When loading the bed of your F150, you want to make sure you stay under your gross vehicle weight rating.
Overloading of truck beds can potentially lead to risky situations that could damage the truck and even cause injuries and fatalities. Based on our research, overloaded or improperly loaded trucks are among the common causes of accidents associated with these vehicles.
So, how much weight can an F150 carry in the bed safely without overloading? That’s precisely what we want to figure out in this post. Make sure you read until the end.
What Is Gross Vehicle Weight Rating?
It is important to know how much your F150 weighs because of several reasons, starting with safety.
Gross vehicle weight rating or GVWR is the total weight of your Ford F150. This rating includes how much your chassis, engine, body, accessories, engine fluids, and cargo weigh. It is the weight of the truck when it is empty, plus the maximum amount of weight your F150 can actually carry. At no point in time should your F150 (unloaded or loaded) weigh more than your gross vehicle weight rating.
Where do you find the GVWR in your F150? It is normally found in a few different places, such as the registration and the owner’s manual. But the easiest place to find it is on the sticker inside your driver’s door. Notice that on the inside door sticker of an F150 it may indicate a GVWR of 6,600 pounds.
This simply means the maximum this Ford truck can roll across the scales with everything in and on it is 6,600 pounds.
What Is Curb Weight?
Two other weight factors are associated with your truck’s gross vehicle weight rating. The first one is the curb weight. This is the weight of your truck with nothing on it.
Curb weight includes optional equipment, cargo, and passengers. Curb weight, however, is not a rating. You have to make some calculations to know your truck’s curb weight. All you have to do is subtract your truck’s payload from the gross vehicle weight rating.
What Is Payload Capacity?
This is the maximum cargo weight that you can safely add to your F150. Payload capacity includes cargo, hitch, and passenger weight. If your truck has a GVWR of 6,600 pounds, that doesn’t mean your payload can actually be 6,600 pounds.
You can find the payload capacity of your F150 on the tire and loading information sticker or the owner’s manual.
How Much Weight Can an F150 Carry in the Bed?
There are a few things you have to consider when trying to determine how much weight an F150 can carry in the bed, such as:
F150 Cab and Bed Configurations
You can improve the hardworking capability of your Ford F150 with the ideal configuration of cab and bed. Here is our breakdown of the available cab and bed configurations you can consider for your needs. Choose a cab and bed configuration that provides you with enough space.
F150 Cab Configurations
These are the available cab options you can choose from.
Regular Cab
This configuration is available for the first two F150 trims. The cab comes with a split-bench seat (40/20/20). The regular cab has headroom of 40.8 inches, a legroom of 43.9 inches, a cargo volume of 8.8 cubic feet behind the front seats, and bed options of 6.5 and 8 feet.
SuperCab Cab
This is the ideal cab if you want to balance space for cargo and passengers. This is one of the suitable options for the first three trims. It is available with a headroom of 40.3 inches in the rear and 40.8 inches in the front.
You have legroom of 33.5 inches in the rear and 43.9 inches in the front. The cargo volume is 30.6 cubic feet behind the front seats. This cab option is available for 6.5 and 8 feet beds.
SuperCrew Cab
This cab configuration is the most spacious in the lineup. You get a headroom of 40.4 inches in the rear and 40.8 inches in the front. The legroom is 43.6 inches in the rear and 43.9 inches in the front, while the cargo volume is 50.9 cubic feet behind the front seats. This cab configuration is available for the 5.5 and 6.5 feet beds.
F150 Bed Configurations
You have three bed configurations to choose from, including 5.5, 6.5, and 8-foot beds.
5.5-Foot Bed
This is the shortest bed in the F150 lineup, which comes with the SuperCrew cab. The inside length is 67.1 inches, the width between the wheelhouses is 51.1 inches, and the maximum width at the floor is 65.2 inches.
The overall volume of the bed is 52.88 cubic feet, and it has a payload of 1,760 to 2,335 pounds.
6.5-Foot Bed
This bed configuration is the most versatile one because it is available with every F150 cab option. The inside length is 78.9 inches, the width between the wheelhouses is 51.1 inches, and the maximum width at the floor is 65.2 inches. The cargo box volume is 62.3 cubic feet and the payload ranges from 1,705 to 2,900 pounds.
8-Foot Bed
If you are planning to do some serious work with your F150, then the 8-foot bed configuration is the ideal option because it provides the highest payload capacity. However, this bed option is only available for the Regular Cab and SuperCab.
The inside length is the longest in the lineup at 97.6 inches, the width between wheelhouses is 51.1 inches, and the maximum width at the floor is 65.2 inches. The cargo box volume is 77.4 cubic feet and the payload capacity ranges from 1,885 to 3,325 pounds.
What Factors Affect the Payload Capacity of F150?
The following are the key factors that can affect the payload capacity of your F150.
Drivetrain
The F150 is available in 2wd and 4wd drivetrains. The most popular drivetrain for the F150 is the 2wd, which has a higher maximum payload. This is so because the 4wd drivetrain has more mechanical parts, which increase the truck’s weight and consequently reduce the maximum payload.
Engine Type
The horsepower and torque of the engine you choose determine how much weight you can carry in the truck’s bed.
The 5.0L TI-VCT V8 engine is the best in class with a maximum payload capacity of 3,325 pounds followed by the 3.5L Ecoboost V6 with a maximum payload of 3,250 pounds.
Cab/Bed Configuration
The configuration of the cab and bed you select can help determine the maximum load you can carry in the bed. For example, a regular cab with an 8-foot bed would provide the highest possible payload capacity.
How to Increase Your F150 Payload Capacity
You can make some upgrades to strengthen your F150 to reach its full payload potential. These are some of the improvements you can make:
Upgrade Rear Springs
The stock rear springs usually take the most beating when carrying a heavy load on the bed. Upgrading the rear springs could maximize payload capacity as well as minimize spring damage.
Upgrade Suspension System
Keeping your truck level even with a load on the bed depends mostly on the suspension system. The stock suspension system may not perform very well on uneven terrain, speed bumps, and around curves when carrying a heavy load on the bed. Upgrading the rear suspension with coil-over shocks will help improve stability.
Install a Longer Bed
Installing a longer bed will not increase the truck’s payload capacity, but it will help maximize the existing payload. The longer bed will distribute the load more evenly.
Conclusion
So, how much weight can an F150 carry in the bed? It depends on the cab and bed configuration, drivetrain, and engine type you choose. The highest possible payload capacity you can expect from an F150 is 3,325 pounds, which you can get from a 2wd regular cab with an 8-foot box and a 5.0L V8 engine. You should avoid exceeding the manufacturer’s recommended payload capacity to avoid damaging your rear suspension, interfering with your braking system, and violating the laws of your state.
