The Ford Super Duty lineup is an outstanding choice when it comes to hauling a large truck camper on a one-ton pickup truck. In 2023, the Ford F350 Super Duty gets entirely new exterior and interior designs, upgraded tech including 5G connectivity, and new powertrain options to help it retain its high ranking in the highly competitive truck marketplace. But before you buy, it’s extremely important to know what the truck is rated for when it comes to payload. Why is the payload rating so important when buying a truck camper? Because the payload rating tells you how much weight you can safely carry without overloading your truck. The weight rating includes passengers, your camper, and cargo—basically everything not permanently attached to your truck.
Unfortunately, finding Ford’s payload and GVWR ratings online can be a chore and very time consuming. Sure, you can quickly find the maximum payload rating for an Ford F350 regular cab long-bed model, but very few consumers go that route. Most go with the short-bed super cab or crew cab model. Then, there are the duallies, which are a completely different animal. Fortunately, Truck Camper Adventure has done the research for you. Now you can find all of these ratings in one, easy-to-read location. In order to streamline the payload information presented in our chart, only Ford’s XLT trim is presented with one engine choice though various options including drivetrain (2WD, 4WD, and AWD) and bed-size are presented to help buyers make the right choice.
2023 Ford F350
- Base price: XLT $43,665 (SRW)
- Powertrain: 6.8L V8 with either a six-speed or ten-speed automatic transmission
- Max Payload: 8,000 pounds (DRW)
- Max Towing: 14,000 pounds (DRW)
A Warning About Options
When it comes to payload, options can either hurt or help a truck’s rating. As a truck camper owner, you should always opt for the “maximum payload” or “max tow package” as this maximizes payload. As for other options, however, choose wisely. Yes, having a diesel engine is great for climbing mountains and raising your testosterone, but it’s also heavier. This means less payload—not to mention more emission hassles—for you. Ditto for 4WD. That feature, while great for driving on rough roads, sand, and snow, isn’t so great for your payload rating—the typical 4WD drivetrain weighs 300 pounds more that the 2WD version. Think twice about getting that spacious crew cab as well. That larger cab outweighs a standard cab by roughly 350 pounds. For a one-ton truck, that increase in weight is huge. We do, however, recommend getting the Pro Power option which is now available in the Super Duty Lineup that offers a 2,000 watt power inverter with power outlets in both the truck and bed, though you will need to run the engine when using it.
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