Towing resource?

[RustyJC]

Yes, and as an engineer for our company, I'm saying that I don't recommend that customers arbitrarily eat into safety margins designed into our equipment. As an example, gas compressor cylinders are hydrotested above their maximum working pressure (MWP) as a proof of safety/integrity, but the governing rating is still the MWP, not something between the MWP and the hydrotest pressure.

Light duty trucks are NOT Class 8 semis. The GVWR is NOT equal to the sum of the GAWRs on light duty trucks such as pickups.

Rusty

[BFlinn181]

The bottom of the Mississippi River is paved with steamboat wrecks created by boats that thought the boiler pressure was just a recommendation! While a vehicle sitting still may be close to it's tow limits, what kind of PSI is developed when in a panic stop, hard curve, road dip, etc? Sure they build in expectations for such things, but I don't want to risk my family on the edge of the limits. Remember, a 100 lb. woman in high heels applies more PSI than a 6000 lb. elephant. You can rationalize all you want, but anyone on here who suggests to someone asking advice that it's O.K. to exceed manufacturer's limits 'because it's built in' is not doing anyone any favors.

[tuffr2]

BFlinn181 - exactly!!! Any buffer is used up in emergency situations. Great point!!

[DaveTN]

With a Towing capacity of 9200 for my ford I have limited TTers I am looking at to a GVWR of 7500. Most salesman try to push this up but I am being firm.

[iawoody2]

Whatever, I'm out of here.

[wandering1]

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f45/tow-v...ors-89375.html

This forum is where you need to be.

[DaveTN]

GVWR is a term that can be used for either the tow vehicle OR the trailer. Both have a GVWR.

While this link is good, it uses this term just for the tow vehicle which confuses many people as any TT has a GVWR.

[Oldme]

Not knowing the year we are discussing, here is some more general 2009 Ford info that may be of interest.:
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...xWeightTow.pdf

[KnightsWatch]

I have no experience yet with towing a 5th wheel, but having bought trucks for other hauling purposes, I would say that the expense of purchasing a truck that well exceeds the manufacturers recommendations will be more than made up by the lack of repairs needed later. Sometimes a little overkill is a good thing.

[iawoody2]

The GVWR is NOT equal to the sum of the GAWRs on light duty trucks such as pickups. (This was stated above)

When I weight my front axle (4400) and then the rear axle(3220) they are within 80lbs of the total weight(7700). So you are saying that the GFAW and GRAW then cannot even be considered combined?????/ Then why would Ford list gross axle weights that combined are greater than GVW????? Maybe because of this, my truck was built with all the extra suspension, trailer towing and snow package. In reading the 35 pages on Ford's website and all the tech data I have the same number and thickness of leaves as the F350. If you look at the placard on the door post there is a small > in front of the 10000.

[caissiel]

My F250 stock springs could not hold 2k load without riding on the overloads and the ride was like a buckboard. Bad enough I was afraid of breaking the pin frame on the trailer. Like the previous trailer. My previous 98 GM 2500 with the same load drove like a Cadilac. It was rated for3200 lbs load.
Ford designs for a soft ride and heavy truck. So I ended adding 2 more spring ply on each side to soften the loaded ride and also resulted in firm and smooth unloaded ride. I am back to my GM loaded comfort and even better unloaded. My spring shop assured me I was only doing what others do before the failures of the main plies. Unloaded on our northern roads cause these ply failures on all the 3/4 ton trucks as I was told when I bought my 1st one in 98.
I prefer larger single rear tires for economy and comfort and it has served me well. After all RV's at 3000 lbs hardly load the truck enough to require the need for 12k lbs tire capacity.
My truck has 10k brake capacity with much larger front tire capacity and the trailer has 14k lbs capacity. For 24k lbs. Ford allows me to tow with 23500lbs before overloading the powertrain.
I am sure as a driver I am able to cause as much harm to the truck with 10k or 30k it all depends on my driving. So for legal reasons my Ford is rated at 10k and when hooked to my trailer the truck rating drops to dry weight plus 1500lbs. And I can drive accordingly and much safer then the majority of vehicles that pass me on the highways.
My past experience with the previous TV's has been that if driving above 60mph cause me to cause undue stress on the powertrain. Like premature brake wear and excessive fuel mileage.
When driving with trailer in tow I usually get a chance to relax and arrive at my destination feeling satisfied of my performance.
Its never a race for me but a leasure drive in comfort.

[azdryheat]

3/4 ton can handle any 30' 5th wheel with ease.

[azdryheat]

Funny all this talk on weights and such. Over on the TC forum they don't worry about putting a 3200 pound camper in the bed of their 3/4 truck. Instead they worry about the power needed to move it down the road.

[Oldme]

Interesting discussion, with very passionate people on both sides of the question.
Some are for strict engineering data while others go by proven performance. I have always found both sides interesting as well as how both sides came to their conclusions. No one will ever change the mind of the other.

A good example of this is a Judge in Va. where I worked. If you took any accident case in front of him, one of the unusual questions he wanted to know was about tires. What brand, condition, and size of each tire. He would then cross reference that information with what the manufacturer put on the cars.

If either vehicle has different size or type tires, from what the manufacturer used, they would automatically carry a higher percentage of accident responsibility. Why? because they were changed from manufacturer's specks.

His court, his rule. No one else did that in the State. You could argue and show tire test data all day and not change his mind. His classsic 64 mustang was PURE stock. Yes, including tire size, type and brand.

We are all given Free Will and we all use it differently.