Ford F-350 Payload Capacity Chart: The Ultimate Guide 2025

The Ford F-350 Super Duty is a titan of capability, cementing its position in the heavy-duty truck segment with a best-in-class maximum payload rating of 8,000 pounds. This headline-grabbing figure establishes the F-350 as a premier choice for serious hauling.

However, that 8,000-pound rating is a highly specific number, achievable only in a particular configuration—typically a base-model, Regular Cab, 4×2, dual-rear-wheel (DRW) truck equipped with a gas engine. The actual payload capacity of the F-350 a consumer is considering, or the one currently in their driveway, will almost certainly be lower.

A truck’s final payload rating is the result of a complex equation involving engine choice, cab type, bed length, 4×2 vs. 4×4 drivetrain, and, most critically, the single-rear-wheel (SRW) or dual-rear-wheel (DRW) axle configuration.

This guide provides the official payload charts sourced from Ford’s fleet data to answer the primary query More importantly, it explains:

• How to read these complex specification charts.
• How payload is officially calculated and what really counts against this critical limit (it is more than just cargo in the bed)
• The single, non-negotiable location to find a specific truck’s true payload capacity.
• The counter-intuitive reason why a gas engine often provides a higher payload capacity than the more powerful diesel options.

F-350 Payload Capacity Charts (2023-2025)

Understanding the F-350’s capability requires looking at the data charts for recent model years. The specifications below are sourced from official Ford towing and fleet guides.

2025 Ford F-350 Payload Capacity (Maximums)

The 2025 Ford F-350 Super Duty continues its high-capacity legacy, offering four powerful engine choices: a 6.8L V8 gas, a 7.3L V8 gas, a 6.7L Power Stroke V8 Diesel, and a 6.7L High Output (H.O.) Power Stroke V8 Diesel.

The 8,000-pound maximum payload rating is specifically associated with the 6.8L Gas V8 engine. This reveals a critical trade-off between an engine’s power and its payload rating. Payload capacity is calculated using the formula $Payload~Capacity = GVWR – Curb~Weight$. The more powerful engines, particularly the 6.7L diesel variants, are significantly heavier. This added mass increases the truck’s “Curb Weight,” which is then subtracted from the fixed Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), leaving less available payload.

For example, 2025 data shows the 6.8L Gas V8 (445 lb-ft of torque) enables the 8,000-lb max payload. The 6.7L H.O. Diesel (1,200 lb-ft of torque) sees its maximum payload drop to 6,935 lbs.¹ Therefore, buyers must make a crucial distinction: gas engines are generally configured for maximum payload, while diesel engines are configured for maximum towing.

VISUAL: 2025 Ford F-350 Max Payload by Engine (SRW vs. DRW)

Note: Maximum payload ratings require a specific configuration (typically Regular Cab, 4×2, base trim) and are reduced by options. Data sourced from 2025 Ford Super Duty specifications.

2024 Ford F-350 Detailed Payload Charts

For the 2024 model year, Ford provides highly detailed specifications. The most comprehensive public data is found in the “Maximum Cargo Weight with Slide-In Camper” charts.

It is important to note that while labeled for “campers,” this data provides the best available breakdown of how cab, engine, and drive configuration affect hauling capacity. These specific ratings also assume a 150-lb. passenger at each available seating position, which is factored into the final cargo weight.

VISUAL: 2024 F-350 SRW Max Cargo Weight Rating (lbs.) – Representative Sample

VISUAL: 2024 F-350 DRW Max Cargo Weight Rating (lbs.) – Representative Sample

2023 Ford F-350 Payload Capacity (Maximums)

The 2023 model year marked a significant redesign for the Super Duty, which introduced the 8,000-lb maximum payload rating. This rating was achieved with the new 6.8L V8 engine in a Regular Cab, 4×2, DRW configuration.

VISUAL: 2023 Ford F-350 Max Payload by Engine

What Is Truck Payload? (And What It Really Includes)

Understanding the F-350 payload charts requires a clear definition of the terms that determine these ratings. This is essential for both safety and legal operation.

The Payload Formula: How Ford Calculates Capacity

The fundamental equation used by all manufacturers to determine payload capacity is: $Payload~Capacity = GVWR – Curb~Weight$.

• GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): This is the absolute maximum safe and legal operating weight of the fully loaded vehicle. This weight includes the truck itself, fuel, passengers, and all cargo. The GVWR is a fixed rating determined by the manufacturer based on the frame, axles, suspension, and brakes. It is not a suggestion; it is a legal limit. The GVWR is listed on the “Safety Compliance Certification Label” located on the driver’s side door jamb.
• Curb Weight: This is the weight of the truck when it is empty, or “unladen.” It includes all standard equipment, a full tank of fuel, and all necessary operating fluids (oil, coolant, etc.).

Payload capacity is simply the amount of weight “left over” between the truck’s empty weight (Curb Weight) and its maximum legal weight (GVWR). Anything added to the empty truck consumes this leftover capacity.

What Counts Against Your Payload Limit? (It’s Not Just Cargo)

The most common and dangerous misconception among truck owners is that “payload” refers only to the weight placed in the truck bed.

In reality, the payload allowance is the combined weight of everything added to the truck’s curb weight. This includes:

• All Passengers: The driver and every passenger in the cab. Ford’s own camper charts, for example, assume 150 pounds for each available seating position.
• All Cargo: All items in the cab (toolboxes, luggage, laptops) and all items in the bed (gravel, lumber, or a heavy slide-in truck camper).
• Trailer Tongue Weight: When towing, the downward force that the trailer’s hitch applies to the truck’s rear axle is considered payload.
  • Conventional Trailer: Tongue weight should be 10-15% of the total trailer weight.
  • 5th-Wheel/Gooseneck Trailer: The “king pin weight” is much higher, typically 15-25% of the trailer’s total weight.

The real-world payload calculation for a truck that is towing is:

$Available~Payload = GVWR – Curb~Weight – Passengers – In-Truck~Cargo – Trailer~Tongue~Weight$.

This leads to the “payload trap,” which is the most critical concept for heavy-duty truck owners to understand. A truck’s tow rating is often advertised as a massive number, but the payload capacity is almost always the true limiting factor.

Consider this example:

1. A buyer selects a 2024 F-350 SRW Crew Cab 4×4 with the 6.7L H.O. diesel. The chart shows a “Max Cargo Weight” of 4,490 lbs ⁷ and a max 5th-wheel tow rating of 27,600 lbs.
2. They purchase a 20,000-lb 5th-wheel trailer, believing they are 7,600 lbs under the towing limit.
3. The pin weight of that 20,000-lb trailer, at 20%, is 4,000 lbs. This 4,000 lbs is now applied to the truck as payload.
4. The driver (200 lbs), a partner (150 lbs), and two other passengers (150 lbs total) get into the truck. This adds 500 lbs of occupants.
5. They also have a 50-lb toolbox in the cab and a 100-lb 5th-wheel hitch in the bed, for 150 lbs of gear.
6. Total Payload Load: 4,000 lbs (pin) + 500 lbs (occupants) + 150 lbs (gear) = 4,650 lbs.
7. Result: The truck is now 160 lbs OVER its 4,490-lb payload limit, even though it is well under its advertised tow rating. It is operating unsafely and illegally.

Payload vs. Towing Capacity: A Critical Distinction

Payload and towing capacity are two separate ratings, but they are linked.

• Payload is the maximum weight the truck can carry on its own frame and suspension.
• Towing Capacity is the maximum weight the truck can pull.

The trailer’s tongue/pin weight is the link. It is weight that is pulled (part of the trailer’s total weight) but carried by the truck (counting against payload). It is impossible to max out both ratings simultaneously.

For a complete deep dive into this crucial topic, owners should reference a guide on (/guides/payload-vs-towing-capacity).

How to Find Your F-350’s Actual Payload Capacity

The charts in this article and in manufacturer brochures are essential for estimating and comparing configurations. However, they are not the legal payload for a specific truck.

Why the Brochure and Charts Are Only an Estimate

The payload numbers in charts represent the maximum possible payload for a given configuration (e.g., F-350 DRW, 6.8L V8). This “max” number is always calculated from a base “XL” trim, with no options, a Regular Cab, and a 4×2 drivetrain.

Every single option added at the factory adds to the truck’s curb weight.

