Payload and overloading of half ton trucks for work

Those bent because they were overloaded. They could be hundreds of pounds under GVW and still be overloaded. That pesky thing called CG. And when the plate on the door says GVW x,xxx and the crash vehicle weighs x,xxx + 183 pounds my lawyer is making both he and I rich because people have these foolish and incorrect notions.
I have more humble aspirations of a new bumper if someone who's tailgating me runs into the back of me. The bumper is going to need replacing this year due to rust starting anyway. I don't see the need to ruin someones life over it like many of modern civilization does. There are enough chronic tailgaters out there that in much more likely to get rear ended due to that kind of carelessness than by someone overloading by a few hundred pounds.
 
All right then. Mine has an 1830lb payload rating, 157" wheelbase and 11200lb tow rating. I'm well within all the ratings towing 30ft/7500lbs of trailer and the bed loaded up. It was sought out and bought to meet these requirements. The problem is that just buying a half ton without the proper towing/hauling specifications and thinking you can tow to the maximum possible rating for all situations is where things fall apart. I CAN'T tow a trailer heavier than this due to the tongue weight (12-15% of the trailer weight). I CAN tow a boat heavier than this due to its aerodynamics and much lower tongue weight (5-8% of the total weight). There are plenty of heavy duty payload package f150s out there with payloads up to 2800lbs of payload, if you spec them properly. Those come with LT tires, heavier axles and heavier springs to manage those ratings. Still a "half ton" truck. It's the payload rating that will limit the maximum towing you can do 99% of the time, due to tongue weights.

Plenty of loaded up platinum level F150s with sub 1000lbs payloads as well. You need to spec the truck for what you want it to do. This is not my payload sticker in the picture.

Interesting information about the wide range possible.


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All right then. Mine has an 1830lb payload rating, 157" wheelbase and 11200lb tow rating. I'm well within all the ratings towing 30ft/7500lbs of trailer and the bed loaded up. It was sought out and bought to meet these requirements. The problem is that just buying a half ton without the proper towing/hauling specifications and thinking you can tow to the maximum possible rating for all situations is where things fall apart. I CAN'T tow a trailer heavier than this due to the tongue weight (12-15% of the trailer weight). I CAN tow a boat heavier than this due to its aerodynamics and much lower tongue weight (5-8% of the total weight). There are plenty of heavy duty payload package f150s out there with payloads up to 2800lbs of payload, if you spec them properly. Those come with LT tires, heavier axles and heavier springs to manage those ratings. Still a "half ton" truck. It's the payload rating that will limit the maximum towing you can do 99% of the time, due to tongue weights.

Plenty of loaded up platinum level F150s with sub 1000lbs payloads as well. You need to spec the truck for what you want it to do. This is not my payload sticker in the picture.

Interesting information about the wide range possible.


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Wow, that's huge range of payload. The other day I opened the door of one of the companies trucks, a 2018 f150 xtr package like yours....it was 1700 something, so about 400 more than my truck. We also have a very similar one but a 2017 (without the unreliable 10 speed trans and the better 5.0 pre oil consumption) and I want to check the payload on it as well. To go from that to less than 1000 or all the way to 2800 is a huge swing.
 
I have more humble aspirations of a new bumper if someone who's tailgating me runs into the back of me. The bumper is going to need replacing this year due to rust starting anyway. I don't see the need to ruin someones life over it like many of modern civilization does. There are enough chronic tailgaters out there that in much more likely to get rear ended due to that kind of carelessness than by someone overloading by a few hundred pounds.
I agree with you but we are currently in the minority. Most would jump at a chance to take everything you own and possibly even garnish future wages. No matter what it takes, fake or preexisting injury. If they can find a shady enough doctor and lawyer they’ll get it from you too. So you’ve always got to be vigilant watching out not just for yourself but those around you as well!
 
