Help buying my first pickup truck if you please?

rozett · Apr 23, 2004

The maximum loaded trailer weight for any Ford F250/350 is 12,500 for single rear wheel and 13,900 for dual. And the GCWR (gross combined weight rating) is 20,000. You can buy an F550 4x2 DRW with 4.88 rears to get a max. trailer weight of 21,500 (GCVW= 30,000) You would have to go all the way to an F750 to have a max. trailer weight of 27,000. Ford tow ratings

So a F250/350 truck might be able to pull that kind of weight, but certainly not legally.

cowboydoc · Apr 23, 2004

So a F250/350 truck might be able to pull that kind of weight, but certainly not legally.

Most certainly you can pull it legally. The mfg. ratings are more for warranty issues. As a commercial driver I can legally haul a combined weight of 30k with my one ton dually. The mfg. ratings have nothing to do with what is legal. The legality of it has to do with what plates you buy. Once I buy my plates the truck and trailer have to pass inspection. I stop at weigh stations all over the country and I have never been given a ticket or even questioned. Hotshot drivers all over the country do the same thing with trailers, cars, heavy equipment, etc.

Bird · Apr 23, 2004

( The mfg. ratings are more for warranty issues. )

And they have to come up with a numerical rating without knowing whether you're going to be driving in hilly country, level country, smooth roads, rough roads, 40 MPH or 70 MPH. So warranty issues aside, they're a good general recommendation only.

( As a commercial driver I can legally haul a combined weight of 30k with my one ton dually. )

As I posted in another discussion, one of my brothers recently went and got his license upgraded because he's pulling a 38' fifth-wheel travel trailer with a one ton dually Ford powerstroke and is running over 26,000 pounds. And he took the driving test in that rig. He used to own and operate 18 wheelers, but had gone back to just a plain operator's license in recent years.

With my experience as an RVer, but without any hard evidence, I'd guesstimate that well over half, probably closer to three-fourths, of the RV trailers on the road are running over the manufacturer's GCWR for their tow vehicles.

ScottAR · Apr 23, 2004

I'll back CowboyDoc on this one. When I was shopping for a 3/4-1ton, I looked at a F350 flatbed for sale at a local lumber yard, the truck was lisenced to 18,000 GVW which is higher than Ford's rating.

I have a friend who pulls a Case 580 around with a 3500 GM (duals) which is around 17k-18k on the trailer. I think it's lisenced to 20k, or so.

I'm not sure I'd try pulling a TLB with my new to me F350 (singles) but I've no doubt it would pull it. Stopping and sidewall strengths of the tires would be my hangups I think.

rozett · Apr 24, 2004

Yup, I stand corrected. Maybe I should check my own registration before I load my 12k dump trailer. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

sassafraspete · Apr 24, 2004

Congratulations on the new truck Larry. A tractor and a truck.....the american dream? 10 cyls....that's a lot of mouths to feed though.

Cummins is shopping around now for a truck/SUV mfg to use their new V6 and V8 light duty engines that meet 07 emissions. Some are suggesting Ford may snap it up for their 2006 F150....as opposed to the small navistar engine. Or....will some other mfg grab it ??

The 2004 1/2 dodge will have 600 foot lbs of torque. I would not get an automatic with this beast.

sassafraspete