payload

So now that we’ve bought a rig, we need something to tow it with. Since we chose a 21,000lbs GVWR monster of a trailer, the decision was pretty straight-forward: which 1-ton dually truck do you like best?

Why such a large vehicle? Well, it needs to be able to safely pull that 21,000lbs rig in a 5th-wheel configuration, with probably about 4,000lbs pin-weight (which is effectively payload directly on the truck’s rear axle). That carrying capacity puts us into dual-rear-wheel (DRW), or dually, territory immediately. So, we hope on over to the towing guides, and take a look, as well as the tech specs for the payload portion.

First, some terminology: GVWR is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or the maximum weight the vehicle is rated to be, when adding payload to the curb weight. The curb weight is the “total mass of a vehicle with standard equipment and all necessary operating consumables”^ref, or effectively the weight the vehicle most likely is when it’s parked at your curb. So the difference between the GVWR and the Curb Weight is your maximum usable payload. For a 2022 Ford F-350 Super Duty DRW Crew Cab 6.7L diesel, that should be:

GVWR: 14,000lbs

Curb Weight: 8,500lbs (approx)

Max payload: 14,000 – 8,500 = 5,500 lbs

So even if we have a pin weight approaching 4,000lbs (estimated), we should still be in the clear, with plenty of room to spare. This should be a fairly pessimistic estimate as well. It is clear however that the 3/4 tons can’t do the job (max payload 3,500lbs), and the SRW (single-rear-wheel) models are borderline (maxt payload 4,300lbs).

What about the RAM 3500, and GMC 3500? I tried them, but the Ford just felt better. And the payload capacities are superior on the Fords: 4,900lbs for the GMC, 5,500lbs for the RAM, and these numbers are optimistic, unlike my pessimistic curb weight estimate for the Ford above.

Besides, the Ford King Ranch package just looks awesome! So, that’s the one. We’ve ordered it, and also hope to receive it by the end of the year… and hopefully, before we get the trailer. There’s hope yet, for the Ford chip shortage to be resolved!