Payload Calculation Realities

[acadianbob]

Payload can be a real issue on "1/2 ton" trucks. I'm throwing this "out there" in hopes that it might be useful to someone just getting into RVs and towing. It might help prevent the wrong TV/RV combination. Here's my situation as an example.

2012 F150 with 7,700 GVW and Surveyor SV235RKS; dry weight 4,450, tongue weight 460. Should be WAY enough tow vehicle seemingly. Well, it IS enough TV but not by as much as you might think.

Factory calculated payload after truck is optioned up: 1,820 pounds
WET weight of trailer after options and loaded for camping: 5,500 lbs, tongue weight approximately 600 pounds.

Added Stainless Steel step bars and Aluminum roll top on bed; 220 pounds, so now we are down to 1,600 payload remaining.

So, let's see how much payload is left in reserve once we are ready to go.

Tongue weight 600 pounds
Wife and 2 dogs 180 pounds (no breakout, self preservation instinct)
Hitch 40 pounds
Generator 65 pounds
Step ladder 15 pounds
Screen Room 15 pounds
Kayak 55 pounds
Gas can 10 pounds
Grill 15 pounds
Compressor 5 pounds
Gas heater 15 pounds
Tool box 25 pounds

Total 1,040 pounds Reserve 560 pounds

Think about other things you might carry. Coolers, bicycles, children, boxes of food, etc . . .

Many trucks START with a payload of 1,300 to 1,500 pounds vs the 1820 on my truck. And my trailer is on the smaller side. I'll bet that a substantial number of TVs are inadvertently overloaded. It's something to think about.

[grayfox]

That is exactly why I say DO YOUR OWN MATH... It's an enlightening exercise ... everyone should do it!!

Nice post Acadianbob, I hope everyone reads it.

[rschoono289]

Great post --- I have payload issue as well. Purchased Aluminum Tonneau cover before understanding how fast payloads disappears. Now looking for a new TV

[PHS79]

Very true! Here is my break down:

7200 GVW of truck
5650 weight of truck with full tank of fuel but no one in it

1550 cargo capacity left over

650 tongue weight
220 for me
230 for wife, daughter, and dog
60 for fire wood
40 for cooler
20 for hitch

I have about 330 lbs left over after all loaded up.

[PopBeavers]

When we still had the TT I had to upgrade the truck from 1500H to 2500HD when I started carrying a pair of dirt bikes in the bed.

I had so much sag when I tried using the 1500HD that I was unable to remove the tongue wheel.

[Helmsey]

I would be willing to bet that the same goes for the 3/4 ton crowd...I know mine started going away fast. After my truck is setup to tow, myself, wife, and DD I only had about 200lbs more payload than you do.

[grayfox]

Originally Posted by Helmsey

I would be willing to bet that the same goes for the 3/4 ton crowd...I know mine started going away fast. After my truck is setup to tow, myself, wife, and DD I only had about 200lbs more payload than you do.

I'll bet it's worse for 3/4 tons.

[myredracer]

What exactly are the risks of being slightly to moderately to grossly overloaded? Wheel bearing failure? Tire failure? Brake failure? Suspension failure? Frame damage? TV warranty (if still applicable) void? Vehicle insurance problems if in an accident? Fines by law enforcement? Possible loss of life? All of the above??

Also, if a WDH is set up with no payload, and someone puts too much weight in the rear, what does that do to weight transfer and handling?

Now that we have a newly acquired 3/4 ton extended cab TV, I want to check the math to see where we sit. It would be easy to think we automatically have another 1/4 ton of capacity.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by myredracer

What exactly are the risks of being slightly to moderately to grossly overloaded? Wheel bearing failure? Tire failure? Brake failure? Suspension failure? Frame damage? TV warranty (if still applicable) void? Vehicle insurance problems if in an accident? Fines by law enforcement? Possible loss of life? All of the above??

Also, if a WDH is set up with no payload, and someone puts too much weight in the rear, what does that do to weight transfer and handling?

Now that we have a newly acquired 3/4 ton extended cab TV, I want to check the math to see where we sit. It would be easy to think we automatically have another 1/4 ton of capacity.

Payload seems to be the biggest issue.
Brakes would always be my concern then handling.

[wyo700]

I know how this goes and it was kinda tough for me to go from a half ton Titan to a half ton tundra. It took a lot a checking but I will come out ok with my tundra. I have 700 more pounds with the tundra. But when loaded will be darn close to the gvw of 7200 pounds of the truck. But I am under the rawr by 400 pounds so that did make me feel better. When loaded the truck doesn't squat when hook up with WDH and pulls great.

