GVWR and how is it possible?

[CMB430]

Okay, here are the stats to bring you up to speed:

2008 F350 XLT SC LB
6.4, 6spd manual, 4x4
90lb grill guard
Bed rug and folding tonneau cover (under 110lbs)
SS nerf bars (about 65lbs)
Other minor stuff = about 70lbs

Window sticker says I have the 11,400 lb GVWR package (has snow plow pkg). The door sticker says I have 11,000 GVWR.

Today I topped off the tank and rolled around the building to the scale for the first time. The steer axle is 5,160lbs and the drive axle is 3,380lbs with me in the truck for a total of 8,540lbs.

Here is my question. If the Super Duty catalog says I am supposed to have a maximum payload of 4,110lbs with the 11,000 GVWR and 3,720lbs with the 11,400lb GVWR (which makes no sense to have a higher GVWR and be able to hold less), how am I supposed to do that when I only have either 2,460lbs or 2,860lbs of room to play with? And then you add a trailer, wow how can you not be over?

Am I just missing something, or are these trucks designed to haul a lot but you have to pay a whole lot more for a F450 to be able to use that capacity?

Thanks in advance for your help. I hope others can learn from this as well.

[tfunk88]

there are a few things going on, and hopefully I can try to explain some of them. Keep in mind, I am a knucklehead, so it is quite possible I am wrong.

1. Having a higher GVWR but lower payload- the 11000gvwr is for the gas engine, 11400gvwr is for the diesel. The diesel engine weighs much more than the gas engine, hence the lower payload capacity despite a higher gvwr.

2. Your payload- well, Ford is using an XL with NO options as its basis for the 3720 payload. So, how do you get from 3720 to 2860? Well, let's see:

3720
-200 (grill guard/tonneau stuff)
-135 (nerf bars/other stuff)

leaves 3385.

Power everything, bigger wheels, tires, air conditioning, more speakers, carpet/mats, power seats?, more general stuff...I dunno, 200lbs?

leaves 3185.

So where is the extra 325lbs?

You must be fat as sh*t.



Yes, I am just kidding. I'm guessing you weigh around 200, and there's probably more to the XLT crap weight than what I put. 125lbs worth? Maybe not, but I dunno.

[6.4Mike]

8,540lbs sounds high. I've got a 2008 F350 XLT CC SB 6.4, 4x4 auto weighed in at 7200lbs with me and 1/2 tank of fuel (13gal). So yours weighs 1300lbs more because you have more box but less cab?? Maybe we both better check our weights on a different scale 'cause that doesnt make sense.

[CMB430]

To answer the questions above:

- My weight is 214lbs
- Truck has standard XLT options, plus power seats, 3.73 limited slip rear, advanced security group, off-road package, snow plow prep package, 18" premium forged rims w/ all-terrain tires, tow mirrors and that is it.
- I have added the following: bed rug, Extang Trifecta tonneau cover, reverse lights, about 100lbs of stuff in bed (wood for jack support, tools, 12ton bottle jack, straps, etc), CB w/ duals, ss nerf bars (Luvern), ss mud flaps (Luvern), ss bumper guides, grill screen and brush guard @ 90lbs. Plus lets say about 25lbs worth of crap in the cab max. The fuel tank is the factory 38 gallon.

It just frustrates me that I weight that much, and it will only take my trailer and a few boxes to put me over the weight limit. Oh well, I suppose I will just have to risk it and load it, because I know the truck can handle it.

[bugman]

I'm surprised that SmokeyWren hasn't answered your question yet. I believe that he has all the information that you really need to determine what you can tow. Check out THIS THREAD it might give you a little bit more information on what you want.

Jim

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by CMB430

Window sticker says I have the 11,400 lb GVWR package (has snow plow pkg). The door sticker says I have 11,000 GVWR.

You have a defective door sticker. All 2008 F-350 SRW 6.4L SuperCabs with a long bed have 11,400 GVWR.

If the Super Duty catalog says I am supposed to have a maximum payload of ... 3,720lbs with the 11,400lb GVWR ..., how am I supposed to do that when I only have ...2,860lbs of room to play with?

