# Hauling a ton in f150?



## DV (Oct 23, 2016)

I have a 2016 f150  5.5 foot bed. Load capacity is 1,748 pounds. Question is would you load a ton of pellets in this truck? The pellet store is a mile from my house.


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## jatoxico (Oct 23, 2016)

If the store is that close personally I don't think I'd push it. Would just make two trips. Waiting to hear what others think.


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## fmsm (Oct 23, 2016)

If you have an extra cab with a back seat throw 15 bags in the back and the rest in the bed.


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## bags (Oct 23, 2016)

I'd load and go.


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## adayrider (Oct 23, 2016)

I used to haul 6-7 tons of corn a year. 1 to 1.3 ton at a time  from 6 miles away with no problem. This was with a 1996 f150 and the newer trucks are so much better. It will definitely squat it to the max. It will be a low rider on the way home. Just don't go 100 mph and leave plenty stopping distance and you will be just fine. Preferably not on wet roads but I have done that to. When they load them have them load them as fas forward as possible. If you can get them all the way to the front it will put some of the weight on the front wheels and all the better. I have hauled a skid of water softener salt 1.2 ton 35 miles come to think of it. 1 mile is nothing. It just takes common sense, but some say I have none of that LOL I'm sure you will get get mix answers on this so you will have to make the decision.


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## hooter04 (Oct 23, 2016)

I've done it with no problem


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## Seasoned Oak (Oct 23, 2016)

Could be hard on the tires too. Check yur load rating on the tires ,could do damage that wont show up right away. No way would i intentionally overload  a new truck.


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## adayrider (Oct 23, 2016)

Seasoned Oak said:


> Could be hard on the tires too. Check yur load rating on the tires ,could do damage that wont show up right away. No way would i intentionally overload  a new truck.



Your not going to hurt the tire unless you run it over the curb or through bad potholes at excessive speed not fit for an empty truck. Load ratings on tires, trucks, bridges chairs and whatever  are for lawyers. They don't build/make things and say they haul half a ton and then when you put half ton on them and then get in the seat putting you over half ton it breaks. If its rate at half ton that means no law suit at half ton.


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## Former Farmer (Oct 23, 2016)

Check what your tires are inflated to.  You may want to inflate them to your maximum psi rating before you haul and then adjust them back down after.


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## scotthershall (Oct 23, 2016)

I put a half ton of pellets in my Subaru Crosstrek and made it back to my house fine - about 2.5 miles. Only a mile... you'll be fine; just drive slowly and deliberately. Probably want to push the pallet as far into the bed as possible to spread the load between the axles. Or put some bags in the cab with you.


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## Seasoned Oak (Oct 23, 2016)

Its not hard to shift a large part of the weight of the truck to a single tire, just rock to one side while on a hill whil epulling into a driveway and you have overloaded the tire by a lot. Especially if yur overload to begin with. Iv just had a large tire on my 3/4 ton truck blow apart ,belts split.and that was while parked,and i rarely ever get close to a ton on that truck. Just sayin its possible, and very easy to avoid.


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## ABusWrench (Oct 23, 2016)

adayrider said:


> I used to haul 6-7 tons of corn a year. 1 to 1.3 ton at a time  from 6 miles away with no problem. This was with a 1996 f150 and the newer trucks are so much better. It will definitely squat it to the max. It will be a low rider on the way home. Just don't go 100 mph and leave plenty stopping distance and you will be just fine. Preferably not on wet roads but I have done that to. When they load them have them load them as fas forward as possible. If you can get them all the way to the front it will put some of the weight on the front wheels and all the better. I have hauled a skid of water softener salt 1.2 ton 35 miles come to think of it. 1 mile is nothing. It just takes common sense, but some say I have none of that LOL I'm sure you will get get mix answers on this so you will have to make the decision.


2X what adayrider said. I've got a 2013 1/2 ton Silverado 1500 crew cab, 4 wheel drive. It's rated for 1950 lbs payload. So far it's moved 11 tons of pellets in 2 years with no problem. Fill your tires up and watch your starts, stops and turning. As with any loaded vehicle, the dynamics change with more weight. You shouldn't have a problem. Especially with the short distance your going. Just make sure it's pushed up against the front of the bed. I also remove my tailgate. Helps the towmotor in loading and removes some rear most weight. Just strap it down. I also moved 6 ton of pellets with a Dodge Dakota V-8, extended cab 2 wheel drive. Yes it was over loaded, but driven sensibly and a short distance, it was fine. And 2 years later, it's still fine.


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## fedtime (Oct 23, 2016)

fmsm said:


> If you have an extra cab with a back seat throw 15 bags in the back and the rest in the bed.



