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Thread: My tow vehicle

  1. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Heavy Half Ton View Post
    RE 250 vs 350, the rear axles are different too. It is not just the springs. If you wear out the 250 a le prematurely due to being one or two thousand pounds overloaded, that might be a reason. Sterling axle vs the m275.
    And the F-450 is a big step up in axels springs breaks and front and rear differentials

  2. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD68 View Post
    This question gets asked a lot and the same same half dozen guys on this forum always answer in the same way. They immediately go to the payload sticker...and what they told you is correct. You are way over (1,000 lbs.?) the capacity listed on your payload sticker. The good news is, from a practical standpoint, you should be fine. Your payload sticker is driven by the fact that Ford markets the F250 as a Class 2 truck which limits the GVWR to 10,000 pounds. Payload isn't an engineered rating, it is a mathematical equation (GVWR minus the weight of the truck). As previously stated, your rear springs are slightly softer than a SRW F350. Someone else assumed that you have the Sterling 10.5 rear axle. That is most likely correct although the F250 with the High Capacity Trailer Tow Package comes equipped with the same Dana M275 as the F350. Either way, your axle is easily up to the task of towing your 337. Until 2017, that Dana 10.5 was the axle used in the F350. If you have the HCTTP or Camper Package, you will also have the same overloads as a F350. Aside from the rear springs and (possibly) the rear axle, every other component of your F250 is identical to a F350. If you decide to upgrade your truck in a meaningful way, you will need to move up to a DRW and many here would suggest that a DRW is the appropriate TV for a 337. They may be correct. Personally, the 337 was on my short list but I decided that the 303 was the right trailer for me from a weight and length standpoint.

    If purchasing a new SRW truck, I would strongly suggest going with a F350 to get the bigger number on your payload sticker. Since you already have the F250, I would make a point not to exceed the axle, wheel, and tire ratings. The axle rating is actually driven by the weakest component in your rear suspension, not the axle itself. You may have trouble staying under your rear axle rating (likely 6340 lbs.). I think any OEM wheels will have enough capacity and tires are easy to upgrade if necessary. Sometimes all you need to do is increase the pressure in the stock tires. My tires came inflated at 65 psi but the same tires on a F350 would be inflated to 80 psi to match the higher rating. Although nothing can increase the payload capacity of your truck, there are many ways to increase it's capability. Airbags are a great idea to level the truck. Helper springs are another.

    So, your situation is not ideal but if you apply some common sense, you should be fine. There are literally tens of thousands of people towing fifth wheel trailers using F250s without incident. Some of them may be grossly overloaded from a practical and a sticker standpoint. In my opinion, you are not. If a F350 can handle your trailer, so can your F250. Are you pushing the limits of a SRW truck? Maybe. The truth is, many factors impact safety while towing. Keep your speed down, stay alert, and drive defensively. Failing to those thing will pose a much more immanent threat to your safety than exceeding your payload sticker. Good luck!
    The other thing no one has mentioned is insurance. If there is an accident and any dose the math, your insurance will not pay a penny. I'm with a major company, and full timing. When we started full timing our insurance agent had us weigh the truck alone and then with the trailer attached. They kept a copy for their records. They were the ones who warned us about companies not paying out if there is a possibility of being overweight.

  3. #33
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    Super duty

    Quote Originally Posted by Skijobe View Post
    We purchased a 2019 337rls. Our tow truck is a 2017 Ford super duty 6.7 Power Stroke Crewcab XLT with 355 gears in the rear. We live in south Texas flat land does anyone have any ideas what my fuel mileage I should be expecting. I drive around 60 to 65 mph and this enough truck for this unit?
    Thanks
    I purchased a 2020 320MKS, virtually same numbers as the 337RLS. I pull with a 2019 F350 SD duly with a 410 gear. My mileage is 12.7. A few friends with your 2017 model and gear get 13 to 14mpg.

    Enjoy your new Rig. We would have bought the 337 except I wanted the out door cook station and the outdoor entertainment center. We spend more time outside than in the camper.

  4. #34
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    Just wondering outloud. If the F-250 and the F-350 srw are built the same, axels, wheels, transmission and breaks. And a slight difference in springs. Why bother building a F-250 line?

  5. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerryr View Post
    I may be wrong but I believe that on the diesel 250 the axle is the same Dana M275 axle. For the gas 250 they definitely use the sterling axle.

