Hauling tractor ,with slide in camper

To go along with John thoughts, you will have another approx 720lbs tongue weight 18" from the bumper. That would require one heck of a custom built receiver to handle that kind of weight even with a weight distribution hitch. This alone would throw you over your GVWR by some 500lbs "if" it could be done.

If you scale your empty weight, I think you will find your over your GVWR with just the camper.

About the only solution would be buy a trailer long enough to set the camper on the trailer with the tractor. You then would be with-in GVWR weight limits of your F250.

I'm not a proponet of GCWR as that number is phoney number from the mfg. Look into the diesel engines as well as the V10. Although the 5.4 would pull a 20000lb load slower, it would not have a problem pulling the load. The rest of the driveline componets would be the same part number.

Most F250/F350 SWR have exactly the same componets (parts numbers have been comparred) but yet the F350 is rated 1000lbs higher in GVWR.

If you move into the F150, it's rated to pull more GCWR than a F250/F350 SWR in some cases. Cab type pays a big part here according to Ford.

Come 2005 Ford will now rate a F250/F350 PSD with a 23,500 GCWR to compete with Chevy and Dodge.

It's a shame that the numbers are nothing more than a marketing hype for the mfg.

T_Bone

I do not like GCWR either but it is a CYA #. By adding a large trailer with some good brakes to help stopping you can easily go over your GCWR. The problem is most do not know enough about weight distrubtion to do this. They want to hang it on a class 3 hitch (instead of a gooseneck) which makes the front end light and the whole truck squirley with a heavy trailer. You have to know how trucks work and losading it up and going down the road at 70 in the rain is not how you learn.

I have seen enough weekend trailer pullers in the ditch upside down and a sheet over their child to not even go there when talking to some one I have never meet and do not know their ability. Just look at the SUV accidents. A soccer mom that is use to a car 6" off the ground and she gets a big top heavy SUV so they can keep up with the Jones's and what she do try to weave in traffic and turn it over. So this is why I am a strict beliver in GCWR. Just like Ford i use it to CMA.

1) In spite of what might appear to be "identical parts" they are not. For example, ABS computers are programmed based on weight and tire size.

2) All trucks' GVWR and GCWR are tied to individual VIN #s and available to the DOT nazis online. The law is very specific, despite any amount of parts swapping or other modifications you may make, if you are over the spec in the computer you get your equipment seized until you pay a might hefty fine.

You make an interesting observation. It's usually some cheapskate with little regard for his life or anyone elses who thinks he's an engineer and can build his own tow string who ends up in the weeds. Professionals who tow for a living follow the rules and rarely have problems, either with accidents or the DOT.

1) The total loaded weight of the truck as measured on a certified scale must not exceed the truck's GVWR.

2) The total weight of the tow string, that is #1 above + the total loaded weight of the trailer as measured on a certified scale must not exceed the truck's GCWR.

Installing air bags or other modifications has nothing to do with anything as far a weight limit go.