payload capacity

[Npdchief07]

I have read that most auto manufacturers underestimate their towing and payload capacity to be on the safe side. Is this true? I just bought a 2013 Ford F-150 with towing package and 7100GVWR but it only has a payload capacity of 1720. We may exceed that buy about 100 pounds on some trips when older son is with us. Cause for concern?

[blt2ski]

100 lbs over.....sky is falling?!?!?!?!!!!

I've been at 150% of GVWR and the sky has not fallen.....got weighed by a CVEO, no over weight ticket either. Given a 10 day raise my paid for GVW by 2000 lbs, as I was over my paid for amount by 1200 lbs.....Sky did not fall done either!

So with this in mind, if under what would be a paid for gvw in Wa St of 8000 lbs, being 100 lbs over leaves you legal.

from the manufacture warranty factor.......you're potentially screwed.

Other than these issues, what was the issue again?

Marty

[Grit_dog]

Npdchief07 wrote:
I have read that most auto manufacturers underestimate their towing and payload capacity to be on the safe side. Is this true? I just bought a 2013 Ford F-150 with towing package and 7100GVWR but it only has a payload capacity of 1720. We may exceed that buy about 100 pounds on some trips when older son is with us. Cause for concern?

Nope. I've run many F150s at or over their gvw from the day they were new til I passed them down to someone else. Make sure the tires are full of air and hit the road....

[drsteve]

The limiting factor for a half ton truck will almost always be the payload number, which will be reached before axle load ratings or tow ratings are exceeded.

Many half ton trucks are little more than grocery getters, with P rated tires, highway gear ratios, and soft suspensions. They are fine for occasional trips to the lumber yard or pulling your fishing boat to the lake, but if you make them try to do real truck things like pull big trailers and carry heavy loads, you will be disappointed. Others, like the one in my sig, are more suitable for actual truck use.

A lot depends on your particular truck.

[MFL]

JnJnKatiebug wrote:
You have my permission to overload your truck if you want to.

There are probably 20 Lakes within 30 miles from our house each with multiple campgrounds. I see thousands of trailers heading out every year. Most are overloaded by way more than 100 pounds but are headed to one of these spots. I see fifth wheels being pulled by half tons trucks with a bass boat behind the trailer. I don't remember ever seeing one blew up on the side of the road. A flat tire once in a while. They just jack it up, change it keep going.

Lots of these would have problems if they hit the interstate heading cross country. That is a totally different game running down the road at interstate speeds for several thousand miles. Yes I think the tow vehicle would know the difference or it will figure it out pretty quick.

Just my opinion but I was raised on a farm where pickups earned their keep by hauling big loads for short distances. My dad used to joke, don't worry about the mules, just load the wagon.

This is typical where I live. I have a couple city parks, with RV sites, and a couple SPs, all less than 10 miles from my metro home. One of the city parks is huge, lots of family attractions, besides camping. It has a full service campground, with 127 full hookup concrete pads. My pup and I go for a walk here a couple days a week, as it is only 3 miles from town. Lots of RV rigs coming/going as we walk on a portion of miles of paved bicycle paths. You want to see overloads, WOW, many 1/2 tons, yes, especially Fords, beds piled full, some at capacity, without even hooking up 25'+ trailer, which often is being towed with no WDH, due to the less than 5 mile tow, and low speed limits. Since I have a FW, I enjoy guessing the pin wts being towed by 1/2 tons, or HDs, with huge FWs in tow.

While many rigs have out of state plates, the more serious overloads are coming from close by. I don't think most of these folks would ever hit the interstate, or tow long distance, with these set ups. So, is it okay, safe? No, but they are doing it.

I am not condoning these overloads, just saying how common it is, especially where short towing distance is involved.

Jerry

[JIMNLIN]

Npdchief07 wrote:
I have read that most auto manufacturers underestimate their towing and payload capacity to be on the safe side. Is this true? I just bought a 2013 Ford F-150 with towing package and 7100GVWR but it only has a payload capacity of 1720. We may exceed that buy about 100 pounds on some trips when older son is with us. Cause for concern?

