F250 and Pin Weight Question

[Excel-in]

Hi All,

I have a new F250 CC and here are it's stats

Weight (full tank, me and dog in truck):
Total 7680
Front Axle 4580
Back axle 3100

Weight of 15k Superglide hitch
180 plus mounting kit so about 210

Weight of DW
125

So total weight of Truck full of fuel, 5th wheel hitch, Dog, Me, and wife
is 8015.

GVWR is 9800 on truck is

So that leaves about 1800.

So what is reasonable?

A 5th wheel with 1500 (or less) of kingpin weight?

Given how we plan on using it, we will most likely never tow with water in the tanks.

Looking forward to your thoughts...

Dan

[TXiceman]

You need to really watch the published pin weights in the brochures...they are always based on an empty trailer. As a guide, use 20% of the trailers GVWR to estimate a trailers loaded pin weight. Some are higher and some are a bit lower.

Some folks will go over the trucks GVWR and load according to axle weight ratings. I am not a fan of this approach. If you go with the axle loading, make sure your tires are rated for the load as well.

Ken

[Chickasaw]

I have a similar problem. I have a 2005 PS F250 CC FWD with a GVWR of 10,000. I want to get an Excel, but the numbers just won't allow it given the high pin weight of the Excel. I see these trucks towing heavy FWs all the time, but they are not within the safety range. I'm probably going to get an F350 that is set up to handle a pin weight of 2600.

[450Donn]

Welcome to the ugly world of 3/4 tons and fiver towing.
Many many people simply ignore the GVWR numbers and load their truck up to the axle ratings. BTDT and believe me it is not fun towing that heavy. So if you choose to stay within the GVWR numbers you are going to be limited to a fiver of right at 9000 GVWR. To be blunt you would be far better off getting a TT. Your actual towing ratings will be significantly higher that way. And you could get a larger TT than fiver and still be well within the trucks ratings.

[TEX-CTD]

I have a different opinion on the GVWR based on the truck that i have....a 3500 Mega DRW

heres why:

my 06 DRW Megacab GVWR 10,500
06 DRW Quadcab GVWR 12,500ish(IIRC)

now both are one ton dually trucks. both dodge, same cummins engine, same axles, same tires

how in the world could there be 2,000lbs diff in the weight rating.
true the mega will weigh more dry but this only eats up payload not GVW rating.

another ex:
a SRW 3500 mega is 9,900 or 10,100 depending on the truck
a DRW 3500 mega is 10,500 GVW

only 400 lbs for going to a dually?? humm
the added weight of the 2 extra tires and wheels, front hub extensions, and fenders prob weigh more than that.

thats just my 2 cents and my truck

[JIMNLIN]

Excellent job of giving your trucks front and rear axle weights. To many RV folks simply weigh the truck and have no idea what their axle/tire loads are.

Ford gives your truck 6100 RAWR axle and tire capacities to carry loads. Weight from a 5th wheel or GN hitch changes the trucks front axle little if any.

Your truck has a rear unladin axle weight of 3310 lbs with the hitch. Occupants are actually closer to the trucks front axle so only a percent goes over the rear axle. That brings the trucks rear ladin axle weight up to lets say 3500 lbs which leaves 2600 lbs for a max axle payload. I wouldn't go over the trucks rear axle/tire capacities. Ford web says you can "pull" a trailer up to 15800 lbs. Now look for a 5er with a "WET" pin weight under 2600 lbs.

I've ran max axle loads on every truck I put in commercial service and use the same trucks to pull my RV's over the years and have had zero issues.

[KTM Guy]

Tex - Nice examples of the contradictions in mfgr weight ratings! Another one is my 2009 F-250, rated to pull a 15,000# 5er. But the cargo limit is 2,480. I'd bet there are very few 15,000-pound 5ers whose tongue weight won't exceed the cargo limit, even without adding the weight of the hitch and passengers.

My 12k Winslow was an impulse buy. Now I'm living with the mismatch to my truck for a while, although the truck feels very competent when towing it. I did install Timbren springs, which brings the truck closer to an F-350. It's unclear whether the F-350 SRW has a different axle from the F-250. Except for rear springs, everything else is the same (frame, brakes, tires and wheels). If anyone has data to answer the axle question I'd really appreciate your directing me to it.

[TEX-CTD]

the axles are going to be the same. like said slap some overload springs on top of the rear leaf springs.

Timbrens give a little more control and cushion when the truck is loaded and the timbrens compress

if you will think to a few yrs back all 3500/350s were DRW trucks. ppl didnt buy a 1 ton unless they towed heavy and that requires a DRW truck. now a days ppl want to have a 1 ton SRW to feel better about it i guess. you only gain a few hundred lbs in weight rating bc the tires are still the limiting factor.

[SuperGewl]

Yes it may be true that most DRW will be abel to handle a heavier 5th wheel due to it's duala rear wheels. But it may not be able to tow more weight if the the SRW is properly equiped. Alot of that has to do with the rear axle ratio also. Yes the manufactures do come up with some weird numbers for tow rating but that is what they have decided on. The trailer manufactures also have come up with slick ways to get around or atleast make you think you can tow their product with a 1/2 ton. So be very aware and use the actual Hitch weight and GVWR for the trailer as stated on the side of the trailer.

[TXiceman]

Also we need to note that the rear axle in the F350DRW is not the same axle as used in the SRW.

Ken

[TEX-CTD]

im no ford man but on a dodge they r just deff lengths on the rear axle.

my rear axle rating is 9,350lbs front is 5,200

its funny that my rear is 9,350 but my GVWR is 10,500 lol crazy

[450Donn]

Axle ratings are just that, ratings for that single component and not the whole package. Yea, I know this had been debated to death and no one is going to change their minds on this issue. But the fact remains, the GVWR is the rating that the manufacturer places on the entire package. The axle rating is on a single part, Same for the tire ratings. If you take the typical 3042 tire rating and multiple it by 4 you get over 12K in tire ratings. So who not go by that?