F350 SRW weight limitations

[zonanavystar]

So I've been looking into getting a new truck, and I've enjoyed my current set-up and I'm thinking I would like to go the same route. I currently have a 2008 F-250 CC short bed V10. The camper is a 2000 Lance Lite 825 (basically an 815 with permanent wings). I also tow a 4500 lbs ski boat with about 450 lbs tongue weight. Been a great truck, but I'm looking at moving on to a diesel and a long bed with a little larger camper. I ran some numbers for practicality, here's what I found:

2014+ F-350 CC Long Bed Diesel.
GVWR: 11,500
Front GAWR: 5600
Rear GAWR: 7000
Base curb weight: 7800 (4410/3390 ft/rear)

2008+ Lance 915
Dry wt: 2505
Basic Options: 404
30 gal water: 249
Wet weight: 3158
Personal gear: 500
TOTAL weight: 3658

Total Payload: 4108 (includes 450 lbs tongue weight)
Est GVW 11,908

**This also puts me over the rear GAWR by about 200-300 lbs.

I'm okay with the over on the GVWR (I'm already there with the F-250). The rear axle rating I pay a little more attention to. It seems like a new F-350 should be able to haul a "small" non slide long bed camper and be able to tow a boat without going over it's rear axle rating? Am I stuck going to the DRW trucks if I want to do this? Thoughts and opinions welcome, however I'm more interested in thoughts and opinions on trucks and set-ups for truck campers and towing boats and less interested in a weight rating discussion. Thanks!

[skanj0]

ah64id wrote:

yosemiteford wrote:


[\quote]I run a Lance 1010 with my SRW F350, but I had a tire blowout recently. I'm not pulling anything heavy and I weigh in at 13,000 lbs.

You really need to scale you truck with the camper and in particular, look at your rear axle loading. I'm sure you are good on the axle itself, but I bet your two rear tires and wheels are overloaded. Ford makes no OEM SRW truck wheel with a load capacity of greater than 3,525 lbs each. Also, only a few load range E tires are above this rating.

[AH64ID]

yosemiteford wrote:


I run a Lance 1010 with my SRW F350, but I had a tire blowout recently. I'm not pulling anything heavy and I weigh in at 13,000 lbs.

What wheels/tires?

Have you weighed your setup?

[yosemiteford]

zonanavystar wrote:
anybody out there tow with a SRW long bed diesel with a 915? How does it do overall? I've seen lots of pictures of DRW trucks with the giant campers and towing larger trailers with the super truss hitches. I was hoping to go the smaller route with a 915 size camper and very short extension for towing all with a SRW truck. Any similar set-ups out there?

I run a Lance 1010 with my SRW F350, but I had a tire blowout recently. I'm not pulling anything heavy and I weigh in at 13,000 lbs.

[wintersun]

I have a 3700 lb. camper when fully loaded and of that weight only 200 lbs. is carried by the front suspension, wheels, and tires. The diesel engine is carried by the front suspension, wheels, and tires, and adds no load at all to the rear axle and its wheel bearings and tires.

Focus on the rear of the truck. Tires are available for the stock rims with a load capacity of 3750 per tire or a total load capacity of 7500 lbs at the rear axle less the 3200 lb. weight of the truck which leaves a payload capacity of 4300 lbs. for the truck. That is the payload that the rear can handle with an adequate set of leaf springs.

GM has rear axles on its heavy duty trucks rated at 6000, 6500, 6700, 9300 lbs. and the difference is the leaf pack that is put on the truck at the factory. My 2500 SRW has a 6700 GAWR rating and standard 3500 SRW trucks have a rating of 6500 lbs., and DRW a rating of 9300 lbs. - and with GM diesel pickups the same axles, wheel bearings, and rear differential is used on all of them.

If the camper weight causes the truck to sag in the rear (with the new tires) then add SuperSprings. You can add one or two springs per side to provide a load capacity of 4,000 lbs. or 5,000 lbs. which is more than enough for most campers and gear.

Important to realize that the payload rating is calculated at the factory and based on the weakest link when the truck is assembled and shipped out. Otherwise identical trucks with different wheels or leaf packs can have vastly different payload ratings applied at the factory.

Modifications are done all the time which increase the payload rating as with adding Supersprings, new tires, airbags, and the like or to decrease the safe payload by lifting or lowering the truck or putting on flash rims and low profile tires.

[skanj0]

zonanavystar wrote:
You're right, I didn't account for any weight of passengers, which again adds to my problem. Like others have said, I also agree that the curb weight of the truck is low based on the options i would most likely put into it.

Sorry to drag this discussion about the axle rating out, but just so I understand, a Ford Sterling axle found under an F-350 SRW has a 9,750 lbs rating, meaning I would not expect overload related failure up to that number. Ford only rates it up to 7,250 for whatever reason they choose?

It seems like a few guys out there have more than the 7,250 on their F-350 SRW axles and with appropriate suspension and tire/wheel upgrades seems to be handling it okay.

