How to Overload a Superduty

[Oakman]

I received the winter edition of “My Ford,” the magazine put out by Ford Motor. I thought it was interesting that the cover photo and article was about a company hauling their 19,000 pound payloads (helicopters) with their Superduty trucks. The photo shows a SRW F-350 doing the work. Why did I find this interesting? Because according to Ford towing specs the maximum trailer towing for an F-350 SRW is 15,900 pounds. The article also mentions the trucks were modified by adding 2 inch suspension lifts that adds an additional 5000 pounds of towing capacity. I guess Ford feels the powertrain and brake system is good to go with the extra weight. Interesting...no?

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Oakman

I received the winter edition of “My Ford,” the magazine put out by Ford Motor. I thought it was interesting that the cover photo and article was about a company hauling their 19,000 pound payloads (helicopters) with their Superduty trucks. The photo shows a SRW F-350 doing the work. Why did I find this interesting? Because according to Ford towing specs the maximum trailer towing for an F-350 SRW is 15,900 pounds. The article also mentions the trucks were modified by adding 2 inch suspension lifts that adds an additional 5000 pounds of towing capacity. I guess Ford feels the powertrain and brake system is good to go with the extra weight. Interesting...no?

Kinda adds to what I've been saying that the lawyer stickers are nothing but a cya for the manufacturers and have very little to do with what a truck will actually carry.

[Ford Idaho]

If a Tundra can tote a space shuttle then the chopper should be no problem for the SD.

[ironj]

lol....what they WILL do and what the company is willing to put on paper and be responsible for are two totally different universes!

i have oil field customers here who continually laugh at me for always talking about towing ratings...

these guys make a living with their trucks , tow 20k plus all week and then daily drive them on the off days...most with nary an issue

the guys who get the company haliburton f250s do even more ungodly things with them that most on this forum would think the result would be a self exploding/imploding truck...!!

i think the silly commercial of the tundra pulling the space shuttle (which had little to no tongue weight) started it all....i bet my 250 could pull a wholllllleeee lot with all the weight on a dolly and only going a block...(and a bunch of legal disclaimers in small print) haha :-)

[Frank-VA]

Oakman have you seen on GOLD RUSH the tv program where a Super Duty has pulled out stuck Tractor trailers.

Here is the spec for a 2004 Super Duty:
F-250/350 SuperCab 4WD SRW 6.0L V-8 TDI 12,900 d,i,p


Fifth Wheel towing
F-250/350 Reg Cab RWD DRW 6.0L V-8 TDI 13,400 e,i

F-250/350 Crew Cab 4WD SRW 6.0L V-8 TDI 12,700 d,i,p

F-350 SuperCab 4WD SRW 6.0L V-8 TDI 12,300 d,i


F-350 SuperCab 4WD SRW 6.0L V-8 TDI 12,300 d,j
Notes for all Ford/Mercury Products:
a = 3.08:1 axle ratio; b = 3.31:1 axle ratio; c = 3.55:1 axle ratio; d = 3.73:1 axle ratio;
e = 4.09/4.10:1 axle ratio; f= 4.30:1 axle ratio; g = 4.88:1 axle ratio; h = 5.38:1 axle ratio;
i = manual transmission; j = automatic transmission; k = with 16-inch or P275 17-inch
tires; l = with P265 17-inch tires; m= when operated on LP-gas; n = when operated on
Compressed natural gas; o = reduce max.trailer weight by 500 lb on models with 18-inch
wheels; p = maximum loaded trailer weight for F-250 SuperCrew 4WD SRW is 12,000 lb;
q = with towing package; r =2,740 lb with FX4 Level II; s = 5,200 lb with FX4 Level II;
t = Ranger Edge only; u =3,320 lb for Ranger Edge; v =with Class II hitch; w= with Class
II/IV hitch; x = deduct 500 lb with auxiliary climate-control option; y =Compressed naturalgas fuel version; z = Bi-Fuel version

[ironj]

i have personally witnessed a freinds bullet proofed 6.0 pulling a 40ft plus motorhome out of the sand....


of course i said yall are crazy, i want no part of this!!

then i grabbed my beer and ran off behind some trees and watched!!

lol

[RKR]

Originally Posted by ironj

lol....what they WILL do and what the company is willing to put on paper and be responsible for are two totally different universes!

i have oil field customers here who continually laugh at me for always talking about towing ratings...

these guys make a living with their trucks , tow 20k plus all week and then daily drive them on the off days...most with nary an issue

the guys who get the company haliburton f250s do even more ungodly things with them that most on this forum would think the result would be a self exploding/imploding truck...!!

i think the silly commercial of the tundra pulling the space shuttle (which had little to no tongue weight) started it all....i bet my 250 could pull a wholllllleeee lot with all the weight on a dolly and only going a block...(and a bunch of legal disclaimers in small print) haha :-)

I won't laugh but I have worked in the oilfield for almost 17 years with 15 of those being with Halliburton. It's pretty much load and go for any oilfield company.These HD's will haul more than the lawyer stickers state for sure. We would turn them in at around 150K. The power train would outlast the body.
This new company I'm with now has a mix of the big three. Last I heard though we are done with Dodge though. Ours are not holding up to the abuse. It's sure nice though to able to work these pickups before purchasing one.