1. Remember the formula: $Payload = GVWR – Curb~Weight$.
2. The luxurious Lariat or Platinum trim, the 4×4 system, the panoramic sunroof, the 18-speaker B&O sound system, and the diesel engine all add weight.
3. Every pound added to the “Curb Weight” is a pound subtracted from the available “Payload,” assuming the GVWR is fixed.
4. Consequently, a fully loaded F-350 Platinum will have a significantly lower payload capacity than a base model F-350 XL, even if they share the same engine and cab.

The Answer is on Your Door Jamb: The “Tire and Loading Information” Sticker

The single, non-negotiable, and 100% accurate payload rating for any specific truck is printed on the “Tire and Loading Information” sticker.

• Location: This yellow-and-white sticker is located on the driver’s side door jamb, either on the B-pillar or the edge of the door.
• What It Says: It does not use the word “payload.” It states: “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed XXXX lbs”.
• The Legal Truth: This number is the official, legal payload capacity for that specific truck’s VIN as it was built and weighed at the factory. It accounts for the “as-built” curb weight, including all factory-installed options. This sticker’s number supersedes all charts, brochures, and online calculators.

How to Calculate Your “Real-Time” Payload

The number on the door sticker is the starting point. It is only accurate for the truck as it left the factory. Any equipment added after the truck was purchased must be manually subtracted from the sticker’s payload number.

Common aftermarket additions that reduce payload include:

• A heavy-duty steel bumper or grill guard
• A winch
• A toolbox (and the tools inside it)
• A heavy sliding 5th-wheel hitch
• A spray-in or drop-in bed liner
• A camper shell or tonneau cover
• A service body upfit

The true, real-time available payload for cargo or a trailer is:

$Available~Payload = (Payload~on~Sticker) – (Weight~of~Aftermarket~Gear) – (Weight~of~Passengers) – (Weight~of~In-Cab~Cargo)$

For owners of 2020 and newer F-Series trucks, Ford offers an online(https://www.ford.com/towing/) that can use the truck’s VIN to help calculate these complex weights.

Key Factors That Change F-350 Payload Ratings

The charts clearly show that payload numbers vary wildly. This variance is driven by three key configuration choices.

1. SRW vs. DRW (Dually): The Single Biggest Factor

• SRW (Single Rear Wheel): The standard configuration with two wheels on the rear axle.
• DRW (Dual Rear Wheel or “Dually”): The heavy-duty configuration with four wheels on the rear axle, which creates a wider and more stable platform.

The impact is massive. The DRW setup distributes the load across four tires instead of two, dramatically increasing the axle’s weight-bearing capacity. This is what allows the F-350 DRW to achieve its 8,000-lb max payload, a jump of nearly 3,000 pounds over the 5,137-lb max for an SRW.

This capability comes with a “livability” trade-off:

• DRW Pro: Enormous payload and unmatched stability, which is essential for safely managing heavy, high-profile loads like large 5th-wheel trailers and slide-in truck campers.
• DRW Con: The truck is physically wider, making it “challenging to park” and maneuver in tight urban settings. It is also more expensive and provides a “stiffer” or “rougher” ride when unloaded.

The choice between an SRW and DRW is the fundamental decision for a one-ton truck buyer, boiling down to a Daily Driver (SRW) vs. a Dedicated Hauler (DRW).

2. Engine Choice: Why Gas Often Beats Diesel for Payload

This is the most common point of confusion for truck buyers.

• The Myth: “The diesel engine is the ‘heavy-duty’ option, so it must have the highest payload.”
• The Reality: Diesel engines are for maximum towing. Gas engines are for maximum payload.

The 6.7L Power Stroke V8 Diesel engine is hundreds of pounds heavier than the 6.8L or 7.3L V8 gas engines. Because $Payload = GVWR – Curb~Weight$, adding hundreds of pounds of engine mass (curb weight) directly subtracts from the available payload capacity.

This is precisely why the F-350’s 8,000-lb best-in-class payload rating is achieved with the lightest base gas engine, the 6.8L V8.¹ As one analysis notes, “to haul max payloads, you need one of its gas-powered V8s!”.

