Hitch weight may have finally become clear!!!

Old-Biscuit wrote:
This is from your post back in Oct.

GVWR - 8800 lbs.
Front GAWR - 4250 lbs.
Rear GAWR - 6084 lbs.

The registration says the unladen weight is - 6006 lbs.

That 8800# is the MAX your truck is rated to weigh (you, fuel, passengers, stuff in cab, stuff in bed)

The axle ratings are what each axle is rated for but you can NOT add them together. That combined number does not exist as the truck is rated as a whole not the sum of the parts. That is the 8800# number (the whole).

Your payload is the 'whole' minus 'actual' weight of truck (with it loaded ready to camp...you, fuel, passengers, stuff etc.)

You have an unladen weight of 6006# so that is a starting point for 'guesstimates' until you actually weigh.
6006# plus 1000# (you,fuel, passengers, stuff and hitch) equals 7006#
GVWR 8800# minus 7006# equals 1794# (call it 1800#)
1800# payload equals a 5th wheel trailer with a GVWR of 9000# (1800#---20% pin weight)

Your 2001 F250 only has a cargo (payload) max rating of 2319# (4X2 Reg. Cab), max rating of 1660# (4X2 Super Cab) and only 1206# (4X2 Crew Cab)

So you see....your truck may have a MAX tow rating of 13,400# but you are running out of rated cargo/payload with a 9000# 5vr.

Sorry but you just don't have a truck that in reality can tow much of a 5vr. regardless of published mfg. numbers.


As for your tires.......just look on the sidewall of your rear tires for the Max Load Rating AT MAX PSI.
With a rear axle rating of 6084# they are probably rated at 3200# each (MAX Load AT MAX PSI)

Old Biscuit,
After all this time I realize that this is indeed the correct calculation. I've had this explained to me so many different ways that my head was spinning and so many people were just wrong.

An Open Range Light was suggest here in another post and we will be looking at them at the Pomona show and a decision will be made then. At least I know the decision will be correct.

Thank you for your help, you were right.