Is the F250 enough truck

[labs4life]

JRTH,

This is exactly why I have not chimed in on this thread. There is a big problem with some of the "logic" around here. You can look at my past posts and I try to stand by the, "weight rules". If you can pull a trailer with a chevette and be within weight ratings, go for it. It just is not for me. I try and never tell people to get a bigger truck just because I have whatever and don't like their truck.

I tow a TT with an 8200lb dry weight. I weighed the combo the other day and I was 4700 front axle, 4400 rear axle and 8900 on trailer axles. This is me, DW, and two kids and carseats and all the other junk they have in the truck. I have a 10k GVW truck and even with this trailer, I am only 900 away from the GVW.

I usually give an opinion when I feel the OP is genuine, otherwise I sit on the sidelines and watch the fireworks!!

[Javi]

I'm pretty comfortable with someone towing with a '11, '12 or '13 Ford F250 diesel and staying within the ratings of the (same years) F 350 SRW if they have the tires and wheels to match those ratings. I've researched the parts myself and yes they are all the same except the spring pack and spacer, so if someone wants to make adjustments for those things I see no reason other than possible legal issues for one to say no.

[tanman32225]

I know nothing about an F150 I dont own one nor never have so that part of the equation is null. All I am saying I can tow safely up to nearly 16000 so I just round out that figure there. I know my unit is in the 11600 range without load. I add a couple of thousand pound motorcycles in the bay and my gear it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out an approximate load. round it up for "safety" if that word make you feel better and I am in the 15k range. Lets say for the fun of it I am 16500. I dont feel threatened by a few extra pounds. It still tows and handles like it has less. I cannot tell the difference in towing , pulling or stopping.
There is no disconnect it is just plain math.

[JRTJH]

The issue as I see it is that it isn't "plain math" it's more an estimate of what you "think" or "hope" or "estimate" or "round it up" to be. That is exactly what the OP stated caught him in the rear when he finally went to the scales and realized how overloaded he was with the RV he "estimated" to be well within the limits of his truck's capability.

You say you can tow "safely" up to nearly 16,000 lbs, then you say you load about 2,000 lbs of bikes and your gear into the RV. That's well above 17,000 lbs, significantly over your "feel safe" towing limit.

If you "feel safe" with your rig (but don't know the reality of what it is), you may be fooling yourself and placing yourself and those around you in danger by "estimating" what you tow.

If you look "realistically" at pin weights, using your 15,000 pound trailer weight, the 15% calculation is 2250 lbs and the 25% calculation is 3750 lbs.
Using your expected load, let's say at 17,000 lbs, 15% is 2550 lbs and 25% is 4250 lbs. No matter how you cut it, those figures are going to put your F250 in the overloaded category. Even if you load carefully, trying to keep your pin weight down, clearly, somewhere in that range, there's a percentage of your gross RV weight that will cause you to be overloaded. Feeling safe and being safe are not necessarily the same thing. Granted, a number of people take the "ostrich approach" and stick their head in the sand, choosing not to know the facts. Many of them never have an issue with their tow vehicle or RV. However, that approach is filled with people who help build the statistics in the state accident files.

All I'm saying is that the general consensus was that when towing with a half ton, the driver really should know his weight calculations. I'm suggesting that the same advice really applies to all trucks regardless of capacity. Three quarter ton trucks are not "beasts of burden" they are machines just like half ton trucks are machines. They all have limitations and they all can be overloaded. That can easily lead to accidents and damage to property as well as injury to people.

[SAABDOCTOR]

So if I read this correctly, some of you (not john or I) would get on an airplane the captain comes on the intercome gives the normal speech and says. "Well we may have exceeded the gross take of weight and the center of gravity should be ok it all feels safe to me, We will see as soon as we get airborne" This would be acceptable to you? NOT ME! don't guess your life my depend on it!

[JRTJH]

Barney, You can always overservice the nose gear strut. That will push the nose up and offset the "too far forward" COG. What the heck, just get it in the air, as long as we have enough power and airspeed, even a bath tub will fly..... Hmmmm Like you, not with me onboard !!!!!

[Javi]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Barney, You can always overservice the nose gear strut. That will push the nose up and offset the "too far forward" COG. What the heck, just get it in the air, as long as we have enough power and airspeed, even a bath tub will fly..... Hmmmm Like you, not with me onboard !!!!!

Just move the fat guy to the back..

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Javi

Just move the fat guy to the back..

Hey now !!!! He paid for the "big seat in first class" and he's gonna demand to sit in it for the "remainder of the flight" (regardless of how long we can keep it in the air)

[zuley]

Originally Posted by Javi

Just move the fat guy to the back..

Let's not get personal... I'm trying to loose weight!!

[T11ravis]

Originally Posted by tanman32225

It was not scaled but I am guessing...

Originally Posted by tanman32225

... it is just plain math.

I'm not understanding your math.

[pjhansman]

My Laredo is just under 10k lbs dry. Hitch weight, gear, and passengers put me slightly over the GVWR on my F250.

I've added airbags for levelling. It tows and handles great, and tire wear hasn't been an issue.

That being said....I expect to see a 350 dually in my future. One less thing to stress about when I'm retired.

[SAABDOCTOR]

It's the "new math" oh and hey I am the fat guy they keep moving!!! Ha HA HA.