I've been diligently trying to determine what weight TC I can put on my truck and still be within my GVW. I know many are over GVW and have had no problems, and ultimately I may also be over GVW but would like input.I have a 2000 F250, cc, sb, psd, 4x4. My door sticker says GVWR is 8,800 lbs and rear axle GAWR is 6,084 lbs. An F350 of the same year has a GVWR of 9,900 lbs and rear axle GAWR of 6,830. Reading lots of stuff on the differences, it comes down to the following:1) the F250 had 235/85/16 E tires, rated at 3,042 lbs each, the F350 came with 265/75/16 E rated at 3,415 lbs.2) the F350 had rear overload spring vrs none on the F2503) the F350 had rear sway bar vrs none on the F2504) the F350 had 4" blocks between the axle and rear leafs vrs 2" on the F2505) the F350 had heavier front coil springs.All of the above gave the F350 1,100 lbs more of GVWR and 746 lbs more rear GAWR.My truck is optioned with the factory Heavy Service Suspension Package/Camper Option which includes everything listed above for the F350. So I know my trucks ability is that of 9,700 GVWR and 6,830 rear GAWR. Yet my door sticker shows the GVWR and GAWR as if it had none of these options. Does anyone know if this is typical for the manufacturer to keep a standard door sticker even your truck came from the factory with options that increase the GWR numbers?If I have it figured correctly, with 9,900 GVWR and unloaded but fueled weight of 7,200, leaves me 2,700 lbs to stay within my limits. If I use the 8,800 GVWR it puts me down 1,100 and limits me to not much more than a camper shell.I guess my question is about the door sticker not reflecting the options. I'm pretty sure that's the way it came from the factory and these options were not added later. Does anyone know if it is typical for the door sticker not to reflect options that change the weight ratings? Thanks for any input.

Read the post about how close are you to the GVWR.Lots of good ideas.IMHO if you exceed 110%,time to get another truck or smaller camper.Also there seem to be three groups.the don't exceedGVW by any group,the group that puts on any load without thought and waddles down the road blissfully unaware.And the group that researchessprings,axles,tires and adds air bags or tembrens and ugrades tires

Keep in mind the door sticker is the manufacturer suggested weight rating. Mine even says its rating is with a given tire and wheel size. This to me clearly states the load capacity by the manufacturer is determined by the tires and wheels. Obviously, with your truck, the load capacity has been increased without the manufacture changing the decal. So, which is true, your door decal or the option sheet? I say both are true. You have a greater load capacity due to the upgrade in tires and wheels. The options you have are very common upgrades with aftermarket parts.My guess is before this Thread runs out, someone will post the decal is the law. I will ask for which state in the USA, and under what vehicle code?Wayne

The F250 has a GVWR of 8,800# regardless of any options included. The GVWR was mostly governed by Federal/State law dictating certain requirements to be met by vehicles with certain GVWR in regards to MPG, taxes, classification, and licensing. Not sure of the "why?" for 8,800# though. A lot of the F350 and other trucks were limited to a 9,900# GVWR, because they can be driven commercially without a CDL in most states, however a 10,000# GVWR vehicle requires CDL adding taxes, insurance, headaches etc. Something may have changed since over the last several years I have seen the big 3 making SRW with 11,000#+ GVWR.That being said, if you are not driving a newer truck or an older dually, you are just about guarenteed to be over the GVWR if you put a camper of anything but bottom grade pop-up.Since your options did not raise your GVWR, you are limited to that camper shell if you want to stay under the GVWR.Exceeding GVWR is a different discussion entirely, so I'll not go there unless you ask. But to be open, even my 1-ton SRW in my signature is over the GVWR and I don't have a microwave, oven, tv, or even a radio in it.

The 1999 to 2004 Superduty's GVW was set more for licensing, insurance, and warranty purposes.My F250 has the F350 HD suspension, 7.3/275HP engine, 6spd, 265's at 3415lb ea/6830 total yet the sticker says 6080lb GAWR, and it was still grossly under rated for what it could really handle. Ford simply never changed the GVWR on 1999 to 2004 Superduty F250/F350 SRW's, no matter what engine, transmission, suspension, tires, or gear ratio it came with.

Oh, and before I forget, my 2001 F250 weighs about 7800lbs with full tank of gas and a driver in it.Simply looking wrong at it and not washing the truck means it goes over the GVWR.

Question about GVW Rating on Door | Good Sam Community

JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Aug 23, 2013
OP wrote:
5) the F350 had heavier front coil springs.

Looking through Fords '00 body service advisory sheets show the F250/F350 SRW 4x4 crew cab both have the same 4800 FAWR.

