Choosing proper tow vehicle...Video
https://youtu.be/6hF1HMi3Fs8 Dang it! Could someone help with a link? YouTube "Truck Weight Ratings" Korey & Janet Jerome
Forum Discussion
This video shows why the owner changed from a F-250 to a F-350 dually to tow a 12,500 pound empty weight fifth wheel.
Like the trailer dealer say "That F-250 can tow anything!" and while Ford rates it to tow 15,500 pounds, in a fifth wheel, the pin weight will be over 2,500 pounds while the crewcab F-250 only had a 2,200 pound cargo rating with the diesel engine, crewcab and 4 wheel drive. Add more options and some firewood, it will not even carry 2,000 pounds of passengers and pin weight.
So the F-250 should have been rated to carry only a 2,000 pound pin weight or maximum fifth wheel capacity of around 10,000 pounds. Travel trailers it can tow about 12,000 pounds with a 1,200 pound hitch weight no problems!
It is great information for those looking to buy a truck and tow a fifth wheel. This guy had his truck and trailer, not loaded for a camping trip, no water in it, and truck's GVWR is only 10,000 pounds but the scale showed 11,700 on the truck tires! The rear axle was at 6,300 pounds, some 200# over the tire weight ratings!
Now he has a later model F-350 dually with a 13,000 GVWR and is under the GVWR by 400 pounds. It shows 12,600 pounds on the scale, with water and ready for camping. Still a little close in capacity, because just adding a couple more passengers or some extra stuff in the bed will put it over the limit.
New 2014 and 2015 dually F-350's come with a 14,000 GVWR when the diesel engine is ordered in a crewcab. This will provide an additional 1,000 pounds of cargo capacity, and not overload the truck when pulling this trailer.
I have a friend with a 40' Holiday Rambler, I think the GVWR is 18,000 pounds. He was pulling it with a dually F-350 but changed to the Dually F-450 pickup because it came with a higher GVWR (in that year) and he was slightly over the GVWR (I think 1,000 pounds) or GCVWR (don't recall what one was over.) I know that he was under the rear axle and front axle weight ratings, so he felt comfortable driving it.
Fifth wheels are heavy! And don't forget to add in the 200 pound hitch!
Fred.
Like the trailer dealer say "That F-250 can tow anything!" and while Ford rates it to tow 15,500 pounds, in a fifth wheel, the pin weight will be over 2,500 pounds while the crewcab F-250 only had a 2,200 pound cargo rating with the diesel engine, crewcab and 4 wheel drive. Add more options and some firewood, it will not even carry 2,000 pounds of passengers and pin weight.
So the F-250 should have been rated to carry only a 2,000 pound pin weight or maximum fifth wheel capacity of around 10,000 pounds. Travel trailers it can tow about 12,000 pounds with a 1,200 pound hitch weight no problems!
It is great information for those looking to buy a truck and tow a fifth wheel. This guy had his truck and trailer, not loaded for a camping trip, no water in it, and truck's GVWR is only 10,000 pounds but the scale showed 11,700 on the truck tires! The rear axle was at 6,300 pounds, some 200# over the tire weight ratings!
Now he has a later model F-350 dually with a 13,000 GVWR and is under the GVWR by 400 pounds. It shows 12,600 pounds on the scale, with water and ready for camping. Still a little close in capacity, because just adding a couple more passengers or some extra stuff in the bed will put it over the limit.
New 2014 and 2015 dually F-350's come with a 14,000 GVWR when the diesel engine is ordered in a crewcab. This will provide an additional 1,000 pounds of cargo capacity, and not overload the truck when pulling this trailer.
I have a friend with a 40' Holiday Rambler, I think the GVWR is 18,000 pounds. He was pulling it with a dually F-350 but changed to the Dually F-450 pickup because it came with a higher GVWR (in that year) and he was slightly over the GVWR (I think 1,000 pounds) or GCVWR (don't recall what one was over.) I know that he was under the rear axle and front axle weight ratings, so he felt comfortable driving it.
Fifth wheels are heavy! And don't forget to add in the 200 pound hitch!
Fred.
