Found my personal comfort level!

Thx for this thread, OP. Provides a good reference starting point.

Regarding the different weight capacities...you upgraded your suspension so I'm thinking that Toyota stock numbers don't apply anymore. Is this right?

 

Nope, The GVWR remains. The Payload capacity remains the original GVWR minus current curb weight. We do not have a means of modifying or updating the manufacturer's GVWR (that I am aware of) like the aussie's do. Some of those ratings like rear axle rating just are what they are.

 

I know of an LT kit that will be available next month lol can be add for a good deal Cough cough

 

When i found my limit i was driving a rented c class motorhome towing a 30ft bumper pull travel trailer, and a 16ft flatboy with 4 atvs, 2 dirtbikes, and fighting the wind of oklahoma. Had to drive home, too, but decided i didnt wanna do it again.

 

Agreed. That said, the Aussies will certify the exact same 200 series that we get in the US for a 9200lb+ GVM upgrade (an additional 1900-ish lbs) just with suspension and armor.

We don’t certify such things in the US because we have no regulatory infrastructure that licenses or penalizes personal vehicles regarding their GVWR. I found a letter from a state trooper in Utah regarding operating a personal vehicle in excess of GVWR. This was included in a Bring A Trailer auction for a built LC200. Thought it was interesting.

TL;DR: being over GVWR is ok because so many people modify their vehicles, but being over tire, wheel, or axle ratings is not ok. Obviously he’s speaking only for the state of Utah. Results may vary by state.

 

That axle rating is what will get ya with a rig way over payload. But you've got more rear axle rating than available payload, so there's some run room there.

 

This has turned into a pretty darned good thread, thanks to everyone keeping a good attitude!

Technically, no. There is nothing we can do to adjust the RATED capacities of our vehicles in the US. We can install all kinds of upgrades (tires, brakes, suspension, etc) and still have a truck that is TECHNICALLY no more capable, safe, or reliable than it was when it had P-rated tires, dinky brakes, rear leaf springs that sit on the overloads as soon as you put any load on, shocks that have next to no damping, etc. Hope that clears everything up for you! Lol.

I really like the Ram 3500 trucks that are breaking in half when packing stupid huge campers that are under GVWR…

 

that guy was way over payload. He made the classic mistake of looking at the brochure and reading General payload numbers, then assumed
His actual truck had almost 2000# less payload than he thought. And that was a massive camper. And he was driving it on rough roads. Not sure if he was under his GVWR or not. Brochure says my truck has 1560# of payload. Reality is more like 1150#.

 

If I understand correctly, that one guy you’re talking about was not an isolated incident. I believe there are several others that have experienced failures with “loads” that are not necessarily overweight, but are simply stupid (think tall campers, etc) in general. A tall load has a heluva lot more leverage on the truck than a nice low one, right? Simple head scratch type engineering tells me that if I put a 500# rock on a 30’ pole, ima be pretty sorry when I get into the twisties. Still within capacity, so what can go wrong? But a can’t put 600# in the bed and strap it down because it’ll put me 50# over capacity?

I’m poking the bear on purpose here boys, but just to make the point that so many of you agree with. Just illustrating that you don’t need to be correct to be right, and that common sense is not distributed evenly!!!

 

Ok. I told you fellas that I’d put some real weight numbers up when I got to a local scale. I’ve got my flame suit on, and am posting this because it’s a little absurd.
For a couple of reasons… One because I can’t believe that my truck is running around every day at, or slightly over GVWR. Two because I cannot believe how low the GVWR is on these superb trucks.

Here goes, enjoy:

This is my truck today, without the trailer and as loaded every single day. Pretty basic.


In the bed is a Bedslide, a 50L Dometic with a case of beer and a case of water. The tote in front of it has some basic safety gear, no more than 50# loaded.


This truck, WITHOUT any passengers is 3600# front axle and 3350# rear axle. 6,950# total. I weigh 235#…. So. With me in the truck, I’m pretty much “maxed out”.

Added gear that bumped me up:
Heavier tires and wheels.
Heavier brakes.
Heavier suspension.
Dual batteries.
Bedslide.
Fridge.
Tote.
Canopy.
Line-X.
Amp Research steps.
ARB dual compressor.
A light bar.
RCI aluminum skid plates for engine, trans, and cats.
A sub box with a pair of 8’s.
Floor mats???
Dust on motor.

WTF???


Now it gets fun…

Truck with my trailer loaded with our gear (no water, empty holding tanks). WDH set up for travel.

Front axle: 3800
Rear axle: 4850
Trailer axles: 6350
What’s that, 15K total?

Unhook the WDH bars and it goes to:

Front axle: 3450
Rear axle: 5250
Trailer axles: 6200
(scales are a bit of a rounding game, but the numbers add up close)

you can see that the WDH is gushing weight to the front axle, as well as back to the trailer, as designed. I wish I had a photo, but the truck sits as level hooked up as it is empty.

The trailer (disconnected) tongue weight is 1,000#. 6,200 on the axles for a total of 7,200#.

Heavier than I’d thought!!!


Put the three of us in the truck adds close to 550#.


