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raineyj32 · 03-02-2015, 06:49 PM

Need some help. I have a 2005 F350 6.0L crew cab 4x4, 8ft bed, 3.73 gears SRW and I have a 6in lift on 35's. Just bought a 2015 Highland Mesa Ridge 41ft. Model 376FBH The dry weight is 11000 plus. My trucks max tow weight is 15500. It seems like I have a little bit of a tough time with towing. Do I have to much trailer for my truck. I don't understand how to figure all those numbers so I listed my truck hoping someone could give me some advice. I'm hoping that I'm just not use to towing something that heavy. I had a small bumper pull before I bought the big rig. Im interested to get information from people who have been doing this alot longer than me. Thanks

SDCOToyhaul · 03-02-2015, 06:54 PM

Probably you are on the heavy side for the gear ratio but, one thought comes to mind. The 35" wheels. If you have or can purchase through the salvage yard, the original size wheels and tires, think you would find you gain quite a bit of towing capability.

JIMNLIN · 03-02-2015, 07:43 PM

Tow rating is simply how much weight the mfg says the truck can pull.

The big issue with your F350 SRW is the 7000 RAWR which includes tires/wheels and rear spring pack. As most one ton SRW trucks their limited to around 3500 lb of axle/tire capacity. Actual weight depends on actually weighing the trucks front and rear axles separately.
Another huge issue is towing a large trailer with a lifted truck.

If your using a suspension lift many are not up to carrying heavy loads.
IMO you have two major issues.
One is your towing a trailer with 5 slides and simply has too much pin weight for that size truck.
The other issue is a lifted truck has changed all the steering/suspension geometry and isn't surprising your not happy with the way it handles

I would take it to a set of CAT scales and weigh the truck and trailers axles. That will tell you how much your overloaded and how much bigger truck or smaller trailer you need.

Gordon Dewald · 03-02-2015, 07:49 PM

IMO you are over on the rating but need more information.

GVWR of truck
GAWR (rear) of the truck
GCWR of the truck
Wet weight of the truck with full fuel, passengers and "stuff"
Wet weight of rear axle as above
GVWR of the trailer

Bamaman · 03-02-2015, 11:14 PM

A truck with a 6" lift is going to have a very high center of gravity, which is not good when you're trying to tow a trailer that's probably heavier than the capability of your truck. A tow vehicle must also be able to handle corners while towing heavy loads.

35" tires will effectively change your final gear ratio equivalent to where you may need more horsepower. And your tires are also very heavy which increases the unsprung weight. 35" tires will simply not brake as well as stock OEM tires. which is a serious safety issue.

Unfortunately, most trucks with 6" lifts have difficulties ever being converted back to stock suspension heights and wheel/tires. I have no solution for your present truck used to tow a fifth wheel trailer.

Cumminsfan · 03-02-2015, 11:49 PM

Get rid of the 35's and go back to stock tires. Your 3.73 gears are now 3.41 with 35's. You have essentially lowered your max tow rating.

ralphie · 03-03-2015, 11:04 AM

I have the same truck but with stock wheels/tires and no lift. My unloaded weight was 10900lbs and 1850lbs pin so it's roughly what you are pulling. I have more truck than I need. I think your problem is the lift and wheels/tires.

chaps2018 · 03-03-2015, 12:35 PM

Yea, but I bet it looks good. ;-)

Sorry, couldnt resist. I recently came to a similar realization w/a 5er I wanted. Btw. my 06 3500 DRW wouldnt tow that trailer either.

2500HD · 03-03-2015, 02:47 PM

The truck is probably over weight with or without the lift and big tires. BUT the truck will more than likely tow the trailer fine if you get rid of the lift and 35's. When you tow at, near, or over a truck ratings big tires and lifts only make things worse.

Cumminsfan · 03-03-2015, 04:29 PM

You could always re-gear it. Some 4.10-4.30 gears would do the trick.

Superslif · 03-03-2015, 04:50 PM

I agreee

"Get rid of the 35's and go back to stock tires. Your 3.73 gears are now 3.41 with 35's. You have essentially lowered your max tow rating."

Might look cool, but big sidewalls are going to play havoc on handling.

caissiel · 03-03-2015, 11:49 PM

Went from stock 31 to 32 for 18in wheels with more capacity. My MPG dropped towing and now my speed has to be higher so the torque is right. Your 35s will never do it. Your truck will be very unstable towing a 5th wheel. I tow 15000lbs with my stock height F250 and it's very comfortable. Cannot imagine towing with a higher F350 and even worst a lifted F350.
I have a hard time believing your 35 will be able to carry the weight of a fifth wheel. You absolutely need 80 psi air pressure in the tire for safe comfortable towing.

wa8yxm · 03-04-2015, 06:31 AM

Well, looks like you basically have no cargo carrying capacity.

That said: There is no such thing as too much trailer
There is only too LITTLE Tow vehicle

Find a link to Trailer-hauler that works (Last I knew TRAIL-HAULER.COM did not work) or Wil-Ro (may be mispelled) they sell big enough tow vehicles... (Ok, converted semi tractors).

Cumminsfan · 03-04-2015, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caissiel

Went from stock 31 to 32 for 18in wheels with more capacity. My MPG dropped towing and now my speed has to be higher so the torque is right. Your 35s will never do it. Your truck will be very unstable towing a 5th wheel. I tow 15000lbs with my stock height F250 and it's very comfortable. Cannot imagine towing with a higher F350 and even worst a lifted F350.
I have a hard time believing your 35 will be able to carry the weight of a fifth wheel. You absolutely need 80 psi air pressure in the tire for safe comfortable towing.

Good points. I too went from 30.4 tires and 17" rims to 32" tires and 18" rims.
Haven't towed yet, but I can't tell the difference in how the truck drives. It is smoother. One thing the OP needs to look at is the max load rating on the tires and the max load rating on his rims. When I was shopping for rims I was checking all of them for load ratings. It was interesting to find rims for my 2500 CTD that were only rated for 24-2500lbs. The tire guy at Discount Tire called every rim maker to see if they were compatible with my truck and also that I was going to tow a 5th wheel. Two of the ones I liked that had the load rating were not recommended for 5th wheel towing. The OP needs to take a good hard look at what he has for tires and rims, as well as check his payload rating for the truck.