Okay,
So I need to pick up a pallet of topsoil (50-75 bags) for some landscaping work and don't really want to make 2 trips. I know the pallet will fit in the back of my van.


I built this to set the pallet on. It is 3/4" plywood with 2x4's laid flat for support.


I arranged the 2x4's to miss the seat bracket, so the brackets provide some support where the 2x4's aren't.


I have e-rated LT tires that are 2680lbs a piece etc. My concern is that the topsoil could just be too heavy for the frame/suspension. I figure it will probably be in the 2000-3000lb range (figure 40lbs a bag). The 3000lbs estimate puts me about 700lbs over the vans GVWR of 8550lbs (me and the van weigh 6250lbs). What do you guys think?

I have some other options (friends with trailers etc), but I don't like to borrow equipment and I kinda wanna put the old girl to work.

 

Far more important than power is your braking and suspension. It really depends what kind of roads and speeds you expect to see. If this was a short trip at moderate speeds, I think I would be comfortable doing it.

Although, I would never advise someone else to exceed the rated capacity of any vehicle . . .

 

I just re-did the calipers, pads and fluid. The suspension is in good shape. No rusted out areas to speak of.

The trip is all back country roads etc. Maybe 30 miles total.

 

I'd do it but i'm not your average person either

 

Once I hauled a pallet of landscaping rocks. The forklift guy broke Lowe's company rules by just forklifting it into the back. We estimated it was about 1 ton.

My suspension is very clean so it only sagged about 2 inches.

Recently, I hauled five 55-gallon barrels of oil about 200 miles. No problem hauling that 2000 lbs.

In 2013, I hauled about 4000 lbs of vegetable oil about 1000 miles. It sagged about 3 inches, but had LOTS of clearance still.

These were not on a trailer (only in the back fo the van). I suspect you'll be fine hauling that pallet of soil.

 

I just had a pallet of concrete (3000 lbs) in the bed of the truck and had no problems. I also have the factory helper springs. You know your van better than we do. I would watch it as the load it to see how light the front end got.

 

We hauled hay from NY multiple times with a little 02(?) 4-cylinder 5 speed ranger.
5 round bales including trailer going 45 down the highway the whole way back. Working it but it did it
Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to do what you're doing, but it's up to you

 

How far do you have to go? It's E250 so your going to know it's there. If you do it go slow. Don't be going down the freeway 70mph. Air bags would be nice now.

 

The rear shocks are easy enough to replace if you want to upgrade. And you can put a few of those coil spacers if you have clearance problems. BUT, unless you have major suspension deterioration, an E250 with 8-lugs and good truck tires probably won't even be affected by 1-ton in the back.

When you think about it, some of these E250 clubwagons had 8- and 12-seating options, so 8 dudes at 200lbs each with their luggage equals about a ton.

 

Hell we have hauled a pallet of quickcrete in a half town at 65mph idk if the front tires were touching but it did the job it had e rated tires also

 

People overload their trucks all the time.

 

"e-rated LT tires that are 2680lbs a piece" These tires are your week link.


Is that a 4x8 sheet of plywood? If so break it down into two pallets and spread the weight, it will be fine.

 

What should E-rated LT tires be rated to carry...or are you pointing out that it sounds like I said my tires weigh 2680lbs a piece?

I appreciate everyone's input. Sounds like I would be fine with it in the back of the van if needed. I was tempted to load it in the back of the van to see how it would do, but I decided to go the trailer route. A friend volunteered his trailer and since it has trailer brakes I figured it would be safer. Trailer + the soils was about 4500lbs. I hardly noticed it was there. Was able to set the cruise and run my DNE2 in high (overdrive) through the small hills we have here. It made me want to buy another couple of pallets and go find some big hills as an experiment.......

 

You would have been fine with that soil in the back of the van. No biggie. You got it where you wanted it to be.

 

Pretty sure I would have been fine. I remember you mentioning carrying 2 tons of oil in the back of yours. Just figured the added trailer brakes and not having it in the cab would cover some of the "what if" scenarios.

Though I don't think I would have trusted the forklift operator that close to the van. The first one just set the pallet on the back half of the trailer and said "there you go". Talk about negative tongue weight, it was trying to lift the back of the van up. When I told him where I wanted it he ended up calling another operator over. Set the pallet on the front from the side, side shifted it as close to the trailer axle as as he could and then held the front of the pallet with his forks while I pulled forward. Worked like a charm. I think the first guy was pretty new.