The FWD Superduty

[Ron From Regina]

Then it ws loaded wrong, not loaded down.

How else would you load a lift of 14' 2X10's into a truck? Yes, it was way over wight for what the was supposed to handle, but short of strapping the load to the hood, there aren't a lot of options.

[2o6]

How else would you load a lift of 14' 2X10's into a truck? Yes, it was way over wight for what the was supposed to handle, but short of strapping the load to the hood, there aren't a lot of options.

Uhh....then it was loaded wrong. Too much weight.

[Soup DeVille]

How else would you load a lift of 14' 2X10's into a truck? Yes, it was way over wight for what the was supposed to handle, but short of strapping the load to the hood, there aren't a lot of options.

Then it was loaded wrong and overloaded; becauase it was the wrong tool for the job; and that's all a truck really is.

In this case, this thread is about a specialty tool. Why don't so many self-proclaimed "truck guys" seem to understand that. I wouldn't choose one of these for general duty anymore than I would choose a crow's foot socket as the only wrench in my bag, but when I need one, I need one.

[Ron From Regina]

Thats not the point. I bet every truck owner in this forum has overloaded their truck atleast once, and because trucks are RWD, it hasn't really been a huge deal.

[Soup DeVille]

Thats not the point. I bet every truck owner in this forum has overloaded their truck atleast once, and because trucks are RWD, it hasn't really been a huge deal.

RWD/FWD has little to do with it.

And think about it for a second or two: which is more important from a safety perspective: accelerating or steering and braking?

[Ron From Regina]

Would you rather drive a FWD or RWD truck  with little weight over its front wheels (ie, loaded with a lift of lumber) though the snow? I think in this case the drive wheels have a lot to do with how succesful you are hauling the load.

I am aware this truck is a tool for a specific application. However, hemi's original post was that the pros for a FWD truck (being able to lower the bed, etc) are outweighted by the cons. He was speaking in general terms, and not of the truck in the above example.

Edit:
We're not talking about being safe, we're talking about being functional. If safety was a concern, obviously one should get themselves a bigger (read proper) truck for the job.

[Soup DeVille]

Would you rather drive a FWD or RWD truck  with little weight over its front wheels (ie, loaded with a lift of lumber) though the snow? I think in this case the drive wheels have a lot to do with how succesful you are hauling the load.

I am aware this truck is a tool for a specific application. However, hemi's original post was that the pros for a FWD truck (being able to lower the bed, etc) are outweighted by the cons. He was speaking in general terms, and not of the truck in the above example.

Edit:
We're not talking about being safe, we're talking about being functional. If safety was a concern, obviously one should get themselves a bigger (read proper) truck for the job.

Yeah it would be great in snow, that way you're steering would be even more dangerously unloaded.

And I am talking about being functional: and I can see absolutely no difference in functionality under reasonably normal circumstances.

[Ron From Regina]

I agree that under reasonably normal circumstances, it would make little difference. Hell, unloaded (which is prob the majority of a trucks life), a fwd truck would likely be better to drive in the winter.

My point is, is that if full size pickups were offered in either FWD or RWD, I would purchase a RWD to have the capability to push those limites on rare occasions.

There's a reason that there are no full size fwd trucks on the market. Hell, even the Ridgeline isn't available in FWD only.

[2o6]

I agree that under reasonably normal circumstances, it would make little difference. Hell, unloaded (which is prob the majority of a trucks life), a fwd truck would likely be better to drive in the winter.

My point is, is that if full size pickups were offered in either FWD or RWD, I would purchase a RWD to have the capability to push those limites on rare occasions.

There's a reason that there are no full size fwd trucks on the market. Hell, even the Ridgeline isn't available in FWD only.

That's not good.....

Besides, the Rating for these trucks are pretty respectible.

[Soup DeVille]

There's a reason that there are no full size fwd trucks on the market. Hell, even the Ridgeline isn't available in FWD only.