I agree with you but we are currently in the minority. Most would jump at a chance to take everything you own and possibly even garnish future wages. No matter what it takes, fake or preexisting injury. If they can find a shady enough doctor and lawyer they’ll get it from you too. So you’ve always got to be vigilant watching out not just for yourself but those around you as well!
Yes, personal gain is the only thing some people think of.
I could also buy a new truck that has more payload, I have the credit to do it, but that truck will garnish my future wages also. Especially once the warranty runs out.
So I will make sure I get my load down below the payload capacity, to make sure if some A in a BMW or Mercedes doesn't cut me off and then see my near 20 year old truck as his ticket to retire immediately.
 
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People often forget to add the weight of a full tank of gasoline, Yx6.5 pounds, motor oil 2 pounds per quart, coolant ~40 pounds, full washer bottle ~4 pounds and a few pounds for misc fluids. So whatever that doorjamb sticker says, subtract 250 pounds to cover everything, more if you have a really large fuel tank or dual tanks. Then add the weight of spare tire and jack, assorted other tools, assorted other "stuff" people always have somewhere in there. Then how much do you weigh? How often does someone ride with you? Unless it's absolutely 100% never you have to account for them as well. So the doorjamb says you're good for 1,734 pounds. Surprise! After allowing for yourself, full fuel tank and everything else you are maybe good for 1,250 actual pounds of widgets loaded in/on the truck. Less if someone is often with you.
 
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Wow, that's huge range of payload. The other day I opened the door of one of the companies trucks, a 2018 f150 xtr package like yours....it was 1700 something, so about 400 more than my truck. We also have a very similar one but a 2017 (without the unreliable 10 speed trans and the better 5.0 pre oil consumption) and I want to check the payload on it as well. To go from that to less than 1000 or all the way to 2800 is a huge swing.
To be fair, that 2800+# payload truck is a HDPP (Heavy Duty Payload Package) one. They're pretty rare, usually have to be ordered special and last I looked, you couldn't get them in anything above an XLT, can't get the hybrid, and have to have either the 3.5EB or 5.0 motor (I think, it might be the 3.5 only, been a while since I looked), and you have limited options for the interior.

It is a beast of a 1/2 ton though, upgraded frame, gearing, etc. They're rarely sitting on a dealers lot.

I think if you live in Canada you can order it in any version of the truck though as I remember.
 
People often forget to add the weight of a full tank of gasoline, Yx6.5 pounds, motor oil 2 pounds per quart, coolant ~40 pounds, full washer bottle ~4 pounds and a few pounds for misc fluids. So whatever that doorjamb sticker says, subtract 250 pounds to cover everything, more if you have a really large fuel tank or duel tanks. Then add the weight of spare tire and jack, assorted other tools, assorted other "stuff" people always have somewhere in there. Then how much do you weigh? How often does someone ride with you? Unless it's absolutely 100% never you have to account for them as well. So the doorjamb says you're good for 1,734 pounds. Surprise! After allowing for yourself, full fuel tank and everything else you are maybe good for 1,250 actual pounds of widgets loaded in/on the truck. Less if someone is often with you.
Very true. When you take all this into account the company I work for gas been overloading half tons since the beginning over 10 years ago. And the trucks still get retired due to rust or the driver starts whining about the truck he's driving (that's how the 2013 Silverado got traded). So I am 100% with the side that says manufacturers are conservative with the ratings....it's the Karen's and (whatever male name is reserved for complete C of a person) that we have to worry about. They want their new king ranch and they will get it, one way or another at any cost.
And no, I'm not worried about hurting anyone's (non existent) feelings by saying this. If I get banned for speaking my mind, that's fine.
 
To be fair, that 2800+# payload truck is a HDPP (Heavy Duty Payload Package) one. They're pretty rare, usually have to be ordered special and last I looked, you couldn't get them in anything above an XLT, can't get the hybrid, and have to have either the 3.5EB or 5.0 motor (I think, it might be the 3.5 only, been a while since I looked), and you have limited options for the interior.

