Towing a 5th Wheel with F250

[bradswife]

We are considering a 2012 F250, Diesel, 6.7L, V-8, 3.55. According to Ford specs, limit for towing a 5th Wheel is 15,200. The FW that we are considering has a dry weight of 9090, and a GVWR of 12,305. We will be doing weekends and some week long trips but not full time so we won't be packing heavy. It seems to me if we maxed out our FW at 12,305 then that leaves us nearly 3000 pounds for passengers (sometimes 4 adults), the FW pin and whatever else we put in the truck. Does that sound correct?

[mkirsch]

bradswife wrote:
We are considering a 2012 F250, Diesel, 6.7L, V-8, 3.55. According to Ford specs, limit for towing a 5th Wheel is 15,200. The FW that we are considering has a dry weight of 9090, and a GVWR of 12,305. We will be doing weekends and some week long trips but not full time so we won't be packing heavy. It seems to me if we maxed out our FW at 12,305 then that leaves us nearly 3000 pounds for passengers (sometimes 4 adults), the FW pin and whatever else we put in the truck. Does that sound correct?

To directly answer your question: NO.

If:

1. Your truck is not maxxed out or overloaded in the payload category.

AND/OR:

2. The extra 3000lbs does not add to the pin weight of the trailer.

You can TOW 3000lbs more.

You can only CARRY what your truck has payload for.

The key is TOW vs. CARRY. Your truck may have ZERO payload left with the 12,305lb trailer, or it could even be grossly overloaded!

[Lynnmor]

I have a 2011 F250 Lariat, 6.7 diesel, CC, 3.55 gears, bed cap. Last tank on mix of highway and mountain roads with about 900 lbs of people and load, got 20.5 on the LOM and 20.04 hand calculated. I'm happy with that.

[Dave_H_M]

transamz9 wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

Dave H M wrote:
Gde

I wish I oould post a cartoon about beating a dead horse. I just sold my diesel and not pull with the F250 6.2.

I will never look back on that move. :B

Well you don't state the size of your trailer in your sig or profile, that and you are a flat lander. Gas will do fine below about 10,000# flat land, but get on a two lane road with a 5% to 7% grade. Main highway to the coast and it might be a different story.

He also didn't state which diesel he just sold.

Well at least trasnsam is perceptive. Yaaa it was an early 99. :W

Otherwise, I do live on flat land but tow through the smokies at least twice a year. The fifth wheel is right at 11.5K. I have no problem with that. OK I will update the sig.

[transamz9]

rhagfo wrote:

Dave H M wrote:
Gde

I wish I oould post a cartoon about beating a dead horse. I just sold my diesel and not pull with the F250 6.2.

I will never look back on that move. :B

Well you don't state the size of your trailer in your sig or profile, that and you are a flat lander. Gas will do fine below about 10,000# flat land, but get on a two lane road with a 5% to 7% grade. Main highway to the coast and it might be a different story.

He also didn't state which diesel he just sold.

[rhagfo]

Dave H M wrote:
Gde

I wish I oould post a cartoon about beating a dead horse. I just sold my diesel and not pull with the F250 6.2.

I will never look back on that move. :B

Well you don't state the size of your trailer in your sig or profile, that and you are a flat lander. Gas will do fine below about 10,000# flat land, but get on a two lane road with a 5% to 7% grade. Main highway to the coast and it might be a different story.

[Airstreamer67]

I've seen reports that the newest diesels with the DEF fluid have brought back the economy we used to know. IE, reports of 20 mpg or so at highway speeds not towing, and commensurate mileage towing depending on weight and shape.

[Dave_H_M]

Gde

I wish I oould post a cartoon about beating a dead horse. I just sold my diesel and not pull with the F250 6.2.

I will never look back on that move. :B

[Vulcaneer]

Gdetrailer wrote:


Newer 6.7 power strokes are simply NOT getting as good of mileage as your lesser smogged 6.0.

From what I have gathered 6.7 due to smog equipment and regen cycles you can expect at the most 11 mpg while towing and if lucky 14-15 empty.. Heck my 2013 with 6.2 is getting me 15.5 empty highway and towing 7K I get 9-10.1 MPG. The days of diesels getting 19-20 empty and 14-15 towing are gone.

Not to mention the newer diesels have a lot of interesting quirks like FORCED 50 MPH speed or even worse immediate SHUT DOWN on emissions faults :E which can happen at anytime without warnings even while towing... I certainly would not be happy about having my truck randomly decide to stop in the middle of towing at 70 MPH :S

I just gotta wonder where some people come up with this garbage? My 6.7 Ford pulls 14,000 at 12.2 MPG. And gets 16.8 MPG Highway not towing. Regen's are NOT a problem. Interesting quirks? Not here.

Everyone has a right to their opinion. I guess. But that post is simply not fact. That is as kind as I can say it.

Oh...on edit...I almost did experience an interesting quirk one time. The control center told me my DEF was going to run out in 500 miles. You use more DEF when towing. I refilled it at 150 miles left to go. If I hadn't done that, the truck would have gone into 'limp' mode when it ran out of DEF. Quirk avoided.

[Gdetrailer]

W4RLR wrote:
I just know that my truck, similar to what you are looking at, tows my fiver, also similar, with very little squat. just look at the picture below. Full fuel in the truck, full fresh water in the fiver, and full ten gallon gas tank on the fiver for the generator when that picture was taken. On the flats with my 6.0 liter engine I get 11-13 mpg while towing.

I like the diesel. Others like the gas engine. It's been my experience that the gas engine is a beast, and will pass everything except a gas station.

Good luck

Newer 6.7 power strokes are simply NOT getting as good of mileage as your lesser smogged 6.0.