Yes there are. The OP showed you one, I showed you anothe (but that's no longer made so I guess it doesn't count), and here's another one:



The rear driveshaft is used only to turn the agitating screw, those are trailer axles at the back because the the concrete reservoir is in the way of where a normal drive axle would be.

[2o6]

Can someone answer this?


By FWD, do they mean foreward-cab, or Front-wheel-drive?

Also, are these Fireengines FWD?

[Soup DeVille]

Can someone answer this?


By FWD, do they mean foreward-cab, or Front-wheel-drive?

Also, are these Fireengines FWD?

FWD was actually a truck company that existed until the mid' -'70s. The company's name meant "four wheel drive," but they actually produced trucks in all sorts of different drivetrain layouts.

I assume the pic got re-linked or something. I don't know much about firetrucks.

[2o6]

No, I just posted the wrong pic.

[CMan]

Ah, so 2o6, been stealing a lot of stuff from here for MCAD?

[SVT666]

So 206 has been arguing that FWD is perfectly fine and yet he didn't even know the definition of the acronym.

Soup, I have lived with and owned trucks my entire life carrying heavy loads up to 5000 lbs in the box of several different makes and manufacturers and when your loads are getting that heavy there is no way to load a pickup without taking weight off the front wheels.  In case you haven't noticed the box sits over the REAR tires and when you load several thousand pounds of weight over those wheels the front of your truck actually starts to lift off the front tires.  This concept truck is an F-450 which is capable of hauling 6000 lbs in the box and FWD would completely suck with 6000 lbs in the box and I don't care how you load it.  It also has a 24,500 lbs tow rating.  I would like to see a FWD pickup tow that.

[CMan]

So 206 has been arguing that FWD is perfectly fine and yet he didn't even know the definition of the acronym.

Yeah, and he's been stealing all the pics and things you guys have posted and putting them on another forum.

[SVT666]

Yeah, and he's been stealing all the pics and things you guys have posted and putting them on another forum.

Which forum?

[etypeJohn]

How else would you load a lift of 14' 2X10's into a truck? Yes, it was way over wight for what the was supposed to handle, but short of strapping the load to the hood, there aren't a lot of options.

So assuming an 8' bed you had 6" of 2X10 hanging out behind the load bed.   As someone else observed, it was loaded wrong, and probably illegally.   

[SVT666]

So assuming an 8' bed you had 6" of 2X10 hanging out behind the load bed.   As someone else observed, it was loaded wrong, and probably illegally.   

There's nothing wrong or illegal with it being loaded that way.

[etypeJohn]

So 206 has been arguing that FWD is perfectly fine and yet he didn't even know the definition of the acronym.

Soup, I have lived with and owned trucks my entire life carrying heavy loads up to 5000 lbs in the box of several different makes and manufacturers and when your loads are getting that heavy there is no way to load a pickup without taking weight off the front wheels.  In case you haven't noticed the box sits over the REAR tires and when you load several thousand pounds of weight over those wheels the front of your truck actually starts to lift off the front tires.  This concept truck is an F-450 which is capable of hauling 6000 lbs in the box and FWD would completely suck with 6000 lbs in the box and I don't care how you load it.  It also has a 24,500 lbs tow rating.  I would like to see a FWD pickup tow that.

Take an F150.  Move the rear wheels back as far as possible.  Install front wheel drive train.  Any load in the bed is mainly between the axles and a portion of the load's weight goes to the front end, which is heavier anyway becasue all the drave train and the cab is closer to the front axle.  Needless to say, driving dynamics would be greatly affected.

[CMan]

Which forum?

Mine.

I'm not kidding, I run my own forum. But he's been STEALING FROM T3H 'SPIN, and that is inexcusable.

[Ron From Regina]

So assuming an 8' bed you had 6" of 2X10 hanging out behind the load bed.   As someone else observed, it was loaded wrong, and probably illegally.   

