Front axle weight capacity?

[ttyR2]

I'm looking at building a roof rack that will extend forward over the hood to haul a pair of three wheelers. Is there any factory rating for what the front axle on these trucks is rated for? Mine is a '71 F250 camper special.

[fordman]

its on your door tag. mostly its anywhere from a 3000 pound up to 6900 pound maybe even larger check your vin on the correct year vin page to find out wht you have.

[Alvin in AZ]

My '75 came with a diagram and tables to figure where to place the load.
It had more to do with what front springs it had on it, than anything else.

Take your .001" reading caliper to the wrecking yard and get the thickest springs
that you can find that fit your truck right. You'll be glad you did anyway, I bet.
Makes it ride firm (but not harsh) like a pickup ...instead of a mushy car feel.

That's one of the best things I ever did to my '75 F150, no kidding, they replaced
them under warranty. They were trying to talk me out of it tho saying they'd...
"make it ride like a lumber wagon" etc etc.

Heck, turns out, lumber wagons ride great! LOL :)

Alvin in AZ
ps- Measure the "ride height" (Ford calls it) before and after you load it up...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/rideheight.jpg
(that's a .745" spring)

[1971ford]

I bent a set of f250 beams like they were nothing by getting the front tires off the ground and the weight of the truck coming down on them. Not that you will have your wheels off the ground but it just goes to show that they do bend (yes of course they can bend but i didn't expect them to)...

I wouldn't worry about two 3 wheelers over the cab/hood. That's what, 600 pounds together?

[ttyR2]

I checked the door tag and couldn't make out any specific front weight capacity. With the RV trailer connected, the front had 2700lbs on it using a truck scale. Total truck weight was 6700lbs (if I recall), and all-up weight of truck and trailer was 12,400lbs.

The ATC's are rated at 320lbs each, plus however much the rack will weight that I'm building. It's only being built to haul those two items, so it will be as light as possible.

[fordman]

here is the link for the 71 vin page. http://www.fordification.com/tech/VIN71.htm more than likely you have either the 300 or 3500 pound frotn axle. it would be determined by the size of th ekin pin. here is another link to the chart for swapping disc brakes that will explain king pin sizes and uses for which size axles. http://www.fordification.com/tech/discbrakes01.htm

[Alvin in AZ]

...it would be determined by the size of the king pin.

Cool. :)
Somehow I knew there had to be more to it than just the springs. :)
...but I couldn't "see" anything that was different.

Alvin in AZ

[ttyR2]

Hrm. Well if it is the 3500lb front axle, that doesn't leave me much room for weight capacity, unless the 3500lb rating is very conservative.

[fordman]

the larger the king pin themore the king pin will support as in and outwards stress.