Hello all,

I love Ford trucks. We owned a F350 Lariat, Super Crew, moon roof, 20" tires, etc. for approximately 18 months. We mainly used it for recreational purposes and hauling wood for our fireplace and wood stove. We decided to downgrade the Diesel beast. I know have a 2002 F-150, Lariat, super cab truck. The only challenge I have is with loading up my trailer. It is a tandem trailer (5x10). My Super Duty handled the loads with ease. My F-150 Lariat, 5.4 engine, has a towing package, but I loaded the trailer today and had to take a few things off. The bed of the truck was loaded with 24 - 60lb bags of concrete. The trailer was loaded with wood to build three decks. The front of the truck was up so high, My wife could have walked under it.

Specifications:
Trailer:
Trailer 5 x 10, Tandem, 7,000 lbs Axles
Trailer Weight 1200 pounds
Max Cargo Weight - 5,800 pounds.
Steel and Mesh sides (2 ft steel and 1ft steel mesh sides)

Truck:

F-150 Super Cab, 5.4 V8, 4x4, 17inch Mud Terrain Tires (New x5)
Axle ratio 3.55
GCWR - 12,500 pounds
GVWR - 6,600 pounds
6 Foot Bed


http://www.Fleet.Ford.Com Trailer Towing Selector states I can tow 7,500 lbs.

The weight was redistributed after the front end aerial stunt.
We left all the wood in the trailer, added the concrete to the trailer and redistributed the bulk of the concrete to the back of the trailer. The wood filled the bottom of the trailer and came up approximately 24 inches from the bottom of the trailer.

Trailer Contents:
92 1x4 10 ft Cedar
105 2x2 36inch Cedar
14 2x4 8 ft Cedar
45 2x6 8ft Cedar
2 2x6 10ft Cedar
10 4x4 8ft Cedar
5 4x4 8ft outdoor posts
24 60 pound concrete bags (moved from bed of truck due to front end lifting too high)


Questions:
We intend to haul wood for our stoves several times a year - no more than 1.5 cords of wood at a time,
A cord of wood is 128 cubic feet. Wood stacked 4x4x8 or 4x2x16: either would be considered a cord of wood.

Should we invest in a different truck? Trailer? Both?

 

I did it the other way, got rid of my f150 v-6 reg cab and went to a f350 psd drw cc. I only lost a couple miles per gallon over the 150 but never have to worry about towing and hauling. This truck is much harder to park tho! If you aren't going over your weight ratings you could add ride rite air suspension to hold up the rear end. I had them on my Dodge and they really helped.

 

The Ford web site lists a payload capacity of 1760 pounds for a 2008 145-inch wheelbase 5.4L F150 SuperCab. I assume that your 2002 rating will be found in the owners manual.

Looking at your load:

24 bags * 60 pounds = 1440 Pounds

20 Gallons Gas = about 120 pounds

Two bodies = say 300 pounds

Total = about 1860 pounds

Plus tools, beer, Fritos, et cetera.

I don't know for sure, but I believe that the 1997-2003 F150s had less payload than the 2004-2008, so I'd say you were at or over the payload capacity of the truck.

As someone mentioned, having air bag helpers added would improve the ride. However, I'd suggest taking the truck to a public scale and getting an empty weight (with a full tank of gas and whatever tools you normally carry). By subtracting that from the GVWR, you would know your real safe carrying capacity.

Also, check the tire sidewall ratings and ensure that you are not over that limit, either.

Good luck,

Hank Murphy
2008 F150 XL

 

Remember that 10% of the trailer's weight comes off of the truck's capacity... for example (I'm making up these numbers... they are accurate for my 2002 F150) a trailer weighing in at 7500lbs will put approximately 750lbs on the truck. Your truck's bed capacity of 1500lbs is therefore reduced to 750lbs. So if you had a 7500lbs trailer, and 750lbs in the bed of the truck, you'd be at your truck's maximums. I do that relatively often in my F150 and am looking to swap out to a F350 instead. My truck has airbags on it which REALLY help with the load. Not only is the ride more comfortable, but fully loaded with the airbags pumped to their max pressure the truck LOOKS like its unloaded... ride height is unchanged from its unloaded state. Of course, that doesn't make your tow/bed capacity any higher, it just makes it handle that load a lot easier. Just remember if you do upgrade your suspension with airbags, you aren't changing your tires, brakes, or axles, and your weight limits are unchanged! It just looks better and rides easier.

