The length of the trailer definately has bearing. The longer the trailer the more cross wind you will pick up with it, and the more important a dually would be to counter that. 450 vs 350, length has no play, just weight.

 

I would say it depends on how often you pull it and how far you travel. I would have no problems hooking my srw f350 to that trailer and taking a trip, but if you are planing on spending say 5000 miles a year with it in tow then get a dually. btw you do spend more on tires do to the extra two, but in my experience they last almost twice as long so its really no extra cost.

 

You said that the trailer weighs 13,400 lbs, plus the weight of the truck usually around 8,000 lbs. That puts you at 21,400lbs. Now you want to add 1600lbs of motorcycles now you are at 23,000lbs. When you add people, cargo, and other stuff you are now overweight with a SRW, especially with 3.73 gears. My suggestion would be to get the dually with the Tow Boss package, that includes those cool mirrors, auto transmission, 4:30 gears, and increases your CGVWR to 26,000lbs. Now you can pull anything.

 

how is he overwieght? He is legal for 30,900. triple axle single trailer is 21000 and a srw f350 is 9900. As for 3.73s I hauled cars for two years grossing upto 42000 legally with 3.73s and never had a problem in over 150,000 miles.

I guess if money is no object then by all means go for a $60,000 f450, but if you arent pulling that kind of load full time why waste the money.

 

According to Ford's brochure, the GCWR for a F-350 with 3:73 gears is 23,000lbs. These are the only gears available with a SRW. As far as a dually, 4:10 gears the GCWR is 23,500lbs and with 4:30 gears the GCWR is 26,000lbs. When you exceed the Gross Combined Weight Rating you are overweight and subject to fines. Here in PA the fine is $1 per pound overweight. The State Police in PA are always on the lookout for vehicles that are overweight and a danger on the roads. I have no idea where you got that 30,900 number, I would like to see that on paper.

 

I dont know how many state police officers carry a brochure. The legal gross vehicle wieght ratings are listed on the vehicles your are operating. If the pickup has 9900 gvw and the trailer had 21000 gvw you have 30900. I know this from experience. I have a triple axle dually trailer rated at 30k I can run in all lower 48 states and have with f350 dually grossing 42k. The dot looks at the actual rating not manufacturers recomendations.

 

Do you have a CDL by chance?

 

So what's a realistic, safe, no worries size 5th wheel to pull with a SRW 350?? And you can get by with a lot bigger 5th wheel than you can a tow trailer right?

 

I'm betting he does. My question is... what difference does that make? Does having a CDL mean you can legally go over the Manufacturers GVW ?
Do the state laws dealing with weight have anything to do with what you can LEGALLY haul ?

 

For several years I towed a 35' NuWa Hitchhiker 5th wheel that was running a little over 14,000 loaded with a 2000 F350 CC SRW short bed and was within the factory and state weight limits. I did have disc brakes on the 5th wheel, it was not required but was for my peace of mind. Never had a problem towing or stopping.

You could pick up a towing guide from a local Ford dealership or probably find one on line that is for your truck and set up.

And yes, your tow ratings are higher for a 5th wheel (or gooseneck) trailer than for a travel trailer due to several reasons.

 

Thats a question I've been trying to figure out for some time. I think its about time I called the WSP and figured this mess out.

 

Let me say this again very clearly. GCWR is Gross Combined Weight Rating. Your truck and trailer cannot legally exceed that rating whether it is 23k or 26k. If you exceed that weight of both truck and trailer you are subject to fines. In my case, my 2006 cc dually weighs in at 10,300lbs, my GCWR is 23,500lbs, I am legally allowed to tow 13,200lbs, I am not saying the truck can't handle anything heavier I just can't do it legally. And by the way my cousin is a Philadelphia Police officer, and when they see a vehicle that looks dangerous and maybe overweight they do pull them over, they radio the dispatcher who then calls the local Dealership for tow ratings and he says that the State Police do the same thing. As far as a CDL I will be taking the test next month.

 

I honestly don't understand how you are getting your information.

State of Washington Law states that a vehicle over 26,000 GVW requires Class B CDL. Any vehicle over 26,000 GVW pulling a trailer over 10,000 GTW requires Class A License. Not to mention the vehicle has to be rated to pull that kind of weight in the first place. I don't see how pulling a bigger trailer makes your GCWR go up - its still determined by the capability of the truck. Am I missing something here?

 

Colossus, back when I needed and maintained a CDL, all I can remember the third axle doing for a trailer or dump truck was increasing the state limit on the amount of weight that particular length unit could haul here in Texas. They had a formula they applied to commercial trucks and we had to be careful not to exceed the weight limit or we got to pay the fines.

These were on large trucks not pickups. I certainly agree with you that just because you add another axle to a trailer, it does not increase the GCWR (which is a legal rating) of a pickup. It probably increases the rating of the trailer, but if the weight of the combined unit exceeds the rating of the tow vehicle then you are in violation. Of course the only time it would cost you would be if you were caught or involved in an accident where it was found you were over the weight limit.

A know that one time I was grossing over 108,000 while the weight limit for the unit I was operating was 80,000. I didn't load it, but was expected to drive it. Just glad it was less than 100 miles and nothing happened.

 

No ... thats the point, the GCVWR set by Ford is NOT a legal thing. It is a performance thing set by Ford so you won't complain. ANYTHING you change in the supention or drive train changes the "GVWR" set by Ford. The state has it's own formulas for how much weight you can carry. In the state of MI. you can lisence up to 700Lbs/ Sq In of tire on the ground. If you want more then that, you have to pay more and get a permit. What Ford says doesn't matter. What Chevy says doesn't matter either.