Understanding tow ratings

dman24

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We are thinking about trading our current dodge 1500, that I understand to be capable of 8,800lbs towing in and possibly getting a F150 with the 5.0 or maybe a diesel if we can find one at the right price. The issue that I’m having is knowing what to look for with towing capacity. We currently use our truck to haul atvs and our tractor occasionally. Tractor weighs around 3,500lbs and would like to get an 18’ trailer to haul it with. My fiancé wants to get a three horse trailer in the future as well. When looking at specs I see some f150’s that say it has a 6000 gvwr package and some have a 7000 gvwr package. When you look online at certain years they claim 13000lb towing capability, but I haven’t seen anything that specs exactly what it takes to get that rating. Same issues with the diesels. We would probably be looking at getting a 6.0 Ford, the newer 6.7 are our of our budget. Not sure yet what we’ll do but would like to make the best decision possible if we get another truck.
 
I've found factory promoted towing specs to be highly optimistic. Maybe they test these ratings on flat Kansas ground, but they sure as hell don't do what they say they do in the mountains.
There's one exception that comes to mind- The 1 ton Dodge's with the Cummins. I see private haulers using those to tow all kinds of stuff down the freeway, most notably car trailers with 6+ cars on them. Never see any Fords or Chevy's doing that. Never.
 
The weight rating that you want to look for is called CGWR, or Combined Gross Weight Rating. It represents the weight of the truck and full trailer, and is the weight that you want to be licensed for.

A 3/4 ton will do a much better job of stopping a 3 horse trailer. Also, if you have a choice gooseneck trailers are like upsizing your truck one size in terms of pulling. IE, a 2 horse gooseneck towed by a half ton truck is about the same as a 2 horse tag-a-long trailer behind a 3/4 ton.

If you go with a 6.0 be sure to find one that has not had a tuner installed, and preferably one that has had the EGR cooler removed.

A Duramax or a Cummins would be a better choice over the 6.0 though. 2005 - 2007 versions of either one are pretty bomb proof.
 
The factory tow rating means it can move that weight without damaging itself. Essentially the radiator and trans can take the heat, the brakes can stop it, and balanced right it won't get thrown in the ditch. That doesn't mean it'll move it quickly, or pull hills worth a darn.

What you describe could be handled by a 1/2 ton, but I wouldn't want to do it often. The new trucks have the power, with working trailer brakes they should stop fine. A lighter truck will be pushed around more by its load and a lighter sprung truck will bounce and sway more. Regular use near capacity will acellerate wear.

Agree Cummins Duramax beat Strokes for the 6.0-6.4 years. Not that they can't be made to last, but it's not quite turn key. The "Rollin coal" fools have me skittish of suggesting used diesels, ask a million questions and walk if anything seems off.
 
I've found factory promoted towing specs to be highly optimistic. Maybe they test these ratings on flat Kansas ground, but they sure as hell don't do what they say they do in the mountains.
There's one exception that comes to mind- The 1 ton Dodge's with the Cummins. I see private haulers using those to tow all kinds of stuff down the freeway, most notably car trailers with 6+ cars on them. Never see any Fords or Chevy's doing that. Never.
I do. Ive seen several Ford and chevies doing it. When I drove long distance I'd say there was an equal amount of each. People do like that Cummins and for good reason.

If your looking for a truck to tow 5k get the 250/2500 the 6 liters Ford and Chevy V8 gassers will both work fine at 400 hp and tq. I dont know what dodge offers in gas burners. I wouldn't go with a diesel if you ain't hauling that trailer every week. The 10k extra $$$ can buy a lot of gas.
 
What is confusing to me at least. When you have a 7000lb tow rating as the truck is built. Then you add OEM brake (with programing) controler, springs, etc. Basically setting it up just like the 10000lb rating truck of the same series.

The sticker still says 7000lbs. How to you get it legal for the added capability? Keep in mind the goal was not to match the rating of 1 ton trucks.
 
Good thought but it's the same as the engine/transmission in the higher rating.
If they really are physically the same, my guess would be a matter of marketing. A few people will pay more if they’re told it has a higher rating.
 
