Questions: 2015 F250 Capacity Enhancements.

[wuli959]

This forum is amazing in the information that is shared. Thanks to all to that take the time to educate those of us that are just starting out.

I apologize in advance for another rookie suspension/capacity question. I've been following truck camper threads for many years while using a pop-up camper that I pulled with a Honda van. Never been able to make the jump to afford a TC/Truck combo. Bought a F150 several years ago and hoped to find a light weight camper (FWC) to use with it but my wife balked at the lack of amenities.

Jumping to today, I was able to find a 2013 Northern Lite TC where the seller was willing to pair up his 2015 F250 SRW truck and sell them together.

What I had hoped to do was also to be able to tow a 12' enclosed motorcycle trailer (dual wheels with electric brakes). Then I weighed it.

In it current form, the truck is more then maxed out even before I add a tow to it.

I understand that the increased capacity of an F350 is derived from the wheel/tire and perhaps springs. Same axle, frame etc are used in both the 250 & 350. (Is this right?)
For the 2015 model year, the same truck configuration in a F350 with "18 inch All terrain tires/wheels" is rated to max GVWR of 11,300 lbs. 4800/7000.
(I've read about the 19.5" wheel/tire combos but I hope to use the TC in rough road/beach access situations)

I realize that this would still be above the truck's GVWR but would like to add a safety factor of capacity to the vehicle.

If this would work? Where can I find out what wheel/tire combinations will work to enhance capacity and where to buy? Most of the wheel selling sites do not list load ratings and I've read about the poor quality wheels enough to be very cautious.

If the tire wheel combination upgrade is made; what if anything should be done to the springs to assist? (Truck currently has air lift airbags).


Vehicle Details:

2015 Ford F-250 XL 4x4 Crew Cab 6.2L Gas 156" Wheelbase
10,000 GVWR. Front 4800. Rear 6290.
Tires: 17" Michelin LT245 75R17. Rating 3195.
Wheels: Stock Ford 17x17.5 wheels. Rating unknown to me
(Ford C34-1015 BA BLK JA SL F2647 Mexico F2 2014 03 03 T 00T. 17x7 1/2J 40 INSET EN8SA) .
Bilstein 5100 series Front and Rear Shocks
Hellwig 7271 Big Wig rear sway bar
Air Lift airbags installed with separate fill valves (80 psi)

Camper: 2013 Northern Lite 8'11" Sportsman

Weighed the truck & driver with full tank of fuel (35 gallons) = 7260 lbs. 4160 lbs Front 3100 Rear

Weighed truck & driver/passenger/dog with "loaded" camper with full water tank = 10,600 lbs. 4240 Front 6360 Rear

This would show that I am over the truck GVWR by 600 lbs and assuming that the rear axle wheel/tire combination actually provides for 6390, I am over by 100 lbs already of the truck's stated axle but close to the wheel/tire combination.

Thanks for your input.

David Anderson
Louisville, KY

[Vinsil]

Yup. No matter how you slice it, it will move around. Some get comfortable and some just have to have...more. Usually those guys move to a DRW as stated, or to stiffer tires as I did. I think you have addressed everything you can at this point without throwing more money at a problem you perceive to be there. Before my tires...it was a 55 mph, wait for the big trucks to blow me around....but not scary as I had some miles with the setup as well as my previous TC....it is a big heavy wind sail!

[mkirsch]

Or, a dually with a 1700lb camper on it...

[Grit_dog]

So you have a 3300lb camper, big wig sway bar, tires that are up to the task and airbags.
Only 30psi with that load and suspension should have you close to the happy medium between ride ht and being off the overloads/more sway.
One other easy thing you can try is to mock up some temporary stable load type blocks that allow the overload spring to get in the equation right away.

Being very familiar with the suspensions in the newer F250s and knowing how my 2500 Dodge handles a much heavier camper with the same mods as you have essentially, my guess is there's a little room for decreasing the sway but you're likely just experiencing what it's like to drive a truck camper around.
Only truck/TC combos I've been around that could be considered anywhere close to "normal" handling were those where the truck had considerably more factory payload than the camper provided. IE a dually with your 3300lb camper on it.

[wuli959]

Vinsil wrote:

wuli959 wrote:

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
Increasing the air bag pressure and lifting the truck off the overloads will increase sway, not decrease it. You need to decrease the air bag pressure and keep the truck firmly planted on the overloads. If it's too low in the back at that point, add another leaf to the overloads.

I first drove it with minimum air in the airlift bags; on the overload springs and I don't think that I was too low in the back but had a lot more sway side to side then where I started. (has a bigwig sway bar)

I'm still on the overload springs with 30 psi in the bags but not sure how much pressure is on them. I guess better but not what I was hoping for.

