4.5 ton towing capability
#1
#2
Dont even know what our maximum is here. So I had a look on the net. (google is my friend).
Well that didnt help. Now Im totally confused. Not to sure if it is 3500kg or 4500kg. You might want to have a read through this
Caravaners Forum • View topic - Max towing capacity
have a look at the second link in the first post (the pdf file)
also this mob says its ok with a 9000kg GCM
5th Wheelers Australia. Small Fifth Wheelers for Australian Utes. - Tow Vehicle Guide for 5th Wheelers
so add em all up and divide by three and you might be close.
Well that didnt help. Now Im totally confused. Not to sure if it is 3500kg or 4500kg. You might want to have a read through this
Caravaners Forum • View topic - Max towing capacity
have a look at the second link in the first post (the pdf file)
also this mob says its ok with a 9000kg GCM
5th Wheelers Australia. Small Fifth Wheelers for Australian Utes. - Tow Vehicle Guide for 5th Wheelers
so add em all up and divide by three and you might be close.
#5
I think I can help (I was the engineer that got the limit upped to 4500kg in Aus...)
The state governments go off the rating Ford gave them.
The ratings are all located at RVCS MENU
It looks like the ratings for the officially imported vehicles have been removed tho.
The rating increase to 4.5t was implemented at the end of 2004, and applies retroactively to all 7.3l trucks. i.e. your 2001 falls underneath that.
To legally tow that weight, you need a tow hitch rated to that weight with a stabilizer. Ford sold one (when they sold the truck) as an accessory, don't know if they still stock them, or whether they will hit your back pocket with a sledgehammer on such a towbar.
Your other option is going to your local Hayman Reese dealer, they may be able to source a Class IV hitch from their sister company in the States (sister company is Reese). With the way the US/Aus dollar is at the moment, could be a good option.
Truth be told, the trucks are capable of towing a lot more... but FoMoCo Aus had (and possibly still has) a stupid internal policy that unless they sold all the equipment to get it that rating (i.e. in this case, the hitch) they wouldn't rate the vehicle to that weight rating for towing.
The truck is mechanically identical (well, for towing purposes) to the US model which is rated to tow 5.6 tonnes:
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...D_F250_350.pdf
Sorry for the long story, but I hope that helped
Let us know if you encounter any other issues.
The state governments go off the rating Ford gave them.
The ratings are all located at RVCS MENU
It looks like the ratings for the officially imported vehicles have been removed tho.
The rating increase to 4.5t was implemented at the end of 2004, and applies retroactively to all 7.3l trucks. i.e. your 2001 falls underneath that.
To legally tow that weight, you need a tow hitch rated to that weight with a stabilizer. Ford sold one (when they sold the truck) as an accessory, don't know if they still stock them, or whether they will hit your back pocket with a sledgehammer on such a towbar.
Your other option is going to your local Hayman Reese dealer, they may be able to source a Class IV hitch from their sister company in the States (sister company is Reese). With the way the US/Aus dollar is at the moment, could be a good option.
Truth be told, the trucks are capable of towing a lot more... but FoMoCo Aus had (and possibly still has) a stupid internal policy that unless they sold all the equipment to get it that rating (i.e. in this case, the hitch) they wouldn't rate the vehicle to that weight rating for towing.
The truck is mechanically identical (well, for towing purposes) to the US model which is rated to tow 5.6 tonnes:
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...D_F250_350.pdf
Sorry for the long story, but I hope that helped
Let us know if you encounter any other issues.
#7
+ 1 for Adrian. My F250 is fitted with a 4.5 T rated Towmaster towbar and hitch receiver and when I bought it the previous only gave the the Hayman-Reece 4.5T rated hitch with the stabiliser bars. The thing is that the stabiliser bars do NOT fit a boat trailer, not that I have to worry as the boat I tow is only 2.5T anyway.
I know that there is a whole pile more stuff on towing when it comes to fifth wheel set ups and the regs change depending on whether the fifth wheel coupling is ahead of the rear axle, or behind the rear axle.
In either case though, you are not allowed to exceed the 9000 kg GVM/GCM whatever is the correct term for your jurisdiction. So with the correct 5th wheel set up it seems that you could go to the max 5.5t trailer weight, allowing 3.5t for the vehicle and 1t of fuel, supplies, gear, etc.
I know that there is a whole pile more stuff on towing when it comes to fifth wheel set ups and the regs change depending on whether the fifth wheel coupling is ahead of the rear axle, or behind the rear axle.
In either case though, you are not allowed to exceed the 9000 kg GVM/GCM whatever is the correct term for your jurisdiction. So with the correct 5th wheel set up it seems that you could go to the max 5.5t trailer weight, allowing 3.5t for the vehicle and 1t of fuel, supplies, gear, etc.
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#8
Alot more can be pulled as a fifth wheeler because they're set up as a prime mover. So in effect you can put the vehicles carrying capacity on the turntable, pivotball because it's shared between the front and rear axle, and the balance of the weight is on the wheels of the trailer, as stated, up to 9 ton or whatever.
Even with my 6 wheels on the Effie I am still only legal to PULL 4500kg's, and thats a combination of the heavy towbar, and the twin rail chassis, so I'm a bit envious of an F truck that can pull 4500kg's just using factory options.
