When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I wanted 2500lb payload plus in a F250 with a diesel which I got, but you have to forgo the pleasure of 4x4. Never needed it and did not want it but I know for some it is a must. My payload is just over 2800lb
Fountain, The door stickers I've seen for the high capacity end up lowering payload capacity. Probably because of the heavier axle. So it can pull more at the cost of carrying less.
HIGH CAPACITY (535) Availability ● Optional on F-250 Requires: ● 6.7L Power Stroke® Diesel engine (99T) Includes: ● Increase GCW on diesel engine from 23,500 lbs. to 25,700 lbs. ● Max Front Springs ● Upgraded axle ● 20” Chrome PVD Aluminum (649) – Lariat and King Ranch® only ● 20” Polished Aluminum (64U) –
Stroking-A, how would you describe the ride? Planning on 6000 miles this summer towing RV. Is yours a long or short bed?
Your name suggest you will be pulling a bumper pull travel trailer ( and Im making a big assumption there) The F250 should be fine pulling most BP trailers since the hitch weigh limits how much wight you actually transfer over to the truck axles. The F250 has the same motor, tranny, brakes etc as the F350 so it will pull an equal bumper pull equally well.
The main difference of going to a F350 is how much load you want to transfer to the truck axles. ie Gooseneck or 5th trailers. Both will push the weight limit for a F250 truck. It's been argued since 1999 whether the F250 has the same axles as the F350. The spec sheets that were linked above show the F350 having 7280 lbs rear axle vs the F250 having a 6200 lbs axle. That means you will have an extra thousand pounds of load capacity with a F350. It's not in the tires, it's not in the springs. It's in the axle itself. Air bags may level the load, but they won't change the axle rating.
Ditto on what Painted Horse said.
A F350 is only about $1200.00 more than a F250.
You get a big capacity bump for a relatively small up front charge.
I ran into the same issue, and I decided to go with the F350.
It will give you a lot of future choices for a trailer of you end up needing one.
Just my 2 cents.
The spec sheets that were linked above show the F350 having 7280 lbs rear axle vs the F250 having a 6200 lbs axle. That means you will have an extra thousand pounds of load capacity with a F350.
Despite the F350 SRW's rear axle rating, the gross axle weight rating (GAWR) is determined by the weakest link, be it the axle itself, the tires, the wheels, or the springs. Accordingly, the spec sheets also include the following disclaimer:
Gross Axle Weight Rating is determined by the rated capacity of the minimum component of the axle system (axle, computerselected
springs, wheels, tires) of a specific vehicle. Front and rear GAWRs will, in all cases, sum to a number equal to or greater than the GVWR for
the particular vehicle. Maximum loaded vehicle (including passengers, equipment and payload) cannot exceed the GVW rating or GAWR
(front or rear).
These components on our new F350 4x2 have the following ratings:
After much worrying about how an F350 would feel on the road, I was able to test drive a KR and it wasn't noticeably different from an F250. Then again, it was running 55lbs air pressure on 18" wheels with the camper/snow package and stickered.
3137# payload wearing LT275/65R18E
5990# GAWR Front
6340# GAWR Rear
Interesting note is that the sticker called for 70psi front and 80 psi rear.
All the F250s I've seen call for 60psi front and 65 psi rear.
Is it as simple as changing tire pressure to get better payload?
It's pretty easy to PLUS size your tires and in the process get a substantial bump in tire load capacity. Jumping from 275/65R20 to 295/65R20 adds 3/4" in total tire diameter but adds 330 lbs of capacity per tire. A F350 axle adds 1000 lbs of capacity per axle. So the week link stays the actual wheel. It's really hard to find a wheel that goes above the 3590 lbs that the OEM wheel offers. I bought my Ultra wheels because they offered 3700 lbs and that was about as high as I could find in SRW.
It's your decision as to what you think the weakest link is and how confident you are in that link. I know I'm pushing the limits of a SRW truck when I haul my horses, So I've tried to up all my load capacities as much as I can. I'll live with being close to my max's vs buying a dually.
BTW here is the page from the Ford Spec book that shows the different axles. There are a lot of people who say Ford uses the same axle in both F250 and F350 trucks. I'm not here to say it is or it isn't. Just posting what Ford printing in their specs.
After much worrying about how an F350 would feel on the road, I was able to test drive a KR and it wasn't noticeably different from an F250. Then again, it was running 55lbs air pressure on 18" wheels with the camper/snow package and stickered.
3137# payload wearing LT275/65R18E
5990# GAWR Front
6340# GAWR Rear
Interesting note is that the sticker called for 70psi front and 80 psi rear.
All the F250s I've seen call for 60psi front and 65 psi rear.
Is it as simple as changing tire pressure to get better payload?
On my 6.7 F250 I have an identical GAWR Rear of 6340lb to your KR F350 but you have more than 1000lb over mine (~4800lb) in the front (mine is a 4x2) though. As far as tire pressures I have the same size as you but my pressure is 65 psi front and 75 rear. Payload is 2800lb
...Is it as simple as changing tire pressure to get better payload?
No. The reason the tire pressures are lower in the F-250 is because the rated payload is less, and therefore the tires can be safely run lower while improving ride quality. Adding pressure to the tires on the 250 (which are typically the same tires as a 350) would increase the tire payload but not the vehicle payload. F-250 has weaker rear leaf springs than a 350.
troverman - so if the purpose of going with the F350 is to have a cushion over the 2110 of the F250 if I upsize trailers but don't need it now, is there any reason I can't run the F350 tires at the F250 tires and improve the ride quality?
troverman - so if the purpose of going with the F350 is to have a cushion over the 2110 of the F250 if I upsize trailers but don't need it now, is there any reason I can't run the F350 tires at the F250 tires and improve the ride quality?
You can absolutely run the tires on an F-350 at the lower (250) pressures without issue...just remember to increase the pressure back up to max when you are towing or hauling near your maximum capacity. Many people do this.
Be aware that the 350 does have slightly stiffer leaf springs per the Ford documentation, so you can't fix that. But having had both F-250 and 350 trucks from the previous generation, I could never tell much of a ride difference.
No. The reason the tire pressures are lower in the F-250 is because the rated payload is less, and therefore the tires can be safely run lower while improving ride quality. Adding pressure to the tires on the 250 (which are typically the same tires as a 350) would increase the tire payload but not the vehicle payload. F-250 has weaker rear leaf springs than a 350.
I disagree.
My 2013 has the exact rear leaf pack as my buddies 2015 f-350.
My truck is a 6.2 supercab short, his is a 6.2 crewcab short.
Both lariats. His payload is 3756, much higher than my 2915 lb.
The ONLY difference is the rear tire pressure, and his front spring pack. Mine is 5600 his is 6000. It's the 65lbs. in the rear derate bs.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