I've hauled 70 bags (2800lbs) in a Ram 1500 doing this (25 or so bags in the cab, the rest in the box) - no problem on Load Range "E" tires, inflated to around 50 PSI.


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## Paul Raz (Oct 23, 2016)

I have a 1500 Ram and have taken a ton over 70 miles. But I broke the skid up and payed them bag by bag in the bed to distribute weight as evenly as possible. Truck went Down al little lower but don't drive like a maniac and you should be ok.


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## bogieb (Oct 23, 2016)

If you chose to do that, just remember your brakes aren't going to work as well as they normally do so keep a good distance between you and any vehicles in front of you.


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## DV (Oct 23, 2016)

Thanks for advice everyone.


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## Shane1 (Oct 23, 2016)

I do it with my 2008 f150 5 times a year. No issues yet. She does squat a bit but I only go about 15 miles.


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## adayrider (Oct 23, 2016)

DV said:


> Thanks for advice everyone.




So what's that mean?
Are you going to try it?


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## articcatbill (Oct 23, 2016)

DV said:


> I have a 2016 f150  5.5 foot bed. Load capacity is 1,748 pounds. Question is would you load a ton of pellets in this truck? The pellet store is a mile from my house.



I have a 2015 F150 SCAB 6.5 bed 1991 capacity.  I have been hauling a ton of pellets in my truck.  The weight doesn't bother me that much, but it really does change the center of gravity since the stack is pretty high.  That kind of bothers me more.

I would do it and not worry about it, but make sure you strap it down, I use a couple good rachet straps corner to corner, that helps.  Only going a mile makes it real convenient for you for sure.  I have a lot further to run than that.


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## Pete Zahria (Oct 23, 2016)

Done it/seen it a LOT!
Only a mile? geez... don't sweat it.

Only problem you "may" have, is some places won't do it...

Dan


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## Tonyray (Oct 23, 2016)

Only had to drive half mile in the Exstended bed Chevy with 2 tons... purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfictly level as u can see.  but could have gone much further..


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## DV (Oct 23, 2016)

adayrider said:


> So what's that mean?
> Are you going to try it?


Yes. I had already planned on doing it just wanted some reassurance. My old truck was a f 250. I have hauled 1 ton pallets probably 30 times with that truck. Im not real concerned with this truck. Will add some air to the tires prior.


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## Zeus (Oct 23, 2016)

If it was me i would haul a ton that far shouldn't be a problem but if you want to be overly cautious borrow a trailer your   Truck should be able to tow that much no problem and be legal doing it its your truck so


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## bill3rail (Oct 24, 2016)

*Yes, I would load a full ton for a short trip!

Here is my truck (1970 Chevy C10) with about 30 bags in it.  I am limited by the bed cover on height.
*





*Here is my friends truck (1969 GMC K10) with a full ton in it.*


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## Seasoned Oak (Oct 24, 2016)

Just hope you dont have to do a panic stop.


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## DneprDave (Oct 24, 2016)

When I first got my stoves, I bought a few bags of pellets to test the stoves after I put them back together.

I brought the pellets home in my MINI Cooper.


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## STANG302 (Oct 24, 2016)

It can be done. I did it once and the truck handled it ok. But used the trailer on the second trip.


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## jatoxico (Oct 24, 2016)

Guess I'm getting a little older but it's not so much about the truck and your ability to handle it but the actions of other drivers who aren't aware your heavy and didn't sign on for the risk.

Doesn't sound like the truck will be way overloaded and not much can happen at crawling along 10-20 mi/hr I suppose. But I've seen some stupidly overloaded vehicles.


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## blades (Oct 24, 2016)

You mean like the guy with 2 skids of salt in the bed of his 2500, a  tailgate salter and a V plow up front  ( almost new rig )  Which I then happened to see the next day by a dealers body shop. It had a linear V shape to it. Bent in half ( roughly 4900 lbs on a 3/4 ton just in the salt - 700 lbs minimum for the plow + a couple hundred for the salter empty , so about 5800 lbs extra riding on that frame). heck that's even a bit much for 3500.


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## jatoxico (Oct 24, 2016)

blades said:


> You mean like the guy with 2 skids of salt in the bed of his 2500, a  tailgate salter and a V plow up front  ( almost new rig )  Which I then happened to see the next day by a dealers body shop. It had a linear V shape to it. Bent in half ( roughly 4900 lbs on a 3/4 ton just in the salt - 700 lbs minimum for the plow + a couple hundred for the salter empty , so about 5800 lbs extra riding on that frame). heck that's even a bit much for 3500.


Yeah, like that.


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## Pete Zahria (Oct 24, 2016)

Safer than this.......


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## TommyTally (Oct 24, 2016)

I would say it certainly could be done, I'd just worry about my personal liability in the event of an accident.


