We're thinking about getting a light-weight, crank-up camper which weighs about 1500 lbs. I can't find the 1981 F100 PAYLOAD specs. Does anyone know how much she can carry?

Thanks a lot. Dave

 

Well I once had exactly 972 pounds in the back of my truck, and wouldn't ever consider driving over 10 miles with it loaded down like that. My truck probably has the softest suspension in the world though. I think I only have 3 leaves on each side... maybe somebody tried to lower it at one time? I'd put some helper springs on your truck if it's anything like mine! How many leaves do you have on each side? Five would probably be sufficient, six would be awesome!

Chris
1982 F100 Flareside
300HD I-6
SROD 4speed
Blue & Silver

 

A few excerpts from Moses Ludel's Ford F-Series Pickup Owners Bible may be informative:

"By 1953, with the introduction of the F-100 to F-350 light truck badges, Ford was clear in its intent. The F-100 was a half-ton class truck, while the F-250 rated 3/4-ton and the F-350 indicated a full one-ton capacity."

"Although users sometimes challenge light truck engineering standards, the significance of load capacity goes far beyond how much weight a set of springs can carry. If heavier springs alone could make a one-ton F-350 truck from an F-150, the cost of heavy haulers would drop dramatically. While the wheelbase, and even body parts, sometimes match, a half-ton truck offers substantially less chassis and powertrain stamina than a one-ton."

"Prior to 1956, a quick glance could distinguish an F-100 with it 6 1/2 foot bed from other Ford pickups. The optional long half-ton bed length has confused some buyers, who assume that the longer bed means more load capacity. These are separate issues..."

The guy that owned my truck before me ran a construction crew and added two leaves to the rear springs (I guess, two. It has five, and two look different from the other three), he said it drove better than his 150s when loaded (it was the oldest in his fleet so he sold it when work slowed). He had no reason to lie; and he has since offered to buy it back - sorry Charlie. It does drive well even when loaded. But I try to stay at about 1000 lbs max (short distance only, and rarely at that).

I don't know when the 150s came in, about 80 I guess and I think the 100s and the 150s overlapped for a few years. Others know that better than I do. I happened to be looking at that section of the book when you posted.

I would not push it to 3/4 ton of weight - ever. I think you might be asking for trouble. Be careful out there!

Hope this helps.

Raul
w/ 81 F-100, I6, SROD, Carter 1V non-feedback carb, no A/C, no PS, no PB, but it gets me where I need to go

 

Dave:

One of my 3 pickups (all of which are 2 WD) is an ’81 F100 Shortbox Fleetside, and on the “B piller” data tag it lists the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) as 4,700 lbs. This is the maximum the truck can weigh, with full fuel, passengers and cargo combined. I cannot find my registration right now, but yours may list the vehicle’s empty weight,and you can always weigh you truck, empty, at a scrap metal yard or gravel yard (for free!). Subtract your F100’s empty weight from the GVWR, add up the weight of passengers, fuel and gear, and I think you’ll find you cannot come close to accomodating a 1,500 lb. camper, as the other postings also suggest. My '81 F100, like the other gentlemen's, above, has the softest suspension I could ever have imagined a pickup could have.

Also, I don’t think the number of spring leaves has anything to do w/ it. My ’81 F100 has five leaves, w/ a GVWR of 4,700 lbs, but my ’88 F150 Fleetside (300 Six 5-speed Mazda trans) also has five leaves, yet it’s GVWR is 6,250 lbs. And I can tell you it is a lot more truck than the ’81, in terms of payload, as it pulls my 22’ boat (inboard/outboard, but aluminum, cuddy cabin) and does not squat much at all.

I would skip the camper, or slide a heavier truck under it!

Sincerely,

Peter




>We're thinking about getting a light-weight,
>crank-up camper which weighs about
>1500 lbs. I can't find
>the 1981 F100 PAYLOAD specs.
>Does anyone know how much
>she can carry?
>
>Thanks a lot. Dave