I'm not picking on Ford...
Let's don't argue the exact numbers, just the tone of the advertisement. Ford is running a towing advertisement for their new F-350 Superduty. Praising their new towing in dash gismo that helps them control trailer brakes. It shows an F-350 with a trailer of 19,500# in a mountain pass coming to a safe stop in front of a road work crew. I am sure the big new 350 is all it should be. That is not the question. http://www.turbodieselregister.com/ubb/confused.gif

It has always been my understanding that the advertised capacity of any towing truck (Dodge, Ford, GM, etc.) (GCVW) was weight of truck, trailer and all cargo. Most 2500/3500/250/350 trucks now have about 10ton GCVWs.

Ford in their ad states in a human voice the trailer the 350 is towing is 19,500#s. What gives?

i love ford diesels but i dont dont reccomend hauling 19500 lbs any where at any time that goes for chevy and dodge too. in oregon you need a class b cdl if you weigh more than 19000 lbs. these trucks are strong but indestructible my buddy has a 97 cummins dually with 150000 miles on it and looks like it has 1000000. thats just what i think

Ford is offering a Tow Boss package with 4.30 gears and the tow command system that raises the GCWR to 26,000 pounds.
If you'll notice the truck in the commercial is a single cab 2 wheel drive. Weight of the truck is approx. 6500 pounds. Add 19,500 for a trailer and you get 26000 which brings it in right at GCWR.
Remember also Fords " legal department " had to sign off on that commercial so you can bet they covered thier backsides.

After the first accident and people sueing ford they'll drop their GCWR ..i'll bet my two rusty cents.

If anyone needs to haul that much weight they should be driving a medium duty truck.and ford shouldn't even advertise that much weight,you need mass to move mass.

The trailer is a tongue pull/frame hitch pull and Ford, GM or Dodge cannot tow a 19000 lb trailer on the anything except a 5th wheel or gooseneck hitch. Check out their own spec sheet.

Funny thing is this link to the specs does not say it has 19000 tow rating

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/superduty/features/specs/#per

Note that only the 4:10 or 4:30 gear with the integrated brake is rated over 15000 and is 26000 GCWR.

Ford had an add a year or so ago that misleads people over this.

Tom Cobb

Ford is offering a Tow Boss package with 4.30 gears and the tow command system that raises the GCWR to 26,000 pounds.
If you'll notice the truck in the commercial is a single cab 2 wheel drive. Weight of the truck is approx. 6500 pounds. Add 19,500 for a trailer and you get 26000 which brings it in right at GCWR.
Remember also Fords " legal department " had to sign off on that commercial so you can bet they covered thier backsides.
Unlike GM or Dodge they will try to mislead the public with many of their advertisements. Wonder if their legal department covered their backsides when the pulling of the Ice Breaker and the 747 Airliner aired. Man those trucks are strong. ):h

There saying you can pull 3xs the weight of the truck? How unsafe is that. Just wait for some failures. The 250 and 350 frame are the same, just different suspension. I think the 250 had a hard time with 12000 behind it. We will see

yes f250 and f350 are the same frame, but they brought the f550 frame down to be put under all models. so actually f250 thru f550 have same frame just different suspension setups (cost savings) why have 2 or 3 truck frames when you can use the best one for all models

Well if u wanna take ford to court for false advertising lets go. Ill put some money up. It will be fun.

My New York State driver's license is good for a GCVW of up to 26,000 lbs. It's probably for states that have similar ratings that Ford is making these advertisements.

You'd definitely need a gooseneck dually for those kinds of weights, and one hell of a set of trailer brakes and exhaust brake to pull it off safely. Oh yeah, and go slowly.

I would tend to agree that you're better off using a medium duty truck for those kinds of weights, but trucks are getting more capable these days. Brakes are FAR superior to what they were 10 or 20 years ago. My new Cummins truck can stop worlds better than my old 6.5, which stopped worlds better than my dad's '89 Chevy, you get the idea. I think the numbers are going to continue to go up.

