Maxing Out Payloads of Your Tow Vehicle

[RV Sailor]

I don't understand how you think you will max out your payload on an F-150 with a dry hitch weight of 500 lbs. The camper GVW is 7000 lbs., so 12.5 % is 875 lbs. My 2018 F-150 XLT payload is 1694 lbs., so that would leave 819 lbs. of "stuff" to put in my truck. I have the 2800BH (604 dry hitch weight) with a ProPride hitch and I'm not close to my payload. I don't bring a ton with me, but we are just weekend warriors pretty much. I love my F-150 for towing and a daily driver.

GVW of your 2800 is 7995 according to spec equaling at 12.5% = 965. Subtracted from 1694 payload capacity of your F150 = 700 lbs left to reach max. 2 adults -300 lbs = 400 lbs left. Hitch -75 lbs = 325 left. Tools, chairs, rugs, clothes, food, 200 lbs leaves you 125 left. No guests either. Unless your cab and bed are empty and everything is in trailer that to me is not reflective of “ not “being close” to max when you are at 93% of your mentioned capacity.

I’m sure you F150 is a nice truck. Tows easily in good unencumbered situations on flat ground going close by. However it is no comparison to a 2500 of any brand. The suspension, alternator, are not equal . Getting wagged by your trailer in accident avoidance or cross wind when so close to capacity. In perfect conditions fine, but I prefer to be built for the conditions which may present themselves . Long as you can control your conditions fine but advising new RV not necessarily so fine.

Plus you really don’t know how much wear and tear on the 1500 is presented over the long haul vs the stout 2500 being close to max capacity. You can’t measure that. Also most who have upgraded from 1500 to 2500 to a person mention what a huge difference it makes on daily use. I never hear anyone say they want to go back often.

Our 2500rl ( 7500 GVW) with 3300 payload capacity won’t compare.

As to the statement about out-pulling a 6.2 2500 Silverado because of torque ratings , thats hogwash . We don’t need any turbo charger which has a limited life to achieve 410 hp. It’s just a straight Hemi 6.4V8. Non complicated raw power. I can only imagine if that putting that technology on our engine what the results would be.

The life expectancy of a turbo charger is 100-150,000. Cost of replacement is $3000 not to mention it’s down time. I prefer raw simple power. In a car a V6 vs a turbo charged V4. You can put that $3000 toward a 2500 of any type which you will never be close to payload capacity with what you are pulling now.

[NB Canada]

These are often million dollar cases, it not hard for the “lawyers experts” to go to a dealer and for example weigh the pin on a 303RLTS and decide that F250 derated to 10000lbs was at least 800lbs overweight with an empty camper. Thus making the owner negligent.

This is not rocket science. It’s not some secret. My neighbor is an ER surgeon. When I came home with my camper one of the first things he said to me was watch the weights, people get sued after accidents in these. He’s never owned an RV, never rented one, but he knows the business.

Btw the payload sticker on every vehicle uses the word “should”

Should is a recommendation and not usable in court

Must and shall are legal terms


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

[NB Canada]

Exactly right. People talking about how they've got so much payload leftover in their 1/2 tons make me nervous. I'm willing to bet most aren't factoring in the weight of the full fuel tank ( average 500lbs) junk in the bed and cab 100-200 lbs as well as the passengers (150lbs per person). When you start getting down to " I think or I feel like" it gets very dicey.

500 pounds of fuel??????

Isn’t that over 80 gallons?


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

[Flip94ta]

I understand what you are saying about the legal terms, but then again there are hundreds of lawyers advertising for services that you guys say never happen. I could fill a page of this thread with links to lawyers citing speed, overweight, maintenance wrong license etc and stating they’ll get you money from the negligent owner.

I wouldn’t doubt that these guys plot a course for a $3,000,000 settlement and then owner gets a lawyer who explains that he’s screwed. They then negotiate a settlement avoiding court for $800K and then both parties sign a non disclosure agreement. This is a very standard situation in injury accidents. How much are your insurance limits again?