How would you suggest loading it? I worked in a lumber yard for 5 years while in highschool and university and I could have used your expertise.
Maybe you should pass your expertise on to all the lumberyards out there that are still loading lumber in the back of trucks that is sticking out a little bit.

[etypeJohn]

There's nothing wrong or illegal with it being loaded that way.

I would argue its wrong because the center of gravity of the load is behind the rear axle.  That makes for dangerous handling.

Illegal?  It is in Texas and probably most other states. 

The law reads:  "No vehicle may carry a load extending more than three feet beyond the front nor four feet beyond the rear, unless a special permit is obtained."  Its probably only enforced if the load looks particularly dangerous or causes an accident.

IIRC, it is also unlawful to carry a load that extends more than 6" beyond the driver's side and 18" beyond the passenger side of the vehicle.

[etypeJohn]

How would you suggest loading it? I worked in a lumber yard for 5 years while in highschool and university and I could have used your expertise.
Maybe you should pass your expertise on to all the lumberyards out there that are still loading lumber in the back of trucks that is sticking out a little bit.

Why sure Ron, happy to.  Have the load delivered or rent a trailer.   

Most lumber yards could give a shit as long as the laod doesn't fall off on their property.  I do suspect that in this day and age though that the lumber yard could be held liable if they improperly load a customer's truck and that load caused an accident.  These days anybody can sue anybody for anything.    

And yes, I've loaded a pickup to the point the bed was on the bump stops.   

[SVT666]

The law reads:  "No vehicle may carry a load extending more than three feet beyond the front nor four feet beyond the rear, unless a special permit is obtained." 

4' beyond the rear?  How do you figure a 10' 2x4 in an 8' bed hangs 4' past the rear bumper?

If everyone followed your logic of loading everything between the axles then nobody would use their trucks for hauling anything.  Besides, my truck has 30" of bed behind the axle that would never be used.

[etypeJohn]

4' beyond the rear?  How do you figure a 10' 2x4 in an 8' bed hangs 4' past the rear bumper?

If everyone followed your logic of loading everything between the axles then nobody would use their trucks for hauling anything.  Besides, my truck has 30" of bed behind the axle that would never be used.

I don't, he was talking about 14' 2X10s. 

And where did you get the idea that I said everybody should place their load between the axles?

[Ron From Regina]

Why sure Ron, happy to.  Have the load delivered or rent a trailer.  

Most lumber yards could give a shit as long as the laod doesn't fall off on their porperty.  I do suspect that in this day and age though that the lumber yard could be held liable if they improperly load a customer's truck and that load caused an accident.  These days anybody can sue anybody for anything.    

And yes, I've loaded a pickup to the point the bed was on the bump stops.  

Sure, that would be ideal. However, in the real world, that just isn't practical. If I had to deliver every time a customer wanted to buy lumber longer than 8 feet, you would need a fleet of drivers working around the clock.

The point is, its common for people to push the limits of their trucks. I'm not arguing it safe, or even a good idea, but it is common. I don't know what the law around here reads now, but 15 years ago when I was working there, we could haul anything up to 16' in the back of truck with an 8ft bed (+ 2 feet of the end gate being down) so long as a red flag was attatched to the load, and the load was "secure".

The heaviest thing I ever seen loaded into the back of a standard half ton was a full pallet of cement. It was on the bump stops, and the front of the truck was sitting so high we didn't think the owner would be able to steer it, but he insisted on taking it that way, and from what I heard, was successfull in getting the load home.

[SVT666]

I don't, he was talking about 14' 2X10s. 

And where did you get the idea that I said everybody should place their load between the axles?

You're saying that anything loaded behind the rear wheels is loading the truck wrong because it takes weight off the front wheels.

[Ron From Regina]

There's limits to everything though...
http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Workshop/Overload.htm

[Raghavan]

2o6 didn't know what FWD is?