I am having a hard time getting reliable information on just exactly what I should be able to pull with my truck.   It seems there are bits and peices of information all over the place, but it doesn't all match up.

My truck is a 1999 f350 powerstroke.  It's v8, turbo, and 7.3 liters.  I've been told that I can haul 17,000 since my trailer is a 5th wheel/gooseneck.  I think  my combined gross rating is 23,500.   But it's hard to confirm these numbers, and I'm not 100% sure on the calculations.

Can any of you experts tell me the curb weight of my truck (with fuel but nothing else), the combined gross rating for my truck plus trailer,  and the total trailer weight I can haul (a gooseneck)?  Thanks in advance for any help!!!

Fact or Fiction?  You decide!!

From the 99 Ford towing guide.  Max trailer wt. 12,700, regardless of gearing.  Combined total 20k lbs.  payload 5,000lbs, 9750 rear axle rating.

fact or fiction?  that's my question too!

On the 99 tow guide, I'm surprised to see the low number.... a number of "reliable" sources including the Ford site show much higher for 5th wheel towing.  Not arguing the number or the source, but I suspect the 17K is about right, based on actual experience pulling a big trailer with this truck.

I'm sort of at a loss at where to turn on this.  Ford is not much help.  Dealers just want to sell you something.  Trailer folks say your truck will pull whatever they want to sell you..... etc etc.  Some of the RV forum have good 5th wheel info, but most of them have newer trucks than my old 1999.

I had a 2000 F350 and now have a 2006 F350.  I don't have my manual from the 2000, but I do have the manual from the 2006.  The 2006 with a 6.0L has more horsepower and toque. So it should be able to tow/haul more. But there are many who clam the older 7.3L engine had plenty of power to match any new 6.0L engine.

My 2000 F350 CC SWB SRW 4x4 truck weighed in around 7200 - 7300lbs. empty.

The 2005-6 trucks have larger disk brakes. ( hence the need for 18" wheels) So they have a little more braking power. Also my 6.0L trucks have a lot of braking coming from the Tow/Haul function of the Torque Shift auto tranny. Much more than what I had from the engine braking on my 7.3L engine.

The 6.0L (in a truck like mine above) are rated at 23,500lbs total  GVCW and 15,500 for the gross trailer weight for Gooseneck.  In a regular cab 4x2 it's 16,500.

Your truck will be rated something less than those numbers, because of the HP/Torque and braking issues I mentioned above.

On the door edge should be a sticker telling you what the load capacity of your truck is (GVW).  This will tell you the axle max weights. Usually with a gooseneck the trailer weight is not the first limit you hit, but rather the total rear axle weight when the trailer is sitting on the gooseneck hitch.

Thank you Painted Horse, for the excellent information.

The sticker inside my door says some very low number like 11200 which I always ignored-- I knew my truck had been upgraded and souped up, just did not know all of the details, and had been assured it was more than enough truck for my trailer by "experts".  I'm beginning to realize it must be pretty common for folks to be somewhat "undertrucked"? 

The power output of the engine is probably the LEAST important factor in determining your tow rating. I can pull a 20ft LQ with a Ranger if I wanted to... that doesn't mean I can stop it and it doesn't mean the frame will handle it. Really, the only time the power output of the engine comes into play is if you're traveling through the mountains.

I have no doubt that the tow rating on the 2006 F350 is much higher than on that of the 2000. It has better braking, better cooling, and most importantly it has a completely different frame.

Three good examples of this:
F450 has a higher tow rating than the F350/F250... same engine.
F650 has a much higher tow rating than a Dodge with the exact same Cummins engine option
Chevy 4500 has the same engine as the 2500/3500 and is rated for much more.

The sticker on the door is the GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) not the GCVW ( Gross Combined Vehicle Weight)

the gvw is for the truck alone.  Or in other words how much weight can sit on the front and rear axles.

The GCVW would include the weight on the truck axles AND the trailer axles.

So the 11,000 lb number on your door sticker is probably the GVW and would equal the weight of the truck, fuel passengers and any cargo in the truck. Such as the weight on the gooseneck hitch.  So with a 7500lb truck you could have 3500lbs of weight added as cargo.

In the case of a gooseneck horse trailer that weighs 15,000lbs.  20-30% of the trailer weight will rest on the gooseneck hitch. Let's say 25% of 15,000 = 3750lbs.  Add that to the 7500lb the truck weighs and you have 11,250 for GVW and 22,500 GVCW.  So you would be right at what your truck is probably rated for.

Put a 50 gallon barrel of water, 3-4 bales of hay in the pick up bed, add 3 big cowboys up front as passengers and your over your limit.

Buy a dually truck. Same engine, same transmission, and you are back under the limit. The extra tires, stronger springs and frame make the difference.

The weight of your truck depends.  If you want or need to know exactly what your truck weighs, fill it with fuel and drive to a scale.  That is the only way you will know what your truck weights.  Any weight you get from someone else is just an estimate on a basic package of what ever model you have.  The "extras" add weight. 

My dodge 2500 weighs in at 6002 with a full tank(36gal), me and two kids.

Same for your trailer.

Thanks I realiz that's what I need to do.  I'm heading over to the truck stop tomorrow and just see.   Then, another day, I will go over with the trailer hooked up, and put just the truck on the scales, so I can see how much of that trailer weight goes on the bed of the truck.  Then pull forward and weigh the whole damned thing.

That should settle it, good bad or indifferent.

The 23,500 number is a recommended number for reasonable performance.  It is not an absolute number. For example, you may not have enough brakes on your truck to stop 23,500 come down off Pikes Peak in Colorado, But you can easily stop that weight on the flats of kansas. Many variables can effect what you can safely tow.

Where as the GVW is an absolute number. It is calculated by the engineering team. The tires can hold "X" amount of weight, The axle can hold "X" of weight.

You need to evaluate your circumstances and decide what is safe for you.

If you have a dually as you mention, Then you should be fine pulling the trailer you describe.

Painted Horse, you make a lot of sense! 

A couple of truck salesmen had scared me on this subject and the more I think about it the more I suspect they just wanted to sell me a truck. 

I pull a BIG trailer.  Between knowing its a big trailer, and being very much aware that I'm hauling precious cargo, I drive carefully, conservatively.  Yes, I'll run 70 in perfect driving conditions, but I'm the original old woman when it comes to bad traffic, bad visibility, bad conditions of any kind.  I'd rather take longer and get there safely.   Over the years, I've had a couple scares-- usually involving topping a hill and needing to stop without much if any warning.  Kind sours me on hills, but I think it probably would have been tricky for any rig.

I don't think my next trailer will be quite this big or heavy, but so far I've pulled it about 70,000 miles without mishap so my judgement says that regardless whether I'm right at or even over the "numbers", I am doing ok. Thanks for a breath of fresh air.

Finally got the truck weighed-- 7620# with a half tank of fuel.  Easy to figure what a full tank would be, easier to simply round up to 8000# to allow for a suitcase, whatever.

have not weighed the whole thing yet.