F350 towing
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: North Carolina
depending on how your state does things, here you just buy the tag for the total combined weight of your rig. My crew cab dually is tagged for 15,000, so as long as my total weight of the truck and trailer with all contents combined does not exceed that, it is legal. If you are towing a 10 k trailer, I would buy an 18,000 lb tag to be on the safe side
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: USA
I'm not sure how SD does things, but usually pickup truck registrations are based either on the actual curb weight of the truck empty or on the GVWR of the truck (which has nothing to do with your trailer), as stated on the door sticker. I think you are confusing GVWR (total weight the truck is allowed to weigh) with GCWR, which is the maximum allowed combined weight of the truck and trailer.
Your GCWR for that truck is probably around 18000 lbs. You can find out for sure by consulting a Ford towing guide for your year and model truck with your engine, transmission, and axle ratio, as those things affect GCWR greatly.
If you are stopped at the scales by authorities, which is not likely to happen, you want to be under the GVWR of the truck (which does include the trailer tongue weight), under the GCWR of the truck (which includes the total of the truck and trailer), under the GVWR of the trailer (which also includes the tongue weight) and GAWR of the trailer (which does not include tongue weight).
Your GCWR for that truck is probably around 18000 lbs. You can find out for sure by consulting a Ford towing guide for your year and model truck with your engine, transmission, and axle ratio, as those things affect GCWR greatly.
If you are stopped at the scales by authorities, which is not likely to happen, you want to be under the GVWR of the truck (which does include the trailer tongue weight), under the GCWR of the truck (which includes the total of the truck and trailer), under the GVWR of the trailer (which also includes the tongue weight) and GAWR of the trailer (which does not include tongue weight).
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Thank you for clarifying this, you are exactly correct, I am confused.
I belong to several RV email groups and the GVWR has been touted as the 'ultimate' number I am not to exceed, which did not seem right to me.
Now I have tried to find out the GCWR for my truck, I've even called Ford and they mailed me a towing guide but it is for trucks for years 2000+ only, which does not help me with my 1992.
I wonder if anyone might have the right book and could verifiy that GCWR for me.
I do know that my GVWR is 10,000 the front axle GAWR is 4000 and the rear 7400 and my rear axle ratio is 4.10 the engine is a 460 7.5 L. The tranny has been modified and has the largest air cooler that would fit and heavy duty shocks. The hitch I am going to get is a 16K hitch and my trailer gvwr is 10,000, fully loaded, dry weight is 7300. I know I won't be overloading the trailer.
I would like to have about 2000 lbs for adding items onto the truck, this is for a big generator and tools and some heavy boxes I have to haul.
If anyone out there has a 1992 towing guide that covers this 1992 F350 I would love to hear what it states in writing for the maximum GCWR.
Thanks.
I belong to several RV email groups and the GVWR has been touted as the 'ultimate' number I am not to exceed, which did not seem right to me.
Now I have tried to find out the GCWR for my truck, I've even called Ford and they mailed me a towing guide but it is for trucks for years 2000+ only, which does not help me with my 1992.
I wonder if anyone might have the right book and could verifiy that GCWR for me.
I do know that my GVWR is 10,000 the front axle GAWR is 4000 and the rear 7400 and my rear axle ratio is 4.10 the engine is a 460 7.5 L. The tranny has been modified and has the largest air cooler that would fit and heavy duty shocks. The hitch I am going to get is a 16K hitch and my trailer gvwr is 10,000, fully loaded, dry weight is 7300. I know I won't be overloading the trailer.
I would like to have about 2000 lbs for adding items onto the truck, this is for a big generator and tools and some heavy boxes I have to haul.
If anyone out there has a 1992 towing guide that covers this 1992 F350 I would love to hear what it states in writing for the maximum GCWR.
Thanks.
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Dixie
I've got a 1990 F-350 7.3L IDI, 5sp, CC and the book says that for my truck that the GCVWR is 10,000#. However, I tow a 10,500# GVW 5th wheel camper. The CAT scales shows that my GVW for the truck is 6640# all up weight (40gal fuel, hitches, driver, passenger, and tools). The title shows an empty weight of 5,200#. Next time that I have the 5ver on I'm going to run it across the scales.
One of the things to think about is frontal area, book says no more than 60 square feet. So if your 5ver is high in the front this may cut down on your performance.
My feeling is that the book is a little off on the GCVWR since it's the same as the truck GVWR.(Book's out in the truck right now...will look at it again and post any new info)
The truck will definately handle the weight but the performance will go in the gutter, along with the fuel mileage. I can't get my 5ver over 70mph on a flat road and passing a truck on the interstate is a challenge. If I don't have a large speed margin then I slow down to his speed when I hit his bow wave.
Now I can run 60-65 all day long...on flat roads, but hills and head winds are a different story.
Also the mileage is cut in half (8.6mpg).
Good Luck
One of the things to think about is frontal area, book says no more than 60 square feet. So if your 5ver is high in the front this may cut down on your performance.