Its my first truck camper and maybe I just need to get used to the "sway".

Or add another spring to the back. :@

Only you know how much sway is comfortable. You may also be experiencing tire squish...are you at full pressure on your rear tires? What brand and weight rating? I know my biggest help with sway after my stableloads...was my tires.

running 65 PSI in front and 80 PSI in the rear. Just upgraded to the OEM alloy wheels and Michelin tires with 3640 lb ratings

i'm new to TCs so "how much" sway is acceptable doesn't have a baseline for me.

anyone in Louisville, KY area that could help out with some "live " feedback 🙂

[Vinsil]

wuli959 wrote:

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
Increasing the air bag pressure and lifting the truck off the overloads will increase sway, not decrease it. You need to decrease the air bag pressure and keep the truck firmly planted on the overloads. If it's too low in the back at that point, add another leaf to the overloads.

I first drove it with minimum air in the airlift bags; on the overload springs and I don't think that I was too low in the back but had a lot more sway side to side then where I started. (has a bigwig sway bar)

I'm still on the overload springs with 30 psi in the bags but not sure how much pressure is on them. I guess better but not what I was hoping for.

Its my first truck camper and maybe I just need to get used to the "sway".

Or add another spring to the back. :@

Only you know how much sway is comfortable. You may also be experiencing tire squish...are you at full pressure on your rear tires? What brand and weight rating? I know my biggest help with sway after my stableloads...was my tires.

[wuli959]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
Increasing the air bag pressure and lifting the truck off the overloads will increase sway, not decrease it. You need to decrease the air bag pressure and keep the truck firmly planted on the overloads. If it's too low in the back at that point, add another leaf to the overloads.

I first drove it with minimum air in the airlift bags; on the overload springs and I don't think that I was too low in the back but had a lot more sway side to side then where I started. (has a bigwig sway bar)

I'm still on the overload springs with 30 psi in the bags but not sure how much pressure is on them. I guess better but not what I was hoping for.

Its my first truck camper and maybe I just need to get used to the "sway".

Or add another spring to the back. :@

[Bedlam]

jimh425 wrote:

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
You need to decrease the air bag pressure and keep the truck firmly planted on the overloads.

You can make this contact happen if you use airbags to raise the rear by extending your bump stops. I use Energy Suspension ones. There are other options as well.

I've used both the Energy Suspension and StableLoad pads. The ES pads compress to half their height and the SL pads compress very little. See how much room you have when unloaded and use the SL's if you have 3+".

[jimh406]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
You need to decrease the air bag pressure and keep the truck firmly planted on the overloads.

You can make this contact happen if you use airbags to raise the rear by extending your bump stops. I use Energy Suspension ones. There are other options as well.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

Increasing the air bag pressure and lifting the truck off the overloads will increase sway, not decrease it. You need to decrease the air bag pressure and keep the truck firmly planted on the overloads. If it's too low in the back at that point, add another leaf to the overloads.

[wuli959]

Powerdude wrote:
4 inch drop in the back is not bad. It's obviously not perfectly level, but it's not bad.

Is it pointing up in the front at all? Any drop in the front?

Not pointing up in the front and I wasn't bright enough to measure the front before I loaded it up. :S

[wuli959]

Vinsil wrote:
Yup. if your pretty level and it feels good (better) stick with it. You can play with your bag pressure some to dial it in.

Drove it last night with about 30 PSI in the air bags and there was more sway then I would want. Will keep dialing up the airlift bags a little at a time without disengaging the lower overload springs/stableload combo and see if it improves.

[Grit_dog]

sonuvabug wrote:

whizbang wrote:
... snipped ... You have the wrong Bilstein shocks. The 5100 are their off road shock. The 4600's are the heavy load shocks.

I respectfully disagree. The 4600 and 5100 series have the same internal working bits. 4600's are for stock height ... the 5100's are for lifted suspensions starting with the 0-2" lift range.

This explains the differences:

http://www.shockwarehouse.com/news/images/bilstein-5100-vs-bilstein-heavy-duty.cfm

The OP did not mention a lift to his truck set-up. Therefore, either shock will work just fine and no need to replace them if they are in good working order.

Hey that's interesting. I always thought the 5100s were valved quicker for hi speed off road and consequently a little softer than 4600s. Of course that was almost 10 years ago when I bought the shocks for my 07 and they haven't blown out yet!

[Powerdude]

4 inch drop in the back is not bad. It's obviously not perfectly level, but it's not bad.

Is it pointing up in the front at all? Any drop in the front?

[jimh406]

If you search the archives, you should find the thread of 5100s blowing out. Bilstein told the poster he needed 4600s for heavy loads.