Loading my Pick Up truck...how much is a enough?

[glassmanjpf]

Does anybody know how much maple I can load into my PU. I have a 2007 F-150 which has a capacity of 1670 lbs. Can I fill the bed even with the top rails without overloading or should I keep it lower (or higher). I'm not sure how to figure when loading my truck with split wood. I can figure out roughly how much the wood weighs per cf (47 lbs/cf) and my bed is 71 cf. So if I filled the bed with "liquid wood" I'd weigh 3357 lbs. Of course not happening, so how much space is taken up by air? I've located several cords within 2 miles of my house which I will split at their site and transport to mine. I figure it's less achy and messy to split there.

Thanks,
John

 

[mayhem]

You should be able to laod it right up and over the top rails without approaching your max capacity. Keep an eye on your rear end...when it sags like 4 inches, stop loading.

If you have any way to weigh it you'll know for sure how much you can put in, but I bet you cannot put in enough split wood to reach the max capacity.

 

[begreen]

When the front wheels start to come off the ground and the pickup bed is riding on the rear tires, it's prolly a good idea to pull off a few rounds. ;-)

 

[jpl1nh]

And what type of maple? Cause sugar maple is god awful heavy relative to red maple and silver maple. My mechanic showed me that ther are rubber stops under each spring. He said its was okay to load until the springs were just about to touch the stops as long as I was not going to be driving over rough roads.

 

[glassmanjpf]

Thanks for the info. I think if I go with the 4 inch and 2 wheel rule I'll be ok. Not sure which kinda maple it is but would guess its red or silver. Doesn't seem aweful heavy. Thanks to all!

 

[MrGriz]

Just remember to take it easy when you have that much of a load on the truck. People tend to forget that all that weight has a profound effect on how your truck will handle and stop. Be sure to slow it down and leave yourself some extra stopping distance. You'll be fine.

 

[johnsopi]

If I'm close to home I take less wood. No point in over loading.

 

[begreen]

glassman, how has the Quad Cumberland Gap worked out for you? What kind of burn times are you getting? How large a space being heated?

 

[Highbeam]

Do you want to stay within the ratings of your truck? This is an important question because what it "can" haul vs. what it is "rated" to haul are to different things. The 1670# figure you mentioned is probably right from the book as Cargo Capacity. You will find that if you actually do the weighin you will never be able to actually haul 1670# without exceeding a rating and it is usually the GVWR listed in your door jamb. The same false advertising happens with the so called Tow Rating.

I regularly overload my half ton truck relative to the ratings. This is because the truck weighs 5800 lbs without anything in the bed and only has a 6200 lb GVWR, yes, 400 lbs of rated cargo capacity. Two big girls. If I fill to the bedrails of my short bed full size truck with green split cottonwood I have over a ton in the bed. Overloaded for sure, but the truck does very well. I have timbren overload springs and LT tires rated for the load. Short hauls.

Air up the tires to their max and load to the bedrails or until the suspension bottoms out. That is unless you want to stay within the ratings and then you can probably only get a few splits in there.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I leave about 2" of suspension travel above my pinon snubber on the axle.

And I drive slow.

Matt

 

[glassmanjpf]

BeGreen, in response to your question We are loving the Cumberland Gap. I think the stove looks great in mahagony and heats our 2 story 1700sf house. Of course I had to add a zone of baseboard in the basement for some heat down there since the burner only comes on for hot water. With the four bedrooms upstairs, the stove heats the entire house to more than our satisfaction. The burn times vary, but I'd say we go through 20 splits a day with 6-8 of them going in overnight. The wife feed it during the day. Very happy with the stove. Had it for two seasons now.:coolsmile:

 

[littlesmokey]

I have a large box one ton truck. I have loaded it with over two cords of wood, green of course and drive forty miles at 30 mph. Not for lack of power, but concerned about stopping. Turns out it has a 10,000 lb. rear axle, but.... can it stop. Hauled wood over logger roads and did it as slow as I could, wouldn't do it again. An extra few trips are better than ruining your truck, or putting others at risk.
Wood for a good price isn't worth destroying your ride. Price a rear axle assembly for your truck and equate it to the wood you picked up. May be a $1,200 cord of wood times two??????

 

[keyman512us]

Just remember to take it easy when you have that much of a load on the truck. People tend to forget that all that weight has a profound effect on how your truck will handle and stop. Be sure to slow it down and leave yourself some extra stopping distance. You'll be fine.

Good point Mr. Griz...

One thing I always like to point out...and nobody else ever does...What your truck is rated for and what it will carry are two different amounts. Take it from someone who has "overloaded" a few times, and knows what a truck will and will not do.

Watching how loaded the leaf springs are is a good idea...but not as important as driving a heavy load slow and easy, and taking nice gentle turns. You can double the leafs, put in airbags, helper springs whatever...but the weakest thing that you have to worry about are your bearings and seals. Even a "moderately loaded" truck driven without taking this into account can be easily damaged. "Don't think of a truck like a sports car...once it's loaded."

....Just something else to "keep in mind".

 

[Highbeam]

One thing I always like to point out...and nobody else ever does...What your truck is rated for and what it will carry are two different amounts. Take it from someone who has "overloaded" a few times, and knows what a truck will and will not do.

You're killing me.... post #8 I said that very thing. So somebody else finally agrees with you

 

[Todd]

Don't forget to check your tire ratings and inflate to it's max. I'd hate to be going down the road with a heavy load of wood and blow out a tire. :bug: