Yes it definitely changed the ride. The shock of one wheel hitting a bump was transferred across so it felt as if both wheels hit the bump. The whole rear of the truck would jump rather than just one spring absorbing most of it. Not intolerable but definitely noticeable. The pay off was with the camper on board and reduced lean.

 

While at the dealer today I observed several F250 and 350 rear spring packs. Both had the same riser blocks, 4". Without access to the build sheets it is hard to tell all the options but several of the 250's had 2 main rear leaf and an underside helper. With the snowplow option the 250's had 3 main rear leafs and an underside helper. The F350's all had 3 main leafs and both underside and upper helpers including 1 with the snowplow prep. It would appear that the computer generated spring ratings have more to do with what is ordered as far as trailer towing and other options including factors which do not show on the window sticker but are determined in the initial order. There may also be a ceiling on the maximum load for each edition which may be determined by other factors including brakes and certified test results. I remember years ago when Ford copied the GM trick of a light duty and heavy duty 3/4 ton vehicle. Buying driveline and brake parts was always a crapshoot whether the parts counter could get things right. And the light duty 3/4 tons had the wimpy little molded mirrors I think were taken from the Crown Vic.

 

Nope. Driveline is identical.

 

Well there's one. I forgot that they look at the axle and tire ratings too which seem to mean more.

 

I have made adjustments to several of the vehicles I own to accommodate more weight than the purchased vehicle was rated for, all by increasing the number of full length springs and the last truck with the Firestone air bags. As much as I know the vehicles were in good shape and physically able to carry additional weight there was always a legal matter that more weight was on the truck than the little plate on the door jamb stated. I doubt there is anyway to recertify a truck without claiming it as home made and submitting it to the state DOT for conformation, a long and difficult task, not unlike the stretch limos and body shops who combine separate wrecked cars to make one saleable one. I would be interested to know if there is a different path out of curiosity. My new truck will be rated for what I want it to do and it will be an F-350. I am getting too old to modify ever again, although the sweet price of a low mileage one year old truck which is almost correct is still inviting.

I have never been on portable scales with a pick up here in NY but I was waved into a scalehouse in Pennsylvania once. PA scales were rarely open and had a trooper in the road with a sign to direct drivers in. And I have seen numerous pickups with trailers in scalehouses around the country while waiting in line with my TT. I always wondered why anyone would enter the scales voluntarily. I never had an issue with a pickup and trailer when I bypassed the scales but I always worried that the little tag in the door would do me in. Another issue which has flagged individuals for weighing is registered MGW. NYS allows individuals to register at less than the rated MGW: it saves money on the sliding scale of vehicle registration fees. It becomes an issue when a savvy officer looks at the reg for whatever reason and thinks the vehicle is too fat. Then comes the call to the scale car. The cost of an overweight ticket is not worth a few dollars savings on the registration.

 

Over 10k on the door sticker means a whole lot more bull**** to deal with. You need a dot number and medical card if you are in commerce. This includes you hauling your own cans in to the recycling place for beer money.

 

In NYS if you have a combo vehicle (truck & trailer) for commercial use over 10k GVWR combined you need DOT#'s

So hook a 500lb trailer to that 10k truck and you need DOT #'s.

 

Even though DOT numbers are Federal requirements our (NY) good ol' boy Andy has to heap more regulation on top of other regulations. The regulations should be re-written with what one can do and not what one can't do. It would be much shorter.

 

How does one find their vehicle weights and computer calculated loads from the ordering guild? Is it something the dealer will know when writing the order? I prefer to spec the vehicle and the packages and then see what comes out, definitely before signing on the contract or when opening the door for the first time.

 

I think you are looking for this: https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...SB_Updates.pdf

Payloads and such start around page 76.

 

Just what I was looking for. 2017 would be better. This will be the place to keep an eye out for them. Thanks

 

Only way to know is scale it. The advertised payloads are bull*****.

 

Thought I would bump this thread, as I'm still looking for an answer to this question:

"Anyone know how Ford bumps the size of the blocks in a 350, but maintains a fairly level truck front to back? I would think the F350 would have a forward rake, but it doesn't"

For example, this image of the new 2017 F350, unloaded, empty bed, and no rake, to my eye:

 

Look at them on a dealer lot, on blacktop. There is a slight rake...at least as measured by eye.

 

Thanks. I can handle a little rake. And that can always be taken out with some adjustable shocks like the 9000's. Push the front up a little.