I'm new to this myself but it seems the 'legal' part is how much you tell the DMV you're towing and pay for it with the weighted tag. DMV wants their money and don't really care about how you're pulling. Troopers and such are supposed to be looking for unsafe loads but I'd bet they're looking for gross overweight and hassling truckers.
You're doing the right thing in gaining knowledge. I pull a 8k pound travel trailer with a weight distribution/anti-sway hitch and brake controller with my 2013 Tundra (5.7L) and sometimes forget it's back there. I prefer to be way inside the specs on the sticker. Don't want to wear out the truck and don't want to risk the family's life.
 
Having towed boats for most of my adult life I can say without fear of contradiction that ALL manufacturers are VERY optimistic with their tow ratings. They never even hook anything to the truck to confirm their paper calculated ratings, they just use some magical formula that gives them the number they want to advertise. They ALL should be shot for giving what they know is false information.

As has been said, just because you can make it move don't mean you can stop it when my Grandmother pulls out in front of you. Look at the torque, look at the brake types, consider the weight to be towed and make your own decision..... Something else I can say is that trailer brakes are a godsend, as long as they work and there isn't 10% of the rigs going down the road that have properly working brakes.... (discounting semi's)....
 
What is confusing to me at least. When you have a 7000lb tow rating as the truck is built. Then you add OEM brake (with programing) controler, springs, etc. Basically setting it up just like the 10000lb rating truck of the same series.

The sticker still says 7000lbs. How to you get it legal for the added capability? Keep in mind the goal was not to match the rating of 1 ton trucks.

I'm not sure you can as a consumer. Upfitters and body builders can if properly credintialed, but I believe it's pretty rare now for them to, usually they start with something that has the needed capacity and reduce it. They also typically start with a legally incomplete vehicle.
 
We pull a 6K lb travel trailer. I originally did this with a 5.0 F150. It did well. The mountains made it work hard. That truck's CGWR was 13,500 lbs. The truck with me in it and a full tank of gas weighed right around 6000 lbs, meaning we had about 75oo lbs to play with for towing. That truck was topped out by the time the whole "crew" was loaded plus gear, etc.

I stepped up to a 2015 F250 6.7 diesel. Now I'm at less than half of what this truck is rated for. The difference is hard to put into words with how it tows versus the F150. It's similar to the saying "There's no such thing as too much ammo." Well, there's no such thing as too much truck. I see people pulling things down the highway that makes me cringe. Some are convinced that their 1/2 ton is actually a 1 ton dually! I don't feel there's a significant difference with regards to manufacturer. I think they all make pretty good diesel trucks. Some years better than others among them all.
 
If you are towing those things weekly or even a few times a month get the bigger truck. Things larger trucks have over the half tons is bigger brakes, more torque, longevity when towing. Sure the factory says you can tow xxxxx lbs with your truck but they dont say for how often and how long. Towing something that big will eventually smoke the transmission on smaller trucks.

Buy once cry once or look for a used diesel.

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Over the summer we pull more than we do during winter, but that’s mostly just two atvs. If she gets a horse trailer I’m not sure how often it will be pulled. The transmission in our current dodge has started running 20-30 degrees hotter than usual, even unloaded when in the mountains a few months ago. I’ve checked the fluid but am worried it’s on the way out which is why we’re thinking about getting rid of it now. I drive a 2500 Chevy gas burner for work, and it handles the tractor fine but I’m not a bow tie guy. I’ve been able to find several 6.0’s for around 15,000 with low miles.
 
Over the summer we pull more than we do during winter, but that’s mostly just two atvs. If she gets a horse trailer I’m not sure how often it will be pulled. The transmission in our current dodge has started running 20-30 degrees hotter than usual, even unloaded when in the mountains a few months ago. I’ve checked the fluid but am worried it’s on the way out which is why we’re thinking about getting rid of it now. I drive a 2500 Chevy gas burner for work, and it handles the tractor fine but I’m not a bow tie guy. I’ve been able to find several 6.0’s for around 15,000 with low miles.

Just know the 6.0 will need the work to make it reliable.
 
Ask all these guys telling you to buy the bigger truck if they're going to make your payments every month.

This is exactly the wrong place to ask if anything is "good enough ".

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Hey, it's what CFF does best. No one should expect less. Certainly not me as I've spent others $$ on rife/pistol setups.
 
If anyone needs a weight distribution hitch and sway system let me know. I've got a Reese system that I took off my camper before I traded it all off. It can be had cheap.
 
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Just know the 6.0 will need the work to make it reliable.
Yes sir, hoping to find one that has already had the work completed. If I can’t find one I have a diesel mechanic friend that can do it for me. Any one else have any insight on tow ratings.
 
