I'm almost sure this has been asked already, but my search hasn't found exactly what I'm looking for. I have a 2003 F250 4X4 Crew Cab 6.0 diesel 3.73 axle. The sticker on the truck says 8800 GVWR. I just went to a CAT scale and got a receipt that says: steer axle = 120lb, drive axle = 4500 lb, trailer axle = 3160 lb, gross weight = 7780 lb. I want to pull a 5th wheel trailer with a shipping weight of 12750 lb + carrying capacity of 3290 lb = 16040 lb total loaded weight, and a hitch weight of 2060 lb. I am trying to figure out the payload capacity of the truck and I'm confused. If I use the CAT weight of 7780 lb and the GVWR on the F250 sticker of 8800 lb, I only have room for 1020 lb payload - not enough to haul the 5th wheel trailer. Am I doing this correctly? Is it possible for a 2003 F250 4X4 Crew Cab 6.0 diesel with a 5th wheel hitch in place and two people in the truck to weigh 7780 lb? Sorry for the lengthy dialogue, I just need some help in figuring this out.
I dont see how you can have 3 axle weights from a 2 axle truck. 120# for steer axle is not even close. I suspect you were not on the scale properly.
Your thought process seems correct though.
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George
6/2011 F350 PSD Lariate, CC, 4x4, LB, DRW
06 Newmar Cypress 29KSRE 5th wheel/MorRyde IS, Kodiac Disc Brakes.
I just went to a CAT scale and got a receipt that says: steer axle = 120lb, drive axle = 4500 lb, trailer axle = 3160 lb, gross weight = 7780 lb.
That's a big fish story. I have several CAT scale tickets, and the front axle always weighs over 4,000 pounds when dragging a trailer that gives me a GCWR between 12,400 and 17,500 pounds. So something is wrong with your numbers.
My guess is you don't have a trailer tied on, the 120 pounds is the person standing on the front pad talking to the intercom, the drive axle is really your steer axle, and the trailer axle is your drive axle. Then the weights make sense for an unloaded 4x4 CrwewCab PSD with minimal tools, spares, and extra fluids.
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I want to pull a 5th wheel trailer with a shipping weight of 12750 lb + carrying capacity of 3290 lb = 16040 lb total loaded weight, and a hitch weight of 2060 lb.
Your truck has a GCWR of 20,000 pounds. 20,000 minus 7,780 = 12,220 pounds max wet and loaded trailer weight. But you'll be overload by around 4,000 pounds over the GCWR. You'll probably do fine if you never try to climb any steep mountain passes - or if you spend a coupla grand and hot-rod your engine with a good towing tune along with the required gauges, intake, and exhaust mods.
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I am trying to figure out the payload capacity of the truck and I'm confused. If I use the CAT weight of 7780 lb and the GVWR on the F250 sticker of 8800 lb, I only have room for 1020 lb payload - not enough to haul the 5th wheel trailer. Am I doing this correctly?
Yep.
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Is it possible for a 2003 F250 4X4 Crew Cab 6.0 diesel with a 5th wheel hitch in place and two people in the truck to weigh 7780 lb?
Yep. Mine is a CrewCab PSD 4x2, and it weighs about 8,000 with two adults, Pom lapdog, tank full of diesel, spray-in bedliner, toolbox with tools and spares and extra fluids, floorjack and a 2'x3' piece of 3/4" plywood jack base in case of a trailer flat.
If you load that trailer down to 16,000 pounds or so, then you'll have around 2,700 pounds hitch weight. Add that to the 7,780 truck weight and you're at 10,480 pounds on the two truck axles. 1,680 pounds overloaded over the GVWR of your truck. That's 580 pounds overloaded if you had paid extra for an F-350 SRW. You need a dually to safely tow that much trailer.
I have a much smaller trailer, but I exceed the GVWR of the truck. Only around 16,000 GCW, but over 9,000 GVW with my 25' 5er with one slide. And on one long trip I grossed 9,620 from west Texas to eastern New York. I wouldn't worry about the GVWR as long as you don't exceed the GVWR of an F-350 SRW, or 9,900. But I wouldn't tie onto a 5er that had a GVWR over 12,000 pounds.
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My Sierra Blanca in the sig pic was a great pickup for 11.5 years. I sold it last year. Replacement is a 2012 F-150 EcoBoost SuperCrew Lariat.
You are right, SmokeyWren, I was standing in front of the truck on the pad. I'm going to weigh it again. I still can't believe the SRW F250 weighs in a 7780 lb, so close to its 8800 GVRW. Doesn't leave much room for a 5th wheel pin weight. The only thing on the truck when I weighed it was the hitch and one other person in the truck.
You have to believe it bowser. I am in the same boat. I average 7700 when I put my truck on scales with two people and fuel.
I know it is not exactly right but I as smokey said, follow the 9900lb F350 numbers.
The trailer we have now has me at the edge of my comfort limit with a trailer gross of 11440. I couldn't imagine pulling 16k with my truck. Then agian it is fairly hilly around here.
I thought this was a 3/4 ton truck (1500 lb load), but as it turns out, it's just a half ton. Pretty disappointing. I'm going to weigh it again and this time stay in the truck and make sure the whole thing is in one scale pad.
I thought this was a 3/4 ton truck (1500 lb load), but as it turns out, it's just a half ton. Pretty disappointing. I'm going to weigh it again and this time stay in the truck and make sure the whole thing is in one scale pad.
You actually want to stay in the truck and make sure the front axle is on one scale pad and the rear axle is on the second scale pad. That way you will get the front axle weight, the rear axle weight and the total.
