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Payload #'s

SportySpace

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Hey Everyone! Let’s talk payload.

Ford (and all other automakers for that matter) release the technical specs for their vehicles every year which is a great resource; however, these figures need to be taken with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to payload/towing.

What Ford advertises is simply the MAXIMUM capacity of the vehicle, which gets whittled down the moment you start adding options & accessories. Since half tons don’t have a crazy high GVWR to begin with, heavier options like a panoramic sunroof, power running boards, etc. can leave you with an alarmingly low payload. The trickledown effect is, without adequate payload to absorb a trailer’s tongue weight, the 9,000 to 13,000 pounds you thought your truck could tow, may be unattainable and legally outside its listed capability.

I understand that we all bought our trucks for different reasons and not everyone uses them to tow or haul, but for those of us that do, I’d like to try move attention away from marketed maximum figures by revealing the concrete, actual listed payload numbers of our trucks. Highlighting some real world capacities would be a great tool to help prospective buyers spec out their builds while finding a reasonable balance between options/trim levels & capability.

As a current owner of a GEN14, I’m just curious to see the spread between different trims, where the majority of us fall, and if anyone out there picked up the current half ton payload king – a regular cab 4x2 Coyote rated @ a beefy 3,325#’s!!

To start things off, my new rig is a 2021 Crew Cab 4x4 145” XLT 302A 3.5 EcoBoost dressed in Space White. It has a pretty extensive list of options with the only major exceptions being no PowerBoost or any sort of Pro Power Onboard system. If prices seem a little high, that's because they are in Canadian...eh ??
Ford F-150 Payload #'s WINDOWSTICKER.JPG


Per Ford's spec sheet, a 4x4 SuperCrew 145" 3.5 EcoBoost is rated at 2,100lbs of maximum payload. Listed payload on my door jamb drops this to 1,673lbs.
Ford F-150 Payload #'s 20210506_132640
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BLoflin

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There has been some previous "post your payload sticker" threads, but always good to revisit, as I believe Ford is making a major mistake, particularly with the PowerBoost models.

F-150 max GVWR is 7850 on those special configs (Long Bed) and XL/XLT, with the HDPP.

You can't get PB on those.

PB is a GREAT thing for RVers. Payload is a GREAT thing for RVers.

Yet a PB model best GVWR is 7350lbs? Why? If you get a PB and Max Tow, you have pretty much everything in HDPP (solid torsion bar, bigger Rear Diff, bigger brakes, best axle, 3 leaf springs, better shocks up front and rear, etc.). Except the frame. Why didn't they allow the HDPP frames for PB and get the extra 500lbs of payload.

Here's the rub, mine (still waiting for it) is a fully config'd KR. Everything, ie, PB, Max Tow, even factory wheel well lining, factory rectractable tonneau and factory spray (as well as moonroof, max seats, etc, etc).

So my Max Tow is 12,400lbs! Yea. And I have ProPower 7.2KW for boondocking the RV. And I have all the "creature comforts" to make it a great long haul driver (getting to those RV locations all over the US) as well as all the comforts for my daily driver.

My payload from the factory (remember is has even the spray-in as part of the factory config weight) is a big, whopping...... 1140lbs!!!! GDit...

So 400lbs for wife and me and clothes on. I'm left with 740lbs of payload. Even with nothing, I will probably have 40 lbs of misc (jumper cables, small toolkit, bed mat, small cooler with water bottles, etc.).

A lowest weight WD hitch and ball is about 60lbs.

So now I'm at 640lbs for tongue weight.

Recommendation is 10 to 15% of RV weight as tongue weight. so I can tow an RV that is 4300 to 6400lbs. And if a couple of friends or adult kids come along, I can just bring a tent and forget the RV!

What happened to my other (12,400-6400) 6000lbs of tow (or less)?

It should have been completely obvious that a PB and Max Tow should have been 7850 GVWR.
 

Mash150

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There has been some previous "post your payload sticker" threads, but always good to revisit, as I believe Ford is making a major mistake, particularly with the PowerBoost models.

F-150 max GVWR is 7850 on those special configs (Long Bed) and XL/XLT, with the HDPP.

You can't get PB on those.

PB is a GREAT thing for RVers. Payload is a GREAT thing for RVers.

Yet a PB model best GVWR is 7350lbs? Why? If you get a PB and Max Tow, you have pretty much everything in HDPP (solid torsion bar, bigger Rear Diff, bigger brakes, best axle, 3 leaf springs, better shocks up front and rear, etc.). Except the frame. Why didn't they allow the HDPP frames for PB and get the extra 500lbs of payload.

Here's the rub, mine (still waiting for it) is a fully config'd KR. Everything, ie, PB, Max Tow, even factory wheel well lining, factory rectractable tonneau and factory spray (as well as moonroof, max seats, etc, etc).

