Help Needed: Understanding Our Truck's Tow Capacity - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Howard · Host

Help Needed: Understanding Our Truck's Tow Capacity

Bobbi · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have a 2003 F350 SRW with a 6.0L. According to Trailerlife.com, our max fifth wheel weight cannot exceed 13,300 lbs., though I have also read it is 12,200. Not sure who's right.

Gross capacity for the truck, according to what we can find, is 20,000 lbs. The empty weight of the truck alone is 6,372. Add 13,300 for the trailer and 6,372 for the truck and we're already at 20,032 lbs! And that's before we all get into the truck and the trailer is loaded with our stuff. This doesn't make any sense to me. What am I misunderstanding here? And is the 13,300 lbs weight limit for the fifth wheel empty or loaded? It really shouldn't be this confusing. confuse Help!

Bobbi · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Howard! Thank you so much for offering assistance! I'll be happy to give the info you asked for.

Automatic tranny
Super Cab
Long Bed
4WD
3:73 Gear Ratio

We tried to find the info in our manual, but they didn't provide any info for the 6.0. Can you believe that?!

We don't yet have a fifth wheel picked out, but we are looking at toy haulers, so I want to make sure we are within the acceptable weight range before we make a final choice.

Howard wrote:
Hi Bobbi,
I'll try to help, but I need more information. Your truck can tow a fifth wheel from 12,700 to 13,700 depending on the answers to the questions below and the cargo the truck will carry aside from the fifth wheel.
Truck
Automatic or Manual Transmission?
Standard Cab, Super Cab (half), or Crew Cab?
Long Bed or Short Bed?
2WD or 4WD?
Rear Axle Ratio if you know it?
All these factors determine the towing capacity and the Gross Combined Weight Rating of the truck. You can look up the GCWR in the Diesel Supplement of your owner's manual, but you will need the above information to determine which chart you need to follow.
Also, the towing capacity charts assume that the truck has only the driver at about 150 lbs and doesn't account for additional cargo. So, when you add a passenger and any cargo (tool box, auxiliary fuel tank, etc.) the towing capacity rating is reduced by the total of the additional weight.

Trailer
There should be a sticker on the outside of the fifth wheel on the driver's side. Look for GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) - that will tell you the maximum the trailer can weigh completely loaded.
If the sticker has worn off, provide the year, make, model/floorplan, and length so we can best determine your GVWR.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bobbi,

To add to Howard's post, you can go to your Ford dealer and have them look at the "data plate" on the driver's side door post to see what your truck's rear axle ratio is. There is a code on that data plate that specifies the rear axle ratio. That data plate information, along with the knowledge of what Howard has stated will give a full determination of the truck's capacities.

If it would be helpful to you, I happen to have an electronic (Adobe pdf file) brochure for the 2003 Ford F250's and F350's. If you would like me to e-mail that to you, send me your e-mail address via private message here on the forum and I'll send a copy to you.

Terry

Bobbi · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terri so generously sent us the 2003 F-350 brochure. Thanks so much, Terri!

The brochure states that max loaded trailer weight for our truck is 13,000 lbs. This is substantially less than we were thinking we could pull. We're quite disappointed, but I'd rather know now than after the fact. We were thinking that we would be safe at 13,000 dry weight. :>/ Back to the drawing board to look at some lighter toy haulers, or change gears and go with a regular fifth wheel within those limits. *Sigh* I'd really rather have the toy hauler, but not if it has to be really small vs. a regular fiver.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bobbi,

Don't just go with the "towing weight." Be sure and look at the GCVW so that the truck, when loaded, and the trailer, when loaded, doesn't exceed that GCVW. One can be under on towing weight, but over on GCVW.

Also, with regards to your plans, are you considering full-timing or will you be part-timers? If part-timing, take the time to look around at what are called "ultralite" trailers. We used to have a 26' fifth wheel that was an ultralite. While our previous 26' travel trailer REQUIRED at least an F250 to tow, the ultralite 26' fifth wheel could have been towed with an F150. (Not that I would have wanted to, but it could have. I'm a firm believer in having too much truck as opposed to having too much trailer.)

Terry

Bobbi · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry - The funny thing is that when you add just the weight of the unladen truck and the max weight of the fifth wheel, you're already 26 lbs. over the 20,000 GCVW. This doesn't make any sense to me. So the truck and fifth wheel can go camping, but us and our stuff have to stay at home. Something seems amiss.

RE: The camper. We are projecting that we will be part-time at some point in the not too distant future, but we also want to be able to go camping in the meantime. Either way, it's important to me that we purchase an RV that is well insulated and of good quality. I want this to last us a good, long time. We live in PA and want to extend the camping season as early and late as possible, so we want a "four season" fifth wheel. There will be five of us, plus I know the kids will invite friends on occasion, so I'm looking at the toy haulers because we can have a patio to add space, plus the garage will serve as a common space to eat, watch TV and entertain if/when needed.

I agree. Too much truck is better!! :>)

Thank you so much for your input. I appreciate it!