My 1997 F150 2wd S-cab has a GVWR of 6000 pounds, stock tires and wheels (P255/70R16, 3.55 rear end). I have a camper with a dry weight of 3000 lbs, plus cargo, water, generator, cooler, etc. I have no problem pulling the camper, 19ft tandem, and it brakes fine without the trailer brakes. I've added a leaf a couple of years ago to eliminate spring sag and reset the ride height to a level I like, and I pull the camper straight off the bumper (rated for 5,000 lbs, well within the camper's weight). Ride is very good, no shake or unusual sway from trailer.

The question is :

a) Why is the GVWR so low on a full-sized pickup, and
b) What is the real capacity of this truck, with this setup (extra leaf), and what else can I do to improve the rating ?

Maybe others can let me know what the VIN-tag on their doors say, and what their GVWR is and what their setup is, maybe it'll give me an idea what differences there are between theirs and mine. Note that I don't want to make many big mods, but if tires and gears will help, it'll certainly be a consideration.

Thanks in advance, Denis.

 

A) Because it's a 1/2 ton truck from the 20th century..
B) The GVWR is still #6000 even if you swap in 3/4 ton axles.. You will still only have a 1/2 ton frame and whatever else the axles mount to..

I feel your pain, as my truck only has #6250 GVWR! Mine is a 4x4, so that's probably why I get the extra #250..

I tow a #5000 GVWR TT, but I use a WD hitch setup on mine. My truck weighs close to #5500 just sitting in the driveway.. Add another passenger and all stuff in the bed for a long weekend and then hitch up the #650 tongue weight of the TT and I'm over my trucks GVWR...

Even my rear GAWR is puny.... #3200 or something like that, and it's a 9.75" rear end...

I'm probably at that or just a tad over when I'm all hitched up. (I haven't weighed it for a long time).

I do fine with it and it's got over 211,000 miles on it and still going strong, so I don't fret it.

Mitch

 

Pulling it off the bumper scares me - I'd get a class 3 frame hitch! I'd also get a brake controller - you are illegal in most places without trailer brakes at that weight.

Keep the stock tires and gears, spend your money on the hitch and brake controller. You don't need WD till you get over 5000# trailer weight or 500# tongue weight.

 

Brake controller is coming this week, and I do have a hitch, although it's a universal, ie-cheap, with the side plates only about 1/8" thick, so in all honesty I feel the bumper is more solid (I've seen how thick it is). Also, if I use a hitch, it will instantly back up the hitch ball 4-6" further back, thus increasing the leverage against the rear of the truck, and further lowering the ride height. Nope, off the bumper is fine for now, with a good 1" shank ball rated for #6000.

As a side note, I tried for fun installing a relay to engage the trailer brakes with full 12v, instantly jamming all 4 trailer wheels solid on clean asphalt !!! Pretty funny, almost ate the steering wheel ! Notice I said the brake control is coming ? lol !

Add-on question : is there a minor or a HUGE difference in pulling power with the 3.73 gears on a 4.6, over the stock 3.55 ratio ?

 

Hey, wait a sec... I just re-read the first reply...."Add another passenger and all stuff in the bed for a long weekend and then hitch up the #650 tongue weight of the TT and I'm over my trucks GVWR..."

Does the GVWR include the truck's own weight, or is it a reference to its capacity to pull/carry other weight -ie trailer, etc. ?

 

Pretty sure GVWR includes the truck, passengers, cargo, trailer.

 

The truck GVWR is the total weight of the truck plus the tongue weight. To determine if you are overloaded, load up the truck, fill the gas tank, hitch up the trailer, and go to a truck scale. Add up the front and rear truck axle weights, that should not exceed the GVWR.

There is not much difference between 3.55 and 3.73, you would need to go with 4.10 or better to make a significant difference. Which engine and tranny do you have?

 

I have 1 ton axles under my truck, but I know my frame is only 1/8" thick, and has multiple narrow, and short spots that look weak. I dont have any fear of breaking the axle's or overloading my bearings now with the camper though.

 

GLC, it's a 4.6L, with a 4R70 overdrive transmission. OD is out of the question while towing the camper, naturally !

I should go over the scales one day when they're open, the MTO doesn't open them often lately. I might be able to use one from the local sawmill, apparently it's locked, but you can read the big LED display through the window.

 

Denis, yeah you should be able to spot the display somewhere, they have like 1" tall LED displays usually, the one at my work does. Just sucks they put it in the corner closest to you so you have to walk around the little building, fortunately its little. The saw mill my dad worked at had the outside reader board, that worked great.

 

GVWR is the total weight capacity of the truck. CGVWR is the combined weight capacity of the truck with trailer trailer. The stickers on our trucks only show the GVWR.
Check out this site for towing capacities. https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...150_Ranger.pdf

While it is for 2002 MY it is close to your 1997 MY specs.

EDIT: CGVWR should read GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)

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Mine is over 7200 for GVWR

 

This too. I was going to say this. GVWR is how much your truck weights lol

 

I don't know how it is in Canada, but down here you can go to almost any truck stop and run across the scales for 10 bucks. You will get a slip with total weight and a breakdown for front axle, rear axle, and trailer axle.

If you want to swap axles, with a 4.6 I'd go with a 4.10 with stock tires, 4.56 with oversize. The 4.6 needs all the low end help it can get and it loves to rev high. If you have a 2wd, 4.30 is also an option.

 

So where is it written how much this thing weighs dry ? Basic dry weight for a F-150 4.6L, 4r70W Supercab, if anyone knows.... I can then calculate the rest.

Lots of good info on the above link, thanks for that !