You're not wrong; however, you're overthinking and reading into the numbers too much. Please realize that you're trying to make all the numbers add up, but in reality they won't. The axles are overrated so that there is a safety factor built in to if the truck is not loaded perfectly equal front and rear. These numbers indicate four separate parameters that should never be exceeded but in reality they are exceeded quite often.

You have four main numbers you're dealing with and we can use my truck as an example:



GVWR: 7200
Front GAWR: 3750
Rear GAWR: 3850
Payload: 1529

The F & R GAWR add up to 7600...Disregard that added number. Ford states that my truck can weigh a maximum of 7200 rolling down the road. The payload capacity is 1529. So, off the factory floor, full of fluids, ready to drive, my truck weighed 5671 (GVWR-Payload).

If you take it to the scales, you will see how it weighs out unloaded:



In my truck's case, I have added a tonneau cover, larger tires and my weight distribution hitch. When I weighed to get the above data, my son (45 lbs) and I (200 lbs) were also in the truck. All of these numbers took away from my payload rating.

The front axle has the predominant amount of weight with the 4wd parts, motor and part of the cab. This ends up putting 3540 for an axle rated at 3750.

The rear axle only had the weight of the bed and the weight distribution hitch over it and had a total weight of 2840 but was rated for 3850. Based on the axle capacities, I could have added 240 on the front axle and another 1010 on the rear for a total of 1220 lbs. However, staying within the 7200 GVWR will ensure that neither axle is overloaded. This only leaves 820 lbs of payload available instead of 1220.

Based on the above scale numbers, if I added 820 lbs in the bed right over the rear axle, the truck would be at it's maximum GVWR leaving the axles still within a very safe, acceptable tolerance.

The reason the overall truck GVWR is less than the both GAWR is so that there is no chance of failure. Same with the tires. Your tires are overrated for the axle so that the tires won't fail before the axles.

Wouldn't it be bad if the 4 tires could only hold 6000 lbs total but the axles were rated for 7000 lbs total and then the truck was stated to be able to have a GVWR of 8000?

 

The problem lies in that there are an infinite number of load/balance combinations.

In order to safely follow all ratings. You will need a set of calibrated scales. Then you will manually measure the loads and adjust until you are within each and every rating.
GVWR (total weight put to the ground by the 4 truck tires)
GAWR-front (weight under the front tires)
GAWR-rear (weight under the rear tires)
GCWR (total weight under truck AND trailer tires)
Individual tire ratings


You will notice, I didn't include "payload". That's because payload is NOT a rating. It is a measurement/calculation. The sticker number is GVWR minus the empty truck as delivered from factory. The true payload capacity is the GVWR minus the truck as it sits at any given moment.

The GVWR is the actual rating as stated by Ford that limits "carrying capacity"...That is the overall weight that you are checking at the scales. The yellow sticker is a convenience number. The actual GVWR, GAWRs are on the white sticker and the GCWR is in the owner's manual.

 

Thank you everyone for spelling things out for me, it has really help me have a better understand of things

I am going to get the truck weighed at a Cat scale to find out my weights

Happy New Year to everyone

 

Eurojet:

That VIN decoder you used is...suspect*. I would only use it if i didn't have the Federal sticker and the payload stickers, as they are much more accurate. And yes, this being a truck, you are responsible for ensuring both weights and balance are within limits before takeoff. Thank yourself it isn't class 8 truck, where you can shift cargo, trailer axles, and fifth wheel position to get everything to balance.

Max Payload/Max trailer are for mythical combinations (unicorns) - XLs with manual locks/window, mini center consoles, etc, etc (Local dealer said he wouldn't bring one in to prove it was possible as he wouldn't be able to sell it without major loss). Note: Just above the VIN bar code on your Federal sticker is the Options weight for your truck, it will read something like F0111 over T0247, where F is front and T is total. If you subtract the Total from the brochure number, you will get very close to your truck's payload number.

As per your posted information model/gvwr/etc, you have the new 8.8 rear axle, so the rear axles GAWR is 3,800lbs. Your limiting component will be the springs as you have noted (Interestingly, Ford doesn't offer a 3,300lb spring pack; lightest offered is 3,500lbs) The front axle has 3,750lb GAWR, but again your springs are limiting factor; I'm curious, do you have 3,500 front GAWR, or did Ford install lighter front springs?

For remaining payload, 1st you need to reduce by your weight and any gas in the tank in excess of 90% full. When I did my 1st weight, I drove straight from fuel station to CAT scales so had the additional 2 gallons of fuel in tank. (Scales and pumps are on same exit where I did my weight).

For payload, you and significant other in front largely go against front wheels (say 60/40), kids and critters in back seat are more rear (say 40/60). Weight in box, largely rear (depending on exact placement). For trailers you might want to use of the spreadsheets.