So my Max Tow is 12,400lbs! Yea. And I have ProPower 7.2KW for boondocking the RV. And I have all the "creature comforts" to make it a great long haul driver (getting to those RV locations all over the US) as well as all the comforts for my daily driver.

My payload from the factory (remember is has even the spray-in as part of the factory config weight) is a big, whopping...... 1140lbs!!!! GDit...

So 400lbs for wife and me and clothes on. I'm left with 740lbs of payload. Even with nothing, I will probably have 40 lbs of misc (jumper cables, small toolkit, bed mat, small cooler with water bottles, etc.).

A lowest weight WD hitch and ball is about 60lbs.

So now I'm at 640lbs for tongue weight.

Recommendation is 10 to 15% of RV weight as tongue weight. so I can tow an RV that is 4300 to 6400lbs. And if a couple of friends or adult kids come along, I can just bring a tent and forget the RV!

What happened to my other (12,400-6400) 6000lbs of tow (or less)?

It should have been completely obvious that a PB and Max Tow should have been 7850 GVWR.
I know that feeling. Mine doesn’t have max tow, and only the 2.4 kw gen. I do have tow mirrors and skid plates. No wheel well liners, spray in box liner, or tonneau cover but all the rest. Liners, spray and cover to be done by the dealer.

Here is the payload I got before the. App was taken down.
And I need to add a heavy duty canoe rack, draw bar for the trailer plus the canoe , before wife and myself get in.

So I figure I might not even break 1000 pounds before any other payload

Ford F-150 Payload #'s 75E73EFE-1524-4B0B-9299-602E19368450
 

BLoflin

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1/2 ton = 1000 pounds. Just saying
Your point? No one, including Ford, markets them as "1/2 ton". And if 1000 lb was the payload, then even with a single 200lb driver the trailer would be limited to 5300 to 8000lb (15 to 10% tongue weight). Yet they market the F150 as "up to 14,000lbs".

But that was not even my point. Ford knows how to build a F150 with a GVWR of 7850lbs, because they do. Point was, they should have recognized a PB with Max Tow should have got the HDPP frame to satisfy a very common and useful scenario.
 
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Powerboost does come equipped with the heavier frame according to this chart, so it’s possible something else is holding it back.

Ford F-150 Payload #'s 9D7841DD-4D7A-414A-B81C-8298785DD7FC


One other thing that is curious is the front GAWR is 500lbs higher on the Powerboost than on other trucks.
 

JGS

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mine is almost the same Lariat 502A 145" 3.5, almost loaded, but no PB or moonroof, 1634lbs
Ford F-150 Payload #'s thumbnail_20210326_161942_resized_1
 

Blue Spruce

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my 2 cents....

One of the reasons I bought a 2021 was to get more payload Than my 2016 which was about 1350 pounds. When I was choosing my options I was careful to maximize payload without sacrificing some of the features I considered must haves. For me the sweet spot was an XLT 302a longer box Which has about 1850 pounds. I would have like a power boost and the generator and moonroof. But I wasn’t willing to sacrifice payload for them.

i considered the HDPP package but couldn’t get it in a 302A sport. I pull a small rv about 3 weeks a year and to me the 302 was what I “needed/wanted” the other 49 weeks.

I agree it would be awesome to have all the options, all the towing and payload capacity and the best gas mileage. But, that’s just not possible.

as an aside.... I think the Towing limits they do publish are crazy to be honest. i wouldn’t be comfortable towing at the limits for any distance And if I needed too, I would have stepped up to a 250/350. But, that’s just me.
 

BLoflin

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Powerboost does come equipped with the heavier frame according to this chart, so it’s possible something else is holding it back.

9D7841DD-4D7A-414A-B81C-8298785DD7FC.png


One other thing that is curious is the front GAWR is 500lbs higher on the Powerboost than on other trucks.
Yes, that chart was put together by someone working hard from data he could gather. I'm basing my statement on the actual Ford spec publication. Page 34 of the 2021 F-150 Weights & Specs document. However that post may be correct, as it's hard to tell whether PB automatically get the HPP frame (see below). Regardless, if you look at all the pieces (tire rating, wheel rating, axle rating, suspension rating) for both Front and Rear and add it together they are always greater than the GVWR rating (which is normal for any vehicle) but also greater than 7850lb. The only thing we can't see explicitly that is holding PB back to a GVWR of 7350lb is either the frame (see below) or it's just what they wanted to test and verify to. I'm not sure in the beginning Ford realized what they had with the PB as far as RVing. Most of the early marketing was pointed at Construction and Power tools. They did raise the PB GVWR by 300lb pounds (as everything else, besides HDPP was a max of 7050lb). So they realized they would have almost NO payload if they didn't test and spec to at least 7350lb, when adding the PB battery and electric motor. My point is they should have recognized the RV/trailer market place for PB, (which is only available on heavier up trim models) and speced it to the known high limit of 7850lb.
Ford F-150 Payload #'s 2021 F150 Frame Specs


You can see for a SuperCrew 4x4 there are 2 Frame specs, one is HD (heavy duty, but just means normal for the SuperCrew) and the HPP (High Payload Package). But from the chart you can't tell what a PB build gets.
 
