How to increase maximum payload and towing capacity

[karlselle]

Hey, all. It's great to have finally found a good forum devoted to the F150. I have a quick question for you... I own a 1995 I-6 5-speed, Ext cab & Long Bed, and I'm in the construction business. I can currently haul up to one ton in the bed, but it puts tremendous strain on the suspension and tires (they bulge at the bottom) when I do this. What I really need is to be able to haul 2 tons+ without ***** up my truck. What suspension and tire/wheel upgrades can I do without just buying an F-250? Thanks in advance. -Karl

[extremeethan]

Wow I dont even know where to start. 4k lbs I am going to go with no you cant do that. 4k in a half ton truck are you nuts let alone a I6 trying to pull that. A 250 wouldnt even fit your needs, Thats what they make the 450-650 class for. I dont want to be a jerk but when I read this I had to read it like 5 times to make sure I was reading it right.

[raynik]

I have installed a set of super springs on my truck. The increased the load capabilities to 3000 lbs, definitely not 4000 lbs. I also put a good set of load range E tires on it. It is much more beefy now than stock.

[desq27]

My first F-150 when I bought it had 1 ton suspension put into it. The previous owner was a roofing company and hauled shingles in the back. Now I don't know how much those weigh, but it was a horribly stiff ride that I fixed. But it also had the 5.0 V8 bored out .060 pushing about 300lbs of torque. Not sure how much an 8 ft. bed of shingles wiegh, but I'm sure it was a lot. Now yes you could up the suspension, and get some D rated tires, but now all that strain is going to the drive shafts, and into the itty bitty tranny, and now your I6 is getting hot, and you will lose miles out of the life. You could get that truck to haul 4k in the bed, but not for long. It would just benifit you to find a cheap f-350 v8 or diesel dually and hope for the best. Hell I'm sure you could find one for around 5K or less, damn near what you would spend stiffening up the 1/2 ton and fixing it all the time. Or heres another idea...get a trailer for like 2k and pull that!!!Hey but if you do haul that much get a video and brag about it!

[karlselle]

Hey, thanks a lot for the replies. They deffinitely stirred up a little reality and gave me some great info. I think I will go F350.

And by the way, an 8-foot bed full of shingles is easily over a ton, and depending the type, even 1.5T. Thanks again.

-Karl