This past weekend we had a big bonfire and pig roast. I was elected to conduct the hayride and so I had three people in the truck with me, eight adults in the bed, about twenty-five people crowded on the tandem axle trailer (half or so children), and a little over twenty square bales of hay.
Needless to say, I think I was overloaded. And on top of being loaded so heavy I had to pull it around an extremely muddy field. I was so low in the back that I caught the trailer jack on a tree stump going through a mud whole and broke it off. The owner was not happy, but he should have used his "Bad-***" one-ton Shovie to pull it in the first place. I thought it was pretty funny. My truck is definitely Ford Tough.

------------------
1999 F150 Lariat 4x4
SC SWB Styleside
5.4L 3.55ls
Oxford White



[This message has been edited by Sapo (edited 12-02-1999).]

 

This past summer I used my truck to haul hay. I had 76 square bails on a 16 ft. trailer and 24 bails in the truck. Total over the summer I probally made about 5 or 6 trips of about 10 miles with this load. Made it sag but pulled it with no problem. We make the same load with my dads 90 single cab 302 2wd. It squats alot more than mine. And with his true duals he lost alittle low end and has to grunt alittle to make it up the hills in the fields. All of the other times I got to use the landowners 92 F250 with the 7.3 turbo diesel. On it we put 260 square bails on a 36 foot gooseneck made out of a house trailer frame. I had a 91 ford ranger with the 2.3 4cly. Every weekend I had a Honda 300 4x4 in the bed and a Honda 300 2wd on a trailer, sometimes we even threw a 50cc dirtbike on. I once loaded it down with bricks so much that the dual exaust was dragging the ground, tires were rubbing the fenders too. The ranger had helper springs which enabled it to carry alot more. 4 times I pulled shingles with it. About 60 square total. Roughly 15 square at a time. One square is three bundles, and 1 bundle weighs apoximately 80 lbs. So thats about 3600 lbs. plus a 1000 lb. trailer. That makes 4600 lbs in a 4cly. automatic. It had to grunt to get going but it got me there. 2 times I pulled the shingles 13 miles, and the other 2 about 30 miles. One of the 13 mile trip was on a rainy day. I new I would have problems stopping, but jeezz. With the wet roads the load just pushed my little ranger. I slid past the driveway I was turning in. With the shingles I never got over 45 and left the overdrive off. Tough little trucks. Since we are talking about trucks I won't even tell you what I do with my Honda ATV. I have pulled more with it than most people will do with a truck, more than a few times too.

------------------
1997 4x4 5.4 ORP XLT extended cab Dark Toreador red Westin nerf bars tint HARDER THAN A ROCK AND FASTER THAN A HEART BEAT

 

Once again I shall be lowriding, but this time to LA from SF.I will be taking my family (600 lbs) plus 1200 lbs of cargo in a 4600 lb truck. That's 6400 lbs total. Sigh, I wonder how will I know that the bearings on my rear axle break.

Leo dC

 

Leo, the 3000lb hellwig overloads go on top of your leaf springs and do not let them flatted out and sag with overload. if you leave them slightly loose they will not engage when empty and give you a bouncy ride. load range "e" tires (3/4 ton hd trucks have them, work trucks) usually have very srtong sidewalls and can be inflated to 80psi safely when loaded. an overloaded truck that is sagging badly will greatly affect your steering and braking (the fronts do most of the work, and yours are up in the air) i have never had a problem with bearings. you need to get that truck level, get the bulge out of the tires (only when loaded) for the safety of you (and your family) and everyone between SF & LA.

 

Just got back from my trip. I am pooped but I made it safely. I installed the Hellwig EZ-990's a month ago, it was suppose to add 990 lbs of levelling capability. Since I don't intend on adding more than 500 lbs of additional payload, I opted for the EZ-990's rather than the heavier duty LP's. I loaded up with near my projected maximum payload (1,700 lbs compared to 1,200 lbs before) and the springs were still curved correctly although the tires are bulged. I put the heaviest items on the front and on the bottom, to keep the center of gravity forward and low as much as possible. I don't mind having a rougher ride, after all I need to differentiate my truck from cars =). As I said before I have 16" Goodyear Wranglers and the sticker on the door says to keep the front 29 psi and the back 32 psi. I have been hearing that others keep the pressure at 35's at all tires. Any suggestions on what tire pressure I should use that would add safety to my hauling, and won't compromise mileage/braking/handling? I am ready to give up some ridability (bounciness).

Leo dC

 

Leo,
I'd suggest a tire change. You're basically running passenger tires on your truck. Get a Truck Tire. You can find tires rated "LT" (Light Truck) for 16" rims. They are capable of handling the extra weight you're hauling.
An overloaded tire (too much weight OR too little air) will get HOT. A hot tire will blow-out.
I always feel my tires (lay my hand on the sidewall of each) to see what their temperature is. They should all be "warm" and at the same temperature. If any are hotter than I expect, I add air. (I do check the pressure when COLD.) I run 50 PSI in my Load Range "E" Truck tires when empty and 70 PSI in the rear when loaded.
Good luck.
It's good that your loading the heavy things low and forward! That way, the front tires can share the load.