Getting close to the maximum GVWR for the 2WD 6.8.
I read on Wikipedia where the 2WD 5.4 and 6.8 have a GVWR of 8,600 pounds.
Diesel: 8,900
4x4: 9,100
Why/how does the Diesel/4x4 achieve this higher maximum? Is it springs?
Thanks.

 

Well, just as a point of order, there's no upgrade or modification the owner can do to change the vehicle GVWR rating. There's lots you can do to upgrade how your vehicle handles heavy loads, springs, air bags, sway bars, heavier rated tires are all popular options.

 

OK. So you don’t know?

 

I think (always a dangerous adventure……) it was to just keep all of them with approximately the same payload amount as the diesels are that much heavier. The diesels did come with a heavier spec front spring to handle their weight better. All of the EXs had the same rear springs. It’s really easy to get over the GVWR with a few passengers and a mid-sized trailers tongue weight.

 

I guess I should have been a little clearer. Common sense: if you have the same coil spring in the 6.8 Ex as that of a 7.3, wouldn’t common sense tell you that the difference in weight could be equalized through more camping stuff? I have Ford Motorcraft
Z Code coils up front which are F-350 springs for year 2000. That was the strongest spring that year. I got an additional height of approximately 1 1/2”.
It makes common sense that I could run safely at the same weight as the 7.3, unless there is/are other increased support(s), besides springs like heavier duty engine mounts that make up the difference.
Make sense/not make sense?

 

Yes and no……..
You really don’t want to and it might not be very easy to add additional load to your front end for those heavier springs. And you have the same rear springs as every other EX (if stockers). And like said earlier, no matter what mods you do you can not increase the listed factory weight ratings.

Looking at my door sticker my ‘05 4X4 6.8 EX has a GVWR of 8900lbs. Front GAWR of 4300lbs and Rear GAWR of 5250lbs. Like almost all vehicles you will see that the front and rear GAWRs combined (9550lbs) exceed the GVWR. That same sticker shows tire pressure for the stock 265/75R16s to be front 45 PSI and rear 55 PSI. I looked up those pressures on a tire pressure load chart and got front tire capacity at that pressure of 2280lbs (X2 = 4560) and rear of 2625lbs (X2 = 5250). As you can see, the rear suspension “weakest link” is the tire pressure as the two tires there can only support the rated weight and no more……at that pressure, if those tires are load range E (I’m old school……) then they can safely support 3415lbs (X2 = 6830lbs) at their max rated pressure of 80 PSI. I don’t have the data in front of me here but I think the stock aluminum wheels were rated for 3400/3450 or so. And again, I think the rears spring packs were rated at 6000lbs-ish, so (if I’m correctly remembering) the tires, wheels and springs all have capacity over what Ford rated the rear axle at. Kind of how the difference between most current F-250s and many F-350 SRW trucks is rear tire pressure. The Sterling rear axle that all EXs have is rated to at least 7000lbs (more in some cases).
My EX is heavy when towing our big TT, the TT has a tongue weight of 1860lbs. The TT depending how we have it loaded (food / clothes / supplies / water / rear rack / bikes / generators / fuel / kayaks / paddleboard) has a minimum weight of 11,500lbs and tops out at 13,000lbs fully loaded for extended travel. Set to travel our EX has 6220lbs on the rear axle and 3560lbs on the front axle (440lbs lighter than unhitched front weight limited by the max 1400lbs spring bars on the Hensley Arrow WD hitch system) for a total EX weight of 9780lbs (880lbs over GVWR). I’ve done what I can to improve this obviously less than ideal situation. The Sterling rear axle is still under its design rating, the rear springs have been replaced with B codes (6840lbs) plus 2 additional leaves added, the OEM 18”X8” wheels are rated in excess of the actual load and the Nitto Dura Grapplers (305/70R18) are rated at 3750lbs (X2 = 7500lbs) @ 65 PSI. The TorkLift SuperHitch is rated for 2000lbs tongue weight and 20000lbs trailer weight.
Is it perfect, no.
Is it safe, yes I feel that it is safe even if over the factory rating.
Does it tow and handle well, yes for over 85,000 towing miles.
Has it been super reliable and very well mannered over the past 14 years of towing duties, yes.
Do I think it’s the best option for our current towing needs, no and that is why it’s replacement has been ordered.
Will it be missed, yes, very much so.
Will it serve another travel loving family in the future, I really hope so.

 

Time for a new tow vehicle, huh?

 

With the mighty EX getting older every day (and towing over its ratings),traveling with just the Bride and Me (son and his buddies are all now adults) and planing on a new fiver, yes, it’s time. is claiming the new F-450 will be built next month, we are waiting to see if they can stick to the plan.

 

Hate to see you, your wealth of knowledge and your graciousness to help others with it.
My rear springs are ATS B Codes. I also have an RAS I’ve had for 20 years and some Airlift bags to help out. According to Junior at ATS, this gives me a comparable suspension to the F-350 for the year 2000. With the E rated Michelins at 69 psi and the Superhitch, like yours, I should be good to go with an extra hundred pounds. That’s all I need, so I’m going to step on the wild side and go with it.
Thanks again for ALL your help.

 

Walk on the wild side! You rebel!

I ain’t going anywhere, well technically I’m going to continue wandering all over the country, but as far as here in the EX forum, I’m a lifer.

 

One day mine will no longer be practical, and it will see another owner. In the meantime I'm enjoying keeping it as new as possible.