I'm trying to buy a truck to tow my 5th wheel. I don't want to be one of those idiots trying to tow 20k with a ford ranger or something but I cannot get a clear understanding of how to figure out if perspective vehicles can handle my weight. So here are the specs and maybe you can tell me how to calculate this so I don't have to take a used truck salesman's word for the towing capacity.I have a 5th wheel toy hauler.Dry weight is 12,000Fully loaded the toy hauler can hold 5,000 in cargoPin weight is 2,700So total potential weight is 17,000I am looking at a 2006 f-350 with single rear wheels and 6 liter v8 dieselThe tow guide is here: http://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/2006RVguideApr08.pdfCan you not only tell me what my tow capacity is but show me how to figure it out so if I start looking at another vehicle I can figure it out on my own? Please explain it like you would to a toddler.

one of the easiest tow guides to look up any truck is trailer lifes tow guide. to to trailer life.com and look it up.

These numbers do not appear correcthttp://www.rv.net/SharedCode/towrating/_results.cfm?action=search&yr=2006&make=Ford&model=F-250%2FF-350+Super+Duty+SuperCab+2WD+&min_tlimit=&max_tlimit=old guy wrote:one of the easiest tow guides to look up any truck is trailer lifes tow guide. to to trailer life.com and look it up.

Truck GVWR minus scaled loaded ready to travel weight equals cargo carrying capacity. In the real world that means your truck, full of fuel, passangers and all the gear you would normally be traveling with. Add 250 pounds for a hitch. As for your fiver, easiest to assume your trailers GVWR, 20% of which is pin weight.Soooo, if your truck scaled at 8,000 pounds and has a 10,000 GVWR means you have 2,000 cargo carrying capacity.Fiver GVWR 17,000 pounds, means you will have 3,400 pounds of pin weight. Based on my example your truck will be 1,400 pounds over its GVWR.Is that simple enough?

If you are looking at a ford 6.0/6.4 diesel. PLUG YOUR EARS and run don't walk away. if you question what I'm claiming do your own research on these motors

When carrying the pin weight of a heavy FW, you need to look at the door sticker for payload. This will say total not to exceed xxxx, which includes everyone/everything in the truck. Now add the pin weight of the toy hauler, which is normally 20%, as an average. If your FW could weigh 17,000 loaded, that would be 3,400 for pin weight.Another important figure is RAWR, also found on a door sticker. If it shows RAWR 6500, You will be adding up to 3,400, plus 200 for hitch. If you weighed the rear axle of truck alone, ready to camp, and it was 3,500, you could not add another 3400, plus 200, as your rear axle weight would be 7,100.Don't forget to look at the maximum rear tire rating numbers.Just an example, but hope it helps to figure the numbers.Jerry

Please help me figure out your capacity | Good Sam Community

26 Replies

RJCorazza
Explorer
Nov 20, 2015
roadtriptoforever wrote:
These numbers do not appear correct

The numbers you were looking at were for trailer towing, not 5th wheel.
Without going into pin weight against the particular truck's cargo capacity, the trailer towing max is 12500 lbs, and 5th wheel can range from 15500 to 16500 lbs depending upon cab configuration and 4x4 vs 4x2.
Here is Ford's document :
Ford 2006 Towing Guide
MFL
Nomad II
Nov 20, 2015
When carrying the pin weight of a heavy FW, you need to look at the door sticker for payload. This will say total not to exceed xxxx, which includes everyone/everything in the truck. Now add the pin weight of the toy hauler, which is normally 20%, as an average. If your FW could weigh 17,000 loaded, that would be 3,400 for pin weight.

Another important figure is RAWR, also found on a door sticker. If it shows RAWR 6500, You will be adding up to 3,400, plus 200 for hitch. If you weighed the rear axle of truck alone, ready to camp, and it was 3,500, you could not add another 3400, plus 200, as your rear axle weight would be 7,100.

Don't forget to look at the maximum rear tire rating numbers.

Just an example, but hope it helps to figure the numbers.

Jerry
glkids2
Explorer
Nov 20, 2015
If you are looking at a ford 6.0/6.4 diesel. PLUG YOUR EARS and run don't walk away. if you question what I'm claiming do your own research on these motors
donn0128
Explorer II
Nov 20, 2015
Truck GVWR minus scaled loaded ready to travel weight equals cargo carrying capacity. In the real world that means your truck, full of fuel, passangers and all the gear you would normally be traveling with. Add 250 pounds for a hitch. As for your fiver, easiest to assume your trailers GVWR, 20% of which is pin weight.
Soooo, if your truck scaled at 8,000 pounds and has a 10,000 GVWR means you have 2,000 cargo carrying capacity.
Fiver GVWR 17,000 pounds, means you will have 3,400 pounds of pin weight. Based on my example your truck will be 1,400 pounds over its GVWR.
Is that simple enough?
roadtriptoforev
Explorer
Nov 20, 2015
These numbers do not appear correct

http://www.rv.net/SharedCode/towrating/_results.cfm?action=search&yr=2006&make=Ford&model=F-250%2FF-350+Super+Duty+SuperCab+2WD+&min_tlimit=&max_tlimit=

old guy wrote:
one of the easiest tow guides to look up any truck is trailer lifes tow guide. to to trailer life.com and look it up.
old_guy
Explorer
Nov 20, 2015
one of the easiest tow guides to look up any truck is trailer lifes tow guide. to to trailer life.com and look it up.

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Please help me figure out your capacity

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