Wondering if this trailer would be to much for my truck?

I would look for a fiver with more cargo capacity.

Though you don't give enough info about your truck (is it a crew cab, long bed, 4x4...??), it appears you're going to be just below your trucks tow and cargo ratings, even if 5er is maxed out. The cargo limit is the only fuzzy part. You're definitely safe in the tow rating category.

Yes, watch tranny temps and get an auxiliary cooler if you don't already have one.

I say get the 5er and rock n roll. Spend a few minutes on any PSD forum and you'll find that 7.3L owners are consistently exceeding their truck's factory ratings without any problems.

I would tell you to keep an eye on your transmission. If I remember correctly, those engines run forever but the transmission can be weak link. I also believe there is some way to beef up the transmission, but I don't remember. Might want to head over to a 7.3 PSD forum and inquire.

Well I tow at 19,000 to 19,500# GCVW. 2001 Ram 2500 5.9 CTD. Yes over the TV GVWR, but well within axle and tire ratings, almost 700# on the rear and 600# on the front to spare.
You will likely be very close to the 9,900# GVWR of the SRW F350, Yes.. Will the F350 tow it, yes! Will you be close to or slightly over the F350's GVWR.
The choice to run over the TV GVWR is yours and yours alone. I will say I tow a 5er about the same weight with my 2500, with no issues. I don't have or need air bags or Timbrien's.



Yes, I feel very safe and comfortable driving these roads at 55 to 60 mph. This is my experience, your may vary, I work to keep the front end tight no sloppy steering.

To Golden's comment about a TT with a 1,500 TW, I would rather see a family in a slightly over GVWR with a 5er, than running a big TT, the 5er is naturally more stable to tow.







Take a good look at your VIN sticker and look at the GAWR's for front and rear, are you going to be well within those? What tires are you running? What is their MAX load rating? My 265/75-16E's are rated at 3,415# each, that is 13,660#, so even if you hit 10,000# you would have 3,660# of capacity to spare.

Iirc, those were rated for around 12k, but lots of folks tow much more than that with those old 7.3s. I would say you shouldn't have any problems with that combo. Happy trails!

While a 2005 and newer F-350 SRW will have a 11,500 pound GVWR and carry about 3,500 pounds of total between cargo, passengers and options, the 2004 and earlier F-350 SRW will not have nearly as much GVWR.

I think that your truck will have a limiting 9,900 pound GVWR, and a curb weight around 7,000 to 7,700 pounds, depending on cab style and options. The 7.3L does not help, it is about 600 pounds more than the V10 or 800 more than a 5.4L.

Your truck should be fine with a 1,500 pound hitch weight of a travel trailer - but most fifth wheels you would need a 7.3L with dual rear wheels, or the newer ones with SRW. Even a F-250 after 2005 with a V10 will have a 10,000 GVWR (100 pounds more than yours) and have a curb weight less than yours.

If your F-350 is a dually, then you will not have any problem with a fifth wheel and a 2,500 pound pin weight. Much more than that, and even the older dually can get overloaded. The 2005 and newer F-350 dually has about a 5,000 pound cargo rating, even up to 5,700 pounds when there is a basic package (not the Lariat). Lariat can add a few hundred pounds of optional sound deadening, leather, and other things.

So is this post so that you can convince yourself or the better half about the need to get a newer truck or dually? The 2011 F-350 SRW will work fine with the load that you want to tow.

You can get information about the towing capacity of trucks at this site. It will show all years from 2004 on.

http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/

Good luck!

Fred.