GVWR Question
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 5,818
Likes: 3,453
From: Uh oh, CA
The 10,000 lbs GVWR package on your window sticker is a Down Grade that is mostly intended just for registration in states that charge by your trucks weight rating.
Your white stickers totals up to more than the 10,000 lbs. But somebody when they placed the order to buy this truck back in 2017 opted to DOWNGRADE the GVWR to a 10,000 lbs max. Did Ford change any parts? No I doubt it. It's strictly a downgrade on paper to save money when you register your truck in states that have varying fees depending on the weight rating of the truck. Here in Utah, The annual taxes are based on the trucks value, not it's weight rating. There is virtually no difference in the $ of a renewal for a F250 vs a F350.
But it probably does affect your chances of getting a ticket for being overweight if you exceed it, and chances of getting sued if you are over weight and in an accident
Your white stickers totals up to more than the 10,000 lbs. But somebody when they placed the order to buy this truck back in 2017 opted to DOWNGRADE the GVWR to a 10,000 lbs max. Did Ford change any parts? No I doubt it. It's strictly a downgrade on paper to save money when you register your truck in states that have varying fees depending on the weight rating of the truck. Here in Utah, The annual taxes are based on the trucks value, not it's weight rating. There is virtually no difference in the $ of a renewal for a F250 vs a F350.
But it probably does affect your chances of getting a ticket for being overweight if you exceed it, and chances of getting sued if you are over weight and in an accident
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,338
Likes: 255
From: Livermore Ca.
The 10,000 payload was to satisfy I believe California DMV This state dictates what the auto industry does. Our registration rates here are NUTS so they came up with the 10,000 payload and California wouldn't try to register our trucks as commercial. My truck is 7 years old and registration is over $600. If you get the 11,500 payload they hit you hard here. I went to the DMV site and wow they hit you with $9,000 for this and another $8,000 for taxes then registration is $1,200 a year. Re4member that the 10,000 payload if for DMV only. Your GVWR id dictated by what is in the towing guide and axle and load of tires. Tires being the limiting factor.
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,338
Likes: 255
From: Livermore Ca.
Fritz and Bone,
He is referring to the fact that a bumper pull exerts less force on a drive axle than a 5th wheel, therefore your RAWR is easier to keep under its rating.
Say youve got an 18K latch and pintle and an 18K 5th wheel, that latch and pintle will put a fraction of its weight on your drive axle as that 5th wheel will.
He is referring to the fact that a bumper pull exerts less force on a drive axle than a 5th wheel, therefore your RAWR is easier to keep under its rating.
Say youve got an 18K latch and pintle and an 18K 5th wheel, that latch and pintle will put a fraction of its weight on your drive axle as that 5th wheel will.
Here is the guide. Find your year mine was on page 15.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,693
Likes: 12,817
From: Wyoming
The towing guide is a little optimistic in some cases. Sure, you're rated for a 16,000 fifth wheel. But do you have 3200 lbs of payload to handle that fifth wheel. I'm not arguing about physical ability of the truck, just the stated payload.
Cross-Country
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 60
Likes: 14
I do understand that and thank you for clearing that up for me. But if that is the case than all trucks would be better suited for bumper pull trailers.I just looked up the numbers for my truck in the towing guide. Bumper pull I can to a 14,000 trailer with a 5th wheel I can pull a 16,000 trailer.
Here is the guide. Find your year mine was on page 15.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/
Here is the guide. Find your year mine was on page 15.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,338
Likes: 255
From: Livermore Ca.
But you'll run out of payload capacity quickly with a fifth wheel. It takes a very large bumper pull trailer to run out of payload. It's just the nature of bumper pull versus fifth wheel. With the lower payload of the F-250 it disappears even faster than with an F-350.
The towing guide is a little optimistic in some cases. Sure, you're rated for a 16,000 fifth wheel. But do you have 3200 lbs of payload to handle that fifth wheel. I'm not arguing about physical ability of the truck, just the stated payload.
The towing guide is a little optimistic in some cases. Sure, you're rated for a 16,000 fifth wheel. But do you have 3200 lbs of payload to handle that fifth wheel. I'm not arguing about physical ability of the truck, just the stated payload.