Crazy heavy! I cannot argue with anyone that I am over GVW at all. I can say that as the only owner of this truck since day one, it handles (acceleration, braking, handling) so much better than a 100% stock Tundra that it’s not even funny. I’ll be chastised before dawn for driving this death trap, but I will openly challenge anyone with a totally stock truck to a “tow-off” to see if theirs can manage a load that is 99% of GVWR better.

So many items that added weight are not carried by the suspension, such as heavier tires and brakes. I added more than 300# to those areas alone… I’m actually a little dumbfounded that this thing is as fat as it is, as it just purrs down the highway, up the hills, and down the other side with zero hiccups.

For a little comparison, I just peeled at the label on a 5th gen 4Runner. GVW? Only 900# less.

 

My trucks 7klbs with me in it lol stuff adds up quick

 

These numbers don't seem to add up

When hooked to the truck with WDH your rear axle is seeing an additional 1500# and your front axle an additional 200#, but the trailer axles are at 6350#. You took a 6950# truck and a 7200# camper (14,150#) and now have a total scale weight of 15,000#?? Without the WDH your tongue weight (as seen by the rear axle) is around 1900#. Where did the extra weight come from?

 

Lemme double check those numbers and report back! All three of us were in the truck when I was weighing with the trailer. M
Having a couple cocktails after unloading, so may have had a fat finger…

 

Can we sticky this at the top of the forum...?


I think some minds might have just exploded

 

Glad you guys had a good trip, Chad!

I think I’m a little lighter than you when fully loaded but our setup is nearly identical. We just finished 2 trips totaling 6k miles and my truck hummed without issue. I’m still on stock gearing and can’t wait to get those 5.29’s….

The Deavers really handle the load well. I’ve had less than zero regret dumping my air bag setup in favor of the ADS trips and 748’s.

now if I could just slow down on the rocky sections and keep air in my tires…

 

OK. Truck empty is 6,950. With me and the fam, 7,500. Trailer is 7,200. The WDH was removed prior to grabbing the empty truck weight, so call it closer to 7,600 with that on the rear.

7,600 truck with people and 7,200 trailer is 14,800.

we did pull a couple bags out of the truck, which may have added to 100#.


I didn’t mention that I neglected to weigh just the truck alone the first trip to the scale. I weighed the whole deal with and without WDH bars, and then lifted the tongue off the truck to weigh the jack. Hitched back up and ran home to unload.
Drive by an hour later and weighed just the truck without me in it.

 

You’re gonna LOVE 5.29’s in your truck. Only thing better is is if you pick up a HP Tuner afterward. That made such a difference.
If you do, hit me up and I’ll share the trans tuning I’ve figured out with the help of a fella on HP’s forum. After dialing in the trans, it pulls like a completely different truck. Toyota really left a lot on the table in that regard!

 

FYI: GAWRR is around 4200#. All of your hitched up weights are way over. Although the truck seems to hold it ok, the rear axle components may wear much faster. Specifically axle bearings.

 

Is that reinforcement system on your topper something you built yourself?

 

GVWR is pretty much on par with every other halfton on the market.

 

What's the rear axle rating on these trucks? I have a number in my head but, after seeing this, I'm hoping it's wrong.

ETA: I see @KNABORES said 4200 lbs above. That's close to what I thought it was. So you're only about 600 lbs over that...

 

It is. Prior to the travel trailer, I used a roof top tent. Since the canopy isn’t technically rated for added load, I added the struts to spread the load from the roof to the bedsides.

1” aluminum hex bar stock in the lathe made it quick. We had a pile of 1/2” heim joints from other projects, so we burned those up. I attached the Zuni-Strut to the ceiling using the bolts that’s go through the roof rails.

I don’t need it anymore, so I could shave 10# off this piggy! Lol.

 

You’re certainly not wrong. But with many of my 134K miles being on the thicc side, I’m curious “how” much faster. Gears were installed and axle bearings inspected about 30K ago. At that time, we’d been using the trailer for a year and an half. All great.

From what I gather, my rapidly wearing axle bearings are still outlasting some other manufacturer’s entire vehicles! Lol.

 

Aaron Morvant’s and Vic Sheppard’s tundras only made it a little past a million miles with similar albeit worse loading conditions. So try to limit yourself to a million or less..

 

I’ll give ‘er hell! Lol.

 

Great info! I'll offer my similar setup for comparison: 2020 Platinum baseline weight (with wife and I, hard fold tonneau, 2 child seats (no kiddos at weigh in) similar lift, wheel / tires) comes in at 3600F, & 2740R. So your running +610 more over the rear axle on the daily. Just goes to show how much things add up.

When we add in the airstream, its always a balancing act. We minimize gear in the truck bed esp rear of the axle, and put as much in the trailer as we can, this helps keep us just around the rear axle 4150 with the trailer loaded. Most of the interior storage on the airstream is front of the axles, which can really increase the already ~900+ lb empty tongue weight. We place our cooler, easy up, and a couple totes in the back to offset all the gear up front. Our last trip weighed in at 3440 Front, 4140 Rear, and 6780 Trailer. 14360 Total. I removed the truck tonneau on the back for the trip but added an extra large crate and 100+ great dane.

Both weigh ins done with about 1/2 tank of fuel, I'm certain after fill-up it was over rear axle rating. Truck towed it wonderful as it always does.