I think the payload on a Ford F 250 Heavy Duty 97 or older is 3800 LBS? I may be wrong.
The weight isn't really the ishue, it is breaking power. I have put 5000 lbs in an F 250, It handles the weight, just doesn't stop very well.
Here is something else to think about? What will you be spreading, sand/salt mix, or salt. A yard of sand/salt mix weighs around 3200 lbs for a yard when wet. It is hard to keep sand/salt mix dry. Salt is easier to keep dry, and I am sure most suppliers keep their salt dry. If your spreading salt I wouldn't worry as much about weight as sand.
Here is my $ 0.02
1. Get a 8' 1.5 or 1.8 V-Box weighs around 800 lbs. You now have 3000 lbs of pay load. Now remember you don't have to fill it to the top, put 1.5 ton of salt in it, or a little less than a yard of sand.
2. Get a 7' V-box weighs under 700 lbs so now you have a 3100 payload. With the 7' v-box you would have room to store shovels and other needed items in front of the box in the truck bed.
You can have a v-box in your truck ans still be legal. I also wouldn't worry about finding a 1 yard V-box. Sometimes the "standard" v-box, the 1.5 yard model cost less, because it is more popular. Figure a v-box will weigh around 700 to 800 lbs and subtract that from your payload. Remember just because ya have a 1.5 capacity v-box doesn't mean you have to fill it to the top. Maybe just put 1 yard of sand in it, if you are spreading sand. I think you could carry 1.5 yards of salt with out much problem.
One other little thing to consider is this. When we sand or salt with our F 350s (11000 GVW models), we plow first than sand or salt. Why because we have 3 yard v-boxes yes we are way over the payload. When you have 9000 lbs ( 3 yards of wet sand/salt mix) on the back of the truck, your are just working that truck that much harder when plowing, and you don't need too.
In your case you would be plowing with an extra 4000 lbs or so weight on the truck. Plowing is harder on the truck as it is, so I wouldn't recomend plowing with your max payload. Why work the truck any harder than needed. Then when all your lots are plowed, go plow or salt them. However if you only had 1 ton of salt on the truck and the spreader, I wouldn't bother me as much to plow and salt at the same time.
Also add some extra leaf springs in the rear. Have them built up, because you will want to add about 9 leafs to the truck. I know a guy with a Chevy 3/4 ton 97 Model, extended cab, and have 15 leafs in his rear springs. His truck handles the box pretty well.
Geoff
[Edited by GeoffDiamond on 01-21-2001 at 09:42 PM]