Just like everyone else, I tend to overload my truck. I'll move 6 ton of hay on a 4,500# gooseneck, or load up 3,000# (wet weight) of slide-in camper and pull ~ 8,000# of horses/trailer behind.
From what I understand, Ford states the axle capacity based upon the capacity of the tires - I may be wrong in stating this however.
I have read many folks putting on 19.5" rickson wheels to overcome the tire limitations, but what about the "true" axle capacity? What is it, or where can that be found? I have thought about upgrading tires to the 19.5" (regardless what others may say, I'm not worried about the "legal" or nameplate GVW) - but I am concerned that with getting tires that will add another ~3,000# of capacity, would the axles hold up?
Would appreciate any comments - have a '03 F350, CC, SRW.
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2003 7.3l, F350, CC Long Bed 4wd, Banks 4" Monster Exhaust, Banks pyro & boost gauges, AFe Stage II intake, DP Tuner 50 HP Towing PCM, Diamond gooseneck hitch, Firestone Airbags w/on board compressor, ATS turbo housing.
The gawr for the rear and the front should be on the sticker on the drivers door jam area with the vin # and axle code.open the door and look to the right.
"GAWR: Gross Axle Weight Rating: The MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WEIGHT each axle assembly is designed to carry, as measured at the tires, therefore including the weight of the axle assembly itself. GAWR is established by considering the rating of each of its components (tires, wheels, springs, axle), and rating the axle on its weakest link. The GAWR assumes that the LOAD IS EQUAL ON EACH SIDE"
I don't want to know what the rating is based upon the weakest link - rather I want to know what the axle itself is rated......
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2003 7.3l, F350, CC Long Bed 4wd, Banks 4" Monster Exhaust, Banks pyro & boost gauges, AFe Stage II intake, DP Tuner 50 HP Towing PCM, Diamond gooseneck hitch, Firestone Airbags w/on board compressor, ATS turbo housing.
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I don't want to know what the rating is based upon the weakest link - rather I want to know what the axle itself is rated......
2003 7.3l, F350, CC Long Bed 4wd, ...
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You have an F-350 SRW, so your Ford/Visteon 10.5" rear axle (often called a Sterling axle) is rated at 6,830 pounds @ground.
Your pairs of tires, wheels, and rear spring packs are also all rated at 6,830 pounds @ground, so since your "weakest link" is 6,830 pounds @ground, your rear GAWR is probably also 6,830 pounds. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
It just seems strange that the axle just happens to be exactly rated at what the tire capacity is...
I still have to think that Ford is simply stating the "weakest link" rating, that of the tires. Again I may be wrong, but in the engineering world, this would be considered a safety factor by derating components.
If the axle is truly a 6,830# rating, I would have to think there have been numerous examples of failures since most of us towing or camping with these trucks are routinely overweight.
I know there are several examples of tire failures with overloading, but I haven't heard of axle failures except when hitting a deep ditch at high speeds overloaded..........
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2003 7.3l, F350, CC Long Bed 4wd, Banks 4" Monster Exhaust, Banks pyro & boost gauges, AFe Stage II intake, DP Tuner 50 HP Towing PCM, Diamond gooseneck hitch, Firestone Airbags w/on board compressor, ATS turbo housing.
That's the rating for what the axle can support. It can tow more than that.
Personally I decided the tow ratings are completely arbitrary. Since the MFG's seem to change them as soon as the other one raises There's.
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1994 7.3 I.D.I. Navistar 444 CI
ATS Factory TURBO E4OD Red On white Crew Cab DRW 4:10 w/ AUBURN LIMITED SLIP
3" ATS Exhaust and turbo housing, Banks Trans Command, calibrated pump, K&N filter, Gruss style coolant filter, 203K+MI not a lick of trouble with the motor. now on 16th trans. 10 under factory 100K mile warranty
Alpine CVA-7878 XM radio 6cd changer 3 8" phoenix gold subs 75x4 Sony mobile ES gold 4ch amp, Sony 500W 1ch amp MB quart components in Q forms kick panels. 1 farad cap.
Pro car parts jewel cut headlamps and turn signals
APC clear cab markers, suvlights.com harness silverstar bulbs and L.E.D.'s in the fenders. IT's paid for and its MINE!
Family Toys and tools,
00'F350 psd CC Drw 2wd Bright Amber Western Hauler
SOLD 01' Peterbilt 330 4Dr. Texas trucks conversion cAt 350hp
02' Psd Excursion Limited ultimate Estate Green helliwig swaybar 101K miles
1996 fetherlite 4 horse GN, 2003 sooner 6 horse GN with midtack
That's the rating for what the axle can support. It can tow more than that.
Personally I decided the tow ratings are completely arbitrary. Since the MFG's seem to change them as soon as the other one raises Theirs
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1994 7.3 I.D.I. Navistar 444 CI
ATS Factory TURBO E4OD Red On white Crew Cab DRW 4:10 w/ AUBURN LIMITED SLIP
3" ATS Exhaust and turbo housing, Banks Trans Command, calibrated pump, K&N filter, Gruss style coolant filter, 203K+MI not a lick of trouble with the motor. now on 16th trans. 10 under factory 100K mile warranty
Alpine CVA-7878 XM radio 6cd changer 3 8" phoenix gold subs 75x4 Sony mobile ES gold 4ch amp, Sony 500W 1ch amp MB quart components in Q forms kick panels. 1 farad cap.
Pro car parts jewel cut headlamps and turn signals
APC clear cab markers, suvlights.com harness silverstar bulbs and L.E.D.'s in the fenders. IT's paid for and its MINE!
