Gross Vehicle Weight

[BMFS33]

I never paid attention to this while purchasing the vehicle but the available carrying capacity on these vehicles is not much once you start adding up wheels, tires, skids, sliders etc. That is to say nothing of adding a roof rack and cargo. Then you put two people in it and you’re damn near or over capacity. How are you folks handling the math? To finish what I want to do, front bumper, rear bumper, roof rack I’d have to drive it with a remote control before putting bodies in it. Do we simply start looking for ways to increase it? Does adding suspension parts help? I would need a brake solution too…. Just curious on how you work the math and what solutions you may have implemented to address the capacity.

 

[Slippers]

The issue is we don’t know what the weakest link is on the vehicle when it comes to exceeding maximum payload. If you’re in the US there isn’t a way to increase the factory payload on paper, although adding airbags to level the rear or changing the suspension would theoretically help. However the maximum payload might be chosen based on something else like the frame strength or brakes, and not be related at all to the suspension. Only Toyota engineers would know.

People routinely exceed payload on mid size and half ton trucks, and the results can be pretty bad. Wheel bearings wear out faster, frames bend just behind the cab, and bed sides flex outward or even collapse, just to point out a few.

I’d try to stay within 10% of max if you can, and take your vehicle to a set of scales to verify your true loaded weight.

 

[Bad1975]

FYI wheels and tires (Unsprung mass) do not affect payload.