Huge dilemma with 2008 F350

GVWR has zero to do with towing capacity. It is how much the truck and anything you put in it and on it can ever weigh. This number does include the tongue weight but nothing else to do with the trailer. GCWR is the combination of GVWR ( the truck and all contents ) + anything you want to tow.

What you need to do is get your truck weighed with full tank of gas, and the weight of everything you plan to carry in the truck - people, gear, etc. Subtract this combined number from the GCWR of 23,000 and that the max you can realistically tow.

GVWR...Gross Vehicle Weight Rating----max amount the truck can weigh based on MFG ratings

Payload/Cargo Carrying Capacity----max amount of weight that can be added to truck (passengers/stuff etc) ---weight that truck can carry

MAX Tow Rating.....Max weight truck can tow


GCVWR...Gross COMBINED Vehicle Weight rating---max weight that truck and trailer can weigh together


Your 2008 F350 can weigh when fully loaded up is 11,500# (GVWR)
Your 2008 F350 and a trailer can weigh up to max of 23,000# (GCVWR)

Max Tow rating of 15,200# is the amount of weight truck can tow with a 150# driver and 20# cargo provided truck doesn't weigh more then 7800# (GCVWR minus truck weight equals max tow rating)

You will run out of payload/cargo carrying capacity long before you reach that 'magical mfg marketing max tow number'

GVWR, Gross Vehicle Weight Rating...of the TV and what it is rated to carry onto the pavement via its tires. This is NOT the MTWR or max trailer it is rated to tow

GCWR, Gross

COMBINED

Weight Rating...what the TV, trailer and anything in/on/etc them both are rated to carry onto the pavement via the tires

MTWR, Max Tow Weight Rating...what the TV is rated to tow, but this is NOT always the truck most people can purchase. Mostly for marketing/sales purposes and to get that number...many times used a low end model with little to no options to derive the MTWR

I understand the pin weight. I don't understand the huge difference in Towing weight.

The GVRW is what a vehicle can tow correct?

my vin is 1FTWW31R58EE25803

How do I verify numbers?

1st thing I would do is verify numbers using a VIN decoder.

I had a ford that had wrong/outdated stickers once. Created a hassle at smog testers.

That is the trucks weight AND CARRYING capacity... not tow rating.. SO, that that 11,500#, subtract the actual weight of the truck per scales.. That will give you the amount of weight your pin weight can have..