2024 F350 CrewCab short box 4x4. Any idea how much weight the sides of the box are rated to carry? Or where I can look to find a rating?

I want to add racks for carrying ladders, pipe, boards, kayaks, etc. Probably no more than 300 lbs. Racks I've read about list a weight capacity for the racks but in the fine print say not to go over the trucks capacity. Which makes sense, I just have to find the trucks capacity....

There are also different mounting options. Some use the stake pockets, some sit on top the side and have a flange that goes down and clamps to the inside bed rail, some have a rail that mounts on top the bed side and the rack mounts to the rail. Any experience with which is best? I also want to add a tonneau cover so if anybody can recommend a cover and racks that play well together I'd love to hear about them.

 

Can't answer the weight rating, but did you check the Ford outfitters web documents? I know they have dimensions including stake pocket locations. You might find what you need there.

 

Are you sure they aren't referring to the trucks load capacity? I've never seen a bed rail capacity noted for any truck. I have loaded many lumber racks to their full capacity (and then some), on compact trucks and full size trucks without harm to the bedsides.

 

I have a heavy duty custom welded rack on my SD; base rail is 4" x 2" x 3/16" aluminum angle and the structure is mostly 2" x 2" x 1/8" tubing with some 3" x 2" tubing as well. It bolts down through the stake pockets (no drilling) and I wouldn't hesitate to put 1,000 lbs on it. I don't think you'll find any specific rating for the top of the bed, just ratings on the hitches themselves but 300 lbs is pretty minor. The reference to the truck's capacity is generic but likely references payload/gvwr and gawr's, not a specific bed rating of any kind.



Dave

 

I found some specs for the tie down points, but nothing for weight on side rails yet









GM shows weight limits in their owners manual but have no idea if Fords aluminum box would be weaker or stronger. The GM sheet metal isn't much thicker than tin foil so.....??

 

Don’t know about the bedside rating but I have the Adarac Pro and a Backflip hard cover. I know there are Diamondback hard covers for the beds that have a capacity of 1600 lbs that are on the market so the beds should be able to take these kind of loads evenly distributed.

 

I've seen ads for the Diamondback with the 1,600 lb rating and they do have fine print about not exceeding trucks ratings. The GM trucks have a max load rating of 1,000 lbs so well short of the 1,600 and even less after subtracting weight of cover. Makes me very curious about what Fords rating is....

I've just been reading about the Adarac, sounds very promising. Any chance you could post pics?

 

I’m 300# and have no problems standing or sitting on the bed rails. I’d have zero concerns loading 1000lbs on a ladder rack (if the rack could take it).

 

True enough but at the 300lbs you are considering, there isn't a remote possibility that the bed sides can't take the weight. I mean it's fun to research but the actual answer is irrelevant for what you are planning IMO.

Dave

 

True enough. And I freely admit I'm a bit of a research freak, I like to learn.

What do you think about wind force? For example I see ads for kayak racks where the kayaks are just tied to the rack cross bars. Kayaks are certainly not a weight issue, but 75 mph on the freeway is a strong push of air against something mounted higher than the cab roof. Am I over thinking or should I be concerned? I asked a dealer about this and was told it's fine, no need for a rope to the front of the truck. And now I will freely admit that I am very leary of taking advice from someone that's trying to sell me something, which is why I'm asking again here.

Thank you for your thoughts

 

I wish Ford would put up a number, but how evenly the weight is distributed means everything. I googled around and there is precious little out there on bed rail failures.

Here's one I did find.....
​​​​​​https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ket-8-bed.html

 

It seems like you're worrying about it more than you're thinking about it...those are not the same.

One way to think about it involves in depth engineering analysis using statics, materials science, and aerodynamics.

Another way to think about it is "hey I drove back from home depot with a refrigerator upright in my truck and a single tie down strap securing it to the bed and it stayed put just fine without ripping off the bed of the truck."

The former I can talk about a little but really you're on your own...even if you know the amount of vertical loading the Ford engineers say the bed rails can support you're not really accounting for all the forces acting upon them while driving.

The latter way of thinking involves empirical data/observations and I can give you a bunch of examples of that, but that may not be the answer you seek.

 

Some times, you can overthink it.

Kayaks are shaped to cut through water. Fluid dynamics work for both fluids and gases.

 

Had an e99 shortbed with a rack. Loaded enough treated 2x12x16' to do a 12x16 deck. Must have had the load unevenly distributed. It did damage the top of the bed rails at the front of the bed. The rack had feet at each corner that were about 12" long, not full bed length feet. The damage was hidden by a toneau when traded in.

 

This was a good idea, wish I would have thought of it. There is a ton of info and specs in there. Spent far too long reading specs I didn't need to know but no weight rating for side rails. I'm beginning to think Ford does not want me to know...