Has any one actually weighed a vehicle close to mine? 4X4 Super cab... bla bla bla. I am trying to do the towing capacity formula.

TIA

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97 F-150 SC Lariat, Styleside, White over Gold, 4.6L (Windsor), Automatic, 3.55 rear end, electronic 4X4, w/ every option of Lariat and ORP packages except the 17" wheels (I even got the OR decals now!) MOD's so far: K&N air box mod, Gibson Super Truck, clear Bugflector II, Leer TSC 600 hard cover, Bridgestone Dueler OWL ATP 265/75 R-16's, TrailMaster Invader N7 shocks, Smittybilt step bars, Ford moulded mud guards, "White-white" head lamps, Cloud Rider Design's SS Grill and bumper opening, Bosch Platinum + 4's, Hayden 30K+ Tranny Cooler,Class III Reece load distributing hitch system, full wiring including trailer battery charging system, Escort Sensor II Brake controller, Superchip

 

The truck should be weighed with a full fuel tank and passenger load expected when towing.
Check the yellow pages for a Public Scale near you.
Mine weighed in at 6700# and the weight listed on the state registration was 5828#. Don't use your "registered weight" - it must show the "dry" weight.
The safest thing to do is weigh your own. You or your passengers will probably have a different weight than someone else who posts here.
Good Luck - Safe Towing!!

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1999 F-250 XLT Super Duty Crew Cab Long Bed
V-10, Automatic 4R100, 4.30 Limited Slip.
GVW = 6700# Towing Capacity = 13,300#
4 Wheel ABS disks + Reese 15K hitch
Dark Hunter Green. Ford Running Boards.
Grey Rhino-Liner. Captain's Chairs. CD+Tape
Polished Stainless Steel Wheel-well Molding http://members.home.net/jchartier/jnctrk.html

 

I've had mine across junkyard scales that are ALWAYS "light". At least that's what I whine when they tell me how much scrap I just sold them. I dunno how much gas was in it, but the usual junk in the back seat & one person, it was just over 5200LBS

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'97 S/C XLS black/silver 157" WB, 4.6/auto, 3:08, home made custom tube grille, terminator muffler, phantom sweep wiper switch(factory installed), a few billet aluminum goodies (the list grows), airbox mods, TPS tuned
email: bazils@hotmail.com

 

I you wanted the weight to be with in a five lb of actaul go to a truck stop with a CAT scale they have to be correct at all times they are monitered because they are weighing over the road trucks. I have a 4x4 sc 150 with a short box and a cap i will weight it tomorrow.

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2000 blk xlt f150 sc 4x4 orp pkg 5.4 3.55 ls tow pkg flowmaster muffler air box mod herculiner ,sony 10 disc cd-player A.R.E. cap remote start

 

Thanks all. So far I was just using the Max GVWR rating on mine to do some rough calculations. On my sticker that is 6000 pounds. Since that is supposed to be the weight of the vehicle at its maximum. People,gas/oil full load and everything, I can assume it is lighter than that but? I think Basil1's truck is close to mine. But Steve g's is perfect. Thanks. I am aquiver with anticipation!

 

Oh, one other question. Is there a correction to the towing formula when you use a weight distribution system? I have read the class rating doubles when you do this from some Hitch manufacturers technical articles. i.e. a Class III that is 5000 jumps to 10,000. So say you were towing a 4000 pound trailer with this system it is more like towing a 2000 pounder and so on. So I would assume you gain some relief on your GVWR when you distribute the weight over all four whhels and not jsut the back two. Anyone?

 

To the top. Anyone?

 

cphilip,
If you don't already have one, get the Ford RV & Trailer towing guide from your dealer. In there it shows that the weight capacity for a F150 goes from 5000 lbs with a regular hitch to 8700 lbs. with a weight-distributing hitch. Tongue weight capacity goes from 500 to 870 lbs. I have towed a 6000 lb (loaded) car trailer with a tongue weight of approximately 300 lbs. with the weight distributing hitch behind my '90 tired old 5.0 Bronco (3.55 axle). The truck is level and handles as well as can be expected at 65-70 MPH. Take the weight distribution spring bars off and the truck is 3-4" lower in back and no fun to tow over 45mph.
Life should be grand when I get the 5.4L SuperCrew!


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2001 SuperCrew, 4x4 Lariat, Blue/silver, 5.4L Auto Leather, Moon roof, everything but the TV (On Order)

 

Just for comparison, my regular cab weighed in at 4,720# with fuel and me on board on a digital freight scale at the local Air Force Base. The leave the scale on all the time so access to a scale is simple and free.

