Payload discrepancy

Ford Towing Guide lists the payload ratings for the different trucks.

myredracer wrote:
........ What is shown on the sticker is not necessarily accurate and is for a base curb model without any options. For example, upon going to a scale, the payload cap. on our F250 is supposed to be 2701 lbs but is actually 1800 lbs and it's because we have 4WD, 8' box and super cab plus a canopy of about 200 lbs. That's about 900 lbs less than what the sticker on the door pillar says. It is what it is... ..........

Absolutely and utterly WRONG!

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.
It obviously cannot recognize anything added to the truck after the fact but that label is the most accurate source of payload information for a specific truck other than going to a scale.
If your truck really does only have 1800# of cargo capacity "as built" and the label says 2701# then you need to go after Ford for a corrected label!!
But I suspect you have added 900# along the way.

MitchF150 wrote:
This is the only true source for YOUR trucks payload figure...





Getting it off of a web site, even if entering all of the options and such is not really going to be what your truck has..

Now, if your sticker looks like this with a "#1900" payload figure and you have the weights you have, something happened along the way that probably no one will be able to explain...

Good luck!!

Mitch

Even this doesn't account for anything added to the TV after manufacture. They've been to the scale. They know what they've got.

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.

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. For example, upon going to a scale, the payload cap. on our F250 is supposed to be 2701 lbs but is actually 1800 lbs and it's because we have 4WD, 8' box and super cab plus a canopy of about 200 lbs. That's about 900 lbs less than what the sticker on the door pillar says. It is what it is... Many swear that the sticker is 100% accurate tho. and can find themselves in a jamb. If you don't really need 4WD, don't get it. That's the single biggest eater of payload capacity.

The best thing you can do is fill your fuel tank up and go to a scale with just the driver and subtract the weight from the GVWR figure.

Respectfully, this is not true, at least here in the US. The yellow sticker shown in the post above IS specific, for THAT vehicle model and trim with it's options as it left the factory (not including dealer add ons). Not for a base model like a brochure. Open the doors on several variations of the same vehicle, they will not be the same. Notice it has that vehicle's VIN printed on it. This requirement is one of the few things the US government has done right.

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. For example, upon going to a scale, the payload cap. on our F250 is supposed to be 2701 lbs but is actually 1800 lbs and it's because we have 4WD, 8' box and super cab plus a canopy of about 200 lbs. That's about 900 lbs less than what the sticker on the door pillar says. It is what it is... Many swear that the sticker is 100% accurate tho. and can find themselves in a jamb. If you don't really need 4WD, don't get it. That's the single biggest eater of payload capacity.

The best thing you can do is fill your fuel tank up and go to a scale with just the driver and subtract the weight from the GVWR figure.

This is the only true source for YOUR trucks payload figure...





Getting it off of a web site, even if entering all of the options and such is not really going to be what your truck has..

Now, if your sticker looks like this with a "#1900" payload figure and you have the weights you have, something happened along the way that probably no one will be able to explain...

Good luck!!

Mitch

Correct. There is no substitute for getting weighed, but my point is that while tongue weight should be in the 10-15% range, you do have some ability to manage tongue weight against available payload of the truck by how you load the trailer, as long as the tongue isn't too light.

BurbMan wrote:
...........snip........
If the fresh water tank of the trailer is behind the trailer axles, you can actually reduce your tongue weight and increase available payload by traveling with a full water tank. ........snip.......

This is practicable ONLY if by transferring that weight one doesn't lighten the tongue below the required 10%-of-total or so needed for trailer stability.

Welcome to the world of "trying to figure out what my truck is rated to carry". Hats off for doing your homework, most don't ask these questions until after they buy a trailer that's too big....

Some points may help: The 150-driver issue...there is no allowance for the driver in the payload number. However, most mfrs include a 150-lb driver in the calculations when quoting a tow rating.

On the payload, you mentioned that you looked up your specific model, which is good. But the payload quoted is going to be the weight of that model subtracted from the GVWR (7200 lbs). The issue becomes when you add options that aren't included with whatever the base trim level is for that model. Things that add weight could be towing package with HD radiator and trans cooler, bigger engine, or luxury items like leather and a nav system. So for example if you look up the payload for the "SE" model, it will have taken into account all the stuff that comes with the SE model, but not the options that you can add over and above. After all, the mfr has no way of knowing how each vehicle will ultimately be configured, there are too many permutations. There there are the aftermarket items like the tonneau cover, etc.

So you really not too far off the mark from the brochure payload # everything considered.

shorteelaw wrote:
But giving ourselves 100 extra pounds of payload would give us approximately 660 extra pounds to have in the trailer, right?

Yes. In general a travel trailer will have a 13% tongue weight, so for every 100 lbs of available payload, 100/.13= 769 lbs of total trailer weight. Of course this number will vary depending on how the trailer is configured.

So, some of that depends where on the trailer you add weight. An extra battery on the tongue will add almost all of it's weight to the truck's payload. A case of beer directly over the trailer axles adds no weight, and any weight added behind the trailer axles actually reduces your tongue weight and increases you available payload.

If the fresh water tank of the trailer is behind the trailer axles, you can actually reduce your tongue weight and increase available payload by traveling with a full water tank. However, you need to be careful that the weight of the water doesn't put you overweight on the trailer axles.

Hope some of this helps.