F250 and 5th Wheels

[6.4BlackHillsFX4]

I was looking through the owner's manual of my new 08 F250 Diesel the other night paying particular attention to the Cargo Weight or Payload rating of the 250's. It directed me to a sticker on the door post and there in black and white was a maximum Cargo Weight of 1980#. I went back to the manual to see what that was all about. According to the sticker and the manual, the maximum Cargo Weight of my new truck includes cargo, occupants and the weight on the hitch or king pin. Although I pull a travel trailer, it made me wonder just how many 5th wheels are being pulled by 250's that are grossly over the Cargo Weight. I got in a heated discussion with my brother, his 5th wheel alone has a pin weight of over 2200# and a sticker that says 1980#.
Am is missing something here or are many 250 owners that are pulling 5th wheels exceeding the Cargo weight?

[lifewitlooie]

I guess its a rule thats meant to be broken

[Blue01F250]

I know yours is the 6.4, but I will check on mine. Is something to check into! But that does seem quite low....

[6.4BlackHillsFX4]

My brother's 04 6.0 King Ranch has the same sticker, same weight. I think we get all hung up on how much they will pull and forget about what you can sit on them.

[Blue01F250]

Thats true - but I could have swore when I went and looked at the weight for my truck that it was in the 3000# range. I am definately going to make sure though!

What is odd is that my trailer has a several thousand # pin weight and it didn't even sag the rear of the truck!!!

[014x4cc7.3]

I see lots of folks pulling fifth wheels with F250. No difference between F250 and a SRW F350 except for the spring blocks and the sticker. I currently pull a travel trailer and plan to update to a 28-32 ft fifth wheel in the future. I too will probably be over the rating, cannot afford to buy an new F350 just for the sticker on the door.

[red73psd]

my girlfreinds parents pull a fully loaded toy hauler 40fter with a dodge 2500 and it does well.

[mjm]

I have been down this road before! I had a chevy 2500 and bought a 36 foot fifth wheel and quickly learned that a 3/4 ton pick up is just that. My chevy had a GVW rating of 9200 pounds. With a full tank of fuel, the heavy *** hitch in the bed and me and the family in the truck it weighed 7300 pounds! My pin weight was 2300 pounds. That put me over the GVW rating but more importantly I was over the rear axle weight rating. What alot of people forget is that the tires are the weak link. That is where that max rating comes from. A single axle 350 is not much different from a 250, if you plan on hauling a fifth wheel get the 350. Sure alot of people get away with overloading load range D tires but a few don't. When I looked at the kid in the back seat I decided to go get a truck that has a payload and axle rating to meet the load I bought a 3500 chevy and have since bought a F450. I don't need the 450 but I would not go smaller than a 350 no matter what if I was hooking up to a fifth wheel of any size.

[6.4BlackHillsFX4]

I think MJM about summed it up, thanks for the input. I do have an F250 but pull a 6000#travel trailer with an equalized tongue weight of under 400#. A couple of adults in the cab, a generator in the box and the tongue weight I have, I feel pretty safe and don't have plans to buy a 5th wheel anytime soon.

[cj41foley]

Originally Posted by Blue01F250

Thats true - but I could have swore when I went and looked at the weight for my truck that it was in the 3000# range. I am definately going to make sure though!

What is odd is that my trailer has a several thousand # pin weight and it didn't even sag the rear of the truck!!!

several thousnad # pin weight? you've got to be talking about total weight, my freakin 35' 3 slide 5er only has like 2300# pin (hitch) weight