F250 PSD/26TRW

[KW]

I recently attended the Ft. Worth RV show. I was very impressed with the Excel and spent some time looking over the 30RKE that was on site. My wife and I are sold on the Excel for quality and workmanship. I shared with Excel representatives the type of TV that I own and was advised that My vehicle would have no problems towing this RV. I'm told that most ratings are just recommendations and do not necessarily require strict adherence when it comes to towing. After reading about towing on several rv sites I think that I would likely be overmatched. Being Ex-Military and somewhat OCD with a need to pay attention to detail, I want to be safe and also tow within the presscribed ratings for my vehicle inorder to reduce potential for wear and tear. Question is, if I downsized to the 26TRW would I likely be within the limits for towing this RV with my F-250 SD 4X4 Crew Cab, FX4, 6.0L PSD with 3:73 ratio, I also have the camper package with rear stabilizer bar and tow commander system. Vehicle has a 10,000 GVWR package. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

[KW]

I recently attended the Ft. Worth RV show. I was very impressed with the Excel and spent some time looking over the 30RKE that was on site. My wife and I are sold on the Excel for quality and workmanship. I shared with Excel representatives the type of TV that I own and was advised that My vehicle would have no problems towing this RV. I'm told that most ratings are just recommendations and do not necessarily require strict adherence when it comes to towing. After reading about towing on several rv sites I think that I would likely be overmatched. Being Ex-Military and somewhat OCD with a need to pay attention to detail, I want to be safe and also tow within the presscribed ratings for my vehicle inorder to reduce potential for wear and tear. Question is, if I downsized to the 26TRW would I likely be within the limits for towing this RV with my F-250 SD 4X4 Crew Cab, FX4, 6.0L PSD with 3:73 ratio, I also have the camper package with rear stabilizer bar and tow commander system. Vehicle has a 10,000 GVWR package. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

[Still Working "NOT"]

I think you should be ok. You will at your max GVW. I used to tow my 30RGE with a '93 F250, 460 CU IN fine. Now if you are going to pull a boat behind, you may very well be over the GVW.

[LindaH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by KW:
I'm told that most ratings are just recommendations and do not necessarily require strict adherence when it comes to towing. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Probably told by the people who are towing rigs too heavy for their TV! Saying that weight ratings are just "recommendations" is like saying speed limit signs are just suggestions!

Sure, there are lots of people out there pulling rigs too heavy for their TV...that doesn't mean it's a good idea or safe to do so. While your TV may be able to "pull" it, can it stop the load safely, particularly in a panic stop?

The 30RKE has a GVWR of 15,000#...if you load it up to it's maximum, you're looking at a pin weight of around 3,000#. Can your 3/4-ton truck handle that kind of weight? With a GVWR of 10,000#, your TV (loaded with a full fuel tank, and all the people and gear you'll normally carry in it) would have to weigh 7,000# or less.

The 26TRW also has a GVWR of 15,000#, but a dry weight of less than 10,000#, so if you load it lightly, you might be OK. The best thing to do would be to load up your TV as noted above and take it down to the local scales and get it weighed. Subtract that weight from your TV's GCWR to find out what the maximum is you could safely pull. Also subtract your TV's weight from it's GVWR to find out the maximum pin weight it will safely handle.

[P3 guy]

I was never really worried about how much I could tow, but how much I could stop. The gross combined weight,I think, pretty much the resembles the true braking capabilities of the tow vehicle.

[HB Phil]

I believe those weight recommendations pertain to your vehicle, stock, as delivered. You could upgrade your suspension, tires, wheels, shocks, springs and brakes to improve your weight handling performance. Also the optional disk brakes on the trailer are a great improvement.

I would not go over ratings in stock configuration of the truck but I would consider improving my truck tires, wheels and suspension to meet the weight of the trailer.

[TXiceman]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HB Phil:
I believe those weight recommendations pertain to your vehicle, stock, as delivered. You could upgrade your suspension, tires, wheels, shocks, springs and brakes to improve your weight handling performance. Also the optional disk brakes on the trailer are a great improvement.

I would not go over ratings in stock configuration of the truck but I would consider improving my truck tires, wheels and suspension to meet the weight of the trailer. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Making modifications to the truck will NOT increase your towing capacity or tow rating. By making the modifications, you will improve the towing comfort and stablity. You are still limited by the GVWR and GCWR as published by the manufacturer.

The short coming of a 3/4 ton truck is the lower GVWR and resulting cargo carrying capacity which includes the trailer pin weight. A typical 5er will have a loaded pin weight approaching 20% of the trailer GVWR.

To know where you stand on weight capacity, you need to weigh your truck loaded with passengers and cargo as you would have for travel. Add 150# for the hitch. This is your laden vehicle weight (LVW).

You can get the GVWR from the door jamb sticker and the GCWR from the owners manual for you engine and drive train.

GCWR - LVW = max loaded trailer weight (not dry weight).

GVWR - LVW = max loaded trailer pin weight (not brochure weight)

Hope this helps.

Ken

[HB Phil]

No, the rating sticker on the door will not change but the defacto weight bearing capacity of the vehicle will be altered and improved for carrying heavier loads, i.e; Michelin LTX with an aggregate of 1,600 additional pounds capacity, Biltstein HD shocks, Alcoa wheels with at least 1,000#'s aggregate additional capacity, plus, added springs. And I believe a trailer with disk brakes will usually out stop a stock drum brake trailer.

By the same token the door sticker rating will not change if the TV's weight defacto handling capacity was downgraded, for example by equipping it with a Kia axel and skateboard wheels. If this rig was towing under weight but a wheel broke and it was involvded in an accident, would the fact that he was towing under the sticker rating mitigate matters? Of course not.

IMHO, the defacto road worthiness and weight carrying characteristics of the vehicle, as equipped and modified, at the point of collision will come under exam. Certainly, the stock ratings of the truck will be a factor but, like the skateboard wheel case, will not be the sole element in adjudging the totality of circumstances of the case - whether or not the rig was road worthy, and by extension, whether or not the driver was negligent.

If I were overweight in a stock truck then I deserve to get the book thrown at me. But, for example, if I could demonstrate that I had modified my truck carry capacity to clearly exceed the weights that I would be towing, and that had indeed improved the truck's and the trailer's road worthiness, (stopping distances, etc.), beyond the stock truck and trailer, then I do not feel I would be found negligent.

Just my opinion!

[ChiefJohn]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Making modifications to the truck will NOT increase your towing capacity or tow rating. By making the modifications, you will improve the towing comfort and stablity. You are still limited by the GVWR and GCWR as published by the manufacturer. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agree with TXiceman -- regardless of the modifications an owner makes to their TV they cannot legally change the rated gross vehicle weights/capacities. The "rated" weights can only be changed by having the vehicle re-certified for the additional capacity and making the necessary changes to the title and registration. These vehicles are usually considered under the term of "remanufctured vehicles".

To allow anyone to add components to a TV without regard to the the competency of the installer and/or safety of the modifications would be extremely dangerous.

This is not to say that there are not many TVs in use that have been upgraded by their owners and are safe. We've all also seen some "shade tree" type modifications that makes us wonder why the vehicle is allowed on the highways.

IMO, John

[ChiefJohn]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I shared with Excel representatives the type of TV that I own and was advised that My vehicle would have no problems towing this RV. I'm told that most ratings are just recommendations and do not necessarily require strict adherence when it comes to towing </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

"KW", I'm surprised that an "Excel representative" would make a statement that manufacturer ratings for their TVs do not require strict adherence. Sounds more like a dealer representative (salesman) hype.