When putting a P rated tire on a truck, the load rating is supposed to be reduced by 9% (meaning that a 2000 lb rated P tire would be reduced to 1820 lbs). LT tires already have this safety margin built in.

This is why a 235/75x15 LT tire in load range C has a lower load rating (number 104) than a 235/75x15 P rated tire (105 regular load, 108 for an XL rated P as on my van). The LT tire can legitimately take more weight than the P tires once you nick 9% off the P rated tire load ratings.

I will bet that an Expedition is NOT subject to the 9% reduction in tire capacity weight because it is not a "light truck" under some definition. Which is why the '08 Expedition door sticker allows 7900 lbs, and the F150 comes in at about 9% less at 7200....with the same 20" P rated tires.

George

 

The max axle #s are the same regarless of tires as I understand it, they add a seperate sticker re the tires max load. So if you upgraded the rubber they'd then default to the axle max, which if your pulling most trailers will be over on rear axle.

I hope Ford still produces the 8200lb gvw SCrew, origianlly planned for a 2010.5 release/same as 4.4L diesel. I wonder what gas engine they'd offer in that unit.. (6.2L?)

 

I dunno. This is totally disappointing. With a 900 Lb payload, Your basically driving a 6000lb car. Put 4-200 lb dudes in the cab, and You don't even have enough left over for their lunch box's. WTH?
Heck, My wifes Subaru has more load capability @ 1480Lbs.

In My mind, It gives the theory that the F150 is over weight, more validity.

 

On a different thread, similar topic, someone submitted that these numbers are Ford's legal way out of a lawsuit in the event of a failure or crash from an overlaoded truck.

It's not uincommon to see an F-150 from all vintages pulling and hauling waaay more than it should. Front end floating, bumper dragging etc. Ford can't be held liable for that kind of stupidity.

Likewise other posters have mentioned that they don't want the ugly 17" steel wheels and others have commented on the fact that the 17" steely with the 7 lug pattern is hard to find nice looking wheels for. For most people it boils down to asthetics vs. capability.

How much weight can you reasonable load into a 5.5' or 6.5' box anyway?

Tim

 

came from the Ford site and reading the payload specs, they don't have categories for tire and rim size and style, only cab style and drive train configuration. The minimum payload that I read was nearly 1400 lbs. The 8200 lb payload package seems to be available across the product line.

I'm not understanding why some door jamb stickers are giving different info. I would go back to the dealer and speak to a tech or even a body shop tech and get the straight info.

Tim

 

If you have four 200 lb guys in the truck and only 100 lbs of capacity, you could not even put in a heavy box of tools, or more than one or two bags of redi mix concrete. Or with the tailgate down, if you want to carry some lumber or drywall, you're sunk. And if you have 4 guys and a couple suitcases in the truck, you have ZERO capacity for trailer tongue weight despite all of Ford's bragging about trailer pulling capacity. They actually have versions of the 4WD crew that have an 11k+ trailer pulling capacity but 1400 lbs of payload (to be reduced by equipment, tire choice, etc). So you can pull an 11k lb trailer but you can't have any tongue weight. Whaaa?

After having slept on this, I think it is absolutely ridiculous that an F150 of ANY kind would have less load capacity than a small car. Of course, it does seem that a lot of city folk use a pickup as a gigantic rolling phallus to show off and be seen in, not to use, so for that purpose it might be fine.

The whole point of 20 inch wheels is styling, not function--the only reason to use a larger wheel than the traditional 15 incher (like a 17-18") is to fit some big brakes, but over that, it's bling. I personally like trucks that can actually do stuff...

George

 

Check the '09 brochure...there are a number of configs with 7200 lb GVW that list 1400 lbs of payload, but the payloads are *MAX* payloads, meaning that they are reduced by optional equipment--subtract payload for bed steps, running boards, power seat motors, DVD players, and possibly tires. So the 1400 lbs would be for a trim line that has very little on it. If you have a truck that weighs 6200 lbs and has a 7200 lb GVW, what's your max payload gonna be?

This is probably why they killed the real half ton E150 van. They had a 7000 GVW van for years, but over the years, the base weight of the empty box went up to almost 5000 lbs, and after a van converter put a high top, captain's chairs, and other junk on the van, it would end up at 6000 lbs, leaving 1000 lbs of payload and SEVEN passenger seats. That ain't gonna work, so now the E150 van has an 8500 lb GVW, minimum--it's basically a Super Duty.

I doubt that anyone at the dealership would know any more than we do on the pickups...they probably don't read door stickers. Someone in Ford's engineering dept or legal dept would probably have a better idea. If I still had leads into Ford I'd try to dig myself, but they're all retired or laid off.

George

 

Nobody ever overloads their pickups.

 

Everybody who uses their pickup truck as a tool or piece of machinery rather than a big car with a box overloads occasionally either intentionally or by accident. It almost seems like those tire loading stickers might have been written by the FoMoCo legal staff after the Exploders were popping tires like crazy. Without getting into a raging arguement about responsibility over the SUV tire failures a few years back, we can probably all agree that once the lawyers get involved, it's pretty much over with for everyone.

 

I don't know about that. During this tough time in the Auto world. Ford is pretty much depending on the F150 to carry it. They're kind of up against the wall with the new Ram out. Less HP, More weight, ect.

So their ad campaign has been, "The Most Capable 1/2 Ton"

Having those 900 lb load stickers staring at anyone who really knows, can't be good for sales?

 

I would look at only one model of F-150 when discussing payload and make my judgments based on that single model.

 

Sir, I'm not directing this at you, I'm simply using your quote to make my point.

If you go on the Ford site and do a comparison, they default to an '09 FX4 and a comparible Dodge, GM and Toy. With 18" alloy wheels, the payload of the FX4 is 1490 lbs with a 55XX lb curb weight.

If your buying a 4x4 KR or Plat with the 6.5" box, your not getting Ford's most capable work truck. I don't understand why everyone is so miffed about this.

I'm pretty certain that we're much deeper in the weeds than the average 1/2 ton truck buyer. Bottom line is, if you need a 4 door truck that can haul / pull like no other, then get a SD.

Tim

 

I found this quote from the recent comparision from msnbc.

The F-150 can be configured to carry as much as 3,030 lbs. and to tow 11,300 lbs., but the company said it expects only 2 percent of F-150s to be built with those specs. Anyone who really needs to carry or tow that much weight should be looking at heavy-duty pickups.

Here is the link for the complete article.

Sizing up the Dodge Ram and Ford F-150 - MotorHead- msnbc.com

 

Why are people miffed? Easy. If you spend $45K on a "truck" with 5 sets of seat belts, a 6.5 foot bed, and the strongest frame in its class and then you learn you have less payload capacity than the soccer mom who drives a Honda Odyssey minivan (1300+ lbs) or a Ridgeline SUV (1500+ lbs).

 

I agree with this. If Ford sells you a truck with five seating positions and a pickup bed and a trailer hitch or step bumper, I would assume that you should be able to put five 200 lb guys in the seats, put *something* in the bed (say camping gear or tools), and hook up a trailer. With the 900 lb payload, you can't even put five guys in the cab.

It's like the F150 is a life size model of a truck that can't really do any work...or a truck that you can "wear" but not really use. (In fact, I would bet that well over 50% of the F150's sold in the last few years were bought to be worn, not used--by people who pay more attention to luxury features than payload.) I'd be particularly miffed if I had just bought one intending to use it and then read the door sticker...

George