Hauling bags of concrete mix today

[Robber's Roost]

So I needed 24 50# bags of concrete mix and decided to haul it in one load since the box store is so far away from home. That 1200 lbs is about the max for payload capacity of my Lariat ecoboost and maybe a couple of pounds over adding myself. Sorry I have no pics but you can visualize what 24 sacks of concrete would look like in the bed. First let me say that power and braking handled the load just fine. I was running on 70 mph highways with grades and had no issues with power. What did surprise me was how low the bed sagged. I mean it was dragging, again sorry no pics. I would imagine if one wants to haul maximum payload that rear air bags might be in order. The other thing I noticed is how poorly it handled driving at 65-70mph. It wallowed around like an old Walmart shopping cart with worn out wheels. It was oversteering considerably and required constant attention on the slightest to turns. I think in the future I will recalibrate my expectations and limit my loads to less than max payload rating.

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[HiYoAu]

I just unloaded 1300 pounds of sand out the back of my Mav (XL, awd, 4k) this morning. I share your observations. No photos either, but the rear springs were really compressed. I had hauled 1000 pounds of gravel earlier in the week, still a load, but that would probably be the max I’ll target in the future.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Agreed.
In their defensive. They probably didn't have a camera with them or local Photomat to have the pictures developed.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

In all seriousness you guys may want to consider taking a look at the thread listed below. If you have any intentions of ever having to haul anything as heavy as you did.

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...-spring-kit-for-hybrid-fwd.51385/#post-883995

The folks posting in the article also talk about an airbag kit for the all-wheel drive.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

So I needed 24 50# bags of concrete mix and decided to haul it in one load since the box store is so far away from home. That 1200 lbs is about the max for payload capacity of my Lariat ecoboost and maybe a couple of pounds over adding myself. Sorry I have no pics but you can visualize what 24 sacks of concrete would look like in the bed. First let me say that power and braking handled the load just fine. I was running on 70 mph highways with grades and had no issues with power. What did surprise me was how low the bed sagged. I mean it was dragging, again sorry no pics. I would imagine if one wants to haul maximum payload that rear air bags might be in order. The other thing I noticed is how poorly it handled driving at 65-70mph. It wallowed around like an old Walmart shopping cart with worn out wheels. It was oversteering considerably and required constant attention on the slightest to turns. I think in the future I will recalibrate my expectations and limit my loads to less than max payload rating.

50# are pretty small bags. I usually go with 80# but at 81 they are getting borderline not pick upable. I visualize layers of 8-6-4-4-2 keeping all layers at front of bed except last of 2 overlapping the 4 under them. If bags small enough to keep weight over and in front of rear wheel centerline maybe 8-6-6-4 sacks per layer. I remember one 2lumber load I hauled on a 14' bob tail that I put five 94# sacks of Portland cement on front fenders and bumper to keep front wheels on ground (most of time). Was a long long 48 mile haul.....

 

[Bwicka]

Sounds like a half ton truck then !

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Sounds like a half ton truck then !

Yep! Me too.

 

[OB1e]

9 80lbs bags, handled just fine. Spread out and there wasn't much squat.

 

[CajunMick]

I haulEd dirt and river rocks. Not lots squat. Driving on interstate approx 50 mph had wallows. I had wished added more air pressure to tires. Completed the haul ok.

 

[Stan C]

So I needed 24 50# bags of concrete mix and decided to haul it in one load since the box store is so far away from home. That 1200 lbs is about the max for payload capacity of my Lariat ecoboost and maybe a couple of pounds over adding myself. Sorry I have no pics but you can visualize what 24 sacks of concrete would look like in the bed. First let me say that power and braking handled the load just fine. I was running on 70 mph highways with grades and had no issues with power. What did surprise me was how low the bed sagged. I mean it was dragging, again sorry no pics. I would imagine if one wants to haul maximum payload that rear air bags might be in order. The other thing I noticed is how poorly it handled driving at 65-70mph. It wallowed around like an old Walmart shopping cart with worn out wheels. It was oversteering considerably and required constant attention on the slightest to turns. I think in the future I will recalibrate my expectations and limit my loads to less than max payload rating.

My past experience hauling heavy loads in a pick up is that the side wall ratings must be adequate to prevent the swaying . I’m a retired plumber and found that I had to put tires with 10 ply sidewall ratings on a 3/4 ton pickup pick up .

 

[Robber's Roost]

My past experience hauling heavy loads in a pick up is that the side wall ratings must be adequate to prevent the swaying . I’m a retired plumber and found that I had to put tires with 10 ply sidewall ratings on a 3/4 ton pickup pick up .

That's a good point regarding swaying and tire sidewall and heavy loads. These Michelin tires are nice for general purpose tires but really just minivan tires regarding sidewall stiffness. I probably should have aired them up more for the extra load too. I used to haul 1200+ lbs in my 1/2 ton Silverado often and hardly noticed it but that truck had 3/4 ton rated tires with stiff sidewalls.

 

[Fishin4ladyz]

Just had 25 50lb bags of rock in mine, placed most ahead of the axel, not much squat at all.

 

[Tom 71 Maverick 24]

That's a good point regarding swaying and tire sidewall and heavy loads. These Michelin tires are nice for general purpose tires but really just minivan tires regarding sidewall stiffness. I probably should have aired them up more for the extra load too. I used to haul 1200+ lbs in my 1/2 ton Silverado often and hardly noticed it but that truck had 3/4 ton rated tires with stiff sidewalls.

Yeah, if you're going to haul heavy, air them up closer to the tire's rating rather than the normal rating in the door. More PSI for more weight.

 

[Robber's Roost]

Just had 25 50lb bags of rock in mine, placed most ahead of the axel, not much squat at all.

Thanks for all the comments! Loading as much as possible ahead of the axle is definitely going to help. I let the store help load the truck for me this time as it was 105 degrees that afternoon and while distributed, they could have placed it further up in the bed. I forgot I have security camera footage so I attached a photo that shows the not optimum loading and resulting rear sag. Moral of story which is probably obvious to many is load heavy weight as for up in the bed as possible and probably air up the tires to the maximum sidewall rating.

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