Thread: overloaded!

Hi
I have been absent from this forum for quite a while. Too busy with work and other things to much of anything. However, Since I last posted anything (it's been a long time) I have bought a 5th wheel toy hauler. The dealer told me I had enough truck for the trailer. not sure about that.

I have a 03 6.0 F250. All stock except for air bags and (just put in )gauges. The trailer has a max loaded weight of 17k lbs. I have never weighed it. Last time out I had a full load of water (150 gal) 2 bikes, a quad and a rhino, so I'm pretty sure it was at max, at least.

According to my owners manual, my model's (F250 crew cab 4x4) max trailer weight is only 10,600 lbs. The F450 is the lightest (crewcab 4x4) truck with at least 17k lbs trailer capacity. looks like I'm way over.

I have never had a problem pulling or stopping (10+ trips since December). On that last trip I went up the cajone pass never less than 50 mph. I have pulled it up hiway 18 to arrowhead without a problem (however it was the only time I have ever seen the engine temp gauge even budge and the clutch fan was on most of the way up the mountain). The only thing I have noticed about pulling is if I give it too much throttle when going slow I get a shudder, I think it's from the differential. I'm guessing it's because I could use a lower ratio. I just don't do that any more.

Question/s. What should I worry about wearing out quickly? (diff?, axle bearings?). What else should I worry about, or be especially careful about? I will get a new truck when I can afford it, probably in 08.

sorry for the long post,,,
later
Randy

Randy.........

What else should I worry about, or be especially careful about?

Unfortunately trailer sales people will tell you whatever you have is OK to use with the trailer. Heck, they want to sell trailers!!

Having a little bit of knowledge of law, I would caution you about using your truck to tow the trailer. It appears you are grossly overweight with the trailer for the truck's published towing ability. Yeah, the truck can probably handle it, but because of the published ratings and you being over them, you could very easily be liable in a civil suit should you have an accident...and criminally liable if the accident causes injury of death. Whether the accident is your fault or not!!

Wear wise, I don't think there is much difference between F250 and F350 to worry about.

I would be a little worried about the shudder you mention...the differential should not cause this(unless it's only when turning)! Maybe trannie slippage or something misaligned or about to go out in your diriveline???

My dad sometimes tows double with his 06 his Travel trailer and enclosed quad trailer. He grossed 26k. DId a couple trips and no issues. just make sure everything is up to snuff and you should be ok.

Go find a scale and weigh the truck and trailer to see where you are at with your weight.

You should also keep in mind your license requirements. They are cracking down on the license requirements and I have heard stories of people getting their rigs and trailers impounded because they do not have the right license class. Take a look at the DMV requirements and make sure you are legal, just to be sure.

Having been there I would bet that shudder is the trans. How many miles do you have on your truck? With all that weight you might want to get your transmission rebuilt by John Wood. Keep an eye on your trans temps.

The truck has 76k on it. I didn't start towing anything this heavy until about 65k. I flushed changed the fluid in the trans and rear diff at 50k. I just installed a set of gages but havent towed with them yet. Next trip is up to Oregon dunes in early August.
A new F450 would be sooo sweet. I hope I can talk to Bobby about it next year.

With all that than you will need to read this. If I had a dollor for every person that is over weight with there trailer i would be rich. Im in the same boat with being over weight. If you go buy the numbers on the trailer it will probably be wrong. Load it like you would be going some were and take it to a Cat Scale and get the true numbers. I am 2900 lbs over my combined after i weighted it at the scales. At this point I dont have any money to go buy a new truck on down size the trailer. All i can say that I do is be careful and tow safe. Salesman dont care about your safety, they care about making there comission.

http://forums.thedieselstop.com/ubbt...=6#Post3369931

I was overloaded with my old truck, so I upgraded for safety and peace of mind.

I feel a lot safer now with the heavy duty dually.

T

The worst overload I have seen was a small toyota pulling a 25+ ft toy trailer. Lost control right by our house out on Hwy 78 coming home from the desert. All went over the edge, through a fence and on it's side in a horse pasture. When the tow trucks, yes 2 of them, went to right the trailer it pulled the box off of the frame as the trailer was overloaded too. The toyota was a twisted mess. People were alright.

So don't get crazy with too much load.

I am pretty lucky with the horse trailer. Dry weight on the trailer is around 6,600 lbs, loaded only around 13,000 which puts me right around 20K lbs to the road.

Safe hauling everyone.

im over too at like 21,240.....

Originally Posted by glamis_dave

im over too at like 21,240.....

Currently the only thing ill be hauling is myself and the misses up to the river

Originally Posted by RvRWill

Currently the only thing ill be hauling is myself and the misses up to the river

high speed....low drag..............

Gene is right, the difference in payload between the 250 and 350 SRW pre 2003 is only 700-900lbs and the GCVWR is identical at 20000lbs. I think the max trailer weight is 12500 and the max 5r is 13500. The truck can handle it as long as you drive like you're overloaded (easy on the throttle /early on the brakes) but if you have an accident the will sweep up all the pieces and weigh them and you are liable,you're fault or not. I got the heaviest srw truck I could and just barely squeek in at 19700lbs without my 300lb butt in the drivers seat. My little 26' trailer is 10400 and the rest in the truck. If you must tow that much trailer try to find a source of water near your destination and save carrying around 1000+ lbs till the very end and get the best brake controller you can find! Also if Johnny law has had recent accidents and/or incidents with Joe halfton pulling the same load I do with his big v8 gasser blinding airline pilots with his low beams State Troopers may be waiting near the popular rv hotspots with a set of portable scales and no sense of humor. He may write off 400lbs over with a warning or a ticket but 4000lbs will get your rig impounded and likely get you locked up as well!

Originally Posted by bobsquatch

Gene is right, the difference in payload between the 250 and 350 SRW pre 2003 is only 700-900lbs and the GCVWR is identical at 20000lbs. I think the max trailer weight is 12500 and the max 5r is 13500. The truck can handle it as long as you drive like you're overloaded (easy on the throttle /early on the brakes) but if you have an accident the will sweep up all the pieces and weigh them and you are liable,you're fault or not. I got the heaviest srw truck I could and just barely squeek in at 19700lbs without my 300lb butt in the drivers seat. My little 26' trailer is 10400 and the rest in the truck. If you must tow that much trailer try to find a source of water near your destination and save carrying around 1000+ lbs till the very end and get the best brake controller you can find! Also if Johnny law has had recent accidents and/or incidents with Joe halfton pulling the same load I do with his big v8 gasser blinding airline pilots with his low beams State Troopers may be waiting near the popular rv hotspots with a set of portable scales and no sense of humor. He may write off 400lbs over with a warning or a ticket but 4000lbs will get your rig impounded and likely get you locked up as well!

locked up ????? having a hard time buying that.....locked up....