It is a beast of a 1/2 ton though, upgraded frame, gearing, etc. They're rarely sitting on a dealers lot.

I think if you live in Canada you can order it in any version of the truck though as I remember.
That would be awesome, heavy half tons used to be a common thing. I remember the 7700 series f150s when I worked at the ford dealership in the early 2000s.
Unfortunately I won't be able to afford a newer f150 until the 2015-2017 get to be about 12+ years old. Then I can get a bank loan to buy that truck to go to work and make $ for all the house builders who can get a new one every few years and would end my life as I know it, if they could do it for financial gain.
 
That would be awesome, heavy half tons used to be a common thing. I remember the 7700 series f150s when I worked at the ford dealership in the early 2000s.
Unfortunately I won't be able to afford a newer f150 until the 2015-2017 get to be about 12+ years old. Then I can get a bank loan to buy that truck to go to work and make $ for all the house builders who can get a new one every few years and would end my life as I know it, if they could do it for financial gain.
Same here. I look every now and then when I'm daydreaming about a really nice pulling rig for a bit bigger camper. A $60K truck is out of the question though...
 
People often forget to add the weight of a full tank of gasoline, Yx6.5 pounds, motor oil 2 pounds per quart, coolant ~40 pounds, full washer bottle ~4 pounds and a few pounds for misc fluids. So whatever that doorjamb sticker says, subtract 250 pounds to cover everything, more if you have a really large fuel tank or dual tanks. Then add the weight of spare tire and jack, assorted other tools, assorted other "stuff" people always have somewhere in there. Then how much do you weigh? How often does someone ride with you? Unless it's absolutely 100% never you have to account for them as well. So the doorjamb says you're good for 1,734 pounds. Surprise! After allowing for yourself, full fuel tank and everything else you are maybe good for 1,250 actual pounds of widgets loaded in/on the truck. Less if someone is often with you.
That's not true. The door sticker takes into account a full tank of gas and all the parts (spare tire, jack etc, fluids, etc) that the truck comes with from the factory, including options, which is why each truck has a different weight sticker. All the other junk we carry around DOES have to be subtracted from the sticker (added bedliners, dealer installed options, personal stuff, etc). That sticker deliberately includes everything the truck left the factory with and is accurate to within 1 lb. For fleet buyers there are charts to show the added weight of each option that reduce the payload from the base level.
 
I checked the 2018 Silverado work truck another party chief drives and it's rated for just over 1700lbs payload. 5.3/6 speed and it's the base model extended cab, looks like a police truck and few options. He also carries less stuff than me because of different types of jobs and he almost always starts the day at the office. So he is almost certainly under the max payload. The 2018 f150 had almost the same payload but it's a nicer truck. Xtr model, kind of a mid level truck. The 2017 is probably the same as it's basically the same truck but with a 6 speed behind the 5.0.
 
Around here farmers load a pallet of feed on their trucks and drive 60 plus miles. The pallet has 40-50 pound bags which is a ton and think nothing of it. I do have to admit the Chevys squat more than the Fords. The biggest thing the farmers do is switch out the factory tires with 10 ply tires.
And it's super awesome when they still run stock tire pressure so those 10-ply tire have lower load carrying capacity than the OE P-Metric ones, lol.
 
And it's super awesome when they still run stock tire pressure so those 10-ply tire have lower load carrying capacity than the OE P-Metric ones, lol.
Our companies 2010 Tacoma is now a backup so it doesn't carry nearly as much weight...but before that it definitely felt way more overloaded then my truck.
Also every time it went to Canadian Tire for any tire related work it would end up with 29 psi in the tires (what the sticker says). I know common sense isn't always prevalent but when I worked doing oil changes if a vehicle was clearly doing heavy work like this I would ask the customer if they had a tire pressure preference (at least half the time they did) but I certainly wouldn't set an overloaded Tacoma at 29 psi. It felt like a worn out old Cadillac pulling a heavy trailer that way.
 
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