From what I have gathered 6.7 due to smog equipment and regen cycles you can expect at the most 11 mpg while towing and if lucky 14-15 empty.. Heck my 2013 with 6.2 is getting me 15.5 empty highway and towing 7K I get 9-10.1 MPG. The days of diesels getting 19-20 empty and 14-15 towing are gone.

Diesels now days are not for everybody, they cost a premium price upfront ($7K-$8K) add considerable weight (1K lbs), REQUIRE PREMIUM MAINTENANCE (IE check and empty water separator OFTEN, weekly at least), coolant tests and additives, 15 quart oil changes and if something bad goes wrong you can be hung out to dry with some extremely EXPENSIVE REPAIRS (IE fuel system repair is $10K :E ), fuel in my area is averaging 40 cents per gal MORE than 87 gas..

Not to mention the newer diesels have a lot of interesting quirks like FORCED 50 MPH speed or even worse immediate SHUT DOWN on emissions faults :E which can happen at anytime without warnings even while towing... I certainly would not be happy about having my truck randomly decide to stop in the middle of towing at 70 MPH :S

Break even point on these newer diesels is well above 250,000 miles provided you do not have anything expensive break and the body doesn't rust out.

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate diesels, I DO think they have merit but not justifiable in ALL applications.

The 6.2 IS a very decent alternative and very capable engine.

[Bedlam]

Passin Thru wrote:
Best to weigh your wagon on a certified scales. Axles and GVW. I would not tow over 20K Gross with any 3/4 ton ad I have been in Heavy Haul trucking. Just because you can does'nt mean you should. Ever blow out a front tire fully loaded. 1 time will be all you want at a gross weight of over 22K. I've seen some Marooons pulling a 5er with a 1/2 to but that does'nt make it safe.

Even my older 2005 F250 is rated for 23k lbs GCWR, 14.5k lbs FW towing and 12.5K BP towing. I BP tow/haul with a 19K+ lbs GCW frequently over the Cascades, at least once a year over the Sierra Nevadas and every other year over the Rockies. The truck has always been predictable and stable doing this since it was new. My current setup shifts more into the TV and less behind it, but GCW has changed little.

[losmt21]

bradswife wrote:
We are considering a 2012 F250, Diesel, 6.7L, V-8, 3.55. According to Ford specs, limit for towing a 5th Wheel is 15,200. The FW that we are considering has a dry weight of 9090, and a GVWR of 12,305. We will be doing weekends and some week long trips but not full time so we won't be packing heavy. It seems to me if we maxed out our FW at 12,305 then that leaves us nearly 3000 pounds for passengers (sometimes 4 adults), the FW pin and whatever else we put in the truck. Does that sound correct?

Hello,

You will be fine towing that 5th wheel, However I would not go any larger. I have a 2012 f250 diesel short bed and I am towing. It does tow very well. The pack in drops a couple of inchs however I will be adding firestone air bags soon.

Shipping Weight
9693
Carrying Capacity
2452
Hitch
2005
Length
37' 3"
Height
12' 9"

[Passin_Thru]

Best to weigh your wagon on a certified scales. Axles and GVW. I would not tow over 20K Gross with any 3/4 ton ad I have been in Heavy Haul trucking. Just because you can does'nt mean you should. Ever blow out a front tire fully loaded. 1 time will be all you want at a gross weight of over 22K. I've seen some Marooons pulling a 5er with a 1/2 to but that does'nt make it safe.

[W4RLR]

I just know that my truck, similar to what you are looking at, tows my fiver, also similar, with very little squat. just look at the picture below. Full fuel in the truck, full fresh water in the fiver, and full ten gallon gas tank on the fiver for the generator when that picture was taken. On the flats with my 6.0 liter engine I get 11-13 mpg while towing.

I like the diesel. Others like the gas engine. It's been my experience that the gas engine is a beast, and will pass everything except a gas station.

Good luck

[Gdetrailer]

dahkota wrote:
Your fifth wheel GVWR has no relation to your truck GVWR. Your 12K 5er weight does not leave you 3K lbs. for passengers and pin and whatever else you put in the truck.

For the F250, the GVWR is either 9800 lbs or 10K lbs. Assume you are looking at the 10K lbs. version. With a diesel engine, and the FX4 4X4 you mentioned in another thread, and the supercab or crew cab (you mentioned carrying more passengers) your truck will weigh at least 7400 lbs. Probably closer to 7600 lbs. I have a similarly equipped truck and mine weighs over 8K lbs.

This leaves you with a MAX of 2600 lbs for payload (10,000 - 7400 = 2600: GVWR - actual weight = payload).

Your 5er will have a pin weight of between 2K and 2400 lbs given the specs above. That leaves you with between 600 and 200 lbs. for passengers and other stuff in the truck, including the hitch.

X2

Similar to what I previously posted, Diesel + 4x4 = F350 if you NEED the PAYLOAD to be higher than 2K or so.

My F250 Supercab 2wd with 6.2 unladen weight is 6011 lbs, a 2013 F250 with diesel and 4x4 WILL have an unladen weight around 7.4K or nearly 1400 lbs HEAVIER than my 6.2.

The payload is determined by the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating - the unladen weight. In most cases the truck owner "may" have the "option" to license the F250 at 9K or at 10K (this is the way PA is for registration). In my state registering a diesel 4x4 F250 at 9K weight makes for almost no payload (registration goes through the roof for the higher the weight classes).

With the 2011 and up 6.2s you really don't "need" the diesel engine, the 6.2 is a towing monster and in my case saves a ton of money in registration fees, diesel fuel costs and the higher upkeep costs..