[MtnGuy]

Great post, Bob.

This reflects my own experiences. I tow a trailer that is only 60% of the truck maximum weight rating of 9300 lbs. But by the time I hang that 700 tongue on the bumper, load up the wife and dog, my bicycles, a canoe, and some camping gear in the truck bed, I am within about 100 lbs. of my GVWR. I still have a ways to go before reaching my GCWR because of the lite weight of the trailer.

[bakken]

Originally Posted by acadianbob

Payload can be a real issue on "1/2 ton" trucks.
Many trucks START with a payload of 1,300 to 1,500 pounds vs the 1820 on my truck. And my trailer is on the smaller side. I'll bet that a substantial number of TVs are inadvertently overloaded. It's something to think about.

We have seen more than our fair share of posters pulling fifth wheels with trucks that are little more than grocery-getters, exceeding their payload capacity with just the pin weight.
And they have to put air bags on the rear axle to keep the rear bumper off the ground.
And they say that it "pulls like a dream".
But is it safe? I wouldn't think so.

[WEMig]

Originally Posted by Helmsey

I would be willing to bet that the same goes for the 3/4 ton crowd...I know mine started going away fast. After my truck is setup to tow, myself, wife, and DD I only had about 200lbs more payload than you do.

I can tell I'm over on my F250 by 300 lbs.

[MGordyan]

I'm working the same thing out. Loaded ready to go in my Titan with the wife and dogs and NOTHING else in the truck. I have a whole 32 lbs left of payload. Going to look at a 2010 F350 today.

[acadianbob]

I'm glad that this post has triggered some "figurin'" !!

To my mind, it's one thing to mechanically tax your truck. But whole other more significant realms are safety (what about an emergency situation) and legal (you are involved in an accident and are found to be overloaded). I don't want to lose my family and/or life savings.

Speaking of liability, have you looked into an umbrella liability policy? They are really cheap and you can easily get coverage of a couple of million dollars. Not so crazy in today's world of lawsuits. (Not trying to start a lawsuit sidebar here!)

[Lynkage]

Fantastic post Bob!!

I have a pretty good sized trailer in the 15K territory. Of course the salesman said "Your 1 ton will be just fine" NOT!!

I also see some tripple axle toy haulers going down the road on SRW trucks and I know for sure they are over weight!! Tires have ratings too!!




I wanted some play room so I bought an F450 with 5260lbs of payload and I am not too close but out of that much I only have 1k left. The trailers assumed dry pin weight of 1850 is out of wack by almost 600lbs (585lbs) when it is hooked up empty. The RV manufacturers also grossly under rate their products in my opinion.
Kind of scarry if you ask me.

Be safe out there folks, it is really up to us because no one else is going to do it for us.

[acadianbob]

Originally Posted by Lynkage

I wanted some play room so I bought an F450 with 5260lbs of payload

Post a picture of that bad boy! I've never seen one.

[Helmsey]

Originally Posted by WEMig

I can tell I'm over on my F250 by 300 lbs.

I'm over my GVWR as well, but under on everything else.

[myredracer]

That's interesting. The available payload in our F250 is 1600 lbs. For a bigger truck, you don't necessarily get more payload. I guess we pay a penalty though because our truck is a long bed, super cab and 4WD which all add weight to the vehicle. Don't know the weight of the canopy we are about to add either, which will drop the available payload more.

Our truck is rated to tow 12,500 lbs. If we were to tow the max (which we never would), there wouldn't much payload left after the DW and dog got in. It would appear in some cases your trailer weight could be limited by the available payload and not the rated towing capacity.

Got it. All clear as mud now...

[WEMig]

Originally Posted by myredracer

That's interesting. The available payload in our F250 is 1600 lbs. For a bigger truck, you don't necessarily get more payload. I guess we pay a penalty though because our truck is a long bed, super cab and 4WD which all add weight to the vehicle. Don't know the weight of the canopy we are about to add either, which will drop the available payload more.

Our truck is rated to tow 12,500 lbs. If we were to tow the max (which we never would), there wouldn't much payload left after the DW and dog got in. It would appear in some cases your trailer weight could be limited by the available payload and not the rated towing capacity.

Got it. All clear as mud now...

Yep, on an F250 towing a 5th wheel, cc will be met way before you meet towing capacity.