What is confusing to me at least. When you have a 7000lb tow rating as the truck is built. Then you add OEM brake (with programing) controler, springs, etc. Basically setting it up just like the 10000lb rating truck of the same series.

The sticker still says 7000lbs. How to you get it legal for the added capability? Keep in mind the goal was not to match the rating of 1 ton trucks.

The main component differences between tow ratings on the same truck are as follows:

1 - rear end ratio. Lower rear end ratio’s are used for higher tow ratings. A truck rated for towing 7K lbs may have a 3.5 rear end, versus a truck rated to tow 10K lbs may have 4.11. The lower rear end reduces stress on the transmission, cooling system and engine.

2 - braking. It used to be that there were light duty and heavy duty versions of each tonnage series (may not be anymore), and the heavier duty rated versions had stronger brakes and heavier springs.

3 - Springs. Higher tow rated trucks may have stronger rear springs.

4 - Radiator. Higher tow rated trucks may have a thicker core radiator.

After re-reading your question, I realized that my answer above is not applicable (but I’ll leave it for educational purposes). I’ve never seen DOT issue a ticket for towing higher than mfg’s tow rating, but they will issue a ticket for having more weight than you are licensed for. If you upgrade the vehicle in terms of braking, etc, and were ticketed for exceeding mfg’s CGWR, I would think that taking your receipts to court would be your recourse to convince the judge to dismiss the ticket.
 
Over the summer we pull more than we do during winter, but that’s mostly just two atvs. If she gets a horse trailer I’m not sure how often it will be pulled. The transmission in our current dodge has started running 20-30 degrees hotter than usual, even unloaded when in the mountains a few months ago. I’ve checked the fluid but am worried it’s on the way out which is why we’re thinking about getting rid of it now. I drive a 2500 Chevy gas burner for work, and it handles the tractor fine but I’m not a bow tie guy. I’ve been able to find several 6.0’s for around 15,000 with low miles.
Just remember replacing a 6.0 will almost cost 15k thats what your paying for the truck right. Me being a mechanic I personaly would not take that kind of risk, even more so with that motors reputation.
 
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Just remember replacing a 6.0 will almost cost 15k thats what your paying for the truck right. Me being a mechanic I personaly would not take that kind of risk, even more so with that motors reputation.

I agree. I'm not a mechanic but I have 2 friends who have recently put about $10K into their 6.0's! I would steer clear of that mess.
 
We have several 6.0s with 300k on them and still going strong. Most have been replaced with 6.7s. We have 7.3s with 600k and a couple with 700k. We get great service out of our EcoBoost F150s also.

How often are you towing? How many miles at a time and what type of terrain?
 
I went through the same selection process about a year ago. My work needs changed, and I needed the ability to tow more weight than I could tow with my 1/2-ton truck; but not very far, and not very often. I ended up buying a used '17 Ford F250 Super Duty with the 6.2 gasser. It does the job at much lower upfront, maintenance, and potential repair cost than a diesel, although it does it with more effort (revs) and more fuel. I really haven't been able to find much negative info about the 6.2, and it's pretty ridiculous how quick this big 'ol bus of a truck is with it.
 
The main component differences between tow ratings on the same truck are as follows:

1 - rear end ratio. Lower rear end ratio’s are used for higher tow ratings. A truck rated for towing 7K lbs may have a 3.5 rear end, versus a truck rated to tow 10K lbs may have 4.11. The lower rear end reduces stress on the transmission, cooling system and engine.

2 - braking. It used to be that there were light duty and heavy duty versions of each tonnage series (may not be anymore), and the heavier duty rated versions had stronger brakes and heavier springs.

3 - Springs. Higher tow rated trucks may have stronger rear springs.

4 - Radiator. Higher tow rated trucks may have a thicker core radiator.

After re-reading your question, I realized that my answer above is not applicable (but I’ll leave it for educational purposes). I’ve never seen DOT issue a ticket for towing higher than mfg’s tow rating, but they will issue a ticket for having more weight than you are licensed for. If you upgrade the vehicle in terms of braking, etc, and were ticketed for exceeding mfg’s CGWR, I would think that taking your receipts to court would be your recourse to convince the judge to dismiss the ticket.

I have read of RV situations where in an accident, the person exceeding GCWR can get hammered financially when insurance companies use that as a way not to pay off.
That sticker rules in those situations, apparently.
 