My feeling is that the book is a little off on the GCVWR since it's the same as the truck GVWR.(Book's out in the truck right now...will look at it again and post any new info)
The truck will definately handle the weight but the performance will go in the gutter, along with the fuel mileage. I can't get my 5ver over 70mph on a flat road and passing a truck on the interstate is a challenge. If I don't have a large speed margin then I slow down to his speed when I hit his bow wave.
Now I can run 60-65 all day long...on flat roads, but hills and head winds are a different story.
Also the mileage is cut in half (8.6mpg).
Good Luck
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From: Dixie
Ok, just went out to the truck and looked in the book, these are the numbers for a 1990 F-350. They should be close to yours.
7.5l, auto, 4.10= 18,000#gcvwr with a max 12,000# trl wt. Max frt area=60sqft.
Reduce these figures by 2% for each 1,000ft altitude. It doesn't get heavier at altitude but you do lose hp at that rate.
Also I stand corrected on the weights for my truck: 14,000#gcvwr, max 9,000# trl wt. (actually had a guy on an rv forum jump me about my weight, although he was almost 5,000# over on his...what a buffoon)
Keep in mind that these ratings mean that you get acceptable acceleration and stopping performance while towing with your vehicle.
My stance is that if you can accept less performance then towing a larger trailer is not a problem.
I may know who has a book for your truck...let me check.
Edit: The info for the 1992 is the same.
That being, I would say that you're ok to tow this 5ver. You may pi$$ off a few drivers behind you going up hills but they usually get over it.
7.5l, auto, 4.10= 18,000#gcvwr with a max 12,000# trl wt. Max frt area=60sqft.
Reduce these figures by 2% for each 1,000ft altitude. It doesn't get heavier at altitude but you do lose hp at that rate.
Also I stand corrected on the weights for my truck: 14,000#gcvwr, max 9,000# trl wt. (actually had a guy on an rv forum jump me about my weight, although he was almost 5,000# over on his...what a buffoon)
Keep in mind that these ratings mean that you get acceptable acceleration and stopping performance while towing with your vehicle.
My stance is that if you can accept less performance then towing a larger trailer is not a problem.
I may know who has a book for your truck...let me check.
Edit: The info for the 1992 is the same.
That being, I would say that you're ok to tow this 5ver. You may pi$$ off a few drivers behind you going up hills but they usually get over it.
Last edited by 001-F DORF; May 2, 2004 at 09:59 AM.
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Okay so your book says 14,000#gcvwr, max 9,000# trl wt. for the 1992 F350 with 7.5L and 460 engine right? That should be ok for me. I don't care much about ****ing off the guy behind me, if they don't get that a big rig like me has to climb a little slower they can just well, never mind.
I wish the trailer weight said 10K but I can live with it.
yes I have run into my share of the buffoons on the RV lists, they seem to be married to the gvwr figure......that's why I came here to this forum where I felt I would get correct info and now that you have quoted the 14K #'s for me I do feel better. I'll be running about 12K and no more when maxed out.
The trailer is 12' in height tho and I am thinking of getting one of those wind deflectors for the roof of the F350. They are supposed to help this aspect alot.
So the gcwr is 14K and that means I can tow that total, correct? Whew, I can breathe again, nothing like buying a $30,000.00 rig and then not knowing if I can tow it safely.
Thanks, You helped me alot, anyone with any other helpful advice for me I would surely appreciate it.
JC
I wish the trailer weight said 10K but I can live with it.
yes I have run into my share of the buffoons on the RV lists, they seem to be married to the gvwr figure......that's why I came here to this forum where I felt I would get correct info and now that you have quoted the 14K #'s for me I do feel better. I'll be running about 12K and no more when maxed out.
The trailer is 12' in height tho and I am thinking of getting one of those wind deflectors for the roof of the F350. They are supposed to help this aspect alot.
So the gcwr is 14K and that means I can tow that total, correct? Whew, I can breathe again, nothing like buying a $30,000.00 rig and then not knowing if I can tow it safely.
Thanks, You helped me alot, anyone with any other helpful advice for me I would surely appreciate it.
JC
Post Fiend
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,324
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From: Denton,TX
OK, let's get the Ford terms straight. They don't use GCVWR. It is GVWR (the max allowable weight of the truck when fully loaded, including pin/hitch weight) and GCWR (the max allowable combination of truck and trailer when both fully loaded).
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From: Dixie
JC,
If you read my post again you'll see that your truck is 18,500# and the trailer max is 12,500#.
The weights you noted are for my truck not your's since I have a 7.3L diesel w/man trans. Either way you're fine.
Johnsdiesel: Ok so I put the "V" in there...my bad.
If you read my post again you'll see that your truck is 18,500# and the trailer max is 12,500#.
The weights you noted are for my truck not your's since I have a 7.3L diesel w/man trans. Either way you're fine.
Johnsdiesel: Ok so I put the "V" in there...my bad.
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