Towing this with 3/4 ton
Looking for thoughts on how this would behave: 2013 F250 diesel crew cab (short bed 4x4) pull rite slider From Ford Spec sheet: GVWR 10,000# Max payload: 3240# Max 5th wheel trailer weight 15,...
Forum Discussion
I posted this in another topic, but it applies here.
Just my 2 cents. I speak from experience when I tell you that your F350 SRW will pull a big trailer. Mine was a 2000 F350 SRW 7.3 diesel crewcab and I had upgraded it to around 350HP with a chip and exhaust. I also added firestone airbags to the rear axle and high quality brakes. The GCVWR on my truck was listed as 20000,(which BTW is the same for a DRW) and at the scale the truck weighed 7200lbs with 1/2 tank of gas and me. I calculated that I could put 3900 pounds on the hitch and still be within my limit as the firestone tires have a weight rating of 3450 each,(6900lbs for the axle). So our trailer was purchased and the pin weight empty was 3200. So I knew that I was going to be running close to my weight limits for the axle and I was over the GCVWR of the truck, but I was going to be driving on the interstates, in the flat lands of the midwest and felt that I would be OK if I was careful, kept the speed down and didn't push the rig to hard. I pulled the trailer on 3 trips from 60 miles one way to 300 miles one way. The last and longest trip was the 300 miles through Oklahoma on an average windy (15-20MPH) day for Oklahoma. After 2 1/2 hours of driving, I was worn out and had to stop. The truck pulled the trailer ok, and the tire temps and engine gauges were fine, no overloaded condition, not working the engine to hard. The problem was that the trailer was pushing the SRW around just enough that I had to keep my concentration on the road without a break. Speed was 60-65 on straight flat 4 lane, but the truck still wanted to squirm around in the wind. It was a lesson well learned, because friends who should know said that with the mods that I had done, the truck should be fine. So, in the end, we are fortunate that we can afford to replace the 2000 F350 with a 2010 F450. We got a really good deal on the new/used truck, and I can assure you that it has the numbers to pull my 16K 5er. On the first trip with it, we logged 540 miles, and were calm and relaxed even in some hills in Arkansas. The big dually handled the trailer beautifully. OK, so didn't realize that I was rambling on here... Point is, don't bite off more than you are willing to chew. If you are worried that your rig, whatever it may be, will be too much for you to handle, then it probably will be. Cut back to your comfortable weight/length/configuration and I can guarantee you that you will enjoy camping much more, and will probably do it more often. And please everyone...don't waste your time telling me that I was crazy to think that my old truck could do the job. I already know that, and have since solved that problem. I learned an important lesson, and hope that this helps the OP in some way.
Just my 2 cents. I speak from experience when I tell you that your F350 SRW will pull a big trailer. Mine was a 2000 F350 SRW 7.3 diesel crewcab and I had upgraded it to around 350HP with a chip and exhaust. I also added firestone airbags to the rear axle and high quality brakes. The GCVWR on my truck was listed as 20000,(which BTW is the same for a DRW) and at the scale the truck weighed 7200lbs with 1/2 tank of gas and me. I calculated that I could put 3900 pounds on the hitch and still be within my limit as the firestone tires have a weight rating of 3450 each,(6900lbs for the axle). So our trailer was purchased and the pin weight empty was 3200. So I knew that I was going to be running close to my weight limits for the axle and I was over the GCVWR of the truck, but I was going to be driving on the interstates, in the flat lands of the midwest and felt that I would be OK if I was careful, kept the speed down and didn't push the rig to hard. I pulled the trailer on 3 trips from 60 miles one way to 300 miles one way. The last and longest trip was the 300 miles through Oklahoma on an average windy (15-20MPH) day for Oklahoma. After 2 1/2 hours of driving, I was worn out and had to stop. The truck pulled the trailer ok, and the tire temps and engine gauges were fine, no overloaded condition, not working the engine to hard. The problem was that the trailer was pushing the SRW around just enough that I had to keep my concentration on the road without a break. Speed was 60-65 on straight flat 4 lane, but the truck still wanted to squirm around in the wind. It was a lesson well learned, because friends who should know said that with the mods that I had done, the truck should be fine. So, in the end, we are fortunate that we can afford to replace the 2000 F350 with a 2010 F450. We got a really good deal on the new/used truck, and I can assure you that it has the numbers to pull my 16K 5er. On the first trip with it, we logged 540 miles, and were calm and relaxed even in some hills in Arkansas. The big dually handled the trailer beautifully. OK, so didn't realize that I was rambling on here... Point is, don't bite off more than you are willing to chew. If you are worried that your rig, whatever it may be, will be too much for you to handle, then it probably will be. Cut back to your comfortable weight/length/configuration and I can guarantee you that you will enjoy camping much more, and will probably do it more often. And please everyone...don't waste your time telling me that I was crazy to think that my old truck could do the job. I already know that, and have since solved that problem. I learned an important lesson, and hope that this helps the OP in some way.
