Towing limit
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, TX
No idea on the specs, just experience.
I have had no problem towing an eighteen foot steel stock trailer with a 1,200 lbs. horse loaded. I have also had no problem towing a 970 John Deere with a loader and shredder attached with no problem. I have pulled a Bobcat that seemed to be pretty darn heavy. With all that said, no damage, and no races won. Hope that sheds some light on what you plan on doing?
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1988-7.3 IDI-C6 Auto-3.55 rear end
I have had no problem towing an eighteen foot steel stock trailer with a 1,200 lbs. horse loaded. I have also had no problem towing a 970 John Deere with a loader and shredder attached with no problem. I have pulled a Bobcat that seemed to be pretty darn heavy. With all that said, no damage, and no races won. Hope that sheds some light on what you plan on doing?
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1988-7.3 IDI-C6 Auto-3.55 rear end
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 241
Likes: 0
From: Canada
I'm looking at an 89 owner's manual. The 17,000 lb limit is for 5 speed and a 5.13 gear. A 5 speed with a 3.55 is 12,000 lb. The automatic rating is the same for 3.55. An auto with a 4.10 goes up to 14,000 lb. For heavy towing the 460 in those years was the one to choose, a 5.13 with auto is rated for 26,000 lb. Having said that, you would spend as much time at the gas pumps as towing. All those numbers are based on a frontal area of 60 sq. ft. Don
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: Mexico
Hola,
I pulled a a 16ft cargo trailer load up for a trip though central america and had a fully loaded 11ft camper (including the water tank). I stopped at a scale and weighed in at 14,500 pounds.
I also had a new brake controller put on that came with the wrong operating instructions, so I had the settings all screwed up and had a hard time controling the truck and trailer. About a 1/3 of the way through Mexico I got on the internet and downloaded the correct instructions, got the settings right, and had no problems from there.
Keep the RPM's up and be prepared for a lot of shifting gears.
1990 F-250SD 7.3IDI
I pulled a a 16ft cargo trailer load up for a trip though central america and had a fully loaded 11ft camper (including the water tank). I stopped at a scale and weighed in at 14,500 pounds.
Crosbones is very very correct that it is all about stopping your vehicle.
I also had a new brake controller put on that came with the wrong operating instructions, so I had the settings all screwed up and had a hard time controling the truck and trailer. About a 1/3 of the way through Mexico I got on the internet and downloaded the correct instructions, got the settings right, and had no problems from there.
Keep the RPM's up and be prepared for a lot of shifting gears.
1990 F-250SD 7.3IDI
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
If you pull real heavy loads its more the driver ability to handel the rig than the specks of the truck.I pull a JD 310 backhoe pritty regularly and dave can probly inform you of how big these things can be.I have also pulled bigger loads than that.crossbones2 is right you shouldn't pull more than you can stop.my tailer has 6 disk breaks (3 axle 20footer)and my truck also has a set of aftermarket massive Willwood sloted disc breaks and 4piston calipers up front.my truck unloaded will stop less than half that of a stocker truck
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, TX
The factory specs will involve both the pulling, and stopping capacities. This will help you decide what the truck was designed to do, and how it will perform as it applies to your needs.
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1988-7.3 IDI-C6 Auto-3.55 rear end
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1988-7.3 IDI-C6 Auto-3.55 rear end
Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
When i was looking for a truck i went to a for dealer who actually kept original brochures going back many years and they actually had one for a 93 f350. according to the brochure the towing limit on my truck is 11,000 lbs. I wish that it was 17,000
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
MSC1,
Is that number the gross combined weight or the trailer weight alone?
An 11,000 pound trailer behind a 7,000 pound truck would give you an 18,000 pound gross combined weight.
GCVW - gross combined vehicle weight - minus the normal weight of your truck full of fuel and with your normal truck loading (people and luggage included) when you are towing = the weight of what you can tow.
GVW - gross vehicle weight - minus what your truck full of fuel and the normal loading (people and luggage included) weighs = what you can haul in the truck for load
From what I have seen, RV's are excluded from any restrictions as to weight or length.
All other uses go by what weight the truck is registered for.
My truck is registered for 20,000 pounds.
The truck is 8000 pounds.
So either I can haul 12,000 pounds on the truck or I can have an empty truck and a 12,000 pound trailer.
The state don't care what or how, just so I am at 20,000 pounds or less total weight.
Is that number the gross combined weight or the trailer weight alone?
An 11,000 pound trailer behind a 7,000 pound truck would give you an 18,000 pound gross combined weight.
GCVW - gross combined vehicle weight - minus the normal weight of your truck full of fuel and with your normal truck loading (people and luggage included) when you are towing = the weight of what you can tow.
GVW - gross vehicle weight - minus what your truck full of fuel and the normal loading (people and luggage included) weighs = what you can haul in the truck for load
From what I have seen, RV's are excluded from any restrictions as to weight or length.
All other uses go by what weight the truck is registered for.
My truck is registered for 20,000 pounds.
The truck is 8000 pounds.
So either I can haul 12,000 pounds on the truck or I can have an empty truck and a 12,000 pound trailer.
The state don't care what or how, just so I am at 20,000 pounds or less total weight.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
As long as your smart about hauling your fine, I have hauled a 7ton load warrior with 8 thousand pound tractor on the back(JD4000) and had no trailer brakes and did just fine, I also hauled a JD4020 with a 11ton PJ trailer (about a thirty five foot trailer) and it had no trailer brakes on it either, hauled that all the way across the state no problem, just gotta be smart when you have to stop, slow down, can never be too careful. BTW what does a gooseneck trailer weigh empty?
Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
The 11,000 lbs. is what i can put on the flatbed or tow behind the truck, also I took my truck to a scale & it weighs 4,000 for a total of 15,000 lbs. I use it to tow an rv that weighs 7,500 lbs empty about 9000 loaded up.
Senior User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
From: Texas USA
So you guys are saying that my F250 7.3L E4od 4.10 rear is designed to have a GCVW of 14,000 lbs. The truck weighs 7,000 lbs, which means I can only pull a 7,000 lb load??
Are the numbers the same for a gooseneck? or can you haul more?
Are the numbers the same for a gooseneck? or can you haul more?