My airbags cost me about $400 on eBay for a self-inflating system that I installed myself in a few hours. Hardest part was buying the cobolt drill bits and drilling through my gooseneck and frame's hardened steel. Not fun!

 

Wow! Thanks for all the help and great tips!!
Based on the responses and considering the weight limit 6,600 pounds; I figures this:
Me - 200 pounds
25 gallons of gas - 150 pounds
Truck - 5,250
I am already at 5,650 leaving 950 pounds of cargo left.
If I take 10% of the trailer weight [1,200 pounds - tongue weight] empty, that is an additional 120 pounds leaving 830 pounds of cargo weight left on the truck.
I think I may be able to haul a cord at a time:
3/4 cord in the trailer + 1/4 cord in the bed.
Does this make sense?

Additionally, I may want to invest in air bags; is this correct?

 

One problem.... you and the gas are included in the weight figure One driver and a full tank of gas are figured into the math as being mandatory for any use of the truck. My 2002 has a GVWR of 6800lbs, minus 5300lbs of truck, leaving 1500lbs for the bed capacity. I routinely use that 1500lbs; my gooseneck, according to CAT scales, puts 1300-1500lbs of weight on my truck depending on how its loaded.

The air bags will definately help. Remember that the weights listed too are recommendations, and are flexible depending on how you load, how you drive, and how far you are traveling. If you are a very cautious driver, only traveling 10 miles of back roads, and don't exceed 30mph, you may very well be able to load a little more. This is not, of course, license to haul double your truck's capacity. You WILL get cited for driving dangerously.

 

One correction, the door sticker actually states my GVWR is 6,500 lbs - I thought I read 6,600 on the Ford website for my 2002 F150 FX4 Lariat?!?!?!

I had my truck on a scale the other day....
My truck, with me in it weighed 5,600 lbs.

My truck configuration:
2002 F150 Super Cab, 5.4, Lariat, 4x4, w/full tank of gas [pwr window, lock, moon roof and leather - I am sure this is where the weight comes from and it is a super cab]
Tool box - it is empty, but I am not sure how much one weighs
17 inch rims (stock) w/ 5 Pro Comp Mud Terrain Tires 33x12.50R 17LT (came with these)

I am sure if I take off the tool box, I will gain an additional 50 lbs of cargo weight to carry.
This only leave me with 950 lbs. I guess this will have to do!

This is all fascinating....
I remember my F350 Lariat, 4 door, 4x4, power every thing, leather, moon roof and 20 inch tires (it came this way) weighed about 8,200 lbs with me and a full tank of diesel, but it had a GVWR of 9,700 lbs, which left me a cargo weight of 1500 lbs.

I need to stop purchasing trucks with all the extras... these convenience items weigh the truck down!
I know some of you are saying... Duh!

 

 

Wow... I find it very hard to believe our GVWR are so different! I have the same truck in XLT garb. I didn't think leather and all that weighed so much!

I'd just call your bed capacity 1000lbs unless you load in your five buddies into the cab. So if you have a 7500lbs trailer I'd try to keep the truck empty of all but the labor unloading the trailer. Airbags will still help, of course, but you may not see as much of a benefit as originally hypothesized.

 

I am, now, curious, as to what is talking up the extra 500 lbs.
Thinking about it, motors for the door windows, sunroof, and seats + leather cannot weigh 500 lbs...
I have heard of a 7,700 package - I am not sure what that is?!?!
Unless, the scale at the garbage dump are inaccurate!
Maybe, I will use another scale to make sure.

Thanks; and I will keep you posted.

 

The 7700 package is the F250LD... its GVWR is 7700 rather than the 6x00 of the other F150's. It has a heavier axle, smaller wheels (16" I think), bigger brakes, etc. The engine and powertrain is the same. The bed capacity is higher as is the tow capacity. But they aren't very common! Nice trucks... F250 in a F150 package. The F250 is still definately more powerful though.

 

Ah! Thanks for the information... Knowledge is Power!