Dave / Believer45
__________________ THANK YOU to all the heroes in our military and all the heroes at home who wait for their safe return. I am humbled by and grateful for your service and sacrifice.
'95 F250 ext cab long bed, PSD, 5 speed, 2 wheel drive, 3.55 gears, 286,000 miles, Edge Evolution CTS (LINK TO MY REVIEW), LUK clutch, homemade REAR BUMPER, open element AIR FILTER, 36" ARE contractor cap. With tools, full of fuel and me on board (300 lbs) steer 3620, drive 3860 total 7480.
I thought this was a 3/4 ton truck (1500 lb load), but as it turns out, it's just a half ton.
No, you flunked Logic 101.
My truck weighs 6,920 empty. 8800 minus 6920 = 1,880 available payload. That allows 380 pounds worth of driver and "stuff" and still have 1,500 pounds available payload. And if I had a gasser engine, then I'd have over 2,000 pounds (one ton) of available payload.
But my truck weighs around 8,000 when ready to tie onto the 5er. I've already used up several hundred pounds of payload with options and tools and jacks and extra fluids and Darling Wife and Puppydog. So there's only 800 pounds left. But that doesn't mean my truck has a payload of only 800 pounds.
But the guys scratching their heads are the ones with the '99-'04 CrewCab PSD longbed 4x4 with Lariat trim. When wet and loaded for the road with one adult passenger, they have only about 400 pounds unused payload available for hitch weight. But that doesn't mean their truck has only 400 pounds payload. They used the remainder of their three-quarter-ton payload for heavy options of crewcab body, diesel engine, 4x4 drivetrain, long bed, toolbox full of tools, tank full of diesel, etc.
But my truck weighs around 8,000 when ready to tie onto the 5er. I've already used up several hundred pounds of payload with options and tools and jacks and extra fluids and Darling Wife and Puppydog. So there's only 800 pounds left. But that doesn't mean my truck has a payload of only 800 pounds.
OK! So, what does that mean? What is the best estimate of the 5er I can safely tow (hitch weight and gross 5er weight) using a 15K slide hitch. Yep, spell it out IYDM.
BTW, I really appreciate all the above comments. I like this site. Been here before, ever since I bought my 2003 PSD, but never registered. It looks to be a good place to get useful information.
In all actuallity though, theres no reason you can't tow what a 350 SRW can. In 99-04 they were the SAME trucks with a 2 inch lift block in the rear. I'd say as long as you have B code rear springs in it you're good to go up to 9900. My 250 V10 with a plow package has the same rear springs as my 350 but it has the stronger front springs for a plow. So the 250 can actually hold more than my 350 SRW. Makes no sense huh?
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2002 F350 CC SB Lariat 7.3 4x4 3.73 LS
Torredor Red, Viper 5701
IMO if you plan to tow a 16K 5'er you better live in Siberia where it's virtually flat. I don't know where you live but that's an iffy combo out here where many high altitude mountain passes will literally drag you into wishing you had a smaller trailer or a more suitable truck. I pulled my 6K TT over Sonora Pass (9600'+) 2 weeks ago; it did great because it's fairly light but I can't even imagine 16K under the same conditions with some of the steep grades encountered.
These trucks are under rated by the factory by design. They are ideal scenarios for common folk. I have pulled to the "manufacture limits" with this truck to 8000 foot elevation and would have been fine pulling even more. In fact, I have exceeded my GVWR of 8800 and tipped the scales at 10200 without breaking the law of the great socialist state of Kalifornia. Manufacturer guidelines does not equil law. Know your state laws and use common sense. As long as your tires are rated for the weight, you can hawl up to 20,000 lbs per axle in Kalifornia. Now that does not mean you can throw common sense out the window. You get the idea.
Oh, and you can tow that weight without any engine performance modifications. If you check the the power on an F-450 you will see its the same motor depending on what years you are looking at.
__________________ 2004 F250 CC FX4 / 46g Transfer Flow / ARP Studs / Coolant Filter / CCV
OK! So, what does that mean? What is the best estimate of the 5er I can safely tow (hitch weight and gross 5er weight) using a 15K slide hitch. Yep, spell it out IYDM.
Sorry, but I missed your post last week. So here's my reply a week later.
Your F-250 is limited by hitch weight, not trailer weight.
Get your truck ready to tow, loaded with wife and kids and pets and tools and 5er hitch and whatever you plan to haul in the truck when on the road. Fill up with diesel, then weigh the truck on a CAT scale. Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded truck from 9,900. The answer is your max hitch weight if you don't overload your truck to the point that an F-350 SRW would be overloaded.
For a medium-size 5er, the average hitch weight is about 17 to 18 percent of gross trailer weight.
So divide the max hitch weight by 18 percent, and the answer is the max GVWR of any trailer you should try to tow.
Example:
Your wet and loaded tow vehicle weighs 8,000 pounds. 9,900 minus 8,000 = 1,900 max hitch weight. 1,900 divided by 18 percent = 10,556 max trailer weight. So the max trailer GVWR you should consider is 10,500. Any heavier 5er and you're going to be overloading an F-350 SRW. Don't do that.
So no, if your wet and loaded tow vehicle weighs 8,000 pounds, you can't tow a 12,000+ pound 5er without being a danger to yourself, your family and others on the road. Don't be a dunderhead - either tow less trailer or trade for more truck.
Last edited by SmokeyWren; 08-17-2009 at 02:00 PM.
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