Even the latest 3/4/one ton SRW and DRW use the same front axles depending on the same configured truck.
Tarkin75
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
Reddog1 wrote:
Does that even make a difference? Even in the big three there are many kinds of engineers. My bet is some are real bright, and others ... Have you ever considered that in every form of education there is always half of the students in the bottom half of the class.

We're also talking about simple "math" for the most part here, which hasn't changed much in quite a long time. And it doesn't matter who you work for, if you understand math, you understand math.

No one would ever say the guys at the NHTSA or FAA have no business investigating "why" a car or plane crashed since they aren't a Boeing
or engineer.

In addition, Ford at least, clearly states things are chosen by a computer. Who the F knows what params were input, and by who to determine the outcome of which components should be selected.

We're also talking about common sense here. I think everyone here knows putting 2 tons on a 1/2 ton is just stupid. But when some modern 1/2 tons have payload ratings of 1.5 tons, and some 1 tons are pushing 3.5 tons, it should be obvious that the window sticker isn't the end all be all of payload.

Later
C
Reddog1
Explorer II
Aug 22, 2013
fla-gypsy wrote:
wnjj wrote:
fla-gypsy wrote:
I love the arm chair engineering on this forum.

Have you ever considered that perhaps some posting on here are engineers?

.

Unless their a GM, Dodge, or Ford engineer it makes no difference
Does that even make a difference? Even in the big three there are many kinds of engineers. My bet is some are real bright, and others ... Have you ever considered that in every form of education there is always half of the students in the bottom half of the class.
tad94564
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
kohldad wrote:
For example, my OEM tires clearly state 23xx max lbs, and 44psi. But, the Ford fleet specs state 35 psi, and 2164 lbs.

Ford isn't stating the max of the tire, but the recommended pressure and payload for the vehicle. If you check the tire pressure/load rating table, you would find that is the value.

The reason is, the spring of 1,900 pounds plus the spring weight, half the axle weight, rim weight, and tire weight add up to just under the 2,164. This is because the springs carry the vehicle, but the tire must carry the vehicle and everything below that point including the tire.

No need to make the tires stiffer and ride harsher than necessary because of other weaker components.

Some things are actually calculated and based on reason.

You would think after the Ford Explorer and Firestone tires blowing out due to under-pressure (and then driver error due to panicing), that Ford would not do that.

But the lawyers figured out that it's cheaper to litigate, then to fix the problem..
RenoAl
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
GVWR is simply a device created by the manufacturers to keep their customers arguing among themselves. Looks like it is working ;)
fla-gypsy
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
wnjj wrote:
fla-gypsy wrote:
I love the arm chair engineering on this forum.

Have you ever considered that perhaps some posting on here are engineers?

.

Unless their a GM, Dodge, or Ford engineer it makes no difference
KD4UPL
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
My work truck F-350 is rated for 9,900 GVWR. With it loaded up to 10,800 it's not even sitting on the overload springs.
I'd dare say it will handle more than the 9,900 which is obviously below 10,000 for a reason.
OP, It looks like you've done more research than most. Welcome to the world of truck campers; where most campers are too heavy for most trucks rated payload.
You're on the right truck. Look at the parts and their ratings. Upgrade the weak links. Load up your camper and drive safe.
Tarkin75
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
kohldad wrote:
It is what happens when engineers do the designing, then tells the technical writes why, and finally it gets reviewed by the lawyers.

Lol, no doubt... i'm in Software and deal with this all... the... time.

Later
C
Tarkin75
Explorer
Aug 22, 2013
You might be right, your explanation does "make sense" to me, here's one link
I've looked at for information about my own truck.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/non-html/2005/vs_pdf/05f150-221bb.pdf

The data plate on my door just says "payload is xxx with p255/70/17 tires at 33psi". It makes no mention of Max inflation, or max payload of tires, but that PDF does. Those #'s don't match up with what's on the tires, but I can buy your theory as to making up for that difference.

My point in terms of this thread though is you can't just go "the sticker says payload xxx" and go "oh damn i'm 100 lbs over, my truck is an unsafe disaster just waiting to happen".

It just doesn't work that way. There are WAY too many variables.

Later
C
kohldad
Explorer III
Aug 22, 2013
I may have mis-spoke, was assuming you were reading from the data plate on the door. Is this from the owners manual? Do you have a link to the document.

(I ask because I'm always trying to learn and become better informed.)

It is what happens when engineers do the designing, then tells the technical writes why, and finally it gets reviewed by the lawyers.

What's the saying, "rules were made to be broken?"

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