I have an 06 F250 with a Lance 845. Recently installed a torklift super hitch and acquired a 21" Torklift extension. Took the truck, camper, and a 2,500 lb boat on a recent 500 mile trip. Stopped at a Cat Scale midway, with fresh water tank full. Front axle was 4,800 lbs, rear axle 7,200 lbs, and trailer was 2,200 lbs. The setup pulled fine, though it's clear my Bilstein 5100s aren't up to a 3rd season with the camper - a fair bit of side to side rocking.

I have E-range tires rated at 4,080 lbs each, front coils rated at 3,750 lbs each, a 1" rear add a leaf, and twin f450 upper auxiliary springs with Torklift Stableloads. Also have a Hellwig rear sway bar. The lowest rated item is the OEM 20" wheel (at 3,525 lbs each).

[zonanavystar]

You're right, I didn't account for any weight of passengers, which again adds to my problem. Like others have said, I also agree that the curb weight of the truck is low based on the options i would most likely put into it.

Sorry to drag this discussion about the axle rating out, but just so I understand, a Ford Sterling axle found under an F-350 SRW has a 9,750 lbs rating, meaning I would not expect overload related failure up to that number. Ford only rates it up to 7,250 for whatever reason they choose?

It seems like a few guys out there have more than the 7,250 on their F-350 SRW axles and with appropriate suspension and tire/wheel upgrades seems to be handling it okay.

[jimh406]

You don't seem to be including any weight for passengers.

I had a SRW with the camper in my signature. I switched to a DRW after I no longer needed to drive a SRW. I was careful about how much extra stuff I carried with the SRW, but it handled fine on it's initial 1000 mile RV trip. Still, I upgraded shocks, added airbags, extended bump stops, and went with 19.5 wheels and tires to give an extra margin.

Of course, the another option is to go with a lighter camper.

[Bedlam]

I tow up to 7000 lbs on a 21" SuperTruss behind my short bed with an Arctic Fox 811. When fully loaded, I can see 8000 lbs on the rear axle. The Sterling 10.5" axle does have a 9750 lb rating. The highest application by Ford is 7250 lbs.

My setup handles this well, but I am looking at Class 5 DRW trucks right now so I can upgrade my TC to one of the Mega TC's later while towing even heavier toys.

[zonanavystar]

And yes, I found the same data on the Ford Sterling. That number seems to be right. Thanks for the help with the research

[zonanavystar]

anybody out there tow with a SRW long bed diesel with a 915? How does it do overall? I've seen lots of pictures of DRW trucks with the giant campers and towing larger trailers with the super truss hitches. I was hoping to go the smaller route with a 915 size camper and very short extension for towing all with a SRW truck. Any similar set-ups out there?

[jefe_4x4]

Here is a link to a' 4Weeler' piece on the Sterling 10.25 and 10.50-inch axles, by year and with some upgrades. It is dated June/2005, so may not be up to date.
http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/transmission-drivetrain/129-0506-ford-1025-1050-inch-axle-tips/
jefe

[AH64ID]

I believe the rating of the Sterling 10.5" is 9,750lbs.

[zonanavystar]

A little more research on Ford's spec sheet and I got some more numbers for specs.

Rear wheels: 3590 each
Tires: 3640 each
Rear springs: 7000
Rear axle: 7280 (Ford Sterling)

So I see where the 7000 lbs rating is based on that spring pack rating, however the axle rating on the Ford Sterling doesn't seem that much higher. Does that seem right, or is the Ford Sterling much higher? Again, I'm more concerned about the manufacturers capacity for components, as in I have no problem upgrading tires and wheels and adding airbags or more leaves to the springs, but I want to make sure I'm not exceeding the axle rating as I have no way to upgrade that other than a new axle. And for all that cost, yes a DRW makes more sense.

I prefer a SRW truck for the big reasons, parking, 4 tires vice 6... etc. However if the modification cost for the SRW truck is the same or more of the premium for a DRW truck, then getting the DRW makes more sense. I'm just trying to understand what I'm looking at.

...of course I could also just go Lance 815 and fit the whole thing in the long bed without needing an extension for towing...

[AH64ID]

KD4UPL wrote:
Your GRAW is likely limited by the stock tires. Upgrading tires, possible to a 19.5" rim and tire would help.
However, yes, you're asking a lot of the truck. Diesel engines are heavy, 4 x 4 is heavy, campers are heavy. I have a dually and with my TC and boat I'm over my GVWR by more than 2,000 pounds.

Exactly. The RAWR is tire/wheel based so an upgrade to those will allow you to keep a SRW.

A DRW will handle the weight better, but that's not always an option. If DRW isn't an option then modify a SRW.

I personally needed a SRW with about 7500# of RAWR, so I modified my 3500 SRW. I have a hellwig anti-sway bar, airbags, Bilstien Shocks, and 19.5" wheels tires rated at 4500/ea. It handles the weight great, of which 1200lbs is tongue weight and over 1100lbs is above the bed rails and 8' wide. I challenge any stock DRW to handle it as well, a modified DRW will win but a DRW should need modifications.

Just like on my Dodge the F-350 uses the same frame for SRW/DRW and the same brakes. There are probably slight suspension differences that airbags can fix. The Sterling 10.5" axle has all the capacity you need, even if you maxed out a pair of 19.5's.