[Oakman]

Frank, I did see that episode. I haven't watched that show at all this year.

[Frank-VA]

Here of more videos:
Super duty on gold rush!!!! - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

[HONDAMAN174]

While you are setting your DVR's, find the Top Gear where they compared dually trucks. They hooked the F-350 to a LOCOMOTIVE engine and pulled it!

[OldCoot]

Plus, the lawyer stickers on 1/2T's are load ratings on P tires which are totally useless and IMO dangerous with the sway when towing any tongue trailer or 5th wheel trailer except maybe a pop up.

[davel1971]

you are very right. I don't care how much HP and how big the axles are in a half ton. Why would you want to tow a 10,000lb 5th wheel, with the crew cab of the truck loaded with family, on P tires and call that safe.

[ironj]

Originally Posted by RKR

I won't laugh but I have worked in the oilfield for almost 17 years with 15 of those being with Halliburton. It's pretty much load and go for any oilfield company.These HD's will haul more than the lawyer stickers state for sure. We would turn them in at around 150K. The power train would outlast the body.
This new company I'm with now has a mix of the big three. Last I heard though we are done with Dodge though. Ours are not holding up to the abuse. It's sure nice though to able to work these pickups before purchasing one.

then you know EXACTLY what im talking about....they scoff at my near 10k lb trailer as a pop up....lol..

quite frankly i dont see how there is any truck left after they are done with them...

a friend who is in purchasing said the last order was 150 superdutys!!?? (they no longer use dodge either due to transmission issues)....im surprised any of them last...LOL

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by davel1971

you are very right. I don't care how much HP and how big the axles are in a half ton. Why would you want to tow a 10,000lb 5th wheel, with the crew cab of the truck loaded with family, on P tires and call that safe.

IMO, with P rated tires, you are just asking for a BIG problem keeping it out of a ditch or worse.

[rlreed]

I grew up on a farm, three farms actually including my grandparents next door in the Allegheny foothills. I had a horse farm until I sold it in 1996. Sometimes I read these weight police blogs from city slickers saying you can't do this and you can't do that and can't help but snicker at some of them. You would be amazed at what farmers haul and tow with their pickups and tractors.... I guess my worst was towing a four horse trailer with four horses from Buffalo River on the Tn Alabama line to central Ohio with no rear brakes on the truck, using mostly trailer brakes for stopping late on a Sunday night with nothing open, no way to fix the brakes and no where to stall the horses so I could wait till the next day... Many times I pulled three hay wagons to the barn with an F250, probably pushing 30,000 lbs.. We also used the f250 many times to pull two hay rakes at a time raking hay while the tractors were busy...Of course this was pre 6.0. Those 7.3 diesels were work horses....

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by rlreed

...Sometimes I read these weight police blogs from city slickers saying you can't do this and you can't do that and can't help but snicker at some of them...

X2. Especially those saying you can't pull a 5er with a 1/2T. Shoot, I pulled a 24' Alumalite 5er with an 81 El Camino

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

IMO, with P rated tires, you are just asking for a BIG problem keeping it out of a ditch or worse.

I certainly understand the benefits of LT tires over P tires. However, I've pulled my wildcat (@9300lbs) and now my rockwood (@8400lbs) for more than 20,000 miles on the original Michelin P275x65r18's LTX on my 2008 Tundra. Never been an issue. BUT, now at 47,000 miles I am ready for new tires and they will be LT with heavier load range. I'm anxious to see the difference if its as much as you've been telling me OC.

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

I certainly understand the benefits of LT tires over P tires. However, I've pulled my wildcat (@9300lbs) and now my rockwood (@8400lbs) for more than 20,000 miles on the original Michelin P275x65r18's LTX on my 2008 Tundra. Never been an issue. BUT, now at 47,000 miles I am ready for new tires and they will be LT with heavier load range. I'm anxious to see the difference if its as much as you've been telling me OC.

that's one of the best P rated tires ever made, IMO. Most people don't read the specs of the tires when replacing them, just the price. Good you are upgrading, not down grading like most do.

[Cajun Po-Boy]

Great read...on my way now to find a Southwest Airlines jet to drag around town!

[rockfordroo]

You can pull the space shuttle (or anything heavy) with a bicycle if you gear it low enough. You just wont pull it at 55mph up grapevine hill.