94 F-250HD How large a camper can I have? (Learning my towing capacity... again)

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user 22017

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I know people explained this to me long ago, but I can't find the thread and I forgot. Sorry.

Does the sticker inside the door tell us exactly the towing capacity? What about the load limit?

Someone pointed out that my truck has the heavy duty axle so it can carry more... so I guess not everything is on the sticker.

Thanks. Here is my sticker:

u54xoBL.jpg
 
From the Ford Enthusiasts Forum:

C5 is rear axle capacity of 6250 lbs and 4.10 gears.
There is a metal tag held on by one bolt on the differential
that has more numbers to futher break down what it is.


I had the differential pan replaced last summer during a trip to southern, Illinois. The tag is probably missing now. Here is where the tag is located:

ford-1050-rear-axle-ratio-and_axle-code-tag-1200__06092.jpg

Image from TorqueKing
 
I found papers about the truck and the trailer it towed (from previous owners) in the glove box. They towed a 10,000 lb. 5th wheel. Your link says my towing capacity is 8,000lbs., but added something about 5th wheels. I don't see a higher tow rating "listed".

F-250 HD 4 x 25.8 V-88000 lbs.A higher tow rating is listed for pickups that tow fifth-wheel trailersRequires weight-distributing hitch.

I doubt I will be towing, but it is good to know. I want to know how much weight the truck can carry... for a truck camper.
 
I doubt I will be towing, but it is good to know. I want to know how much weight the truck can carry... for a truck camper.
F-250

You have a 3/4 ton truck. Fairly simple to work the math on that one for a camper. There are some booster springs you can get for more weight. Make sure you have the correct tires.
 
Is it the rear GAWR only? Or both front and rear combined?
 
The gvwr (gross vehicle, or overall) is the total allowable weight. Whatever the door tag says applies to your vehicle, its not going to have a heavier duty axle unless someone put it in it, and if its the heavy duty, its as heavy as it going to be able to handle.

You need to find the curb weight of your truck from specs, or just get it weighed somewhere without anything extra in it, then know the camper weight and do the math. You may get away with going over the rating, but its hard on stuff and may cause problems of you got in a wreck and someone figured out you were overloaded, though Id guess there arent many campers that would overload a heavy duty 3/4 ton.

gawr, (gross axle weight rating) rear axle in particular, is the weight total that can be on that axle. The springs isnt necessarily the issue, its the total package of suspension, axle capability to handle the weight, having little to do with springs, at least compared to how most people look at it, the brakes, wheel lugs, rims, tires that are on it currently. he heavier duty trucks also typically have better grade transmissions, cooling systems including overall larger radiator with more rows of tubes, U joints in the drive line, heavier/larger rear end ring gear and pinions, axles and axle bearings (one of the truly important things). 1/2 ton axles on american trucks are really not very tough, nor are light duty 3/4 tons. The bearings ride right on the axle shafts, weight and wear make the shafts start to lose metal, then the entire shaft and bearings need replaced or the shaft can shear. The 3/4 ton heavy duty with full floater axles and the jap trucks have tapered Timken type bearings and races that are replaceable, and MUCH tougher, and dont require the axle shafts to be replaced when they wear.

I cant recall how many 1/2 ton and light duty 3/4 ton axle shafts ive had replaced, but its a fair pile. One light duty Ford F250 I had, I just replaced the entire rear axle housing and everything with heavy duty parts and was done with all that nonsense for good.

The gooseneck tow rating is higher because the weight is sitting right over the axle, it not cantilevered out off the rear frame and bumper area, though an equalizer hitch helps some in that regard. You are still stuck with the gawr and gvwr, theres just so much actual weight that can ride on the rear axle or the total truck and load weight combined, but it can safely handle more towed weight with the hitch sitting right over the axle. When the weight from a trailer is farther back it affects steering and general handling differently.

Info from Edmunds indicates that the heavy duty truck like yours has a 4045 lb load capability. https://www.edmunds.com/ford/f-250/1995/features-specs/
 
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Thanks much. I thought it was higher. Good to know. There is an Arctic Fox TC on Marketplace at a good price. But those are notoriously heavy.

Towing capacity can be misleading, as the actual weight on the tongue or hitch is in the 9-15% of the gross weight of the entire trailer, the truck isnt capable of carrying the entire weight, only the tongue weight. The trailer axles are carrying most of the weight. Sort of like loading a wheel barrow with 100 lbs of rocks, then moving it, most of the weight is on the wheel, you are only lifting the handles.
 
Towing capacity can be misleading, as the actual weight on the tongue or hitch is in the 9-15% of the gross weight of the entire trailer, the truck isnt capable of carrying the entire weight, only the tongue weight. The trailer axles are carrying most of the weight. Sort of like loading a wheel barrow with 100 lbs of rocks, then moving it, most of the weight is on the wheel, you are only lifting the handles.
Thank you. The Arctic Fox is a truck camper. Think I was seeing things, because now I can't find it. Just one for $16K.
 
I think the thread title is throwing things off a little.
LOL. You're right. I didn't know what it was called if you just wanted your load capacity. So, I should have said 'learning my GAWR'?

It's good for me to know both, since I still don't know what my rig will be after I close on my house in less than two weeks. Rigs of all kinds are flooding FB marketplace now. The pandemic purchasers are now dumping them. Good prices, too.
 
I would change the title to "how much can f-250 carry?" Or "94 F-250HD How large a camper can I have?".

Maybe a mod can help.
 
I remember back in the day when my family had a truck camper. We had a pass through from the rear glass to the camper. Not sure if that's a standard feature now. But it was handy just in case.
 
I remember back in the day when my family had a truck camper. We had a pass through from the rear glass to the camper. Not sure if that's a standard feature now. But it was handy just in case.
Most truck campers still have a sliding window that can be used to connect to the sliding rear window in the truck cab. You could pass things through, but I doubt a person would fit (TC opening is too small). But I've read of people using rubber boots to make a pass through for people. They make a bigger opening in the TC.

My truck doesn't have a sliding window in the rear. It is one solid piece.
 
I dont know what a sliding back glass costs now, (may be able to find a decent one used at a wrecking yard or ebay) but they werent really very expensive in the past, and not that much to install. I think they can be self installed, id ask youtube and find out. After the first one I had, I couldnt imagine not having a sliding back glass in a pickup. I of course always had dogs and theyd come and go through the rear window into the shell which had a bed in it, which is something else (shell) I couldnt imagine not having. I ended up just going to suburbans and 4runners, but thats another story.
 

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