Aside from the truck manufacturers lying about what something can tow, I am always amazed at how many people have no clue about GCWR and only look at the tow ratings alone. 10,000 lb tow rating ? They load up the truck with people, 1800 pounds of other crap and then hook on a 9,999 pound trailer with no trailer brakes. :eek:

I got religion when my race car hauler shoved us straight through a downhill intersection with a busy 4 lane on a rainy day. All I could do was wave to the other drivers as we slid past. Now I shoot for half to 3/4 the combined rating in order to have hauling, turning and stopping buffer.
 
We probably wouldn’t be towing anything to heavy for another year or so while we save to buy a trailer. After that I’m sure she will be towing two or three horses several times a month. Also planning a to get a trailer to haul my tractor and hoping to be able to do side work with it as many weekends as possible. I’ve had my class a cdls for six years so have a lot of experience with hauling. After talking with my insurance company and a couple of banks we’re leaning towards a 12-18 model year right now but it’s still up in the air. I’ll probably test drive a gasser and diesel sometime soon and see how they compare.
 
For work I drive an F-350 4x4 with the 6.2L gas V8. With all my tools and equipment in it, it weighs right at 11,500 lbs, and its this heavy every day. Now and then I'll tow a utility trailer behind it that probably adds a total of 3500-4000 more.

Lack of power has never been an issue for me, and it can stop pretty quick too for something its size. Its honestly pretty quick on flat ground, and it handles hills well.

The only downside is fuel economy. I average 10-12 mpg, no matter what I'm doing. The same truck with less gear/tools would probably get 15-16.

If you won't be towing every day, but are determined to step up in truck size, I'd say consider a used F250/350 with the 6.2 gas. It will be a lot cheaper than the diesel, and still offer great performance. If memory serves, the engine makes 390 hp and 400+ torque.
 
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We have a 2004 6.0 crew cab dually we pull a 36' car trailer with two racecars on it. We had minimal issues with it, but last spring the turbo coked up. Having read all the horror stories about the 6.0 engine, we decided to bite the bullet and get it bulletproofed before we had any serious issues. The heads were gone thru, studs, head gaskets, o ringed, tuner, EGR delete, oil cooler, upgraded the turbo, etc. It cost us $7000. The truck is a beast now. The fella that did the work was the head tech at Rudy's back when they did mechanical work, and he now does that stuff out of the shop behind his house. He's known to be one of the best diesel mechanics in the area.

As for Cummins being so great, a friend of ours tows cars for a living and he claims he tows more Rams than Fords and Chevies combined.

As for the original topic, I towed a single car trailer with a half ton truck for years. It had plenty of power, could stop decent with the trailer brakes hooked up, but man, it just wasnt enough truck. So when we started talking about buying a bigger trailer to haul two cars, I went with as much truck as I could afford.
 
My place of employment also has a 2016 F250 with the 6.2 gasser. It has a trailer hooked to it 99% of the time and averages around 10-12 mpg mixed. Most of our towing is local. The 6.2 is great, but if we were going up and down the interstate all day, we would have went with the 6.7 powerstroke.
 
One thing to consider when towing a trailer is the tandem rear wheels. Blowing a rear tire with a loaded trailer is a real thrill when there is only a single tire left to control the weight transfer.
 
The decision has been made. She finally realized that I’m not likely to ride with her very much and decided a two horse trailer would be adequate. We found a 2016 F150 with 33,000 miles on it last night. It is 4x4 and has the 5.0 and should be more than capable of anything we will need a truck for.
17176FC2-123C-4AA1-8645-3AB681DC563A.jpeg
 
The decision has been made. She finally realized that I’m not likely to ride with her very much and decided a two horse trailer would be adequate. We found a 2016 F150 with 33,000 miles on it last night. It is 4x4 and has the 5.0 and should be more than capable of anything we will need a truck for.
View attachment 104618
Congratulations, those are nice trucks aren't they? The back seat is more comfortable than any other pickup I have ridden in.

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So far we are pleased with it. The ride and roominess is great. It doesn’t have the take off that the dodge had but it’s also 4x4 and 3.73 geared. I believe the dodge had 3.92 and a hair more torque. The sport mode woke it up some and this truck has a ton more features than the dodge. It has touch screen radio, moon roof, the pro back up assist and all kinds of things I haven’t figured out. My fiancé really likes it and she’s a chevy gal.
 
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