I've finally ordered my new truck!!.. It's an F350 Diesel 6 3/4' bed, SRW, snow plot prep, big cab.The specs fro the truck are in no small part due toy the input from you good people on this forumTHANK YOU!!This is an overkill for my current trailer. However I got the F350 because it's possible that we could get a 5th wheel toy hauler at some point.For now my trailer is a 27' from the tip of the tong to the back of the bumperI don't know what the tong weight is fully loaded because I've never put it on a scales.However the brochure says this:Axle Weight (lbs) 4,350Hitch Weight (lbs) 550Dry Weight (lbs) 4,900Cargo Capacity (lbs) 2,650So I guess the max GVWR is 4900+2650= 7550Ib (Is that correct?Is it possible to approximate the tongue weight fully loaded from this data?My question is:When we get the F350 will we still need to use a Weight Distribution hitch?Or another way of saying it is "What is the max tongue weight the F350 ca comfortably tow" Currently with out 1500 suburban we use and equalizer WDH hitch and it's served us well. However it is a bit of a pain when doing tight turns and taking the darn thing on and off.If my new behemoth of a truck can tow this 'easily' without a WDH then obviously my choice is to not use one.Any advice from you experts?Another reason is that IF I have to use the WDH then I would have to order another ball and adjustable hitch which are NOT cheap!.. I may still use the suburban to tow back and forth from home to storage so I don't want to have to keep taking it off and refitting and re-adjusting the hitch system between TV'sThanks!Steve

Need to look in your manual. I believe the standard Ford hitch is a Class 4 which means above 850# tongue weight (diesel SRW) you need a WD hitch. The one source I had listed 1,400# max with WD and you need to read all the fine print. Don't have the "official sheet" on your truck, you did not say but I'm guessing a 2015? In you manual it should list if you need one or not based on tongue weight and the actual hitch class. You probably will still want some sway control.Others are probably more knowledgeable than I on pulling TT's.

I towed a piece of equipment down the highway at 65 mph which placed 2400 lbs on my 2011 F350 receiver hitch. It towed beautifully. My brother in law lives full time in a very heavy tag trailer that he tows around to different oil well leases with his 2015 F350 SRW. My guess is that the tongue weight is about 1600 lbs....it has a 300 lb propane tank that sits right on the trailer hitch. He doesn't use his weight distribution hitch because he says it makes the truck ride rougher. A good guess as to what your tongue weight might be with the trailer loaded would be between 750 and 900 lbs. Your hitch should be rated for 900 lbs so, if you are over the manufacturer's weight rating with your trailer it would be by such a small margin that I certainly wouldn't worry about it.

Look on your receiver tag for your maximums when weight carrying and using weight distribution. I know Ford upgraded the receiver since 2005 - Using mine as an example, it was rated for 500 lbs tongue weight and 5000 lbs trailer weight when weight carrying and 1250 lbs tongue weight and 12,500 lbs trailer weight when using weight distribution.According to the 2015 towing guide, yours is rated 850 lbs tongue with 8500 lbs trailer without WDH and 1400 lbs tongue with 14,000 lbs trailer with WDH.http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/15RV&TT_Ford_SuperDtyPU_r1_Jan12.pdf

smcrea wrote:I've finally ordered my new truck!!.. It's an F350 Diesel 6 3/4' bed, SRW, snow plot prep, big cab.The specs fro the truck are in no small part due toy the input from you good people on this forumTHANK YOU!!This is an overkill for my current trailer. However I got the F350 because it's possible that we could get a 5th wheel toy hauler at some point.For now my trailer is a 27' from the tip of the tong to the back of the bumperI don't know what the tong weight is fully loaded because I've never put it on a scales.However the brochure says this:Axle Weight (lbs) 4,350Hitch Weight (lbs) 550Dry Weight (lbs) 4,900Cargo Capacity (lbs) 2,650So I guess the max GVWR is 4900+2650= 7550Ib (Is that correct?Is it possible to approximate the tongue weight fully loaded from this data?My question is:When we get the F350 will we still need to use a Weight Distribution hitch?Or another way of saying it is "What is the max tongue weight the F350 ca comfortably tow" Currently with out 1500 suburban we use and equalizer WDH hitch and it's served us well. However it is a bit of a pain when doing tight turns and taking the darn thing on and off.If my new behemoth of a truck can tow this 'easily' without a WDH then obviously my choice is to not use one.Any advice from you experts?Another reason is that IF I have to use the WDH then I would have to order another ball and adjustable hitch which are NOT cheap!.. I may still use the suburban to tow back and forth from home to storage so I don't want to have to keep taking it off and refitting and re-adjusting the hitch system between TV'sThanks!SteveFor what it's worth, when moving my TT around my property, or very short distances around town, I never install the WD bars. But when I'm loading up the family for a trip, I always do.

