The 4X2 models weigh less due to not having the 4X4 front end and extra differential weight. Less than 100 difference means there can't be much difference between the F250 and F350 except for my truck. This wouldn't necessarily make the truck legal to pull a 12,000lb fifth wheel but I would think it would make it as safe as towing with an F350. And the regular cab with all else the same is 13,300! A four-wheel drive F-250 with a 6. But the fact that it is rated to pull a bumper pull 12,500 trailer but only a 10,400 5th wheel just did not add up. I tried to justify it the same way.
I apparently bought the wrong truck. The towing capacity of a Ford F-250 pickup truck fitted with a 6. The deisel weighs more than a gasser, so it actually has a lower rating. The supercab with all else the same is 12,000. Checking the towing capacity, I find that particular truck is only rated for 10,400 for a 5th wheel. Even the gassers are not derated.
For maximum towing ability, consumers should select the 6. If so, I would think a simple block switcheroo would be in order. The diesel-powered variant of the Ford F-250 can tow additional weight using a fifth-wheel trailer, increasing its towing capacity to 16,600 pounds for a standard cab model with two-wheel drive, or 16,200 pounds if using four-wheel drive. But then you would think if that were true, the gasser would have to be derated at least a little. Notice also that it is not derated for a conventional pull behind trailer.
The result is what you can pull. Unlike standard towing capacities, fifth-wheel towing capacity ratings are lower for four-wheel drive models and for trucks with larger cab sizes. No derating for the 4x2 models. The supercab with all else the same is 12,000. For example, an F-250 with a crew cab and four-wheel drive can only tow 15,100 pounds using a fifth-wheel trailer.
To determine the actual limits for a particular truck, operators should check their vehicle owner's manual. I thought the only difference between the F250 and F350 was the size of the block between the rear spring and axle. Why would only the diesel crewcab 4x4 be derated so much over the other cabs? Could this alone account for over 2000lb difference in fifth wheel towing capacity? With this option, the maximum towing range of the F-250 is between 12,300 and 16,500 pounds. The V10 with the 4. Both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models are rated for the same towing capacities, as of 2015. No derating for the 4x2 models.
Looking at the asterisk note in small print, the derating only applies to the diesel crewcab 4x4 and the supercab 4x4. I know that my 4X4 Excursion tows less than the same 4X2 set-up by a few pounds. . And the regular cab with all else the same is 13,300! Even the gassers are not derated. Towing a gooseneck trailer instead of a conventional one also affects the weight capacity. Checking the towing capacity, I find that particular truck is only rated for 10,400 for a 5th wheel. Why would only the diesel crewcab 4x4 be derated so much over the other cabs? Looking at the asterisk note in small print, the derating only applies to the diesel crewcab 4x4 and the supercab 4x4.
And it is only the F250, not the F350 that is derated that much. Notice also that it is not derated for a conventional pull behind trailer. Without going too much into this thread, I gotta say that the difference is the weight of the truck itself. I can only assume it has something to do with the balance of the F250. While several factors affect the towing capacity of a 2015 Ford F-250, the general maximum range is between 12,400 and 14,000 pounds for a conventional trailer.
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