GVWR is a number chosen by the vehicle mfg and can be any number up to the sum of the GAWRs.
And vehicle mfg may choose any fawr/rawr number they want for a particular package.

In 2013 Ford has 13-14 different gvwr numbers from 6450 up to 8200 lbs......all for the same or different cab/2wd vs 4wd/other etc selections.

And the F150 has 5 different rawr packages from 3500 up to 4800 lbs.......all for the same/different cab/2wd vs 4wd/other etc selections.

Now lets look at your gvwr based 1720 lb payload selection for your truck.

A '13 F150 shows to have rather small 3850 rawr. Your truck may have a empty rear axle weight around 2500 lb. Now add a 1720 lb in the bed and your trucks rear axle load in 4220 lbs.......OVERLOADED.
The F150 with the 4800 rawr can carry around 2400-2500 lbs in the bed. Of course all numbers depend on actual scaled front and rear axle weight numbers.

This is typical of many new gen trucks with a high gvwr and a low rawr and the fallacy of using GVWR number to determine how much load we place in the bed over the rear axle.

In all cases the biggest safety concern is exceeding a rawr when we load the trucks bed. A rawr can be the lessor of a wheel/tire/axle/spring pack.

[JnJnKatiebug]

You have my permission to overload your truck if you want to.

There are probably 20 Lakes within 30 miles from our house each with multiple campgrounds. I see thousands of trailers heading out every year. Most are overloaded by way more than 100 pounds but are headed to one of these spots. I see fifth wheels being pulled by half tons trucks with a bass boat behind the trailer. I don't remember ever seeing one blew up on the side of the road. A flat tire once in a while. They just jack it up, change it keep going.

Lots of these would have problems if they hit the interstate heading cross country. That is a totally different game running down the road at interstate speeds for several thousand miles. Yes I think the tow vehicle would know the difference or it will figure it out pretty quick.

Just my opinion but I was raised on a farm where pickups earned their keep by hauling big loads for short distances. My dad used to joke, don't worry about the mules, just load the wagon.

[Lwiddis]

Angry, he's seeking validation to overload his truck. Won't get it from me either.

[SpeakEasy]

It always amazes ME when someone says you're OK for short trips. What the heck does the truck know about how long of a trip you're on?

-Speak

[Winnebago_Bob]

I'm always amazed when people ask "I know this is wrong, but is it okay to do it anyway?" from complete strangers...

[coolmom42]

I wouldn't routinely do long trips that close to the limits. But for short or occasional trips, you are fine.

You can also make an effort to pack lighter.

[Old-Biscuit]

Seeing as GVWR is a number that can be fudged...registered with DMV for XXXXXX or whatever, I pay attention to REAR Tire Max Load Ratings, then RAWR and then GCWR

If I am within THOSE ratings------hook up and GO!

[GordonThree]

Your rig, your risk. Towing overloaded won't make your truck explode or the sky fall. Lots of vehicles out there towing well above their weight limit, of all sizes, and the world hasn't ended.

More likely: Components will wear faster, even towing within specs does that. If damage occurs to a component and you try to get warranty on it, and they find out you tow overloaded, your warranty for that component is toast.

Less likely: You get in an accident because of equipment failure and injure someone, and you try to blame Ford. The investigation will turn up you were overloaded and you're toast.

[jerem0621]

The answer is...it depends on you.

1) do you agree with the OEM's ratings and design paremeters?
2) do you personally have a problem with exceeding GVWR?
3) some go by the axle ratings instead of the GVWR which typically have a disparity and so they fudge the numbers that way.
4) some take the payload sticker as absolute

That all being said...nobody that says 'no you can't' or ''you shouldn't have any problem' are responsible for the safe operation of your rig...that's up to you.

IMHO...since you asked about 100 lbs that tells me you may be a bit iffy about this nearly or already overloaded rig. IMHO...the real question should be if it's time to upgrade the truck. The answer to that is again...up to you.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[donn0128]

And I have read that auto mfgs post weight ratings to satisfy insurance companies, the EPA, or government regulators. So what? You have to either put your faith in the mfg or a bunch of no names on the internet. Your choice.