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## Dr.Faustus (Oct 24, 2016)

Pete Zahria said:


> Safer than this.......
> View attachment 186441


OMG thats my van. LMAO from last year. By the way I did not haul a ton of pellets in the van but this summer i did load her up with 1800 lbs of paver block distributed evenly through the entire van and she got home just fine.

last winter i picked it up real cheap and as a joke posted it here as my new pellet hauler. It then re-appeared shortly thereafter, photoshopped with the pallet on top and flat tires. I kept that pic and crack up every time i see it.


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## Eng5ive (Oct 24, 2016)

Not sure how involved you want to get, but I have the Timbren SES on my Chevy 1500. They are essentially super heavy duty bump stops. Made of a much stronger material and have a wider footprint to distribute weight better on the frame. They say they can increase payload 2-3 times but I'd never go that much. Mine are rated for 6k lbs.

http://timbren.com/timbren-ses/


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## Peterfield (Oct 24, 2016)

In MA, some vendors know what each truck brand is rated for and are supposed to not let you take a ton in one trip if the vehicle isn't rated for that weight.


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## Seasoned Oak (Oct 25, 2016)

Apparently venders can be held liable if overloading trucks. Our local quarry wont put a pound more weight on yur truck than yur weight sticker allows.


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## Seasoned Oak (Oct 25, 2016)

Eng5ive said:


> Not sure how involved you want to get, but I have the Timbren SES on my Chevy 1500. They are essentially super heavy duty bump stops. Made of a much stronger material and have a wider footprint to distribute weight better on the frame. They say they can increase payload 2-3 times but I'd never go that much. Mine are rated for 6k lbs.
> 
> http://timbren.com/timbren-ses/


The whole braking system on a 3/4 ton is a lot bigger and heavier than on a half ton. And the 1 ton is bigger yet. Plus 3/4 ton truck and larger have a floating axle that keeps the load off the wheel bearing. Theres a lot more to a HD truck than just the capacity of the suspension or springs.


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## Eng5ive (Oct 25, 2016)

Seasoned Oak said:


> The whole braking system on a 3/4 ton is a lot bigger and heavier than on a half ton. And the 1 ton is bigger yet. Plus 3/4 ton truck and larger have a floating axle that keeps the load off the wheel bearing. Theres a lot more to a HD truck than just the capacity of the suspension or springs.



I understand all that but I'm not going to own a 2500 or larger truck to haul pellets home 5 miles 3 or 4 times a year.  I'm just pointing out that there are some products that work to reduce the stress overall on the truck.


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## DneprDave (Oct 25, 2016)

I have a Ford F350 4x4 with a 7.3 liter Powerstroke diesel. Subtracting the Gross Vehicle Weight from the measured weight of the truck, it has a factory load capacity of 3000 lbs, That's with a full fuel tank and me and the dog in the cab. It came with aftermarket overload springs, I have no Idea of what the rating of those springs are, but the total capacity is somewhere higher than 3000 lbs.

I haul two yard loads of gravel for my driveway a couple of times a year, that's about 5800 lbs of rock per load. It s a twenty mile round trip to the gravel pit and back to my home. I've been doing this for the last ten years and haven't had any problems with the truck. It squats about four inches with this load and is nowhere near the spring stops.

I usually only get one ton of pellets at a time, but I wouldn't think twice about hauling two tons at once.


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## Pete Zahria (Oct 25, 2016)

Dr.Faustus said:


> I kept that pic and crack up every time i see it.


Yeah..... I did it!   

Dan


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## Pete Zahria (Oct 25, 2016)

jatoxico said:


> Guess I'm getting a little older but it's not so much about the truck
> and your ability to handle it but the actions of other drivers
> who aren't aware your heavy and didn't sign on for the risk.


People using cell phones/texting while driving, are not aware of cars OR overloaded pickups.
There is a danger of crashing, not your fault, every time you pull out of your driveway...


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## fedtime (Oct 25, 2016)

DneprDave said:


> I have a Ford F350 4x4 with a 7.3 liter Powerstroke diesel. Subtracting the Gross Vehicle Weight from the measured weight of the truck, it has a factory load capacity of 3000 lbs, That's with a full fuel tank and me and the dog in the cab. It came with aftermarket overload springs, I have no Idea of what the rating of those springs are, but the total capacity is somewhere higher than 3000 lbs.
> 
> I haul two yard loads of gravel for my driveway a couple of times a year, that's about 5800 lbs of rock per load. It s a twenty mile round trip to the gravel pit and back to my home. I've been doing this for the last ten years and haven't had any problems with the truck. It squats about four inches with this load and is nowhere near the spring stops.
> 
> ...



