Payload discrepancy

I was at the scales 10 or so times last year setting up our WDH and again last week. Have used 4 different scales - commercial highway, CAT and grain elevator. Always the same result within a few lbs. In looking up Ford data on the internet, I found 3 different GVWRs for the same truck ranging from 2550 - 2900 lbs so the 2701 lbs on our sticker can't be wrong. Getting payload cap. is easy - weigh truck (by itself, full tank and just driver), subtract from GVWR. The only non-factory things we've added are a canopy and lightweight bed liner.

When I weighed our F250 last week, it came in at 7518 lbs but I know it's a bit off because it was down on fuel. Last summer it was 7600 lbs. GVWR is 9600 lbs.

Maybe stickers should be correct, but I remain unconvinced based on our own experience. And I know others have also found the sticker to be off.

TomG2 wrote:

myredracer wrote:
The weight of any factory options - 4x4, 8' box, super or crew cab, plus all the lesser ones (tow hooks, ex.) - will reduce payload capacity. What is shown on the sticker is not necessarily accurate and is for a base curb model without any options. ...snip.....

If the yellow sticker is off by 900 pounds, then you have either added quite a bit of weight yourself or the scales are wrong. The yellow sticker is specific for that vehicle, not a generic number for all models by that manufacturer.

BurbMan wrote:

kaydeejay wrote:
As someone who was responsible for that "yellow sticker" for a major manufacturer I can assure you that the "combined weight of occupants and cargo" number shown on it is required by law to be accurate within 1# of the number for your specific truck as built.
It is calculated for EACH truck based on the build configuration, it is NOT a generic number or simply based on a basic truck.

Good info and thanks for posting. Do you know what model year that took effect? I don't have such a sticker on my 2001. Do you know if it applies to all vehicles or just pick ups? SUVs included too?

The legislation requiring the label is here and went into effect no later than Sept 2005. (so 2006 Model year for most vehicles). Interestingly enough, the truck in my sig (built 3/05) has one so it looks like GM at least introduced them before the dead-line.

The reg. states it applies to all vehicles with a GVWR of less than 10,000# so it may not be on some of the newer 3/4 tons and 1-tons unless the legislation has changed.
(I retired several years ago and am a bit out of touch with recent developments)

Atlee wrote:
one other thing you need to determine. How accurate is the scale you weighed the truck on?

The CAT scales (local truck stop) where I weight my rig guarantees their weights for the truckers. However, I don't think they guarantee it to the pound, but I don't have a scale weight printout in front of me to know for sure.

I remember reading years back that CAT scales have a 200k capacity with 10,000 divisions. So the best you'll be able to get is ±20 lbs. They are compliant with NIST standards and are normally certified by the state annually, so the number should be fairly accurate.

kaydeejay wrote:
As someone who was responsible for that "yellow sticker" for a major manufacturer I can assure you that the "combined weight of occupants and cargo" number shown on it is required by law to be accurate within 1# of the number for your specific truck as built.
It is calculated for EACH truck based on the build configuration, it is NOT a generic number or simply based on a basic truck.

Good info and thanks for posting. Do you know what model year that took effect? I don't have such a sticker on my 2001. Do you know if it applies to all vehicles or just pick ups? SUVs included too?

Oh, and the Tundra really can't tow the space shuttle.

Sure it can, saw it with my own eyes. Actually any truck and most cars could. Heck, even a strong man could do it bare handed. The shuttle weighs about the same as a B747 and they pulled that by hand. I think one guy even did it with his eyelids. The shuttle was on a specially designed dolly with minimal rolling resistance and little tongue weight on the draw bar. All it takes is a little power and some traction to get it moving.

skipnchar wrote:
PAYLOAD has NO 150 lb (or any other weight) person excluded from it. EVERYTHING including the optional equipment on the truck will reduce the payload from the VERY optomistic brochure listings. The AVAILABLE payload must handle tongue weight of anything being towed, weight of the hitch, weight of all passengers including the driver, all cargo carried in the truck. The method YOU used is absolutely foolproof and regardless of where the weight comes from your truck is limited to the GVWR listed on your door post on the DOT safety plate.
Good luck / Skip

Totally agree. In a nutshell:

Obtain the number from the tire and loading sticker in the door jamb or manual that states "The maximum allowable weight of ALL passengers (including the driver) and cargo not to exceed XXXX"

Load up the truck with all the stuff/people/animals you are going camping with. Have a full tank of gas and install the ball into the hitch receiver.

Go to the scale - Use this link to find a CAT scale near you, Get the weight and subtract from the number above - XXXX

This is what you should have left for tounge weight.

I'm a little late to this party but this may clear up one misconception. The 'free' 150 lb driver applies to GVWR for some manufacturers, not payload.

I got this straight from Ford:

GCWR
column shows maximum allowable combined weight of vehicle, trailer and cargo (including passengers)
for each engine/axle ratio combination. Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight assumes a towing vehicle with
any mandatory options, no cargo, tongue load of 10-15% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of
15-25% (5th-wheel trailer) and driver only (150 pounds). Weight of additional options, passengers, cargo
and hitch must be deducted from this weight. Also check Required and Recommended Equipment.

Some have stated that it includes all fluids, including a full tank of gas but I have not found this documented anywhere. I'll take it as this considers the tank is empty unless this can be proven differently.

Shorteelaw wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Where are you looking up payload info? The information is consistent no matter what reputable website you look at.

What are the numbers on door jamb data sticker? I already answered that in another post.


GVWR of 7200# minus scale weight 5900# equals 1300# of capacity left. Yes - that's what I already said in my initial post.

5900# included your husband and EVERYTHING in vehicle. Yes again... that's what I already said in my initial post.

1300# minus your weight, minus anything you put in vehicle, minus any other passengers & their stuff........not much 'actual payload' capacity going to be left. It still leaves us with over 800 so I guess "not much actual payload" is extremely subjective.
That's the reality of real numbers vs mfg. published marketing numbers that have fine print/caveats such as:
**May vary depending on model, trim and/or powertrain. (We had looked it up based on exact model, trim, and powertrain)
**Weight of additional options, passengers, cargo and hitch must be deducted from this weight Yes I am quite aware and already mentioned that...

I've responded in red above. I'm not sure if you didn't read the majority of my post or any of the comments afterward but I think all you did was just give us a synopsis of what I already said.

In your very first post of this thread, you asked, "What am I missing?"

You are not missing anything. Apparently you get it.

You are simply giving the "reputable websites" too much credit... I.E. they spew best-case-perfect-world scenarios that almost no-one can expect to achieve.... Such is life.....

Oh, and the Tundra really can't tow the space shuttle.

one other thing you need to determine. How accurate is the scale you weighed the truck on?

The CAT scales (local truck stop) where I weight my rig guarantees their weights for the truckers. However, I don't think they guarantee it to the pound, but I don't have a scale weight printout in front of me to know for sure.

Shorteelaw wrote:
I'm so confused right now....

So we just purchased a 2010 Titan SE SWB with the tow package... when we looked up the information on payload it said it had payload of 1,900-2,015... so my husband went to a weigh station with just himself in it (he's 6'9'' and 300 pounds) and it weighed 5900 pounds. The sticker on it says that it's GVWR is 7,200... so that means we only have 1,300 payload left. The difference isn't a matter of another 300 pounds... it's 600-750! What am I missing?????

Welcome to the world of reality, WRT 1/2ton pickups.

I believe everyone will run out of cargo capacity in their 1/2 tons well before they run out of tow capacity.

I know that's the limiting factor with our F150.