Family Toys and tools,
00'F350 psd CC Drw 2wd Bright Amber Western Hauler
SOLD 01' Peterbilt 330 4Dr. Texas trucks conversion cAt 350hp
02' Psd Excursion Limited ultimate Estate Green helliwig swaybar 101K miles
1996 fetherlite 4 horse GN, 2003 sooner 6 horse GN with midtack
The rear 10.50 Visteon full floater is rated at 9750 lbs, that is right from their website. With full tank of fuel, myself and my bride, my F350 has a rear GAW of 3100 lbs. So technically, from the said rating of 9750 lbs I can put 6650 lbs of stuff in my bed right? I don't think so, you need to go by the tires, in my case it's 7280 lbs on the rear axle, or a 4180 lb payload MAX not one pound over. Some of those 19.5 commercial tires are rated at 5000 lbs each, I sure hope some knucklehead isn't putting up a 10K rear gross axle weight.
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2006 CC LB F350 XLT 4x4, 6.0, 6spd, man hubs, FX4 minus the bed stickers, 6 disc changer, power seats, AIC mod, TorkLift camper tiedowns.
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The rear 10.50 Visteon full floater is rated at 9750 lbs, that is right from their website.
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Yes, Visteon says they will build you a 10.5" rear axle today that can handle up to 9,750 pounds. But Visteon has built several different versions of the 10.5" rear axle over the years. Ford says the version they bought from Visteon for 2003 SRW pickups will handle 6,830 pounds. The version they bought from Visteon for the 2006 F-350 SRW will handle 7,280 pounds. And finally, the version they bought from Visteon for the 2006 F-350 chassis cab DRW with 5.4L gasser engine is the one on that website = 9,750 pounds @ground.
First let me say that I in no way condone overloading components past their rated capacities.
Second let me say that my wrecker weighs 9,500# unloaded, and has a GVWR of 10,000#. And I do not make my living towing 800# cars.
There is going to be considerable difference between the rating limit and the actual load limit of an axle. The actual load limit is going to be the point where the spindle (usually) actually breaks.
At loads under the breaking point, you may experience unacceptably rapid wear of the bearings and gears.
Now to the original question. Particularly on a single wheel truck, I would want to have the best tires possible. However I'd be very cautious about upping your loads, because the next weak link is your axle spindle. And when that breaks you're in a world of hurt.
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1985 International rollback, 6.9L 5 speed "Li'l Big Truck"
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The rear 10.50 Visteon full floater is rated at 9750 lbs, that is right from their website.
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Yes, Visteon says they will build you a 10.5" rear axle today that can handle up to 9,750 pounds. But Visteon has built several different versions of the 10.5" rear axle over the years. Ford says the version they bought from Visteon for 2003 SRW pickups will handle 6,830 pounds. The version they bought from Visteon for the 2006 F-350 SRW will handle 7,280 pounds. And finally, the version they bought from Visteon for the 2006 F-350 chassis cab DRW with 5.4L gasser engine is the one on that website = 9,750 pounds @ground.
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So besides the brakes, wheels and tires what are the differences between the ratings on the axle? Is the housing the same? Are the bearings the same? Hubs? Size of the floating axle or spline count? I can see where brakes could become a problem when overweight but isn't the rest of it the same? So wheels and tires would be the controling element?
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2004 F350 Lariat CC LB FX4 Auto, camper package, superhitch, rear susp air bags, Rancho 9000 shocks, 800W/1600W 115v power converter, Ultralite gauges in overhead 4 gauge pod, 04/04 build and engine Reman shortblock at 34,000 Due to oil leaks, MBRP turbo back, SCT extreme street by ID
10.5' camper, 20.5" Bayliner Cuddy 5.0 V8
1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100
Years ago I helped My Best Buddy's Dad harvest potatos one summer.... Couple Guys came out one afternoon and loaded 10,000# of potatos in an older F-350 dually stake truck. When I left work that night I saw those Boys parked along side the road 10 miles from the farm at a weird angle....they had broken the end off the left rear axle housing and the wheels, brake drum, hub, and outboard stub of the axle shaft were rolled over by the side of the truck. Full floating axles stand a lot more abuse and over-loading than a semi-floating axle but they can break!
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Denny
'96 F-250 Reg. Cab 4X4 5-sp POWERSTROKE
294,000 mi & NO Problems, LUK Clutch, and the Cat is buried in the back yard!
Visteon has custom axle castings for every size tire like the 3,415 lb LT265/75R16E's (x2= 6,830) . [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]
While I haven't weighed in with the camper loaded and the horse trailer attached yet to comfirm the loading; but at this time I am loading a 2,000# dry camper, assuming ~ 1,000# wet and loaded for a trip along with a ~8,000# horse trailer. So I know I am not over the axle tire limits at this point.
The problem exists as I am looking at replacing this old 2,000# camper with a new 9.5' Artic Fox that weighs 3,500# dry! This extra 1,500# would take me over the tire rating. I know I can upgrade the tires, but it is tough to upgrade the axle.
At the same time, I now several (and I would assume many on this forum) that will typically overload their trucks (tire/axle) by at least this 1,500# I am concerned about, without even considering the components. Being an engineer, I do know that there are safety factors built into everything, but I don't want to push to failure.
Guess I'm trying to find out what I can do short of getting a newer, higher load limit truck, or swapping out the rearend for a dually!
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2003 7.3l, F350, CC Long Bed 4wd, Banks 4" Monster Exhaust, Banks pyro & boost gauges, AFe Stage II intake, DP Tuner 50 HP Towing PCM, Diamond gooseneck hitch, Firestone Airbags w/on board compressor, ATS turbo housing.
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