While gas engines win on payload, the 6.7L Power Stroke is the undisputed towing champion. For a full performance breakdown, see the Ford F-350 Engine Guide.

3. Cab and Bed Configuration

The final factor is another simple weight trade-off: a bigger cab weighs more, which reduces the payload.

• Regular Cab (3-seat): This is the lightest cab, offering the highest potential payload. All “maximum” payload ratings from Ford are based on a Regular Cab configuration.
• SuperCab (5-6 seat, small rear doors): Heavier than a Regular Cab, slightly reducing payload. It offers a balance of passenger flexibility and cargo space.
• Crew Cab (5-6 seat, four full doors): This is the heaviest cab. It offers the most passenger room but results in the lowest payload capacity, all other factors being equal. A 4×4 Crew Cab in a Lariat or Platinum trim will have one of the lowest payload ratings in the F-350 lineup.

F-350 Payload vs. The Competition (Ram & Chevy)

The F-350’s 8,000-lb. rating firmly establishes it as the best-in-class leader for gas payload. The competition from Ram and General Motors (Chevy/GMC) is fierce, and they follow the exact same engineering principles.

VISUAL: 2024/2025 One-Ton Truck Max Payload Comparison

Data sourced from for Ford; for Ram; and for Chevy/GMC.

This data confirms that Ford holds the on-paper maximum payload title. The Ram 3500 is a very close second, with a 7,590-lb max gas payload. The Silverado 3500HD and Sierra 3500HD also achieve their maximum payload ratings (7,290 lbs and 7,234 lbs, respectively) with their 6.6L gas engines, not their diesel engines.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the maximum payload for a 2025 Ford F-350?

A: The 2025 Ford F-350 offers a best-in-class maximum payload of 8,000 lbs. This is achieved with the 6.8L V8 gas engine in a Regular Cab, 4×2, Dual Rear Wheel (DRW) configuration.

Q: Does F-350 payload capacity include passengers and fuel?

A: Payload capacity includes the weight of all passengers and any cargo in the cab or bed. It does not include the weight of fuel; a full tank of fuel is already factored into the truck’s “Curb Weight”.

Q: Does a diesel F-350 have more payload than a gas F-350?

A: No, it is the opposite. The gas engines (6.8L and 7.3L V8) offer the highest payload capacity. The 6.7L Power Stroke diesel engines are significantly heavier, which increases the truck’s curb weight and reduces its available payload.

Q: How much payload does an F-350 dually (DRW) add?

A: A DRW (dually) configuration significantly increases payload capacity and stability. For example, a 2025 F-350 with the 6.8L V8 jumps from a 5,137-lb max payload (SRW) to an 8,000-lb max payload (DRW).

Q: Where is the F-350 payload capacity chart on the truck?

A: The most accurate payload rating for a specific truck is not a chart, but a sticker. Look for the yellow-and-white “Tire and Loading Information” label on the driver’s side door jamb. The number listed after “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed…” is the vehicle’s true payload capacity.

Conclusion: Matching the Right F-350 to Your Hauling Needs

The Ford F-350 is a clear class leader with an 8,000-pound maximum payload. The charts in this guide provide the necessary starting point for configuring a truck to meet specific hauling needs.

The most critical takeaway, however, is that the “brochure” number is not the real number. The only payload rating that matters for safety and legality is the one on the “Tire and Loading Information” sticker on the truck’s door jamb.

This leads to a simple set of guidelines for prospective buyers:

• For Maximum Payload: Choose a Regular Cab, DRW, and a Gas V8 Engine (6.8L or 7.3L).
• For Maximum Towing: Choose a Diesel V8 Engine (6.7L Power Stroke).
• For Daily Driving & Moderate Hauling: An SRW truck is more maneuverable and provides a more comfortable ride when empty.
• For Heavy 5th-Wheels & Campers: A DRW provides the essential stability and payload capacity required for safely managing heavy, high-profile loads.

For help deciding on the right cab, see this detailed (/ford/crew-cab-vs-supercab) to analyze passenger and cargo space needs.

Before buying any heavy-duty truck, check the door sticker. Always perform the weight calculations for the specific load, passengers, and trailer to ensure all weights remain safely within the vehicle’s GVWR and payload limits.