[katmat]

I own a 2005 3500 Sprinter w/ 200,000 miles. I am thinking about a Ford Transit 3500 medium roof. I am a electrical contractor & carry a lot of weight in the van & sometimes I tow my lifts around. I have looked at the 3 different Transits (1/2,3/4 & 1 ton) at a Ford dealer & all three seem to use the same tire & have the same leaf springs on them. Can someone tell me how Ford is getting a bigger payload on the vehicles?
Also has anyone purchased the dually version & how is the payload on this unit.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[alarmist]

Spec out the vehicle you are interested in then find the gross combined weight rating. Don't overlook the need to take weight of cargo into account when determining towing capacity.

 

[Knot Yett]

maybe.....

I own a 2005 3500 Sprinter w/ 200,000 miles. I am thinking about a Ford Transit 3500 medium roof. I am a electrical contractor & carry a lot of weight in the van & sometimes I tow my lifts around. I have looked at the 3 different Transits (1/2,3/4 & 1 ton) at a Ford dealer & all three seem to use the same tire & have the same leaf springs on them. Can someone tell me how Ford is getting a bigger payload on the vehicles?
Also has anyone purchased the dually version & how is the payload on this unit.

Thanks,
Matt

This question could easily be answered by Ford, if only we knew which doorbell to ring. I can only guess from experience gained many years ago from Chrysler.
Tire size can remain the same but change from 4 ply to 6 ply. Springs get stronger from just a very small increase in thickness, even a 1/16th of an inch....you could not tell this from just looking. The frame thickness "sheet metal" could be a few thousandths of an inch thicker....hard to measure that. Do you know that the frame is boron steel ? Picture bullets bouncing off of Superman's chest.

I would trust Ford that they know what they are doing.