I used to have a Dodge Ram 2500 with the 5.9 liter Cummins.  I too hauled gravel weighing over 5000 lbs (scaled at the exit from the pit) on a regular basis.  Like your Ford, it handled the weight no problem.


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## womaus (Oct 25, 2016)

DneprDave said:


> When I first got my stoves, I bought a few bags of pellets to test the stoves after I put them back together.
> 
> I brought the pellets home in my MINI Cooper.



Over the summer I found a local Craigslist ad for 5 bags of Blackstone pellets @ $3 a bag...figured I would be in that area so why not.

Found the house, sitting in the driveway was a new, just picked up that day Fiat 500 Pop. The owner of that car and pellets had a good laugh when I was loading the 5 bags of pellets from his garage into my 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth.

What year MINI you got? I had one of the first 2003 model year in this area...just a Cooper, not an S. Fun car.


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## spawner (Oct 25, 2016)

Ive done it in a 1/2 ton chevy many many times. Never an issue, just go slow and pay attention.


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## womaus (Oct 25, 2016)

Holy moly! That's not strapped down with anything! A small gust of wind would wreck havoc!

Damnit, that's just asking for trouble....some people......


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## OhioBurner© (Oct 26, 2016)

womaus said:


> Holy moly! That's not strapped down with anything! A small gust of wind would wreck havoc!
> 
> Damnit, that's just asking for trouble....some people......
> 
> View attachment 186542



It's photoshop'd.

I'd not really worry about the issue for a mile. Do it at a non busy time of day when the chance of cars are less.

Remember those payload ratings are deceiving and not accurate, sometimes. What is legal limit is your GAWR and GVWR limits, so you can figure out your true payload rating by having your truck weighed and subtracting that from the above limits, often times it is far less than the claimed 'payload' rating. And remember you, fuel, and whatever you have in the truck is included as payload and can be several hundred pounds right there with an empty bed. Tires are also an important consideration, even if the truck is capable the tires might not be up to the job. I've seen people put P tires on 1/2 ton trucks before, or c-rated, so be aware of what tires you have. I've usually upgraded to E tires even on my half tons since I tend to push the limits, and often times the tires are only a tiny bit more money (last time I think in the size I wanted E was the only choice in that brand). I'd make sure if you will be at or over their weight limit to have them set to their max pressure on the sidewall and you shouldn't have a problem. But I could see someone with a half ton with under-inflated P tires could have a blow out even in 1 mile.


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## DV (Dec 3, 2016)

Picked up a ton today. no sweat. trucked sagged a little but no issues what so ever  in fact it hauled just as well if not better than my old truck. which was a 2008 f250 the newer trucks are rated much higher in payload than the older trucks


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## Seasoned Oak (Dec 3, 2016)

If you get in an accident while overloaded you could be facing liability issues and if someone is hurt its that much worse as you will certainly be found guilty of willfull negligence. ID rather be safe than sorry comes to mind. Personally i would make 2 trips if there was an issue . No different than  operating a wood stove beyond its limits ,you may get away with it a few times or you may burn down yur house.


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## DneprDave (Dec 3, 2016)

There is always a nanny who says, "No no no, you might get in trouble!"


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## Iburnslow (Dec 5, 2016)

Not to pile on...you should be fine...however, I'd also add as a disclosure that I've been informed that many insurance companies will not cover you if you've knowingly overloaded your truck and get into an accident...point to ponder for traveling a long distance overloaded...be safe!


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## Ashful (Dec 5, 2016)

Eng5ive said:


> I understand all that but I'm not going to own a 2500 or larger truck to haul pellets home 5 miles 3 or 4 times a year.  I'm just pointing out that there are some products that work to reduce the stress overall on the truck.


Trailers are cheap.  I own a 1/2 ton truck, with a 3.5 ton trailer.  Heck, if you don't want to buy, you can rent a tandem axle aluminum trailer from U-Haul for less than $40 per day, with insurance included.

Like @TommyTally, I'd worry about liability, if I were to get in an accident on the way home with an overloaded truck.  There's a 99% chance I have more to lose, financially speaking, than the person I hit.


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## Seasoned Oak (Dec 5, 2016)

Eng5ive said:


> I understand all that but I'm not going to own a 2500 or larger truck to haul pellets home 5 miles 3 or 4 times a year.  I'm just pointing out that there are some products that work to reduce the stress overall on the truck.


I would not be buying a bigger truck either in your case,but i would consider making a few extra trips since its like a 5 minute drive. If a kid runs out in front of you or someone pulls in front ect ect you will be glad yur not overloaded and cant stop in time. Around here police pull over vehicles that are obviously overloaded and fine them. Its a big fine.


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## DneprDave (Dec 5, 2016)

There he goes again!


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