across the scales, use 23% of the trailer's GVWR off the sticker on the side to get an estimated loaded pin weight. That number shouldn't exceed the leftover (on the scales with full fuel, all occupants, hitch and junk) rear axle capacity on the truck.
Rob
Rob
Thanks
Doug
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If the truck you are referencing above is 4WD, you are going to have approx. 2100 lbs of payload capacity....give or take a hundred pounds either way. If it a 2WD, you probably will have an additional 500 to 600 lbs of payload capacity.
If you take a 12,000 lb GVWR trailer and do a quick calculation on pin weight, you are going to come up with approx. 2400 lbs of pin weight. Add another 175 to 200 lbs of fiver hitch and now you are at 2600 lbs.......and that is before you add up the weight of the driver, passenger, any and all cargo/items that go on or in the truck. In short, a 12K GVWR trailer is too much for a F250, even a 2WD version. The one exception, and it would still be somewhat marginal, would be one that has the snowplow/camper package on it.
If you take a 12,000 lb GVWR trailer and do a quick calculation on pin weight, you are going to come up with approx. 2400 lbs of pin weight. Add another 175 to 200 lbs of fiver hitch and now you are at 2600 lbs.......and that is before you add up the weight of the driver, passenger, any and all cargo/items that go on or in the truck. In short, a 12K GVWR trailer is too much for a F250, even a 2WD version. The one exception, and it would still be somewhat marginal, would be one that has the snowplow/camper package on it.
Thanks
Doug
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Simple answer: You probably bought the wrong truck. Not even the F-350 SRW is rated to pull that much trailer.
EDIT: Sorry, read your 22,500 number as the trailer's GVWR. The more complicated answer is that the F-250 _might_ be rated to pull a trailer with a GVWR of 14,700. But it depends on your configuration. However, what it almost always comes down to is your rated cargo capacity. Your truck may not have enough cargo capacity to handle your trailers pin weight.
EDIT: Sorry, read your 22,500 number as the trailer's GVWR. The more complicated answer is that the F-250 _might_ be rated to pull a trailer with a GVWR of 14,700. But it depends on your configuration. However, what it almost always comes down to is your rated cargo capacity. Your truck may not have enough cargo capacity to handle your trailers pin weight.
Thanks
Doug
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Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Wyoming
15,700 is more than a 2017 F-250 is rated to pull. I doubt your 2012 is any different and almost certainly is rated for less than that, especially with the gas engine.
You know what you need to pull. Go through the towing guide and find a truck configuration that matches or exceeds that weight. Keep in mind that the higher you go in trim package the less cargo capacity you'll have.
You know what you need to pull. Go through the towing guide and find a truck configuration that matches or exceeds that weight. Keep in mind that the higher you go in trim package the less cargo capacity you'll have.
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15,700 is more than a 2017 F-250 is rated to pull. I doubt your 2012 is any different and almost certainly is rated for less than that, especially with the gas engine.
You know what you need to pull. Go through the towing guide and find a truck configuration that matches or exceeds that weight. Keep in mind that the higher you go in trim package the less cargo capacity you'll have.
You know what you need to pull. Go through the towing guide and find a truck configuration that matches or exceeds that weight. Keep in mind that the higher you go in trim package the less cargo capacity you'll have.
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From: Austin, TX
Your pin is likely around 3100 lbs (based on a typical pin-weight of ~20%). If you want to be totally legal going forward, and if you want a crew-cab 4x4 diesel, you're probably looking at a F350 DRW based solely on the payload capacity.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Wyoming
The absolute maximum GCWR for the 2018 F-250 is 25,700. That's for both the loaded truck and loaded trailer and requires the Trailer Tow Package. The trailer for that configuration will max out at 18,500. You would need a 4x2 regular cab diesel to get that rating.
The 2017 model year increased tow ratings quite a bit. When I was looking at 2016 models it was almost impossible to find one on the lot with a trailer capacity of more than 12,500. So I doubt that your 2012 will come close to the 18,500.
Once again, cargo capacity is often the limiting factor. Ford may say you can tow 18,500 but if you don't have the cargo capacity then it won't happen. Fifth wheels have 20% minimum of the trailer's weight on the pin. That's 3,700 lbs. Not even my F-350 is rated for that because I optioned it up and have only 3,100 lb cargo capacity. A stripped down F-350 can have well over 4,000 lb cargo capacity if you option it correctly.
General consensus on the forums is that the F-250 isn't an ideal platform for fifth wheel towing because the cargo capacity of the F-250 is so much lower than the F-350. If you're going to be buying a new truck for towing a fifth wheel then the F-350 is the way to go.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/resources...e_r2_Nov27.pdf
The 2017 model year increased tow ratings quite a bit. When I was looking at 2016 models it was almost impossible to find one on the lot with a trailer capacity of more than 12,500. So I doubt that your 2012 will come close to the 18,500.
Once again, cargo capacity is often the limiting factor. Ford may say you can tow 18,500 but if you don't have the cargo capacity then it won't happen. Fifth wheels have 20% minimum of the trailer's weight on the pin. That's 3,700 lbs. Not even my F-350 is rated for that because I optioned it up and have only 3,100 lb cargo capacity. A stripped down F-350 can have well over 4,000 lb cargo capacity if you option it correctly.
General consensus on the forums is that the F-250 isn't an ideal platform for fifth wheel towing because the cargo capacity of the F-250 is so much lower than the F-350. If you're going to be buying a new truck for towing a fifth wheel then the F-350 is the way to go.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/resources...e_r2_Nov27.pdf