Even with my 6 wheels on the Effie I am still only legal to PULL 4500kg's, and thats a combination of the heavy towbar, and the twin rail chassis, so I'm a bit envious of an F truck that can pull 4500kg's just using factory options.
#9
In either case though, you are not allowed to exceed the 9000 kg GVM/GCM whatever is the correct term for your jurisdiction. So with the correct 5th wheel set up it seems that you could go to the max 5.5t trailer weight, allowing 3.5t for the vehicle and 1t of fuel, supplies, gear, etc.
The same trucks in the states are rated to 12000lbs (20,000lb GCM) for both conventional or 5th wheel hitches.
That said, you would be pretty stiffed if a cop pulled you over and new the tow rating for them when they were new.
Alot more can be pulled as a fifth wheeler because they're set up as a prime mover. So in effect you can put the vehicles carrying capacity on the turntable, pivotball because it's shared between the front and rear axle, and the balance of the weight is on the wheels of the trailer, as stated, up to 9 ton or whatever.
Even with my 6 wheels on the Effie I am still only legal to PULL 4500kg's, and thats a combination of the heavy towbar, and the twin rail chassis, so I'm a bit envious of an F truck that can pull 4500kg's just using factory options.
Even with my 6 wheels on the Effie I am still only legal to PULL 4500kg's, and thats a combination of the heavy towbar, and the twin rail chassis, so I'm a bit envious of an F truck that can pull 4500kg's just using factory options.
This gives you a good idea: Tow Ratings Finally Pass the Sniff Test - The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) - Automobile Magazine
In these model trucks, it is the powertrain that is the limiting factor - more specifically the (auto) transmission. Go over its 20,000lb GCM and it is likely to overheat when going up a grade. So in this case it didn't matter whether you had a 5th wheel or a conventional trailer - it was rated for the same.
The newer trucks are limited by the handling, even with a good weight dist. hitch you can't get as much weight over the front axle. That said, Tim - one of the other site admins here - tows about 22,000 lbs with a conventional hitch with his F350.
#12
You can get your GVM (and GCM) upped by an engineer who will edit the compliance sticker. If you find a decent one, a simple look at the equivalent US trailer tow guide for the same model should be sufficient for them to edit it.
#13
#15
GCM vs 7T trailer
Thanks Adrian & Brian for high lighting the GCM vs 7T trailer,
That would have had me at a GCM of around 11.2T (a tad over the Max GCM of 9.072T). I'd reckon I would have had some EGT temp dramas then.
It was my usual GCM that I was refering to in Jason's 4" Exhaust thread.
Copy & pasted from that quote:
My GCM is almost never less than 7T and I pull in all terrain and haven't had a EGT problem at all.
No worries fellas, made plenty of mistakes and plenty times I've had to do a second take on what I've read or written....and it'll happen again
Cheers,
Reg
“Political correctness is a doctrine fostered by and illogical and irrational minority, who hold forth the proposition that it, is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end”
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Aussie spec Brazilian built 2005 (US 2003) F-250 Superduty 4x4 7.3Ltr Powerstroke: PHP FU2 6 Pos’n Chip, 6 x ISSPRO Promax Guages, AIS Intake, Zoodad, Cowl Hood, AIH Delete, DIY CCV, BTM muffler, MBRP 4” Black Tip, RiffRaff FRx,HPx,OCR, JWVB, ARB Air Lockers Front & Rear, V10 Tranny cooler in series with Stock Tranny cooler, Deep Tranny Pan, ARB Bull Bar, Edge Evo (for PIDs & Codes only), Long Range Fuel Tank, VMS in Dash GPS Street & Off Road Nav, Toyo OPAT AT 305 70R 16”on 10” Rims, Moog Greasable Ball Joints, Tough Dog Steering Stabiliser, HD Suspension for GVWR (GVM) Upgrade to 5,000Kg
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That would have had me at a GCM of around 11.2T (a tad over the Max GCM of 9.072T). I'd reckon I would have had some EGT temp dramas then.
It was my usual GCM that I was refering to in Jason's 4" Exhaust thread.
Copy & pasted from that quote:
My GCM is almost never less than 7T and I pull in all terrain and haven't had a EGT problem at all.
No worries fellas, made plenty of mistakes and plenty times I've had to do a second take on what I've read or written....and it'll happen again
Cheers,
Reg
“Political correctness is a doctrine fostered by and illogical and irrational minority, who hold forth the proposition that it, is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end”
fficeffice" /><O>---------------------------
Aussie spec Brazilian built 2005 (US 2003) F-250 Superduty 4x4 7.3Ltr Powerstroke: PHP FU2 6 Pos’n Chip, 6 x ISSPRO Promax Guages, AIS Intake, Zoodad, Cowl Hood, AIH Delete, DIY CCV, BTM muffler, MBRP 4” Black Tip, RiffRaff FRx,HPx,OCR, JWVB, ARB Air Lockers Front & Rear, V10 Tranny cooler in series with Stock Tranny cooler, Deep Tranny Pan, ARB Bull Bar, Edge Evo (for PIDs & Codes only), Long Range Fuel Tank, VMS in Dash GPS Street & Off Road Nav, Toyo OPAT AT 305 70R 16”on 10” Rims, Moog Greasable Ball Joints, Tough Dog Steering Stabiliser, HD Suspension for GVWR (GVM) Upgrade to 5,000Kg
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