How Much Weight Can a Ford F150 Carry in the Bed?

A while back, I wanted our F150s to transport gardening materials. And, I wondered how much weight can a Ford F150 carry in the bed. For that reason, I got into researching.

And, here’s the quick answer: The bed’s weight capacity differs from one version to another. It can be from 1840 pounds to 3325 pounds. However, this info regarding the weight capacity is just the tip of the iceberg. 

This write up is to fill you up regarding all of it. So, go through the entire article if you want to know it all!

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What Is Payload Capacity?

Before I go through the weight capacity, you need to know the terms related to it. First, the payload capacity! You would need to consider curb weight first.

The curb weight relates to the weight of the vehicle as it comes out of the manufacturing process. That means it will include the original parts and accessories only.

Now, the payload capacity is the additional load you will be capable of adding on top of the curb weight. It could range from the truck bed full of passengers, a week’s worth of luggage, furniture, objects to a whole garden’s mulch. 

On that note, do factor in that many will refer to the curb weight as the truck’s weight when it is empty. But that might not be the case all the time.

Even when the car is empty, the curb weight will not include the load of the extra parts and accessories that the manufacturer did not install.

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What Is the Payload Capacity of a Ford F150?

Now that you know what the payload capacity refers to, allow me to state the truck’s payload capacity, shall I? Well, it will vary from one model to another.

And as you know by now, the F150 comes in different versions. Each of them will have a unique engine model.

Nonetheless, the minimum capacity of the F150 is 1840 pounds. That version of the vehicle has a 3L Power Stroke engine.

The best in the class for payload capacity is the model with a 5L TI-VCT V8 engine. It has a payload capacity of 3325 pounds.

Our two models were the ones that had 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engines. Each had a payload capacity of 3250 pounds. That was close to the highest capacity, so we were pretty satisfied with what we got.

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How to Find Payload Capacity of Ford F150?

I have stated earlier that the payload capacity will vary from one Ford to another.

At this point, you might be wondering which model you have and the payload capacity of your specific vehicle. Well, you need to get familiar with another term for finding it out manually.

The term that I am referring to here is the GVWR. It states the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. It says the maximum load that the vehicle is capable of handling.

And this rating will include everything, including the curb weight. If you exceed the limit, the truck will not be stable.

That being said, the first way of determining the payload capacity would be to deduct the curb weight from the GVWR.

For example, if the truck has a GVWR of 7000 pounds and the curb weight is 5097 pounds, the payload capacity would be 1903 pounds.

However, in that 1903 pounds, you would also have to consider the weight of the passengers and extra accessories or parts that the vehicle might include. The reason behind this is because the GVWR will include everything.

If you are not willing to do the maths to find out the payload capacity, consider the second option. You need to look at the driver’s side door.

There will be a sticker that will contain all of the information regarding the weight and capacity. Find out the “payload” section. The total capacity should be stated there.

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What Is the Ford F150 Heavy-Duty Payload Package?

You might have noticed that among the number of options that the F150 comes in, one states heavy-duty payload package.

This package will include a 3.73 geared rear axle, 36 gallons capacity for the fuel tank, and 9.75 inches gear set.

All of that together will make the truck have a maximum payload of 3325 pounds.

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How to Tell If F150 Has the Heavy-Duty Payload Package?

There are three different ways of confirming whether you have the heavy-duty package or not. First, check the payload capacity. It will be stated on the drivers’ side of the door.

There will be a sticker that will include all of the information regarding the weight and payload capacity.

Secondly, check the parts specification. If the truck consists of the heavy-duty package’s parts, the model you have boasts it.

Lastly, you need to factor in the curb weight and GVWR. Deduct curb weight from the GVWR to find out the payload capacity and compare it with the rating of the heavy-duty package.

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How Much Wood Can a Ford F150 Haul?

Like the payload capacity, the size of the bed will vary from one version of F150 to another. Some will come with a 5.5 feet bed, while the others will feature 6.5 feet or 8 feet bed.

For those 8 feet, it will be possible to haul at least one-half of a cord.

On the other hand, you can haul up to one-third of a cord for those with 6.5 feet and 5.5 feet beds.

So, before you consider hauling wood, consider the bed size and prepare the trips accordingly.

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How Much Mulch Can a Ford F150 Hold?

Pickup trucks are often used for transporting garden materials. And mulch is one of the most common things that they will transport.

Depending on the size of the bed, you can haul up to three cubic yards of mulch.

But that would make the truck bed withstand a full load, and you would need to go through extra steps to make the bed contain all of the mulch properly.

If you want the bed to be about body level full, consider subtracting one cubic yard of mulch. It will be easier to make the bed contain that amount of mulch.

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How Much Topsoil Can a Ford F150 Hold?

For most of the ½ ton pickup trucks, the safe limit would be one cubic yard for topsoil. Topsoils are pretty dense, which makes them rather heavy.

Sometimes, they will also include gravel, stones, and other materials. For that reason, most of the pickup trucks are not capable of holding much of it.

Now, among all of the ½ ton pickup trucks available, there are a couple of models of F150. So, it would be safe to carry nothing more than one yard of topsoil on the bed.

If you make the bed carry more than that, the shock absorbers will do a lot of work, which will lower their lifespan.

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How Many Cubic Yards Can a F150 Hold?

Full-sized pickup trucks are pretty efficient in terms of holding gardening materials. And the F150 is a full-size truck.

It can contain two cubic yards of soil, about two to three cubic yards of mulch, and finally, one cubic yard of topsoil, gravel, and stones.

On that note, if you want to extend the capacity a bit further, consider modifying the bed. There are plenty of extended bed mods that you can do for the F150.

However, do make sure that you do not exceed the GVWR of the vehicle. That will lead to the overall load being on unsafe levels.

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How Much Gravel Can a Ford F150 Hold?

When it comes to gravel, you would need to consider that they are pretty heavy. So, the truck’s maximum capacity would not be that high if you plan to carry these on the bed. 

That being said, it will be possible to carry at most one cubic yard of gravel on the bed. For some of the versions, the capacity might be less than that.

So, it will be a wise idea to consider the payload capacity and GVWR before you plan to make the bed contain something heavy and dense like gravel.