[Nick05]

Exactly right. People talking about how they've got so much payload leftover in their 1/2 tons make me nervous. I'm willing to bet most aren't factoring in the weight of the full fuel tank ( average 500lbs) junk in the bed and cab 100-200 lbs as well as the passengers (150lbs per person). When you start getting down to " I think or I feel like" it gets very dicey.

My understanding is that payload considers a full tank of fuel so no need to factor that in.

[Trl_boss]

Yep LOL. Typo meant 300lbs. Didn't see it until afterwards . Assuming 36 gallon tank on the max tow f-150's a little under 300. Like I said though it all adds up. When you get down to within 100-200lbs of payload left that gets sketchy. I also said I've had both and the stability provided by the 3/4 tons sheer mass makes a world of difference. To each their own though.

[NB Canada]

I understand what you are saying about the legal terms, but then again there are hundreds of lawyers advertising for services that you guys say never happen. I could fill a page of this thread with links to lawyers citing speed, overweight, maintenance wrong license etc and stating they’ll get you money from the negligent owner.

I wouldn’t doubt that these guys plot a course for a $3,000,000 settlement and then owner gets a lawyer who explains that he’s screwed. They then negotiate a settlement avoiding court for $800K and then both parties sign a non disclosure agreement. This is a very standard situation in injury accidents. How much are your insurance limits again?

Like I have said unless it was blatant overloading ie a 12000lb 5 er on a half ton there would be no way they could prove a person was over payload


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

[NB Canada]

Yep LOL. Typo meant 300lbs. Didn't see it until afterwards . Assuming 36 gallon tank on the max tow f-150's a little under 300. Like I said though it all adds up. When you get down to within 100-200lbs of payload left that gets sketchy. I also said I've had both and the stability provided by the 3/4 tons sheer mass makes a world of difference. To each their own though.

Not to continue to nitpick but 36 gals of fuel is only 216 lbs and when towing those lbs drop very fast
And I have zero issues of getting within 200 or even zero lbs of the recommended number the manufacture has posted
You can be guaranteed the manufacture doesn’t post the breaking point number. They already have a safety margin in place therefor me adding one isn’t necessary

2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

[RV Sailor]

Not to continue to nitpick but 36 gals of fuel is only 216 lbs and when towing those lbs drop very fast
And I have zero issues of getting within 200 or even zero lbs of the recommended number the manufacture has posted
You can be guaranteed the manufacture doesn’t post the breaking point number. They already have a safety margin in place therefor me adding one isn’t necessary

2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

An 36 gallons of diesel is 252 lbs��

[RV Sailor]

Like I have said unless it was blatant overloading ie a 12000lb 5 er on a half ton there would be no way they could prove a person was over payload


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

And you know this how? That’s an false statement made off the cuff.
But it’s the internet of course where anyone can declare themself an expert vs it being a personal opinion.

I personally know of two instances of suits brought against people towing which were found overweight. In both cases the insurance company paid but turned around and sued the truck / RV operator and won.

I actually was forced to testify on the contents of the truck/ trailer in one of the civil suits. They used my testimony, the testimony of another along for the trip, and the statements of the police officers at the scene to determine the objects in his truck and trailer. It was easy to compute weights.

The judge in this case indicated to the attorneys he had ascertained that his stopping distanced could have been compromised by him being overloaded for the capacity of his truck and that he would rule that way so it was best to settle on an agreement. He was going to be held liable for the damage to the vehicle he hit, the 3 vehicles the trailer hit, The telephone pole he crushed. The city then sued him for the repayment of the fire department who was called to clean the scene as his black tank ruptured. There were also medical bills which he needed to pay.

He was insured which paid as it was a no fault state. BUT the insurance company sued him for breaking the terms of his insurance for not operating a “ vehicle in a safe condition” . He lost that large lawsuit.

The results:
He declared bankruptcy
He lost the trailer and truck which was not completely paid for.
He wasn’t compensated for his lost trailer
He wasn’t compensated for his lost truck.

This incident why I am so strict about following the safety rules of payload capacity which trucks are built for.
I have seen the results in person.