I've spent hours looking at charts, reading internet articles, and even posted some questions in towing forums here, and just can't get to a simple answer.

Can somebody please help me with two simple answers to what seems to be very complex questions?

Given my truck (you can see it and it's window sticker here): https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...new-owner.html

can somebody please tell me:

1. What is the maximum weight trailer I can pull from the bumper?

2. What is the maximum weight trailer I can pull from a fifth wheel?

Thanks in advance,
Robert

 

Towing guides are here:


RV & Trailer Towing Guides | fleet.ford.com


For the bumper: Page 20 13,300 because you don't have the trailer tow package.


5th wheel: page 21 13,200 for the same reason.

 

Thank you very much for this! So I know how to read these in the future, I'm curious why 13,300 and not 12,600 on page 20? Is it because the 20,600 GCWR has a footnote for a 9,900 GVWR and my truck has a 10,000 GVWR?

3.55 20,600(1) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 12,600 12,600
21,300 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 13,300 13,300

 

Yes, your GVW is 10K.
Plus you refer to the type of engine and gear ratio and finally the model, be it crew cab or super cab and the wheel base length.

 

Thanks senix!

 

People rarely (maybe never) get to their tow limits before exceeding their GVWR on a 6.7 F250. Add the weight of all people, pets and cargo... add hitch weight, and subtract from your payload to see how much pin / tongue you can have.

Look at your door payload sticker. I estimate it will be 1700# or so. If you have 500# of passengers/gear, and a 150# hitch (50# for a WD tag-along hotch), you have only 1050# left for the pin/tongue. The platinum long bed 4x4s are heavy. With a 15% pin/tongue weight, that'd be a 7000# trailer. I just shake my head when reading Ford's tow ratings for the F250 trucks in the same guide that says never exceed your GVWR.

I'm not saying that is all the truck will handle; it is all it can handle and stay below the GVWR in my scenario.

 

Thank you for this. I went and weighed my truck today. Based on your numbers above, I came up with this spreadsheet. Reasonable?




Note on above: top set actual. bottom set estimated with family. Also, note that I didn't update the front/rear axle totals with the additional 500# -- not sure where it would go but assuming rear... which would probably put me down to the 7000# you estimated.

 

just stay under the axle rating or tire rating whichever you hit first. Most likely it would be the RAWR

 

Thanks senix.

After I took a hard look at my spreadsheet, it looks like I run out of max cargo before I run out of RAWR.

 

I think I found some errors in my spreadsheets above. Rather than edit them I will post, what I think is, the finished version here.

From what I can tell, I never have to worry about exceeding combined weight because I always run out of either max trailer or payload capacity first.

I'd love for anyone to poke holes in this and tell me how and where it's wrong. Until then, I hope this helps other towing newbies but use at your own risk -- YMMV.

Note, the highlighted cells in column 'C' are what I think I can tow (top version is just me, bottom version is with my family and gear -- assuming 500#).

 

Unbelievably, I found another slight error. My GCWR is a little lower than I thought above. I caught it when looking at the pdf again. So I've updated the sheet again.

I gotta tell ya, I'm a multi-engine, instrument rated pilot, and I never had to do so much work calculating airplane weight and balance as this towing stuff.

 

I grew up in the days of the 460 and 454 motors pulling anything and everything. Diesels just weren't the bomb they are now. I bought my F250 in 05 new. I looked at all the motor options. I took the 5.4 3v. Now I don't regret this decision at all. 300hp 385 torque. Compared to retro this should pull whatever I wanted too. During the time over the years before I bought my RV. I learned all about the numbers. I was looking at 5th wheel toy haulers, thinking that was what I wanted. Would the little 5.4 pull them. Perhaps, maybe. I learned that the difference in 250 to 350 is no difference in performace, brakes, chassis, etc. Except GVWR of the tow vehicle. Price point is almost non exsistant between the two. Since owning my RV. With the tounge weight and loaded with family and fur kid. I am near the GVWR of my 250. Gears only change the GCWR. I am OK with my combo. I like it. But if I ever decide to upgrade to a bigger trailer. A 350 will be bought. Solely for the purpose of the approximate extra 1k GVWR over the 250. That becomes huge. A toy hauler 5th is really pushing the limits of a 350 duelly. Almost Tipping the scales to a 450. At least for those over 40ft. After 11 years with my little 5.4, I have learned quite a bit about towing numbers. Still don't have a need for a toy hauler or a duelly to go with it. But a 350 single wheel could show up in my future. That extra capacity would help in covering the extra weight of a lariat or higher trim package. Enjoy the truck. It is sweet. As I have been watching them change over the years.