Headed to the local gravel pit today and over loaded a tad. So I think I know the answer already but what is likely to be damaged from hauling this much weight and would air bags be a good idea for a 1500 to allow heavier loads?









Oh yeah, she's bottomed out.

 

i don't think you where too over weight. with my truck empty i can legally haul about 1800 pounds in my box. since you have an extended cab i think your GVWR would be a tiny bit higher than a regular cab long box or short box. i guess as long as the truck did not weight more than the GVWR you will most likely not break anything.

 

If you are resting on the bump stops, and they are compressed some..... Yeah, you are overloaded. Don't go far, don't go fast, and watch the bumps. Should be ok once in a great while... but, don't make a habit of it.

It isn't just the suspension that limits load carrying capacity, its also the brakes..... you need to be able to stop whatever you are hauling around. The half ton truck doesn't have the best brakes to begin with.... overloading it like that puts you WAY beyond their capacity to control the truck. Air bags may keep you off the bump stops, but, they aren't going to make your brakes work any better.

You would be better off renting a trailer, and pulling the load, rather than putting it in the bed.

 

Good thinking, I checked GVWR and it's 6600lbs. I scaled in at 5780lbs, and out at 7860lbs. That's 2080lbs. 1260lbs over GVWR. Think Heyyou is right should rent a trailer or just have it delivered

 

ya. that is definitely over weight. i think have them deliver it would be cheaper than renting a trailer and even cheaper than having to fix your truck from overloading it.

 

I recently replaced the leaf springs in my Yota due to carrying excessive loads - moslty trailers that were too heavy for it. But you also risk breaking or distoring axle tubes. I don't overlaod any more!

 

I overload all the time but i have upgraded parts. You dont some one pinning you for having small brakes:0 lol

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think in most of the US here the GVRW is considered a recommended max based on OEM equipment. How the law gets doled out depends on actual weight measurements when a ticket is being issued or during an accident investigation. As I understand it, it is the individual component ratings and the measured weight which are used to determine whether you are over weight. The axle rating, the tire rating, brake rating, frame capacity or rating of any applicable component which must bare the load are considered individually rather than a GVRW applied to the entire vehicle. For example Since most 3/4 tons are stripped down versions of 1 toners then with proper component retrofitting one can legally turn his 3/4 ton vehicle into a one ton capacity vehicle etc.

In other words the only real way to know whether it is over weight is have it weighed and compare with component ratings. GVWR is usually a pretty safe limit to hold yourself to if you aren't planning to have things weighed but using that method to try and push the envelope is risky. Keep in mind if you've downgraded your tires for example to aftermarket P rated tires or something similar then all bets are off. The GVRW applies to OEM equipment grade or better.

 

BTW to the OP: based on the pic I wouldn't want to drive around like that. With that particular loading, even if all the components were within weight rating which seems unlikely, that thing looks like a road hazard. With it riding all nose high like that the handling is going to be terrible, especially in an emergency maneuver.

 

Agreed, shoulda shoveled some out cause I didn't stop the loader in time as the gravel was saturated with rain which made me heavier than the last time I loaded. This was the last trip of running gravel in the back of the truck, don't like the way it rides and don't want to hurt anybody or the truck, the tires probably were the weekest point, would hate to have a blow out, the weight could do a lot of damage to the axle, or like you said, an emergency maneuver would be very dangerous or impossible. I drive a 1 ton Ram Cummins flatbed at work and that truck could haul some serious weight, I would put 2 pallets of dry readymix concrete 3500 lbs each and it did fine, still up off the spring stops, although way over GVRW im sure. Thanks for your comments, safety should be number one. It's good to know the vehicles limits before loading up and heading down the road. Let this be an example of what not to do with your Ram 1500!