Truck Sitting on Jounce Bumpers
 

Hi. I have a 2013 f-250 powerstorke. I have been noticing that when I tow, even a light load, that the truck squats a lot. I know about tongue weight and don't think I have too much. Another scenario is the other day I was bringing home 16 bags of 60# concrete mix (a whopping total of 960 lbs.). When loaded, the truck sat about 1/2" or less away from the jounce bumpers. If I would have added another 4 bags I am sure that it would have hit. Is this normal. The sticker inside the drivers door says that "The combined weight of the occupants and cargo should never exceed 1939 lbs".

In my brain I should be able to put 1939 lbs. in the truck and it not be sitting on the jounce bumpers. Is anyone else having this problem? I took it to the local ford dealership and they said that it is normal and they can't fix it unless something breaks. I didn't like that answer so I called Ford Customer Relations and opened a case. I can take it to another dealer but that is an hour away one direction.

I just ordered some air bags for the truck but I don't want to put them on unless I really need to. I feel like the truck should preform better than it is.

Thanks,
Mohon

Ok, something's not adding up at all. You have an F-250? With a max payload rating of 1939 lbs?

That doesn't compute.

It's not a mistype, as in you either have an F-150, or that "1" should be a "2" or a "3"?

My '12 F-250 has a max payload ~3800 lbs (forget the exact number off the top of my head).

Can you post some pics of how the truck is sitting loaded?

I know what you are trying to say but it is not a mistype. I have a 2013 F-250 and the sticker inside the door says the max payload is 1939 lbs. The brochure that I got when I was looking to buy the truck says it has a payload of 3250 lbs. Something got overlooked here.

I can post some pictures but I won't have anything loaded in if till probably tomorrow. Ill try to post some tomorrow.

That 3250 payload in the brochure for a stock F-250 is a XL with manual everything, 6.2L, Reg cab Long bed 2WD, 10k GVWR Package and the small fuel tank enough fuel to go 10 feet.

My CCLB with the Gasser has a payload rating of 2790 lbs.

I'm guessing you lost even more of your payload rating to your heavier engine and any extra interior options depending on your spec and GVWR. If you don't have the 10k GVWR package you lost even more payload rating to that.

Can you tell us the spec on your truck? Trim/options?

Thats a good observation. I figured that the only way that my truck could cary 3250 lbs is like you described. I do have a 10k GVWR so that helps for 100 lbs more. Even still the sticker says a 1939 lbs. payload and I only had half the weight when it was almost hitting the jounce bumpers.

overleaf springs work better.

I have had a 1000 in my bed and it only dropped about 2". However 1939 is still 1939. Do you have 2wd or 4wd? 4wd sits a little higher than 2wd.

When you loaded the concrete did you set it all behind the rear wheel or was it spaced evenly across the bed?

Ok, I looked up my actual payload, the manual says 3380 lbs, and my door jam sticker says 3156 lbs. I've had 1800 lbs in the bed and the springs squatted enough to level out the truck, but no farther. Mine's a gas extended cab long bed though.

So, install some air bags and keep using your truck.

Since people started using these 'working' vehicles as daily driver (read as soft boulevard ride) the real carrying capacity has suffered to the point of being ridiculous. Mine too was sponge soft so I added air bags. I also have a pair of add-a-leafs which will be going on soon as well. According to my build sheet, mine is a 10K truck but the spring code says it's an 11.2 - NOT. It sags badly and to the overloads if there is any significant load (i.e. my 2200 pound 5th wheel pin weight)without the air bags. It will be fixed with the add-a-leafs AND the air bags. Someone will pop up and recommend Torque Lift Stable Loads - yep, they work, but IMO put undue bending stress on a single point on the rear springs, plus overworking the overloads instead of spreading the spring load

If you have a 10K gvwr truck and your scale weight is 8360, doesn't that make your payload 1640? That for all weight - passenger, luggage, stuff in the bed but since it's a scale weight probably includes the driver, fuel, hitch, etc. It's worth remembering that it's pretty possible to spec out a F250 with pretty low payload if you try. All you need to do is add the full size cab, a long bed, the diesel engine, the 4WD, and you have a low payload truck.

A couple of other thoughts. The payload is a theoretical weight distributed ideally across both the front and rear suspension. Your 16 bags of cement were probably all behind the rear axle., at least that's where I would put them. In other words a worst case scenario for load distribution. The rear springs are variable rate, as they get loaded and engage the overload spring they get far stiffer. That means that if you needed 1,000 lbs behind the rear axle (or directly over it) to get to 1/2" from the bump rubber you might need another 500 lbs to get the rest of the way. As noted that's how they got the super smooth ride unloaded.

Brian

Lots of options: you can replace the jounce bumper with Timbrens or SumoSprings or you can add air bags or you can add helper springs like Supersprings.

I have a 4x4. The concrete bags were evenly distributed over the rear axle.