Note: You can increase payload by removing tailgate, spare tire, running with only limited fuel, etc. Kind of drastic, but to avoid making a second trip, might be justified.

*The linked decoder misses on more points on my truck than it gets right...

 

DON
Here is the sticker of my truck , both my axles show the lower numbers , So am into assume that ( I guess like I said ) these are the weights of my spring packs, how would I tell what spring packs they used? . I was more concerned about my axle weights but if I have the higher rated axles then i won't be as concerned

My sticker says T0688 so that means I need to subtract that from which brochure number, the payload for my trick without my options shows as 1630# so that would put me under 1000#

 

Eurojet:

The SPR codes on your Federal sticker tell us the springs: 22AA (left front, right front, left rear, right rear respectively)

My truck NNCC;
N code is the front coil with part number: FL34-5310-N - capacity 3,000lbs
C code is the rear spring pack with part number: FL3Z-5560-C - capacity 4,250lbs

Your truck 22AA
A code is the rear spring pack with part number: FL3Z-5560-A - capacity 3,500lbs.
You would think your front coil is:
2 code for part number: FL34-5310-2, but alas it is FL34-5310-SA - capacity 3,375lbs (FL34-5310-RA is 1; -TA is 3, -AA is 4, for the rest letter should match spring - fingers crossed)

The ARC number isn't working for your truck like it did for mine; let me research that one; given your initial post said your yellow sticker said payload of >1,400+ lbs...

 

I don't believe the T0688 code has anything to do any weights.

As far as the spring packs, look for the part number on them and see if you find a weight rating. However, the weight rating of the 2 springs together won't necessarily equal the RAWR, as the springs don't support unsprung weight (such as the axle assembly).

IMO, the best thing you can do is weight your truck on a scale that gives you front and rear axle weights individually. Subtract the weight of the rear axle from your RAWR and that is how much you can put in the bed. The "payload capacity" on the sticker is not intended to tell you how much you can put in the. It tells you how much "stuff" you can put in the whole truck, including any passengers. Not to be rude, but you are severely over complicating/ over thinking this.

 

Thanks Don any info would be great

Jp360cj
Thanks for the Info, and you are not rude , just not getting this numbers wise , 1446is payload/stuff after my 302a package weight if not it would be 1630lbs , So I am trying to figure out how to achieve that 1446lbs, my truck was weight this morning see pic , My rear axle has 2220lbs on it with only my 180lbs , soft roll up tonneau cover maybe 30lbs , bedliner 45lbs, quarter tank of gas

If I take the rest of my family
180#
100#
75#
Plus dry tongue weight 640#
Plus WD hitch 100#

That is 1095# which is 15# over my gawr ( that is dry weight with 1/4 fuel )
I know that the WD system will distribute some of the weight to the front but I am running out off front axle weight and that is not even with my trailer loaded up with . Although it falls under my 12800# total weight my axles are loaded . Boy I was a noon when I bought this truck I should have search this forum .

 

Ok, I think it will be easier to make sense of it all with real number to work with...

So the 1446 was your available payload as the truck left the factory (assuming a full tank of fuel). You, plus the things you have added to the truck (tonneau cover, bedliner, license plate, things in the console, etc) all deduct from the available payload.

The payload calculation is based off the GVWR, not the RAWR, and is calculated as GVWR-truck weight=available payload.

When you weighed your truck, it weighed 5360#. Your GVWR is 6500, so your available payload with you in the truck and a 1/4 tank of gas is 1140# (6500-5360). You have 1100# remaining on you RAWR, so almost all of the weight you add can go on the rear axle.

If you add the 180, 100, and 75, that another 355# of payload used. (I assume the 180 is another person and you are not counting your weight twice). 1140-355=785# of payload remaining.

Add in another 100# for the WDH, and you only have 685# left for tongue weight, snacks, gear, etc. Your 640# of dry tongue weight will only leave you with 45# to spare. Now, if all the weight added went to the rear axle, you would technically be overloaded by 5# on the rear axle. In reality, the passengers (and anything else between the front and rear axles will distribute some weight to each axle.

Now, If you have the 26 gal fuel tank, then a full tank would add about 120# (almost 20 gal of fuel would be added to get to a full tank of gas @ ~6#/gal). That would put you over the GVWR (i.e. payload rating) by 85#.

 

In addition to all of this... a weight distribution hitch will redistribute some weight back to the trailer wheels. With 640 tongue weight, about 250 pounds will be lifted off your front axle and added to your rear axle. As you tighten the weight distribution bars to add some of that weight back to the front, some will also be sent to the trailer wheels and off of the truck axles (that weight returned to the trailer does not count against payload or axle ratings). So you may be OK. But you need to get the trailer tongue weighed if you haven't already. If that 640 is a spec and not a scaled weight you could be in trouble. My trailer tongue was spec'd at 460 pounds. weighed in at 780 pounds the first time I weighed it with an empty trailer!