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

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?

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.

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.

bowler1 wrote:
Hi,
We are looking to get a 5th wheel and a truck. We have a big family so will need a big trailer. Looking at Mid Bunks, and one ton diesel trucks. I really don't want to get a dually if possible.

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

If you want to stick with a SRW, get the highest GVWR, and a lower trim level for the biggest payload.
If you want a lot of bling, do you and your family a big favor and get a DRW.

THIS is when using the "YELLOW" payload sticker on the dealers lot is a BIG help. You will be able to see how extra options affect PAYLOAD.

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.

The F-350 should be fine for the trailer you want. The toy hauler I pull has a scale-weighed pin weight of 3500 pounds. I would tow with nothing less than my dually, which has a payload of 5,000 pounds.

One other thought, you seem opposed to a dually. Last year we were on the road, wife was driving, when the right side inner dually went flat. There was no swerving or change in handling for her, just a rumbling noise. I can only imagine the outcome without the dually.

If you don't over load your RAWR or your tires I wouldn't worry about the payload number. The GVWR is not a legal issue as some would have you believe. Axle and tire ratings are what count. Like many other TC owners my rig weighs in at 1,600 pounds over the GVWR but not over tire or axle ratings. I've traveled thousands of comfortable trouble free miles with it.
I would't give a being "close" to the payload on a 3 series truck a second thought. If we were talking about a 1 series truck where the GVWR is much closer to the actual rating of the much lighter duty axles and other components it would be a bigger deal.

If that pin weight is factory advertised then you will be sadly disappointed. Factory advertised numbers are dry numbers. Meaning no battery, propane,water, food, clothes, or anything else you may cram in it. What is the GVWR of the fovers your looking at? Take 20% of that number. So e will argue you will not likely ever get clost to GVWR weights, thus that nu,ber is meaningless. I argue that it is worst case, so what? If you plan for the worst case then you know your safe. If you plan for the absolute minimum you will always be disappointed.

My Montana High Country advertised pin weight was 2175. My F350 SRW diesel payload was 3267. When loaded for a 3 week trip for me and the wife the pin weight was 3500+/-. Some folks have no issues being over payload. I bought a Ram crew cab diesel equipped the same as the Ford with 4018 payload.
So, the pin weight will increase with just about everything you put in the 5th. The storage is forward of the axles and most of that weight goes right on the pin. I even experimented with filling the fresh water tank to see if that "cantilevered" weight off the pin. For every 4 pounds added to the rear tank only 1 pound came off the pin weight.
If you are close to capacity with the 5th empty you could be as much as 500 pounds over when loaded. Some here will say that's no big deal as long as you are under the tire rating and rear axle rating.

I always weigh every trailer I buy before loading it. Just as you, we aren't full timers and the most we've added to any of the three rv trailers and 3 truck campers has been 1280 lbs in my current 11200 lb 5th wheel trailer.
Many new trailers have a very high gvwr and 3.5k-4.5k CCC....so use the dry weight and the trailers gvwr. Many folks don't tow the trailer at its dry weight and many won't ever pull the trailer at its full gvwr.

Ford markets F350 srw trucks with GVWRs from 10000 lb on up to 11500 lbs but more importantly is three different rawr packages (6340/6780/7230 lbs).
Get the F350 srw with the biggest 11500 gvwr and the 7230 rawr.
Higher gvwr numbers can give the truck bigger tow ratings.
Higher rawr numbers can give the truck more load carrying capacity....all depending on trucks selections.

The 7230 rawr can give the properly equipped truck up to 3600-3800 lb range payload in the bed.