Factory Pin Weight vs. Actual vs. Payload???

My GVW is 7439 lbs with a GCVWR of 23,500 lbs.

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, the F-350 can have up to a 4000 pound or so payload rating, but that would be with a gas engine I would assume. The diesel engine takes away about 700 pounds of payload.

I think that the dually would certainly be better for towing a trailer of this size, but this will also be my daily driver. Not only do I hate the look of duallies, they seem to me like they would be somewhat of a PIA to drive as a daily driver and I imagine they would not be as pleasant to drive when unloaded...but I could be wrong.

I agree that the extra safety margin would certainly be helpful, but I am not sure if the negative tradeoffs of a dually as a daily driver would be woth it for the 1x per month I tow my trailer.

Plus, if I am going to spend 60k on a truck, I do at least want to like it. I am generally a function over form guy, but in this case I will be doing 99% of my driving while not towing.

Matt

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, the F-350 can have up to a 4000 pound or so payload rating, but that would be with a gas engine I would assume. The diesel engine takes away about 700 pounds of payload

Not according to Fords Fleet body service specs. Check out some of the F350 SRW 6.7 diesel trucks with 18" and 20" wheel options (about half way down). Several with 4k+ load ratings.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/2017/2017_F-250_F-350_F-450_SD_Pickups_-_Specs.pdf.

Yes, I looked at the specs before as well and did notice that they showed high payloads up to around 4k. So I thought this would not be an issue for me.

However, when I was actually going to pull the trigger on a truck I wanted to double check the door sticker and I was surprised to see it was only like 3200 pounds. This proved the same on two other trucks I was considering. All were Lariats with the diesel engine.

Granted, my sample size is 3, but I am sceptical of the ratings on the website. The truth lies in what's on the door sticker....or at least I think.

I don't own either the trailer or the truck right now so I am just trying to make sure I get it right before buying.

And of course, when I ask the question about whether I can tow it with a SRW my question asssumes that I want to tow SAFELY and with reasonable comfort. Not looking to take risks or to have white knuckle experiences.

Matt

bowler1 wrote:

I think that the dually would certainly be better for towing a trailer of this size, but this will also be my daily driver. Not only do I hate the look of duallies, they seem to me like they would be somewhat of a PIA to drive as a daily driver and I imagine they would not be as pleasant to drive when unloaded...but I could be wrong.

, but I am not sure if the negative tradeoffs of a dually as a daily driver would be woth it for the 1x per month I tow my trailer.

, I do at least want to like it. I am generally a function over form guy, but in this case I will be doing 99% of my driving while not towing.

Matt

I am generally a function over form guy, but in this case I will be doing 99% of my driving while not towing.
Than get a smaller trailer that a smaller truck can handle. However if you desire a large trailer, than it requires a larger truck simple physics.
We try often to make the non towing argument but it just does not apply.
Matching a combo has nothing to do with what happens to the truck when not towing. Combo matching, towing parameters, involves towing only.

"Plus, if I am going to spend 60k on a truck"
Than make it the right truck vs. the style points truck.
Buying a 60K truck that doesn't get the job done makes even less sense

"I agree that the extra safety margin would certainly be helpful"

It will be more than helpful,on a good day the safety margin won't matter at all But on a bad day it can make all the difference in the world.
You know the correct answer to this equation. You have done your homework and been to the sales lots. Now you just need to get over the dually stigma. You are letting the cool factor overshadow what the numbers and your own research are telling you.
A truck that is within all of its parameters will always deliver a better towing experience vs. a truck that is only within some of its parameters.
The towing experience has a major impact on your camping experience.
If your combo is properly matched you will venture far and wide without hesitation.
If you combo is mediocre or not 100% in order you will not travel as far and will be reluctant to leave a limited comfort zone.
Lastly get it right the 1st time, If you play the camping game long enough or just read these forums for awhile you will realize it always cost more to get it right the 2nd time.

Planning wrote:

rhagfo wrote:
do you and your family a big favor and get a DRW.

You will rarely if ever think or say "Gee, I wish that this truck was not as capable, strong or powerful."

Always purchase the largest safety margin that your budget will allow.

Convenience, real or perceived, has zero priority in the few seconds that you will have during an emergency. The thought of any predictable budgetary costs or savings will not even occur in your thoughts in those moments.

The issue should never be "can I get by with it", or, "others do it".

Look at your loved ones, and the mirror, and then decide.

So why aren't you driving a Class 8? Didn't you look at your loved ones?

bowler1 wrote:
The campers I am looking at have pin weights in the 2500 pound range (with one at 2700). The max payload on the trucks (2018 F-350 Lariat diesel) is about 3200. That does not give me a whole lot of margin; although my family will be riding in another vehicle so may additional payload in my truck with me will be in the 400 pound range.

This puts me right below max payload with a little margin. However, that's if the pin weight is accurate. How much should this vary when fully loaded? I am not going to be living out of it full time so the cargo will not be excessive, but I really have no clue how this might affect pin weight.

Thanks
Matt

A dry pin weight is usually fairly accurate. I compared mine once and it was close:
http://learntorv.com/dry-weights-truth-in-advertising/

As for what your wet/loaded pin weight might be, you can guestimate that pretty well using the following tool:
http://towingplanner.com/Estimators/TonguePinWeightFromDry

From what I'm reading, you'll likely be over the GVWR of the truck itself once you're loaded up for trips. But it's hard to definitely say.

I will also say- I can't help the looks of the dually, I actually like it. But using a dually as a daily driver isn't as much of a hassle as you'd imagine. My issues typically are length and height related more than the width of the truck. I've had my truck in everything from tight coastal tourist beach towns to city garages and most everything in between.

Duallys get a bad wrap. They're not as bad as people think or make them out to be.

john&bet wrote:

ScottG wrote:

bluie5 wrote:
With my 11,500 GVWR on the 2016 Lariat F-350 in my signature I have a payload slightly over 4,000 pounds. Look for the highest GVWR you can get.

I think this is closer to what they will actually do. I built a SRW F350 (pretty much loaded) on-line a couple of days ago and it had well over 4000# capacity.

If I may ask, what was that trucks GVW and GCVWR?

I'm sorry, I saw them at the time but I forgot. They were ample for my needs!

You're not going to have 4000 lbs payload with a 4x4 SRW diesel crew cab. Mine is 3322 lbs. The GVWR of mine is 11500 and the GCWR is 28700 lbs. So I can apparently tow a 20,000 lb RV so long as my hitch is rated for 20k and the pin weight of my trailer is only 2800 lbs or so. I guess I'd have to make sure I have a 1000 lb motorcycle hanging off the back of the 5ver.