Front axle: Dana 60 monobeam high pinion (reverse-cut gears) with ball-joints ('91 and earlier had kingpins). If I remember correctly, Ford rates the front axle capacity at 4650 lbs.
Rear axle: Ford/Sterling 10.25" full-float, made by Visteon
www.visteon.com. Rated at 6250 lbs gross weight capacity by the axle manufacturer. Ford rates the rear axle gross capacity for the whole rear suspension/axle/frame. It is: 6084 lbs. Brake drums can be removed without pulling the shafts, unlike Dana axles
.
Gear ratios: 3.55 stock, 4.10 optional. Rear Trac-Lok limited slip optional. Axle code can be found on the driver's door VIN/weight sticker. Code 39 = 3.55 open, 35 = 4.10 open. Code with an alpha character in front means it has a rear limited slip.
Stock tires and wheels: 235/85-16's, load range E, 3042 lbs max capacity at 80 psi max pressure, cold. Wheels are 16" x (I think) 7". Bolt pattern is 8 on 6.5" bolt circle.
Engines: most common were the 5.8L V8 (351W), 7.4L V8 (460), and 7.3L V8 (Powerstroke diesel).
Transmissions: ZF 5-speed manual with granny low first gear and overdrive 5th. C6 3-speed auto, no overdrive (trans code G). E4OD 4-speed auto with overdrive 4th gear (trans code E). The E4OD will have an overdrive lockout button on the end of the shift lever.
Transfer case: Borg Warner 1356. It is aluminum cased, chain drive, part-time and can be either manual shift or electric. Hubs can be either manual lock-outs or autohubs.
Towing and carrying weights:
GVWR = 9200 lbs. This is the max wieght rating for the loaded truck by itself.
Payload: subtract actual truck scale weight from GVWR and what's left over is the Payload capacity.
GCWR (gross combined weight rating): This is the rating for the total combination of loaded truck plus loaded trailer together. This rating is different depending on what engine and axle ratio you have. From this rating, the tow rating is figured. You subtract the actual curb weight of the truck from the GCWR and what is left over is the max trailer weight rating.
Example: my '92 F350 CrewCab 4x4 weighs about 6500 lbs unloaded, according to the scale at the local landfill. The GCWR for my truck is 13,500 lbs. 13,500 - 6500 = 7000 lbs max trailer weight. The listed curb weight for my truck is 5940 lbs. Gas, aftermarket equipment and extra stuff I carry account for the additional ~560 lbs.
GCWR's: 351 w/3.55 ratio = 11,500. 351 w/4.10's = 13,500. 460 w/3.55's = 13,000 or 13,500 (I forget which). 460 /w4.10's = 16,500. Diesel w/4.10's = 18,500. I forget what the diesel is with 3.55's. Probably around 15,000 lbs.
Hope that helps ya out.