Bed weight limits....
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 374
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From: Dudley, GA
Bed weight limits....
I was looking at the following link <http://www.bumpsides.com/72lit/16.jpg> to see what the actual limits are for weight in the bed of my 71 F250 4x4. Now I'm confused even more. I have been hauling pallets of sod from the sod farm to my house, two at a time. I was told they weigh in at about 800 kilos a pallet. That's about 1800 lbs per pallet or 3600+ lbs total. Now if the rear springs are rated at 1975 lbs. but the truck itself is rated at 5300 lbs at the rear axle. Which rating applies to what I can stuff in the trunk???? The truck really squats when this load is on board. Should I carry lighter loads or just plant grass seed??
My link didn't show up..
My link didn't show up..
FE "Freakin Expensive"
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,461
Likes: 4
From: Smith Mountain Lake, VA
Thats way to much weight..3600#s its a wonder you didnt break the springs or bend an axle... A rule of thumb is F150= 1000Lbs F250 1500 lbs. F350- 2000 lbs.
You can haul about 500 lbs to these #s and still be safe..But I wouldnt go over that Unless you put some Helwig helper springs on it!! Hope this Helps..-Russ
You can haul about 500 lbs to these #s and still be safe..But I wouldnt go over that Unless you put some Helwig helper springs on it!! Hope this Helps..-Russ
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 374
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From: Dudley, GA
Boy I hope I missunderstood the guy when he told me the weight of a pallet. One pallet has 25 square meters of sod cut at 2- 2 1/2 inches thick. I'll haul only one pallet for now on. Thanks.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,622
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From: nevada
oops, and here I was hauling 5000lbs of rock on my '72 F100. The scale would read around 10,000 when I stopped on it. I do have helper springs on it. This was about 12 loads and I shoveled it all off 1 shovel at a time. Am I nuts or what? HeeHee
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
The problem with that much weight is once you put a negative arc into a spring, the spring never regains its strength or form. It will end up cracking sooner or later, though after 30 years, look at it as later 
I would put 2,000 pounds into a F-100 (since they can be rated for 1500 pounds from the factory) or F-250 for a short slow drive. Though I would not go out of my way to do anything that would bend the axle housing, like taking it off road.
I would put 2,000 pounds into a F-100 (since they can be rated for 1500 pounds from the factory) or F-250 for a short slow drive. Though I would not go out of my way to do anything that would bend the axle housing, like taking it off road.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 237
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From: ipswich USA
The 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, 1 ton mean nothing to these trucks. This nomeclature was left over from the forties. For instance, my 85 F250 says on the door tag the truck weighs something like 4600 lbs, but max gvw is 8600. My calculation says 3/4 truck holds 2 tons. A 71 F250 4x4 is rated for something like 7100/7200 lbs and truck probably weighs 4600, do the math 2500 lb capacity. The factory of course was somewhat conservative also. My uncle bought a new 70 F100 and in 1972 he bought a ****** Jeep CJ3A 200 miles away. He measured it and figured the Jeep would drive right in to the 8' bed of the pickup, so he loaded it up and drove the F100 home with Jeep in back.
The only thing suffering was the tires.
JWR
72 F250 CS 390 NP-435 8100 GVW
The only thing suffering was the tires.
JWR
72 F250 CS 390 NP-435 8100 GVW
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Iowa
Last summer I hauled over 4000lbs of rock back in my '70 F100. It still had about 3" before the rubber bumpers hit the axle. I drove back conservatively, slow over bumps. No problems, hauled it like it wasn't even there. So with your F250, just load it up and dont worry about it. 
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 238
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From: Bridgeville,CA
I don't know where the "ratings" like 1/2 ton came from. Like JRWBoss said the nomenclature does not reflect the weight rating. This carries through to the bigger trucks also. A 2 ton truck is actually rated even by the manufacturer for far more. I regularly put 20 bales of hay at 90 pounds/bale in my bed hang a 2000 ponud unladen weight trailer with 6000 pounds more hay on the bumper(800 pounds hitch weight) and then drive 300 miles home. Never had a problem other than a lack of power up mountains.
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 374
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From: Dudley, GA
Well I asked the sod man again how much a full pallet weighs, and the numbers were a bit lower. 600 kilos is the average, or 1322.77 Pounds. Double that and I was hauling 2600 lbs, but this all depends on the moisture content of the grass when it was cut. There were many times I knew it was much heavier just because of the way the truck drove. Thankfully nothing broke and I'm picking up my last pallet today. 360 square meters in total and my back is killing me!
Those numbers on the truck ratings are confusing to me. I'll stick to RapidRuss's figures for now on just to be safe and not beat up my wagon. I was always very conscious of the tire pressures and checked them before I hauled, I thought they were the weakest link in the truck.
Those numbers on the truck ratings are confusing to me. I'll stick to RapidRuss's figures for now on just to be safe and not beat up my wagon. I was always very conscious of the tire pressures and checked them before I hauled, I thought they were the weakest link in the truck.
FE "Freakin Expensive"
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,461
Likes: 4
From: Smith Mountain Lake, VA
Well 714X4390...
I figure it this way.. You can buy a sack thats rated at 5lbs..and put 10lbs of dirt in it. But that doesnt mean your not going to damage the sack or it contents!
I rest my case! Good Luck! -Russ
I figure it this way.. You can buy a sack thats rated at 5lbs..and put 10lbs of dirt in it. But that doesnt mean your not going to damage the sack or it contents!
I rest my case! Good Luck! -Russ
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