I have been saying this for a long time. if you go by the yellow sticker you will never be able to tow the suggested size trailer the manufacture says you can. At that point you may as well buy a F150.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,221
Likes: 4,231
From: Kaysville Utah
That’s wrong. Until 2020, an F250 was not rated any higher than 10000 GVWR…. And on the 20+ you had to add the HCTT to get to the 10800 GVWR “upgrade,” which does in fact upgrade the rear axle and the rear suspension, so more than just paper. The ”downgrade” on an F250 is 9900 GVWR.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 778
Likes: 427
I see 5th'ers going up and down the mountains of Colorado all the time being towed by F250's. The truck will do a great job, but they are almost all illegal. Nobody gets stopped just because of that, but there are way too many lawyers if there is a big pile up. I thought about ordered a 250 for the better ride, but you just can't make the math work for heavy gooseneck and fifth wheel trailers.
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 708
Likes: 188
I see 5th'ers going up and down the mountains of Colorado all the time being towed by F250's. The truck will do a great job, but they are almost all illegal. Nobody gets stopped just because of that, but there are way too many lawyers if there is a big pile up. I thought about ordered a 250 for the better ride, but you just can't make the math work for heavy gooseneck and fifth wheel trailers.
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,338
Likes: 255
From: Livermore Ca.
My logic is if the trailer has 3 axles than you need a DRW. If it's a toy hauler you need a DRW. I would say if the trailer is shorter than 35' than a 250 should be fine. Longer than that you need a 350. These are just my rule of thumb. This is the case where you buy the cart and match it to the truck. That way you are not limited to what kind of trailer you can buy. Nothing worse than finding the perfect trailer than realizing your truck us not capable of towing it.
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 708
Likes: 188
My logic is if the trailer has 3 axles than you need a DRW. If it's a toy hauler you need a DRW. I would say if the trailer is shorter than 35' than a 250 should be fine. Longer than that you need a 350. These are just my rule of thumb. This is the case where you buy the cart and match it to the truck. That way you are not limited to what kind of trailer you can buy. Nothing worse than finding the perfect trailer than realizing your truck us not capable of towing it.
I have an 2021 F350 SRW 160 wheelbase and was looking at a 38ft long trailer. But my 33.5ft trailer seems really long now. Thanks
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,338
Likes: 255
From: Livermore Ca.
With the 350 I believe you get better brakes and beefier suspension in the rear bigger axles so you can carry a bigger trailer. I am almost maxed out on my 250 with a 34' trailer. I am going to a 35'6" and that will max out my truck. My truck is a SRW SB SC 4x4
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 5,818
Likes: 3,453
From: Uh oh, CA
On the 22MY anyway, that is and is not true. If you get a standard F250 with a short wheel base and compare that to a standard F350 with a long wheel base, then yes, you will get more suspension, and hydroboost brakes rather than vacuum. However, if you take my F250 with a short wheel base and compare it to an F350 with a short wheel base, you will find all the exact same parts. My F250 has the HCTT package, which "upgrades" my rear axle to the Dana M275 rear axle, and upgrades the rear suspension to the same 5 leaf spring pack found in the F350 SRW trucks (whether short or long wheel base). In fact, the only difference between my F250 and a F350 with a long wheel base is an additional 16 inches of wheel base length, and the hydroboost brakes. But you can still get F350's in certain configurations with the "smaller" Sterling 10.5 axle (which is smaller than the axle I have on my F250) and the same 5 leaf spring pack as on my truck, however, the F350 would be "rated" for more than my truck.... There are so many different options now, it really can be confusing!
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 119
Likes: 44
Adding the axle weight ratings together from the white sticker to assume max GVWR works only if your front axle is actually carrying it's max weight, which most aren't. If you want to go down that path you should weigh the axles individually and see what they are actually carrying fully loaded. Granted the load on the front axle does not change very much based on adding a fifth wheel or goose neck trailer to the mix and typically will get slightly less when adding a heavy TT, so be careful with the logic there as well.