F450 vs F350 SRW payload

4x4ord wrote:
There is a lot of stuff that just doesn't make sense. Ford is spending piles of money on advertising literature to tout the payload rating of their Super Duty pickup. I've never read anything where they bragg about the 9900 lb axle rating of the F350 drw and I can't find the axle rating for the 2020 F450. Would it not make a lot more sense for Ford to give the F450 a 16900 lb GVWR if that is what it is designed for? Then advertising payload numbers would make sense. The odd person who buys an F450 for hauling groceries could opt for a 14k gvwr sticker or 10k if they'd rather and it would all make sense.

If Ford wants their customers to buy the F450 to haul the 7000 lbs of payload that it was designed to haul and if the gvwr is only there to satisfy SAE why don't they advertise axle capacity or at least avoid touting payload numbers?


In 1993 my 3500 srw crew cab long box had a gvwr of 9900 lbs. Now Ford and Ram SRW 3500s (maybe chevy as well?) are at 12400 lbs. Is this due to design changes or because over the years SAE has increased allowances for the 3500 SRW series trucks? It seems if you want to know a truck's payload number you must ignore the advertising literature all the tow/haul rating charts and the door post payload stickers. Look at the axle rating if you can find it. Except in the case of the 2500 series truck. In the 2500 series truck loading to the axle rating will likely overload the suspension. You must guess to come up with a true payload number for the 2500 series trucks unless you can find the manufacturers rating for the suspension. I assume the 1500 series trucks can be loaded to the rear axle rating as well or do they fall in the same segment as the 2500 series where we need to take a wild guess?

Are the towing charts false information as well or just the payload charts? I think maybe maximum trailer towing weights are overstated and truck payload numbers are under stated.

Now what about my 5ver? Citation rated the axles at 7000 lbs but Dexter rates them for 8000 lbs. Who do I listen to there? Does the gvwr of the 5ver mean anything? I built a motocycle lift for the back of my 5ver that puts me over my trailer's gvwr so I hope that number is as meaningless as it is on the trucks. So far the frame seems to be hanging in there.

To start, the 1/2/3 "Class" rating limits how high OEMs can go in terms of GVW. Above that, EPA/SAE/DOT mandates a higher class for fuel economy, emissions, heck, even taxation reasons.

For a class 3 non-cab chassis, we're limited to 14,000 lbs. Having a 10k+ rear GAWR won't gain anything in the marketing department - they still can't advertise a payload that puts you over the GVWR. With curb weights on modern Ram duallies approaching 9,000 lbs, we're limited to 5k payload even with a 20k lb rear axle.

The other factor, which you mentioned, is OEM GAWRs encompasses all sub-components, such as brakes, tires, and suspension. If they didn't neuter the axle OEM's ratings, then they're have to run very heavy rear springs + 19.5s, both of which give a ride quality unacceptable to class-3 duallies, especially luxry Platinum/Laramie/LTZ models.

Personally (speaking as a mechanical engineer), I believe you can safely exceed the rear GAWR, if your tire/wheel assembly + suspension is upgraded. By "suspension" that may include leaf attachment points, or control arm / arm bushings, etc. As for the frame, you'd have to calculate its ultimate strength (steel ksi rating x section modulus), and compare it to a Class 4/5 truck with higher GRAWR ratings, to see if it's a limiting factor. Then you have to deal with legalities, here in BC, you cannot exceed OEM GAWRs no matter what. In the end it's not worth it for most people.