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SportySpace

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my 2 cents....

One of the reasons I bought a 2021 was to get more payload Than my 2016 which was about 1350 pounds. When I was choosing my options I was careful to maximize payload without sacrificing some of the features I considered must haves. For me the sweet spot was an XLT 302a longer box Which has about 1850 pounds. I would have like a power boost and the generator and moonroof. But I wasn’t willing to sacrifice payload for them.

i considered the HDPP package but couldn’t get it in a 302A sport. I pull a small rv about 3 weeks a year and to me the 302 was what I “needed/wanted” the other 49 weeks.

I agree it would be awesome to have all the options, all the towing and payload capacity and the best gas mileage. But, that’s just not possible.

as an aside.... I think the Towing limits they do publish are crazy to be honest. i wouldn’t be comfortable towing at the limits for any distance And if I needed too, I would have stepped up to a 250/350. But, that’s just me.
A major reason I upgraded to a 2021 was for a bump in payload as well. My old truck - a 2013 F150 Platinum 157" 4x4 with the 6.2L, max tow package, etc. - was only rated at 1,241 pounds. Luckily I was able to find a 2021 on the lot in my area with essentially my exact build list.

I'd love to see the guys at TFL or another reputable outlet take a half ton with a 13,000lb load in tow and report how the truck handles it. Sure these modern trucks have more than enough power to physically move that much weight, but the chassis getting more and more light weight is not the best strategy when it comes to towing. At some point the tail starts wagging the dog!
 

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BLoflin

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I agree it would be awesome to have all the options, all the towing and payload capacity and the best gas mileage. But, that’s just not possible.

as an aside.... I think the Towing limits they do publish are crazy to be honest. i wouldn’t be comfortable towing at the limits for any distance And if I needed too, I would have stepped up to a 250/350. But, that’s just me.
I agree with you that expecting to tow (in all conditions: altitude, grade, crosswind) right at the tow limit is a recipe for potential disaster. But I'm talking barely able to "legally" tow 50% of the tow rating.

I also understand the typical answer is move up to SuperDuty, which of course does have much more payload and trailering. Just right now, you can't get Sync4 or ProPower (among other things, like Max Recline, etc) in a F250/350.

But on the point of it would be nice to have everything... all the options and all the payload, that's not what I was looking for. It's just if you want a PB (for RVing) you are severely limited (way below max rating) in trailer size AND it didn't have to be, Ford makes a F150 7850 GVWR spec. The PB with Max Tow should be built (if in fact ANYTHING else is actually needed) and then TESTED and SPEC'D to 7850.

In my humble opinion....
 
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SportySpace

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Big Truck Big RV does a great job going over the wild swings in payloads for differently configured trucks.

The F250 @ the 2:45 mark totally caught me off guard. Goes to show that, at least strictly from a payload standpoint, jumping up into Super Duty doesn't always get you a more capable truck.
 

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I agree with you that expecting to tow (in all conditions: altitude, grade, crosswind) right at the tow limit is a recipe for potential disaster. But I'm talking barely able to "legally" tow 50% of the tow rating.

I also understand the typical answer is move up to SuperDuty, which of course does have much more payload and trailering. Just right now, you can't get Sync4 or ProPower (among other things, like Max Recline, etc) in a F250/350.

But on the point of it would be nice to have everything... all the options and all the payload, that's not what I was looking for. It's just if you want a PB (for RVing) you are severely limited (way below max rating) in trailer size AND it didn't have to be, Ford makes a F150 7850 GVWR spec. The PB with Max Tow should be built (if in fact ANYTHING else is actually needed) and then TESTED and SPEC'D to 7850.

In my humble opinion....
I agree with you here. I knew what I was getting into when I ordered the truck. My 2011 Lariat 2wd had a 1448lb payload so I based my decision on the new tow rig on that. I've ordered a limited PB so I'm in the crowd of a much lower payload. Do I wish I had the 7850 GVWR yes, but if we need more than a 23' Airstream with a 6XXlb tongue weight, then I'm going to get a 3/4 ton Diesel.

I was on the fence for a long time on a F250 vs. 150, but stuck with the 150 as we dont pull often, and the f150 meets our current needs
 

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Big Truck Big RV does a great job going over the wild swings in payloads for differently configured trucks.

The F250 @ the 2:45 mark totally caught me off guard. Goes to show that, at least strictly from a payload standpoint, jumping up into Super Duty doesn't always get you a more capable truck.
Exactly. Depending on our future RV needs, the 3/4 ton truck in my last post may need to be a 1ton DRW
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