I've had my truck for about a year and a half now and I've never really tested it before Thursday. I'll try to be as brief as possible and get to the question at the end.

I work for a company that sells padlocks and equipment keys. The layout of the property makes it difficult to receive large orders. Before I showed up, I understand that they moved them from the front of the building to the back yard warehouse very slowly with wagons, dollies, and wheelbarrows. Shortly after I started I asked if I could just back my truck up to the rear of the semi and drive it through the back yard to the warehouse. My bosses were delighted with the idea.

Our deliveries rarely exceed a couple of thousand pounds so I've never worried about it before this past Thursday (11/06). But that day we got what we consider a massive order. The bill of lading said the load weighed 4800 pounds. I was in a hurry because I had an important lunch meeting. Despite the warnings on the door sticker I put the entire load in the bed of my truck (2007 STX 2WD 4.2). I'm guessing I overloaded it by about a thousand pounds.

It was a glorious sight! The back tires were bulging at the sidewalls and I had almost no clearance between the fenderwells and the tires. I drove it though the yard over some huge tree roots, and parked it in the warehouse. Everything seems fine now but I'm wondering how much danger I put my truck in.

When a vehicle is overloaded like that, what parts are most likely to suffer? I've never owned a truck before so I wasn't even sure if overloading it by 1000 pounds would be a big deal since I was only going about a quarter of a mile at about 5 mph. The only warning I could find in the owner's manual says that an overloaded or improperly loaded vehicle can tip or lose control. Was I ever even risking any kind of parts breakage?

I'd just like to know for future reference in case I'm ever called on to do something like this again. Thanks in advance for your input.

 

If you had 4800lbs in your truck, you overloaded by more than 3000lbs. Even at 2000lbs you were overloaded, unless you have the 8200lb GVW truck.
What could you have damaged, everything, from suspension to frame to driveline.

 

Carrying loads or heavy loads in your bed can and will wear;
Springs
Spring bushings
Spring shackle bolts
Spring shackles
Pinion bearings
Pinion seals
Axle outer bearings
Axles
Axle seals
U-joints
Frame
Wheels
Hubs
Shocks
Shock mounts
Transmission
Transmission output shaft
Transmission outout shaft bearing/seal
Bed mounts
Bed hat supports

This is just the top of the list... towing includes even more

Even if everything is still working damage is done.
Overworked metal can crystalize and a small load can now cause catastrophic damage.

Check your rear ride height... I bet your springs are now worn out from bending the wrongs way.

 

All I can say is stop doing that!!!! Now would I do that for a little $$ yes, but just to be a good little worker......NO!!! I'm sure you didn't get the truck for free, so stop. Cuz that day a couple years down the road you pop a axle you just might think that had something to do with it.

 

GVW is 6500 lbs. The sticker says something about 3400 lbs rear. I was thinking that was how much weight I could put in the bed. The owner's manual isn't that clear either.

So how much weight can I put in the bed of my truck?

 

On a regular basis.... Think 1/2 ton or 1000lbs.

 

Wow, is that all? I can't say why I thought it would hold so much more, I just did (maybe advertising or something). Well, I won't be overloading it like that anymore.

As a first time truck owner, I have to say that they should better inform people about the limits of their vehicles. I guess most people just wouldn't listen. Thanks for all the info though. I'll be much kinder to the truck in the future.

 

That's 3400 pounds on the rear axle INCLUDING the weight of part of the truck...........

Go weigh your truck empty. Get the front and rear weights - run it over a CAT scale at a truckstop. Add them up and subtract from 6500. That's how much you can put in the truck, period. Subtract the rear weight from 3400 and that's how much you can effectively put in the bed - and with 3400# on the rear you will most likely be over 6500# gross.

I think you would need a F-550 to haul 4800# in the bed.

Not trying to give you a hard time, but what did you think the term "1/2 ton truck" meant?

Okay, now to be realistic. Under those conditions - just moving crap around the yard - keep it to 2000# or less and you should be okay. If it's more, split the load.

 

Let's be realistic here... He hauled it once for a very short amount of time, didn't drive on public roads, etc. For a once in a lifetime move, it'll be fine. Doing it every week will start breaking parts.

 

agreed, i dont think he hurt anything from the very short drive from point a to b...but probably should not be done a regular basis

 

Right - if he is doing this every week, keep it down to 2000#. If he's doing it at speed on public roads, keep it down to the max rating.

 

1.) If you didn't hear any unusual "metal breaking sounds" coming from under your rig and

2.) If your rig operates normally AFTER doing the big load...

then you probably are OK.

As others have said, its not something you want to keep doing over and over again. Even those 2,000 lb. loads will eventually break something... maybe tomorrow, maybe in 5 years... but eventually you will break your truck.

 

Ummm....

It just takes once to crystalize the metal. Sure it might not have broken then, but a light curb rub/hit could now cause an axle to shear. The problem is the damage will get blamed on the curb hit and not the original damage which was the overloading which work hardened the axle.

I have seen this over and oven and people blame something that should not have damaged the trucks and blame the truck manufacturer for making a poor vehicle.

Just because something doesn't break when you abuse it doesn't mean you didn't do any damage.... that damage just might not show up for a while.

 

I've hauled some impressive loads before in both of my trucks... never problem... heck, that's what a truck is for -- to take a whippin'... Ford trucks are NOT toys...

I was concerned about this at one point... but since there hasn't been any negative effects... then I personally don't care.

 

what you should have done is put the load to the back of the bed and give it...see if you can get the front 2 wheels off the ground.........i know a smart a$$ answer