acadianbob

A lot of things wrong with this post. Factually incorrect at the very least.

Adding a leaf or bags is often a crutch in a mistaken effort to correct a bad situation. It does nothing to increase the capability of your truck. Better to get to the root issues and fix those; even if that means a smaller trailer.

brulaz

We've been all over this, and you still don't get it.

The HD Payload option adds heavier duty rear leafs, front coils, shocks, axle (7 lug), wheels (7 lug) and tires (LT). And maybe more for all I know.

The GAWRs, GVWR, GCWR and payload all increase substantially as a result.

Feathermerchant

BTW that axle is listed as 4,800lb rating vs
And it has larger bearings and a larger ring gear.
This lists most of the important specs.
http://www.fordf150.net/2012/2012-f150-specs.pdf

Here is more detail. Note the rear axle rating varies from 3,850lb to 4,800lb
https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...12_F150_SB.pdf

The rear axle on the HD is VERY important.

smokeywren

Because that guy has more towing experience that 99% of the others around here that don't drive trucks for a living. Including 12 years and over 100,000 miles towing a 5er with a Ford diesel pickup. Over 10,000 miles towing a TT and cargo trailer in the last two years, from the mountains of eastern Tennessee across the Continental Devide to the mountains in Oregon. Very active since 1999 in participating in towing and hauling forums trying to help others understand the weight limits of their tow vehicles.

The 3.15 "highway" gears is not the problem. That EcoBoost drivetrain with 3.15 gears will pull an 8,000 pound RV trailer with no problems caused by the axle ratio. Plenty of power and torque to handle up to the "tow rating" of 8,400 pounds, even in the "Hill Country" southwest of Austin and crossing the Continental Divide to travel up the Snake River into Oregon. The problem with my F-150 is the GVWR and lack of unused payload capacity to handle the hitch weight of an 8,000 pound TT. Not overloaded per the GCWR and tow rating, but overloaded over the GVWR of the F-150.

But to get more payload capacity requires a 3.73 ratio required by the Max Tow or HD Payload packages. I didn't want a 3.73 ratio, so I ordered the 3.15 to hopefully get better unloaded highway mileage and still be able tow my 5,000-pound TT and 6,000-pound cargo trailer.

zx12-iowa

heavier duty rear leafs:
So yeah - you can add a leaf

front coils:
Meh - you can change those but Im not sure this is accurate

shocks:
Arent these the same, but easy to change - oem are crap

axle (7 lug):
Others have reported the SAME part number of HD and regular

wheels (7 lug) and tires (LT):
wheels and tires are rated enough for both packages. But many replace on their own.

So yeah basically about the same....

Feathermerchant

ZX12 - You need to read those PDF's again. NOT the same.
Please post a pic of your GVW sticker.

brulaz

Oh, I forgot. In RegCab and SCab, the frame is made of thicker steel (0.15" vs 0.11") with the HD Payload option. All long wheel base SCrews come with the heavier frame. These #'s come from the 2013 F150 Source Book.

EDIT: and p99 footnote 2 in that same Source Book shows the difference in front springs with the HD Payload package. And the Source Book shows the difference in max wheel loads with HD Payload pkg. Here's a link to it:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...67720277,d.cWc

zx12-iowa

You guys need to post on rv.net where an f550 is needed to haul a hamster lol

Any differences mentioned are essentially negligible at best. Any on ever Load up a tone in a reg f150 and an hd and measure squat. I bet there is little if any difference. Axles are same. Weight bearing of reg tires and wheels are still in spec.... add a leaf or bags and good to go.

But prove me wrong Cause seeing a squat difference would make me and others change our minds.

Feathermerchant

I doubt it would change your mind because I don't think you know squat.

You're at the scene of an accident and the trooper looks at your rig and its ratings and determines you are over payload rating. Do you pay the bill? Or tell him he should check rv.net because those guys know whats what?

zx12-iowa

Tell me an example where that happened where the gvwr being exceeded was the primary cause based upon a troopers conclusion at the scene of an accident. or do you just want to play hypothetical based on your law school education via the Socratic method?