How much weight in bed before it is a problem w/ 3-leaf springs?

I'm curious now, with the posters who swear that any weight at all in the bed of the truck makes it slam into the bump stops in normal driving.

I've now driven around with an old refrigerator (~220 pounds) with no problem, and a washer/dryer set (~310 pounds) over gravel country roads with no problem. The rear end didn't squat noticeably with either load.

I figure with the washer, dryer, passengers, accessories, and assorted cargo in my cab, I was probably at 800 pounds total payload. My '09 prerunner AC is rated at 1415 pounds payload capacity, so I was a bit over halfway there--with no noticeable suspension sag, bottoming out or other problems driving over a bumpy country gravel road at normal speeds.

So, how much payload does it take before my three-leaf truck slams into the bump stops while driving normally?

 

im pretty sure i just went blind

 

I carried 1/2 cord of firewood 80mi @ 70mph in the bed today with no problems . Had some sag but it drove well, no bottoming out, no sway from the front end being light.

 

I loaded up my truk with my sport bike (~400#), tools/fluids (80#), camping gear (~100#) and my fat ass (~180#) and didn't have any issues. And the track I drove to was back in the woods a ways.

 

I've had about 1,000 lbs (including myself) in my 5 lugger without issue. She sagged a little bit, but I still had plenty of room before the bump stops.

 

I only had about 200 pounds in the bed before my bump stops hit the frame. I was going over very uneven ice and snow though.

 

I've had my topper, recovery gear, and camping equipment which was ~600-800 lbs. I was within an inch of the bumpstops, and hit them many times traveling the trails back to the campsite.

 

.

Before TSB, 20 - 25 bags of black velvet mulch and I was on the bump stops ... maybe ~450 lbs. (before TSB).

After TSB ... no problems with much heavier loads ... I really liked this TSB.
.

 

Classic example of why it's a TSB and not a recall. Some have a problem, some don't. If you don't... dig your truck and keep on truckin'! If you do, get it swapped.

 

Banned

 

I have been loaded with enough camping gear for a week plus my gear box, floor jack, tools, strap etc. and never had a problem. Grape Vine in California has it's bumps and dips so I feel I gave it a good test. If I felt I needed the TSB I would after it or at least get a AAL.

 

I have had Yamaha Wolverine ATV & Yamaha Blaster ATV with three guys in the cab in my 5 lugger. It sagged but got up to 75mph just fine...

 

1,000 lbs or so is when mine starts bottoming out over bumps. Not really a problem for me. Might be an issue if I was going off-road with that kind of load though.

 

.

LMAO at the cat poster and the captions ...

.

 

Loaded the bed up to the rails, about 2/3 of the way back with firewood, and it had just under an inch of clearance to the bump stops. Rode pretty nice too, but I didn't have to go on dirt roads with it.

Tim

 

Mine was loaded for a vacation trip across country, not over 300 lbs in bed and she rode horribly. Bounced off bump stops and real light in the front - wind had me all over the road. Same trip next year after tsb, 1000 times better. Wind didn't bother me, did not hit bump stops.

I took pics of the bump stops before the tsb was done and there was definite wear.

 

I wonder if it has anything to do with how often you carry a load. I only carry a load a couple of times a year, maybe my springs don't have as much abuse??