Can you upgrade your towing capacity on these?

I want to pull some heavy stuff with it, and i would like to know if there is an upgrade for that specific kind of thing. I would also like to know if I could get a gooseneck package for it.
-Thanks!

 

Legally? No.



Practically? Yes, but see first answer.

there are gooseneck hitches available for our trucks, (check etrailer.com) but if you’re trying to tow more than 7,000lbs, get a 3/4 or 1 ton.

 

Our trucks are not 3/4 ton work trucks, they are light duty 1/2 ton at best. You can beef it up with custom rear springs / air bags. But, the rear axle housing is light duty our frame is light duty and our brakes suck.

Improve it, work it to it's limit, but don't abuse it "much". If you need a HD work truck, get one.

 

You can tow a lot but you'll never stop that much...

 

My knees hurt just looking at that picture....

 

My shoulders hurt...

 

Nope, and nope. Cannot increase the towing capacity. Each piece of the puzzle in this case is not designed for more towing. Brakes, frame, transmission, suspension, none of it. And a goose neck isn't a good idea due to the above, and the axle position in the AC is too close to the cab leading to clearance issues on fifth wheels, likely an issue with goose necks too. Oh, and brakes, brakes, brakes.

 

I had to add air bags just to tow my little tent trailer. No way in hell are you going to run a goose neck

You can’t change the towing capacity, but only make it handle the load better. The payload on these trucks isn’t that great either. An empty goose neck would probable exceed the payload. Payload on a 2500 is barely 2,000lbs, which is why they are useless for towing as well.

It’s all fun and games till your over loaded truck kills a buss full of lawyers.

 

And steering WILL be difficult and dicey/dangerous if you put a gooseneck hitch in the bed and drop too much weight on it. Get a reliable, used workhorse diesel 3/4 or 1 ton for your towing needs...or a used RV if you were thinking pull a 5th wheel RV/trailer.

 

I know on my 2001, the brakes are the weakest link. They aren't all that confidence inspiring stopping the truck empty. That, and no LSD, that's more of a pisser for me.

 

Yea but what mpg is he getting

 

If you were to design, produce, test, new components with higher capacity and have it all certified by appropriate engineers, then sure. Pretty sure you'll be into 5 or 6 figure costs at this point.

Jokes aside, No. You cannot change the tow rating or payload capacity on ANY truck. Those are certifications provided by the manufacturer and the engineers who designed them, and no modifications you make will legally increase any of these numbers. You want to do big truck stuff? Buy a big truck.

 

I am in no way endorsing this guy, but it seems he's regularly hotshotting heavy loads (2 cars on a gooseneck trailer). Says he has 236k on his 2015 Tundra. I'm following just to see how his truck holds up doing this all the time. He seems to think it's no problem.

Very short video. His scale ticket is at the end. Over his rear axle rating by about 700 lbs

 

Adding weight to your truck reduces its tow/haul capacity. Things like heavy front bumpers, camper shells, heavy sliders, built in cabinets, refrigerators, etc. deduct from the actual (tow/haul) rating capacity of your truck.

Using reverse logic, things removed from your truck will increase its capacity? Things like removing A/C Compressors, Spare Tires, Rear Seats, Pass Seats, 4wd Transfer Case and Drive Shaft/Diff, etc. seem to allow for more ‘capacity’ when looking at the 1st Gen Specs concerning Capacity.

Think about it.

 

Could be true. Some component has a max that's holding the overall rating back. Not sure which it is aside from brakes and maybe frame strength. As far as re-engineering new parts to increase it's tow rating, it's already been done and it's available to all!!

It's called a second/third Gen Tundra.

 

Are you suggesting that would be a bad thing?


I keed, I keed!

 

I think where you remove the weight from matters as well. You still want to keep weight over your front axel to keep your steer wheels doing their job (braking as well)

Hate to say it. But. If that's what it comes down too, might be time for a second truck haha

 

A trailer that big is going to legally require brakes. Those brakes are strong enough to stop the truck.

 

Great plan. Safety last, what do the engineers know anyway?

 

Here are 2 "fifth wheels" that would not be unreasonable to tow with a first gen.

 

Ha, I've spent many a night in a 19' scamp 5th wheel. Like being in the land of the Lilliputians. Guy that delivered it dropped it off with a regular cab ford ranger. And he drove it 800 miles over the donner pass on I-80.

 

My point is that all big trailers require brakes. A 1 ton Ford pulling a 36ft trailer would still be a disaster if it lost the trailer brakes.

 

I absolutely love these things. Do you still Have it?

 

If your truck doesnt have the factory tow package, adding all the goodies from the tow package would technically put you up to tow package capabilities. BUT. Above that? Legally. No

 

It was a good friend of mine's. He bought it with grand plans to camp in it, then never used it. I "borrowed it and his 2006 Dodge 2500 Megacab and pulled it from Louisiana to Clearlake California. Stayed in it a week at a time for a job assignment for almost 2 years. Not sure if he still has it or not.

 

The 3/4 ton truck was probably overkill. The little bed area over the 5th wheel (which wasn't a real 5th wheel setup) was so small I had to lay diagonal in it to not touch the walls. It had the SSS bathroom. Dinette in the back folded down into a bed. Good times.

 

Are you over 6ft? I've never been in one. I'm pretty sure those things will still be camping after we're all dead and gone.

 

Not hardly, 5'10

 

I've always liked these, but have never seen one in person. What do you mean it's not a real 5th wheel setup?