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I have a 4x4f250 2006 with the towing system on it and heavy supension. I am wondering what the max. is I can tow. Does any one pull 5th wheels and if so how much can I safely pull on a regular basis?
For '05, a 6.0 CC 250 SRW w/ 3.73 shows a max 5th wheel weight of 15,400 lbs. Of course, the better approach is to take the 23,000 lb GCWR and subtract the actual (scale) weight of your truck.
But using the 15,400 figure, the problem is that if you rest 25% of the 15,400 pounds on the truck bed (3,850 lbs), this exceeds your payload rating of about 2800 pounds, by a thousand pounds.
Something like this pretty much comes up every week in this forum. There are plenty of guys who will post something along the lines of "their truck can pull what a semi does, as long as they take it easy..." Hogwash. Those ratings are there for a reason. In many places they somewhat correlate to the law. If you're involved in an accident, you may not even be at fault, but if you're over your limits (plated or rated), you never know what a civil court might do to you, particularly if there was a van full of kids and death or injury involved.
In the end, it's not about what the driveline can get moving. With enough gearing, I could move a train with a lawnmower engine. It's about what the brakes, suspension and chassis can handle. Every time you hit a pothole, you're multiplying the force. Ever jump on a scale? You can double your weight from just a few inches up. What if your trailer brakes fail? Can your truck still get everything stopped? Remember, brakes don't usually fail when you're cruising--they tend to fail when you're using them!
For '05, a 6.0 CC 250 SRW w/ 3.73 shows a max 5th wheel weight of 15,400 lbs. Of course, the better approach is to take the 23,000 lb GCWR and subtract the actual (scale) weight of your truck.
But using the 15,400 figure, the problem is that if you rest 25% of the 15,400 pounds on the truck bed (3,850 lbs), this exceeds your payload rating of about 2800 pounds, by a thousand pounds.
Is this info listed on this site? I'm impressed that you have this knowledge of an '06 when you have an '05. I guess that's what makes this site so cool!
tfalk,
What about previous years online? Yes clouden, I have an owners manual but I don't keep it in my back pocket at all times. Is there a place online that has it listed?