Maybe...... as long as the only cheapen the 'fancy' stuff and not the "truck" part. It bothers me when any of the makers take essential parts out just to add fru-fru stuff in it's place. Like GM taking th hood light out and adding a sunroof, XM or something.....it's silly to me. I want a truck not a car/truck.

i will put up all the money i have to my name to go after ford it would be fun because that is extreme false advertising imho i think that is the only way they can sell trucks is based off the cool ...but definatly not practical.

i will put up all the money i have to my name to go after ford it would be fun because that is extreme false advertising imho i think that is the only way they can sell trucks is based off the cool ...but definatly not practical.
Leave Ford alone they have enough trouble with the 6.0 and TS trans. as it is!):h

You guys sure like to badmouth a good overall truck. You don't hear me ripping on your vehicles. Like any of your vehicles were ever bullet proof 100% of the time. I don't know if you forgot that this is a PS thread of your forum. It must make you all feel real good to talk down on other things rather than to take it for what it is. All these diesel trucks are great in my book. They came a long way since the birth of the diesel pickup. To fill ya all in, I have worked in agriculture my whole life and even though I am not condoning what we did with some of the things we have hauled in the past, but we did it anyway. But with our 92' Ford F350 non-turbo diesel, we hauled our 5288 w/duals on a flatbed to the dealer more than once for repairs and a 5288 is an IH built tractor that was fully ballasted and probably in the range of 18-20,000#'s in these hills of SW Wisconsin and still use today still hauling pigs. Don't believe it call Finneys Implement of Lancaster WI-we were grossly overloaded. We continuously haul hay and wet raps of haylage that ways~15,000 #/load with our 2002 F350. I myself own a 1996 F350. None of these trucks gave us a bit of grief, just usual maintenance.

I love all diesels, but I am faithful not to Ford so much, but to International(Navistar) because they build what is under my hood, and they have been doing it longer than any of the big three currently in the diesel department. 80 + years experience, so in retrospect, every now and then a not so great engine gets built, but that is how new engines get discovered ( the 7.3 was a good engine). Now on the IH side of things, Navistar Trucks that use the same 6.0 are not experiencing the surmountable problems Ford is, according to Navistar dealers that I have talked to. So this may be more of a Ford thing, but who is perfect. Not every company is totally honest, much like ourselves. They build good trucks and I like them, so that is all that really matter to me, it may not to others, but then I am not you. I drive what I drive and you drive what you drive. Go ahead and place your money down and have fun losing it. Want some proof of some good IH engines, then read about the history of IH trucks. The 817cid, back in the 60's in the payhauler and crawler lines, the 282 cid, the 361, 407, 414, 436, 466*, 530, 570*, the 360, 6.9L, 7.3L. The 466 has been in production since the early 70's and no one produces a better engine in that class in my book. Thanks for your time.

I've had 4 of the 466 motors and still have one now, great engine. They feel a little weak but when you see the end results....they get the job done without a hitch.

To me it seems llike all you chevy guys are SCARED! The new tow boss package with the 4.30 rear has a max (goose neck or 5er) of 19200lbs. I know because I have one. There were alot of upgrades on the 05 from the 04. Larger brakes, thicker frame, larger lugs, larger front SOLID front Axel ( sorry no wimpy IFS here) and also the ONLY intergraded Trailer Brake. With a trailer properly loaded and brakes towing 19200 on a 5er is no sweat with a FORD. I looked at GMC and DODGE before I bought my truck but, I was not impressed with what I saw and test drove. I had the chevy for over 24 hours and the dodge for allmost 3 days. I only test drove the ford and I placed an orded on the spot. You can all flame and burn me at the stake but I could care less I needed a real truck and GM couldn't step to the plate.

