Going over GVWR and Payload - help me understand

I am going to be adding some sliders and skids soon, so now I am starting think about weight and payload.

I just weighed my truck in at 5200 lbs. Not on a CAT scale, but the one at my local dump. I can't say for sure the accuracy of it, but seems like it was a bit high by ~140 lbs or so by my calculations.


It was with a full tank of gas and myself (170lbs) with these mods on it:
C4 Steel Lo-Pro Bumper with hoop ~80lbs
RCI High clearance rear steel bumper +20lbs over stock
Smittybilt X20 winch plus 30" light bar ~82lbs
Steel RCI Engine, skid plate ~47bs
Cali raised front bed molle panel ~18lbs

My calculations says I should have weighed about 5,064lbs (4,500 curb weight + 170lb meat + 247lbs weight/armor + 32lbs traction boards + 65lbs for tire/wheel weight over OEM + ~50lbs for suspension weight over OEM?)

My payload says 940 on the door since it's a long bed.

I am planning to add:
Steel RCI transmission and t-case skid plates ~73lbs
Cali raised rock sliders ~110lbs

With these new mods added and assuming the scale was correct, this would put me around 5,383lbs. Add one more person and we are pretty much at GVWR. I have nothing in the bed except my spare tire and 4 traction boards on the molle panel. How the hell do these overlanders have full armor and a camper with lots of gear?

My main concern is that I do haul firewood every year off-road when me and my wife go cutting. I usually load about 1/4 cord, so roughly 653lbs. Plus there are two people in the truck. Should I be worried about being over GVWR for shorter, slower speed, offroad trips for cutting? Am I overthinking this?

I will be putting in hammer hangers and I am currently on essentially the "stage 2" Dobinsons leaf springs and it lift a little too much. I am thinking about switching to Deaver stage 1 and hoping to get 2" out of it with this weight. Also will have 700lb Fox coils. Would all this help me carry the firewood weight and all this armor without issue?

 

^Pay the $20 or whatever and go on a Cat scale. The dump scale may have a constant bias or offset, which doesn't affect its use in the dump business, so it doesn't get calibrated.

Those overlanders on social media are typically over GVWR. In North America, all the gov't handling and accident-avoidance tests, VSC calibrations, etc. need to be done at GVWR. The truck can be significantly over GVWR still "drive OK" in daily use, but with a much reduced performance envelope compared to certification standards.

 

$20 vs making guesses about what you can carry before you break your truck? Pay the $20 for an accurate reading.

 

Dude, just use your truck for what you need it to do. Your wife and a little firewood is not going to break the frame!

 

I'm at roughly 5740 lbs with Front & rear steel bumpers, winch, E series 33s, full skids incl gas tank & A arms, sliders, roofrack, Diamondback cover, etc. Have been daily driving at this weight since 2020 and aside from crappy gas mileage and chewing through brake pads much faster, have been ok. I regeared to 4.88s and use the Pedal Commander, and that helps a ton with perceived peppiness. You'll be fine.

 

The majority of Tacomas especially 4x4 long bed double cabs that have a camper or skids etc are over GVWR. The main downside of the Tacoma is the low GVWR.

Short beds are a little better but not by much.

I have a camper(~500lbs with buildout) plus skids. I have a eibach lift kit and 2” deavers leafs. It’s been fine, will most likely upgrade front brakes at some point.

 

Most definitely. Its more the lack of CAT scales anywhere around my area. (3hr drive). I definitely will get one done when I am out towards a location.

 

LOL. Yea I am probably overthinking it.

 

You can go with a big brake kit up front, spindle gussets, lower control arm tab gussets, coil tower gussets, wider rims, E rated tires, aftermarket bump stops, and, of course, hammer hangers.

The Dobinson stage 1 leafs (remove one leaf) should be fine. Especially, if you have airbags (with cradles). 4:88-5:29 gears will help put the power in the sweet spot and physically lower the gear ratio, but airbags will make the most difference to keep the load from bouncing off the axle.

Reduce your speed, break early, and expect your vehicle to handle a lot different because of the load.

 

Sweet truck! I definitely will end up a little lighter than you after all is said and done and I am on 5.29 gears. I think I may lose the t-case skid to save 30lbs and not do a exhauast reroute. It was more "whoopsie" protection. I am not crawling rocks.

That is a lot of gussets! I have the spindles done. Getting the hangers with crossbar. Got the 5.29. Probably going to try and shed a little weight first before welding more gussets on.

 

Every time I used to try to calculate my weight, I ALWAYS ended up calculating less than reality, so I am not at all surprised at the 140 pounds more than you expected.

I don't have the tire size you do, but I'm not running hammer hangers, cross bars, or any gussets. But what I am doing is running FAR heavier than you are talking. I don't recommend it in the least, and can't wait for my next truck to takeover hauling duty, but the Taco has handled it fine. Deaver Stage 3 for me, with 650 coils up front (not apples to apples with a 3rd gen coil weight).

 

Haha, yea and I thought I was being generous when adding it all up. Even added extra 50lbs for suspension weight and for the tires/wheel weight over OEM.

 

I always rounded EVERYTHING up. 62 pound fridge? 70 pounds. 320 pound habitat? 350 pounds. 53 pound battery x 2 = 120. And i'd still be wrong, lol.

 

Being a weight weenie just gets in the way of a good time...

 

If you haul firewood buy a utility trailer. My 6'X10' trailer will carry more weight and volume than I could put in the bed of an 8' 3/4 ton truck. And the Tacoma pulls that much weight easily. The lower load height plus the ramp makes it far easier to load and unload the wood. I sometimes use hand trucks to roll bigger logs up the ramp instead of trying to lift them. Plus, it doesn't beat up your bed. I'd use the trailer even if I had a 1 ton truck.

Every truck ever made has been overloaded at times. Occasional overloading isn't going to break your truck. But with what you're going to do the weight will always be there. With just the driver in the cab it may not be a problem. But adding passengers can be a problem. A large adult male driver and 3 large passengers can easily be 800-1000 lbs putting you over payload in stock form with nothing else in the bed. My wife and I are 360 combined. 220 for me and 140 for her.

Steering and braking will be compromised with a truck significantly overloaded, and you will wear out parts sooner if you're consistently overloaded.

FWIW Tacoma Payloads are a joke. My wife's Ford Explorer has 1500 lbs. My son's Honda Fit is 800. Honda Ridgeline is 1600.

 

Can-am Defender Pro has 1700 pounds of payload! lol. Always thought it would be fun to toss my camper on one...

 

I

My BMW 135 sport coupe has a 1300lb payload. Tacomas are pathetic for hauling. hahah






My truck with full skids/sliders, a full tank of fuel, me & a buddy, and all our camping & photo gear weighs in at 5760lb. When taking out the additional weight of the 4 E Loads touching the ground over factory tires, I'm essentially at exactly the GVWR of my truck.

2900lb F / 2860lb R <- love that perfect 50/50 weight distribution, though.

 

This!
I do the same when budgeting.
Prepare for the worse