So confused

[The Bone]

That yellow sticker is just for registration porpoises. If a truck is 10,001 they they classify a truck differently in some states. So for a general rule the classify F250 and F350 with the same 10,000 GVW. Whats important is the axles. There is a white sticker and on that sticker is the axle load. If you don't exceed that than you are golden. Semi truck can carry way more than 80,000 pounds but are limited by state law and to carry more than that you need a special license or a permit.
When I got my truck and hooked it up to my truck it had some sag and I added air bags to level the truck. What that did was re balance the weight back to the front tires and lowered my headlights for safety.
Now you will be at the max for combined gross vehicle weight CGVW. I believe my truck weight about 8,000 pounds and CGVW on a F250 is 23,500. So trailer is max load 16,800 plus 8,000 for the truck = 34,000 pounds total weight. There is where you are over. A DRW ranges from 31,900 to 40,000 depending on rear gear.
I hope this clears it up for you.
I have a F250 and my max length for a trailer is 36'

[Keebler]

If you do decide to trade, get a DRW! Trading for a 350 SRW to get "under sticker" is madness in my eyes, your paying a ton of money and not buying much (if anything) in safety beyond from "the law" (who almost certainly will never bother you even with the 250!). If you're gonna trade up, get something that really increases your margin of safety, a 350 DRW or a 450.

No doubt; a rig that size is in dually territory.

[Txfivver]

You don't want to be this guy ! It is a F250 I suspect with a 10K GVWR hooked to a 375 Solitude. WAY over the "magical" 10K GVWR and thus payload and may be exceeding rear spring ratings as well. Tire ratings not sure but hope not.

To your question - "and does anyone else do this ?" .......Yes, it happens all the time. Doing your due diligence on payload sticker and real truck capacities as well as potential risks to you, your family, and others along with liability concerns and possibly litigation will help to become more informed and determine your decision.

Dan
Attachment 24346Attachment 24347

Wow that's painful to look at! No way would I pull my trailer with a 250. Let a rear tire blow on that truck (and it will) and he'll be one busy fella!

[Calnca]

Agree with Txfivver........can your truck move the trailer from point A to point B? Certainly the motor has the grunt to do THAT job......but SHOULD you.....the answer to that is clearly NO. Just for your personal safety and those in the truck with you, you should be in a DRW. Any of the DRW trucks would increase your safety immensely.

Don't listen to all of the forum experts, who for various reasons, don't want to man up and get the correct tool for the job. These arm chair experts confuse "moving" with being able to responsibly tow a big rig.

[Jerryr]

When I got my truck and hooked it up to my truck it had some sag and I added air bags to level the truck. What that did was re balance the weight back to the front tires and lowered my headlights for safety. ............

I hope this clears it up for you .

Air bags do not move weight from rear tires to front tires. They just raise the rear when aired up. They redistribute some of weight that was carried by the rear springs to the airbags to reduce rear sag. Being that airbags are mounted on the rear axle, the rear axle and rear tires still carry the same load.

Raising the rear with airbags will help to reduce rear sag when loaded and that will help to maintain headlight aim.

Now a weight distributing hitch when used to tow a travel trailer will redistribute some rear weight to the front tires.

[ramcneal]

How much risk? Very small, IMHO, I've never heard of someone actually be pulled and forced to unhook for being overweight with a camper, and I see 250's hauling monsters ALL THE TIME on the highway. But there is some risk there, you have to determine how much that risk means to you. I would NEVER go over my tire ratings, that's just asking for problems. And I'd also never go over my axle rating, but, again, most of the time, that won't be a place you'll run into trouble.

It's been reported that in Canada the police do check truck ratings and trailer weights on RVs. They are random checks, again from the reports I've read, but failing a check would put a big damper on trip plans. There has been some discussion that California is going to do the same. I'll believe that when I see it, but California does restrict vehicles towing a trailer to 55MPH and having just gone through the state I saw a few vehicles towing being pulled over.

If I was borderline on the payload on a 3/4 ton truck I'd get some air bags and just be aware that going to Canada is not in the cards (at least I wouldn't risk it). I had a payload value, that once exceeded, meant getting a new truck. I was lucky and found a practically brand new Dodge 3500 DRW. The dealer really wanted my 2500 since it was easier for him to turn over locally and get more money for it. In my area 3/4 ton short beds are an easy sell. One ton dually's are tough and the dealer indicated they were about to send the truck to auction which would have cost them money which is why I got a good deal (probably a salesman's lie, but it worked for me).

[The Bone]

Air bags do not move weight from rear tires to front tires. They just raise the rear when aired up. They redistribute some of weight that was carried by the rear springs to the airbags to reduce rear sag. Being that airbags are mounted on the rear axle, the rear axle and rear tires still carry the same load.

Raising the rear with airbags will help to reduce rear sag when loaded and that will help to maintain headlight aim.

Now a weight distributing hitch when used to tow a travel trailer will redistribute some rear weight to the front tires.

Say you put a load of dirt in the back of the truck and it sags does it not steer very light in the front? Thats because of all the weight transferred from the front to the back. So if you have air bag it stands to reason that If you push the back up than some of that load is put back on the front wheels. Now you still have the same truck with a load in the rear but it will steer better. I am not saying that all the load is transferred to the front but it will level out the load better.
A weight distribution hitch transfers some of weight to the trailer not to the truck.

[GeoffnCheri]

Just purchased a 382wb solitude. My TV is an f250 with airbags. So much math involved. Why can't there be an easy button... I know I can tow it. But how far overloaded am I? And does anyone else do this?

[Walaby]

It only becomes confusing if you rely on the truck manufacturer sales literature that boasts best in class towing, or more towing capacity than the competitor.. yada yada yada

Payload and GRAWR numbers for your truck are readily available to you right on the door jamb. Find those numbers. Don't exceed either one and you're golden. Exceed payload but under GRAWR, it depends on what theory you subscribe to. Some swear never to exceed payload, others live by the axle weight ratings as the critical figure. Even with my 1 ton, fully loaded, with family etc, I exceed payload by 10lbs. I don't worry about it. I'll shed 8lbs of fuel before I reach the freeway.

Mike

[Overtaxed]

Agree with Txfivver........can your truck move the trailer from point A to point B? Certainly the motor has the grunt to do THAT job......but SHOULD you.....the answer to that is clearly NO. Just for your personal safety and those in the truck with you, you should be in a DRW. Any of the DRW trucks would increase your safety immensely.

Don't listen to all of the forum experts, who for various reasons, don't want to man up and get the correct tool for the job. These arm chair experts confuse "moving" with being able to responsibly tow a big rig.

You know the interesting thing? On my 250 with a 351M hooked up, ~3K pin weight, I still wasn't on the overloads! I was really surprised to see that when I hooked it up for the first time, which, thinking about it, tells you something interesting. Why put springs on a truck that are so stiff that even ~1K over "yellow sticker" weight you're still not using/touching them? Doesn't make a lot of sense, but I'm sure it's done because a lot of people buy a 250 as a "registration beater" and then promptly turn around and use it like a 350. But makes no sense at all, if you're going to rate the truck at ~2K in payload, to put in springs that don't even get used until you're over 50% over the allowable payload.