I noticed this post on another thread, pointing to this article (see link below). Towards the end of the article I noticed a post relating to the Payload of the 2017's:

The 2017 Ford Super Duty's Tech Is Way Cooler Than Its 925 LB-FT Of Torque

From the Jalopnik article (specs section near the end) I notice that an F-350, diesel, DRW, 4x4, C/Cab, Long box, with 14,000 GVWR that the max payload is 5820 lbs.

Then I go to the Ford website and notice the exact same configuration (only difference is the 172 in w/b versus 176 in w/b for the 2017) has a max payload of 6,460 lbs.

2016 Ford Super Duty | View Payload Specifications | Ford.com

I keep looking at that and thinking, I must be missing something??? It would seem, unless I am missing something (I'm good at that!) that the payload for the exact same 2017 F-350 as the 2016, is 640 lbs less.

I'm reading something wrong...right? As a note, the poster cut off the inserted document just above the F-450's and I didn't check every configuration to see how consistent this difference is. I just checked the one that I care about.

 

I have no idea what I'm talking about, but it would make sense to me if someone said the longer the wheelbase the lower the capacity (hence the F350 regular cab DRW having the highest rating). So stretching out the trucks a little lost some in the payload category? Wild guess.

 

What about the 350lbs lighter? These weights are typically "base" weights without options. I'm a little surprised, I guess.

 

I guess that could be it, but a 4 in gain in the wheel base wouldn't on it's face seem like it would make that much difference. With the advertising that Ford's weight savings program and upgraded driveline and axles it would seem like they would balance each other out.

Then again, I'm not an engineer, so maybe that 4 inches is a big deal. I think for people wanting to use the truck to haul/tow, that putting the 150 cab on the 250-450 might not be as important (other than saving Ford money) as losing capacity.

I've been patiently waiting for payload and tow numbers for the DRW vehicles for months thinking that with bigger and better components (driveline/axles/brakes) that I would see improvement over the 2016...I'm on my 4th Super Duty and I'm a big Ford fan, but this is a little disappointing.

And this isn't about bragging rights, I carry over 4400lbs in the bed and then a trailer which has a tongue weight of approx 800lbs (subtract tongue weight of your trailer from payload capacity to get the payload for your bed) and was looking at a bigger trailer to tow a heavier load. So I'll keep waiting and hope that the 450 will show some improvements in payload.

 

I may be confused but I don't understand them to be 350 lbs lighter when they say they "reinvested the weight in other areas".

 

I'm not a fan of comparing figures from different sources and taking anything from that. It's too hard/impossible to see where who got what figures. I don't believe the Ford website does a very good job of actually calculating specific weights. My guess is that the weight you are seeing on the Ford site is with a gas motor. The trucks can handle plenty, the payload is capped by the GVWR for commercial purposes, so anything that adds weight to a truck (like a diesel motor) takes away from the payload.

 

Because the Super Duty truck is physically larger than the F-150 (nose and bed), there was opportunity to reduce the weight by *more* than the 700lbs the F-150 lost transitioning to aluminum. So maybe by using aluminum the Super Duty lost as much as 1000 lbs. However, the new boxed frame and heavier duty rear axles, brake upgrades, transfer case, etc...cut into that 1000lb savings (speculative) and made the total weight savings only 350 lbs.

Personally, I don't want to see the Super Duty getting lighter as towing capability increases.

 

The new trucks are roughly the same weight as the old ones. You can subtract the payload from the GVWR specs to see that they are only ~100 lbs lighter - depending on the configuration. For the SRW, the front GAWR is 5600, and the rear GAWR increased 110# from 7120# to 7230#. Bottom line, rated payload is roughly the same. Tow ratings are crazy high - so the payload will almost always be the limiting factor. The platinum crew long-bed 4x4 6.7 is ~8400# (when fueled), leaving 3100# for payload. The short-bed version is rated for ~200# more, but part of that is the less fuel it carries.


Either way, I'll be over my GVWR with 1000# of people, pets, gear + 2500# pin.


8400# truck + 1000# passengers/gear + 2500# pin = 400# over my GVWR but under all of my tire / axle ratings. With a crazy 20K gooseneck tow rating, it seems that the SRW could handle my 41' 14K fifth-wheel without problems. My new camper sure looks big to me after towing a 30' tag-along for years, but I don't think a dually is really needed. (The 9900# rear axle on the dually trucks have much stiffer rear springs - I just don't want to deal with the unloaded ride the 95% of the time I'm empty.)

 

Thank you! The 6420 figure was indeed for the 6.2l, it doesn't specify that on the website but I checked a spec sheet from their download documents and the F-350 DRW, diesel, 4x4, crewcab, long box, 14,000 lb GVWR is 5720 so it looks like they improved the vehicle's payload by 100 lbs. The listed tow rating goes up as well.

Thanks again for pointing that out, 100 lbs isn't a lot but it's headed in the right direction. It sure would be nice if Ford would just put this out where everyone can see it and then make a decision on facts instead of on the Easter egg hunt for info.

 

Partial Specs are up on Ford's website:

2017 Super Duty Truck | Towing Specs | Ford.com

A few "TBD" are still there.

 

Just as a note: both sources were from printouts by Ford. So the sources were the same.

 

2017 Ford Super Duty Chassis Cab Pickup | Towing Specs | Ford.com

Chassis Cab page is up but it's a fairly solid "TBD" fill on every configuration. Over a month after the Order Book opened and they haven't determined (for publication); How much can you carry and I'm guessing they're just showing the top specs for payload in the gas engine?

Maybe Ford is just holding off so they can move the 16's? Pricing is getting aggressive on the 16's, and paying the extra thousands for an extra 100 lbs of load capacity, stronger frame/axles and a F-150 cab, gives one pause.

Not sure the frame and axles were needed for the extra 100 lbs.

 

More Specs.

https://www.scribd.com/document/3198...ngs#from_embed

 

From Ford's Truck Body Builder Advisory Service - in the Ford Fleet section.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...017/specs.html

Both documents are pretty detailed. The first one, has the following link:

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...ecs_8-5-16.pdf

 

Using the specs from the Ford website, for both 2016 and 2017. A 6.7L diesel, 4x4, crew cab, long bed, DRW, F-350 will have a "Max Payload" of 5720lbs on the 2016 and 5820lbs on the 2017.

So with all the hoopla, advertising campaigns, improved frames/axles, aluminum body, etc. we gained 100 lbs. of payload in that particular configuration.

Still pretty impressive numbers. Tow numbers improved as well and improved frame/axles is always good.