Jessica,
Teddy has already reponded to your post with her opinion. As she tows a lot
more than most of us, she is in a position to make good observations.
Depending on how much wieght you plan to tow and how often, you would
probably be better getting a bigger truck or a smaller trailer.
To answer your question: I have just bought a gooseneck trailer and ordered
a '97 F250 to pull it, so I am up on this (took delivery this week from a
factory order as a matter of fact!). I did shop used as well, so I am
somewhat fimiliar with older truck's tow ratings.
You did not say how old your truck is. I am not fimiliar with one that has
a GCVWR of 11000 lbs. Most Ford F250's designed for towing, even older
trucks, have a GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight, the truck plus payload) of 8500 to
8800 lbs. Most have GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Ratings, the
truck, payload carried by the truck plus the weight of the trailer)of 16000
to 18500. My truck is the heaviest duty F250 Ford makes and with a gas
engine the numbers are 8800 GVW and 18500 GCVWR and for the diesel 8800 and
20000. Four wheel drive trucks weigh about 500 lbs more than 2WD but carry
the same ratings. Therefore a 4WD would pull 500 lbs less.
If you have a older, light duty, non turbocharged diesel and a low axle
ratio (3.55 or 3.70) I suppose the GCVWR could be that low. I would check
with a dealer to be sure they have that information available. If it is
true, Teddy is right, get a larger truck or one ratee to tow at least 18000
GCVWR. If it is more like 18000 GCVWR you may be able to get by with towing
9,000 lbs, and occasionally 10-11, but I wouldn't do it regularly.
Short of turbocharging a non turbo diesel, it does not make any sense
economically or from a reliability standpoint to change the truck. Even
turbocharging the truck is a $3000+ job and is probably not going to work
for you unless you have the latest (read 1995 version) automatic
transmission or the old C6 transmission (1988 and earlier, I think)due to
reliabilty problems for 89-94, and a 4.10 axle ratio. Manual transmission
may be more reliable, but usually have a lower tow rating.
Bottom line, you are better off getting a different (even used) truck that
will do the job for you, but check and be sure what yours is rated to tow
from a dealer. It may work for you if you load the new trailer lightly and
don't tow 70 to 100,000 (is that right?!) miles per year like Teddy does.
Good luck.
Rick Stewart
Bethlehem, PA