Learn to read.

Ford says you have a max of 3,720 pounds available payload, provided you have no options on your truck and nothing in the truck but one skinny driver.

With a GVWR of 11,400 and 3,720 payload, that leaves only 7,680 pounds for the wet and loaded truck with driver and a full tank of fuel. If your truck weighs more than 7,680, than naturally you'll have less available payload than the "max".

And then you add a trailer, wow how can you not be over?

Simple. You have 2,860 pounds available for hitch weight, provided you don't add passengers or coolers or whatever before you tie onto the trailer. So don't tie onto a trailer with more than 2,860 pounds of hitch weight. That's a gooseneck trailer that grosses about 12,000 to 13,000 pounds. Or a fifth-wheel RV trailer that grosses about 15,000 to 16,000 pounds if GVWR was your only weight limit.

Am I just missing something, or are these trucks designed to haul a lot but you have to pay a whole lot more for a F450 to be able to use that capacity?

Realistically, your truck should weigh close to 9,000 pounds before you tie onto the trailer. That leaves you 2,400 pounds for hitch weight without exceeding the GVWR of the tow vehicle. And that leaves you 14,000 pounds for max trailer weight without exceeding the GCWR of 23,000 pounds for your tow vehicle. 2,400 pounds of hitch weight is an RV with 17% hitch weight of about 13,000 pounds. A 13k 5er is a lot of trailer. But if you need to tow more trailer, for example an 18k toy hauler, then yes, you'll need more truck.

Ford makes it. F-350 DRW adds over 1,000 pounds net payload, and with the TowBoss pkg the GCWR goes up 3,000 pounds more than your SRW. Wet and loaded weight will be around 9,500, so with 26k GCWR that leaves up to 16,500 pounds for a trailer.

Still not enough? Then your idea of the F-450 may be on the right track. Say 10,000 for the truck leaves up to 23,000 pounds for the wet and loaded trailer and up to 4,500 for hitch weight.

[CMB430]

Thank you SmokeyWren. Your answer is very detailed, and that is what I am looking for. I like having a clean driving record, and do not want to be over the weight limit. I tow a 7x16 v-nose with dual axles with a max weight rating of 7,000lbs. So if it is fully loaded, I should be able to put over 1,000lbs in the bed. I use my wheels to move my wife and I, as my job requires I be mobile.

Again, thanks and I hope this helps other drivers.

[CMB430]

Okay. This morning I went and got my trailer. It is loaded (floor space) to about 70%. About 50% of the cubic space has goods. Remember, I use my trailer for household storage and moving.

The numbers from just the truck with me in it, and a full 38gal tank.
- Steer Axle = 5160 lbs
- Drive Axle = 3380 lbs
= 8540 lbs total weight

Today with above mentioned trailer attached.
- Steer Axle - 4720 lbs
- Drive Axle - 4620 lbs
- Trailer Axle - 4360 lbs
- Gross Weight = 13,700 lbs. I think its funny how each number is even.

That means the trailer is weighing in at 5,160 lbs with GVWR of 7,000 lbs. Hitch weight is 800 lbs. It looks like I am in the green to put the trailer to the max and have a total of 2,060 lbs worth of room to play with.

Sorry if this sounds elementry to you guys. No one taught me about towing, I learned it by buying and reading what you write. I now know that more or less I can load her to the hilt and be legal.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by CMB430

That means the trailer is weighing in at 5,160 lbs with GVWR of 7,000 lbs. Hitch weight is 800 lbs.

15.5 percent hitch weight.

If that's a tag trailer, you have a bit too much hitch weight. So move some weight back behind the trailer axles. Your goal is 12 percent hitch weight, with a minimum of 10 percent and a max of around 13 percent.

If that's a gooseneck trailer, then you're at the light end of acceptable hitch weight. About 16 or 17 percent is minimal, with 20 percent being normal and up to 24 percent being okay.

If it's a fifth-wheel trailer with a GVWR of only 7,000 pounds, then your 15.5 percent hitch weight is okay, with 17 or 18 percent being more common.