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97 F-150, 2WD, Reg Cab,Flareside,Dk Toreador Red, Windsor 4.6, Magnecor 8.5mm wires, Bosch Plat +4s, 3.55 LS, EGR Bug Deflector, ******* Bed Cover, Bed Liner, XL Full Length Running Boards, Air Aid Kit, Gibson Single Out Cat Back, Superchips, TransGo Shift Kit, Hellwig Rear Sway Bar, Hellwig 2500# Overload Springs

 

Some F150s only tow 2,500lbs according to the owners manual.
Be sure your powertrain can handle it.
V6 manuals won't tow much.

 

Correction, V-6 with manual trannies and 3.08 gears won't tow anything. My V-6 with the 3.55 gears and automatic is rated at 5800 lbs, which is more than any upper engined compacts (except the V-8 Dakota). Ofcourse, V-8's will tow more than a comparbly equipped V-6.

Leo dC

 

Front axle weight ticket: 3200
Rear axle weight ticket: 2250
Total: 5550

Includes famine-resistant driver and tank of gas.

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Y2K XLT EC 5.4L 7700# SB 4x4 w/LS 3.73 (repeat buyer)

 

Good stuff guys. Thanks.

JGorka,
You are not the Jhon Gorka the musician are you? This towing guide is a seperate document from your owners manual? Does it specifically mention anything about weight distribution systems. I only know they work great don't they? Level as can be!

My truck has a 6600 total weight trailer tow limit according to owners guide. This does not take into account the weight distribution system. I am pulling a trailer that is 3800 pounds as equiped (LP gas tanks, batteries and all acccesories as supplied) which has a 5600 pound total loaded limit. That gives me 1800 pounds to load into it. I do not see how I could ever put enough stuff in it to get there even with a full tank of onboard water(365 lbs). My gear in it so far is less than 200 pounds. I usually do not tow with water on board and just fill up when I get there and dump before I leave. Even if I assume my truck is loaded to it's max (6000 lbs. on the GVWR truck sticker) I am still under the towing limit by almost 2000 pounds. If I were to assume the worst case scenario, that being 6000 pounds for the truck and 5600 pounds for the trailer I am over my limit by 100 pounds. But again that is not taking in to account the 32K GVWR Tranny cooler, the weight distribution system and the electronic brake system. That is my only concern. If I was to get into a problem on my extended warranty and they were to claim this was over I want to be ready with the facts. I think I am alright assuming I do the regualr service on the extreem duty schedule. Any opinions on that?

 

The GVWR is different from what you can TOW.
It tell you how much stuff you can LOAD.

My truck has a "registration" weight of 5828, a "wet" weight of 6700 and a GVWR of 8800.

My trailer has a 1300 pound hitch weight when loaded with water, stuff and etc. and a "wet" weight of 12100.

Subtracting the truck's "wet" weight from the GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating) of 20,000 says I can safely "tow" a trailer weighing up to 13,700# - so I'm 1,600# "light" with the trailer.
My hitch weight of 1100 becomes part of the "load" and is factored into the GVWR. Subtracting the truck's "wet" weight from the GVWR of 8800 says the maximum safe "load" is 2100# - so I'm 900# "light" with my trailer's load.
Both GCVWR and GVWR need to be considered.
Regarding service intervals: I change Mobil One at 3000 mile intervals when towing and 5000 mile intervals when running aroung without a load. - and in between those figures with combined driving - leaning one way or the other depending on how much or how little towing I've done.
My rig is a 5th wheel, so I cannot answer your questions regarding "load leveling" hitches, although my father and father-in-law both swear by theirs when towing their trailers.
Good Luck - and stay within limits for safety's sake. Maybe I'll see you out there some day. See my rig by following links in my signature.

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1999 F-250 XLT Super Duty Crew Cab Long Bed
V-10, Automatic 4R100, 4.30 Limited Slip.
GVW = 6700# Towing Capacity = 13,300#
4 Wheel ABS disks + Reese 15K hitch
Dark Hunter Green. Ford Running Boards.
Grey Rhino-Liner. Captain's Chairs. CD+Tape
Polished Stainless Steel Wheel-well Molding http://members.home.net/jchartier/jnctrk.html

 

Right, I was refering to the GVWR of the truck at 6000 (max it can be but I am sure I never have it at that) and I looked up the "max trailer towing rating" which for mine was 6600 pounds in the owners guide. It's a chart based on your Reg cab or super cab, motor size,Tranny type, 4X4 or not, etc. They also give you a formula there for the adjustment of the "actual" vehicles GVW to and the "actual" trailer GVW in order to caclulate the "actual" towing capacity. I think that this chart is somehow taken from the GCVWR but I am not realy sure how they get that "tow rating" chart. I am sure a fifth wheel arrangement does the same thing as a weight distribution system if not a little better.

[This message has been edited by cphilip (edited 02-21-2000).]