    The rear GVWR rating is different. 6340 lbs for the 250 vs 7230 lbs for the 350. The reason is because the Gross Axle rating is determined by the rated capacity of the minimum component. I’m pretty sure that minimum component on the 250 are the tires. Even though they use the same tires they only air them to 65 psi on the 250 vs 80 psi on the 350.

    Regardless even with a Rear GVWR of 6340 lbs he won’t exceed the Rear GAWR when trailer is attached. He will exceed the Payload due to the 10,000 lb limit of the GVWR.

    Not that I’m recommending it, but lots of people are successfully towing 337s with diesel 250s.
    I guess were one of those people, except we pull a 2016 14,000# Solitude 379FL with our 2006 F250 Super-Duty, long bed, Super Cab, 2WD truck. The truck is rated something like 16,400# fifth-wheel towing weight and 4000# pin-weight. Our loaded Solitude is about 1000# under the max towable weight and about 1300# under the max pin weight. As already said, comparing the 2006 F250 and F350, the only real differences are about 200# towing capacity and 1000# more bed weight. The single rear wheel F350 has the exact same axle as the F250. The Dana axle was used only with the F350 dually. We added air bags for the sag, and after a few trips an aftermarket dually kit ($4200 total with new tires and fiberglass dually fenders mounted and painted) for sway and because doing the math our weakest links were the single tires being maxed out. We cruise about 62 MPH because that, even in "tow-haul" mode, lets the trans go into overdrive and lets the 6.0 diesel lope along at about 1800 rpm. According to the "Torque" monitoring system we are getting about 10.5 Mph cruising on flat land.

    I posted about the dually conversion in another thread... Way cheaper than buying a new truck!

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  6. #36
    Fireside Member Skijobe's Avatar
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    Your response has given me peace of mind. I’ve towed my 337 responsible and safe without any problems. I understand the math but I also understand and follow the safety tips. Once again thank you for your help.

  7. #37
    Fireside Member charley patton's Avatar
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    everyone must decide for themselves, i guess.

    in my case, i decided not to run the risk of having some young whippersnapper attorney, representing an insurance company, attempt to take every last dollar it took me 50 years to accumulate, because i ran into someone pulling my 303rls behind a 700 lb overloaded 2500.

    it's simple arithmetic, really. no, they would not have to reconstruct the accident to figure out how overweight i was. on paper, if you put two people, two dogs, a 250 lb hitch, and a full tank of fuel in front of a rig with an easily calculated 2200 lb pin weight 303rls, YOU WILL BE IN TROUBLE. i was convinced, largely by the contributors of this forum, to trade my 303 rls for a 297rsts. same floorplan without the pin weight problem. yea, it's gonna cost me another $6500 to get the 2020 rsts and wd hitch, but i figured, for the peace of mind, it would be money well spent.
    2020 Reflection 297RSTS. Equalizer 1600 hitch. 2020 Chevrolet 2500 diesel short bed. Charley and Janis. Pets Zoie and Harley.

  8. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skijobe View Post
    We purchased a 2019 337rls. Our tow truck is a 2017 Ford super duty 6.7 Power Stroke Crewcab XLT with 355 gears in the rear. We live in south Texas flat land does anyone have any ideas what my fuel mileage I should be expecting. I drive around 60 to 65 mph and this enough truck for this unit?
    Thanks
    All the poor guy ask was what kind of mileage to expect and regiment of weight police showed up and not one of them offered what to expect for fuel mileage, somewhere around 10 mpg and less if it is really windy

  9. #39
    Rolling Along backtrack2015's Avatar
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    “... and this enough truck for this unit?” Multi-part question.

    I get between 9- and 10.5-miles/gallon when towing at 65-mph.
    Last edited by backtrack2015; 11-03-2019 at 10:55 AM.
    2017 F-350 CCSB 6.7L
    2021 Micro Minnie 2100BH
    previously - Reflection 28BH, Intech Pursue

  10. #40
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    I have a Reflection 307MKS and tow with a King Ranch F-250, 6.7, 4x4, 3.55 gears (if I remember correctly, I'd have to pull the spec sheet), at 60-65, I'll get around 9-10, 65-70 around 8.5-9.5 gallons per mile. That is based on the on-board computer, which is fairly close, tow haul mode on, pickup computer anti-sway deactivated. Mind you, I don't live where it is flat, I live where we have hills and mountains plus some winds. The best I ever did was 11 mpg.

    I'm not going to get into the weight discussion other than my mechanic friend told me he has found no difference in the F-250-F350 brakes or bearings.
    2018 Reflection 307MKS
    2017 F-250 King Ranch

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