Payload on a 250 is artificially reduced to keep it under the requirements for a CDL, commercial vehicle registration and commercial vehicle insurance. In most places those kick in with a 10,001lb GVWR. Many, many construction crews run with F250s pulling 16,000lb GVWR trailers. No CDL required.

For the states with a lower limit, you can order your F250 with the 9900lb GVWR package, which is just a different number on the door pillar sticker.

Take your rig to a Cat Scale and get axle weights. As long as your axle weights are in range, you should be fine.

Aftermarket add-ons don’t change GVWR or payload. Those are set by the manufacturer. Air bags or Timbrens may help with keeping the headlights pointed at the right angle, but that’s their major benefit.

Thank you very much

I would go at this from a different direction. Yes the 250 is capable, but you are probably going to be well over your payload (you’ll never see the dry pin weight, your actual pin weight will be 20-25% off the trailers loaded weight use get GVWR as a guideline).

Nothing you can do after the fact will increase the payload capacity or the sticker rating of your truck except a trip to the dealer to buy a new truck. The concern that always comes up is your liability if something should happen when you’re over the sticker rating. People can and do sue people for anything, that’s a decision you need to be comfortable with.

When I got my 28bh I had a 250 and was probably 500 pounds over my payload (before I put anything in the bed) after a year when I replaced my truck I moved to a 350. While I probably wouldn’t have made the upgrade just because of the payload, it certainly helped me make the decision when I started looking at new trucks.

Thanks ncitro...

Its interesting that only the F250 or 2500 guys make this claim. While there is a great deal of overlap between the 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks, there can be differences in rear axles, ratios, spring packs, rims, tires, transmissions and more depending on the year and package. Then we may not be apprised of the engineering differences between them that may not be visible.

Its always best to follow the labels in the door jamb where they are placed there for customers to follow.

Jim

There can be differences, but they are easily identified. I have the service and parts manuals for my truck, and it’s obvious that unless you order options on the 350 there is nothing different on the trucks. You can look through the manual for hours and never come across a part other than dually related that doesn’t say F250/F350. This is confirmed looking at my son-in-law’s 2014 F350. The 350 comes standard with overload springs that are optional on the 250. It’s also pretty obvious since no matter what options you order on a 250 or what year it is, the GVWR is always exactly 10,000lbs unless you order the paperwork only option to change it to 9900.

I have a 2020 F250. For 2020 they had an option that increased GVWR to 10800#. This additional 800# gave me a payload of 3166#. Because 3000# was my requirement, this option allowed me to have the 3/4 instead of getting the 1 ton. I know GM 3/4 ton trucks have optional 11350# GVWR which can result in a payload over 3000# (depending on options, etc). Ram/Dodge does not for their 3/4 ton.

When Ford does the payload calculation, it includes a full tank of fuel and a 150# driver.

In the newer Fords, the 3/4 ton and 1 ton are almost the same thing. They will, typically have different rear axles (Dana vs Sterling) and more springs in the rear.

My truck does have the overload spring with the optional package. The 10800# GVWR package does require a diesel. If you have the 6.2 or 7.3 gas engines the GVWR will be 10000#.

I also agree with what other have said here, you can't increase the factory determined GVWR with aftermarket parts. They can help keep squatting to a minimal and perhaps make the ride a little more comfortable....

The key word here is OPTION. When a 3/4 ton truck is optioned up it can indeed end up with a higher GVWR of some lower level 1 ton trucks. Its not uncommon for this overlap to occur, but it can be dangerous when some make assumptions about loading while ignoring the label that is posted on the door jamb of the truck. No company will install a door jamb sticker to be ignored by customers who make the assumptions that the label is there to circumvent classifications or DOT certifications. I've worked a long time in the auto industry and can state we have never done this. The yellow tag or new GM grey tag installed in the door jamb is to be followed by customers.
I'll move on here since I've seen this discussion before where these folks will never be convinced to follow instructions.
Since this is a technical forum, my hopes would be that we never accept or promote that anyone ignore the load limits of their TV or RV.

Jim

In order to carry the class 2.5 federal rating the GWV has to be limited to 10,000 lbs. GM just said screw it and upped the cap on their 2500 to match the axles.

The biggest limiting factors between 3/4ton and 1 ton trucks is RIMS and TIRES. Gm just changed the rear axle on the 3500 vs the 2500, but for years they were the same including the spring packs.

GD did not want this channel on the forum. It took quite a bit of "arm twisting" from the moderators to get it. While I do not speak for GD, their concern is certainly in line with your comment, Jim. It's even documented in the header of this channel:

***The information contained within this forum is not to be relied on when selecting or using a tow vehicle. Do not exceed your vehicle’s towing capacity, as doing so can affect your vehicle’s stopping ability and handling, as well as damaging the tow vehicle’s drivetrain. You are responsible for determining that the tow vehicle you select is appropriate for the load you are towing. Always confirm your vehicle’s towing capacity and the appropriate operation of your tow vehicle when towing a trailer and consult your tow vehicle dealer, manufacturer, or owner’s manual before purchasing or towing a trailer

I’ve wrote about four or five replies here that I’ve scrapped because I didn’t want to alienate anyone but I’m just going to say Howard and Jim are exactly right.

To the OP, let's get out of the legal-ish parts of the conversation and into the practical.

First, to get it out of the way, there is no way to change the "posted" payload on your 250. The yellow sticker may as well been cut into stone. It ain't changing.

But in terms of the actual engineering, people who tell you that your payload cannot be "engineered" or retrofit to safely pull more weight are simply wrong. The primary difference between a 250 and a 350 is a single overload spring which can be retrofit on a 250, or you can add air bags or Timbrens to add load capacity. Once again, they will not change your official payload but they absolutely "do" provide more suspension and load capacity. To say otherwise is the engineering equivalent of the 5th Wheel Flat Earth Society.

As for legal issues, the objection you will hear is that your insurance company will deny coverage, shoot your dogs and take your kids away if you have an accident. Or that the police will single you out and weigh you and then shoot your dog, etc, etc. In several years of challenging everyone on a number of different forums, not one person has ever provided me with evidence of non-coverage or anyone ever getting a ticket for being overweight in a non-commercial vehicle.

So decide for yourself if your 2019 is worth trading in with another $15-20k in cash to satisfy the sicker on your door and a bunch of Internet weight police. In my case, we decided to spend a couple of thousand on airbags and better rated tires instead of a new truck and I don't even think about it anymore. If you are worried about what people think instead of engineering and science, you should consider buying the F350 trim pieces for your truck and then all of your nosy neighbors will be satisfied.

Make your own decision but do it with more knowledge about what the real issues are. Good luck!!

Well here we go.

I've been a powertrain development engineer for 20 years at GM. So I can assure you, the internet is not the final answer on load limits unless it comes directly from the manufacturer. People are certainly free to make their own decisions, but the posted limits in the door jamb of their truck is the final word in how they should load and how much they should pull. No matter what they add to the truck, or how many times they crawl under it to make an assumption.

For legal concerns folks should seek a lawyer. If someone crashed into us and caused an injury or worse, you can bet the wife or I would insist the load limits should be checked.

Jim

Jim is exactly right. Just because you’ve never heard of it, or it hasn’t happened yet for that matter, does not mean that it couldn’t or won’t. I’ll stop short of telling someone they cannot do something, it’s up to them to weigh the fact’s and make an informed decision, but I certainly won’t tell someone it’s okay for them to go against the manufacturers design or rating.

I’m100% in Jim’s camp here, forbid someone towing something ever hits me, there first two things I’m going to insist on after I’m sure everyone is okay is to calculate the weights involved, and a alcohol test.