Do I Need to use a WDH with an F350 SRW Powerstroke?

26 Replies

Gr8life
Explorer II
Feb 09, 2015
The owner's manual for your particular vehicle will contain more accurate information than all the Internet guesses in the world. If it won't tow your trailer without a wdh, I would be very disappointed.
nevadanick
Explorer
Feb 09, 2015
I wouldnt use the wdh.
Fordlover
Explorer
Feb 09, 2015
smcrea wrote:
I've finally ordered my new truck!!.. It's an F350 Diesel 6 3/4' bed, SRW, snow plot prep, big cab.

The specs fro the truck are in no small part due toy the input from you good people on this forum

THANK YOU!!

This is an overkill for my current trailer. However I got the F350 because it's possible that we could get a 5th wheel toy hauler at some point.

For now my trailer is a 27' from the tip of the tong to the back of the bumper

I don't know what the tong weight is fully loaded because I've never put it on a scales.

However the brochure says this:

Axle Weight (lbs) 4,350
Hitch Weight (lbs) 550
Dry Weight (lbs) 4,900
Cargo Capacity (lbs) 2,650

So I guess the max GVWR is 4900+2650= 7550Ib (Is that correct?

Is it possible to approximate the tongue weight fully loaded from this data?

My question is:

When we get the F350 will we still need to use a Weight Distribution hitch?

Or another way of saying it is "What is the max tongue weight the F350 ca comfortably tow"

Currently with out 1500 suburban we use and equalizer WDH hitch and it's served us well. However it is a bit of a pain when doing tight turns and taking the darn thing on and off.

If my new behemoth of a truck can tow this 'easily' without a WDH then obviously my choice is to not use one.

Any advice from you experts?

Another reason is that IF I have to use the WDH then I would have to order another ball and adjustable hitch which are NOT cheap!.. I may still use the suburban to tow back and forth from home to storage so I don't want to have to keep taking it off and refitting and re-adjusting the hitch system between TV's

Thanks!

Steve

For what it's worth, when moving my TT around my property, or very short distances around town, I never install the WD bars. But when I'm loading up the family for a trip, I always do.
Bedlam
Moderator
Feb 09, 2015
Look on your receiver tag for your maximums when weight carrying and using weight distribution. I know Ford upgraded the receiver since 2005 - Using mine as an example, it was rated for 500 lbs tongue weight and 5000 lbs trailer weight when weight carrying and 1250 lbs tongue weight and 12,500 lbs trailer weight when using weight distribution.

According to the 2015 towing guide, yours is rated 850 lbs tongue with 8500 lbs trailer without WDH and 1400 lbs tongue with 14,000 lbs trailer with WDH.

http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/15RV&TT_Ford_SuperDtyPU_r1_Jan12.pdf
4x4ord
Explorer III
Feb 09, 2015
I towed a piece of equipment down the highway at 65 mph which placed 2400 lbs on my 2011 F350 receiver hitch. It towed beautifully. My brother in law lives full time in a very heavy tag trailer that he tows around to different oil well leases with his 2015 F350 SRW. My guess is that the tongue weight is about 1600 lbs....it has a 300 lb propane tank that sits right on the trailer hitch. He doesn't use his weight distribution hitch because he says it makes the truck ride rougher. A good guess as to what your tongue weight might be with the trailer loaded would be between 750 and 900 lbs. Your hitch should be rated for 900 lbs so, if you are over the manufacturer's weight rating with your trailer it would be by such a small margin that I certainly wouldn't worry about it.
mdamerell
Explorer
Feb 09, 2015
Need to look in your manual. I believe the standard Ford hitch is a Class 4 which means above 850# tongue weight (diesel SRW) you need a WD hitch. The one source I had listed 1,400# max with WD and you need to read all the fine print. Don't have the "official sheet" on your truck, you did not say but I'm guessing a 2015? In you manual it should list if you need one or not based on tongue weight and the actual hitch class. You probably will still want some sway control.

Others are probably more knowledgeable than I on pulling TT's.

Forum Discussion

Do I Need to use a WDH with an F350 SRW Powerstroke?

26 Replies

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