To me it seems llike all you chevy guys are SCARED! The new tow boss package with the 4.30 rear has a max (goose neck or 5er) of 19200lbs. I know because I have one. There were alot of upgrades on the 05 from the 04. Larger brakes, thicker frame, larger lugs, larger SOLID front Axel ( sorry no wimpy IFS here) and also the ONLY intergraded Trailer Brake. With a trailer properly loaded and brakes towing 19200 on a 5er is no sweat with a FORD. I looked at GMC and DODGE before I bought my truck but, I was not impressed with what I saw and test drove. I had the chevy for over 24 hours and the dodge for allmost 3 days. I only test drove the ford and I placed an orded on the spot. You can all flame and burn me at the stake but I could care less I needed a real truck and GM couldn't step to the plate.

This may be a powerstroke board but its based on a GM Truck site. (Larger solid axle on the ford), Its practical the same from the previous SD and what to be scared of, a fancy new toy ford put in there trucks to help stop a 19,000 trailer, i dont know if ford advertised it for sale's but a co-worker bought a 05 SD and even though its rated at that much weight "19,000" he had trouble hauling his three axle trailer and only managed 45 mph and thats with the 6.0 Powerstroke. ACCinc what make's you think fords suppose larger front axle is better then a "so called" wimpy IFS found on GM Truck's. for an example on my experience with ford SFA, worn bearings,warped rotors, popping balljoints, etc... and i know this for a fact cause i used to work for ford dealership before leaving. Try Superdutydiesel.com

I've heard good things about that set-up. .........Er, isn't that the 550 though?

I want a new cordless tool set, Hey I'll buy a Ford Truck.....;-)

I pull heavy alot and still can't see the need for a 4:30 rear end gear? That thing must be screaming at 65 mph? A 4.10 is good but if your hauling on the interstate it's still alittle low. 3.73 is the best all around gear there is.

Who would want to pull 20k pounds daily in a one ton truck. That would be fun with a 40mph cross wind. Get a bigger truck!

On the front axle arguement, as to what one is better is a matter of opinion,I preffer the IFS for ride/handling.As to which ones are stronger is a no brainer.Ford F250/350s have upt to a 6000lb front axle GAWR.Dodges is 5200, the 450/550 Ford is now 7000lb. This compares to the GM IFS of about 4500-4800 max? Most HDs ive seen are 4670 lbs. If the IFS was stronger GM would rate it higher,then you guys with crew cab 4x4 s and the D/A could legally carry a plow or carry 6 big people in the cab legally.The rating may be something like brakes,or I feel its a wheel bearing/ball joint/control arm issue.Either way it isnt as strong as the solid axles the competition is running.You guys get the nice rider quality though,so it all works out.

DMAX _69: My persoal opinion is that I would prefer a solid axel in a truck instead of a IFS. You know what they say about opinions. The solid axel is rated higher than the chevy or dodge so that would lead me to belive it is stronger.

Burner: All the 250-550 have the same front axel on them the Dana60.

Barry:I agree that the 3.73 is the best all around gear. the 4.30 at 65 is at about 2300 not that b:eek: ad but I agree it is a little fast.

Scott: I agree that I wouldn't want to pull 20k daily with a one ton dually . NO one ton truck will last long pulling that load daily and If I had to pull that load I would probably get a much larger truck. Most people only pull their campers on weekends or once a month In that case a one ton would be fine.

John: Thank you for posting facts and opinions. Your statment respected mine and still stated your personal opinion that happened to be different ,but that doesn't mean we have to hate each other.

I thought the knuckels, springs, brakes and tubes were bigger on the 550?

The Dodge and the Ford both use Dana 60 axles so it must be a brake or spring issue for the difference in cap. of both. I grossed 30000 plus pounds 1000 miles a week for about 8 months on my 2500 and it is hard on equipment.

Barry, you might want to look under a "new" Dodge....... AAM is all I can see?

Burner, sorry I was thinking about mine.