Loaded TC and got a weight of 7540lbs; incl water & propane.
My 03'F350 CC rear axle is rated for 6830.
I would think the actual axle load would be the 7540lbs minus rear tires, wheels, axle, differential, etc since the axle is not carrying that weight... tires are but not the roll around assembly.
Is that crazy thinking? I'm no engineer so don't laugh at me to hard, but there is a real good chance I may be within my axle rating and just need to upgrade wheels & tires to 19.5's or I'll be going to a dually.
If that seems reasonable what do you think the rear rolling assembly weighs?
* This post was
edited 03/29/12 05:57pm by flysar *
Your axle is probably rated to 2x the stock tire rating (likely 3415). With that much weight, you need higher capacity wheels & tires. Others will chime in but your axle itself is probably fine if you don't consider the brakes or springs.
Your GAWR is determined by vehicle manufacturer and is limited by the lowest rated component of the: tires, wheels, hubs, bearings, brakes, springs and axle. You have to find out which of these components limits your GAWR and see if you can safely increase it by upgrading that component.
At 700 lbs. over the axle rating you are past the factory limit for the truck. This is also a static load rating and hitting a speed bump or other obstacle could greatly increase the load. Doubt your current tires are rated for more than 6500 lbs. in total for the rear and overloaded tires tend to fail and fail dramatically without any warning.
I would expect that there is a safety reserve over and above the 6830 but then with a camper that load is in place all the time so this offsets that reserve.
In the end you need to do what you feel is right and if your stay at 55mph and never drive when it is over 80 degrees and never tow and never add extra passengers and similar considerations it is a different equation then if this is not the case for how you will be using the truck.
For my part I would not overload a vehicle and risk injury to my passengers or to other motorists with whom I share the road but I fully understand that mine is a minority opinion.
liborko wrote: Your GAWR is determined by vehicle manufacturer and is limited by the lowest rated component of the: tires, wheels, hubs, bearings, brakes, springs and axle. You have to find out which of these components limits your GAWR and see if you can safely increase it by upgrading that component.
Never thought of it that way, although I would think that applies more to GVWR... I'm over that weight too.
elkhornsun wrote: For my part I would not overload a vehicle and risk injury to my passengers or to other motorists with whom I share the road but I fully understand that mine is a minority opinion.
One of the reasons I've been shopping for a dually.
6830 lbs is indeed the limit of the sum of the stock rear tires' load capacities. Next limit is the weight rating of the wheels. Next is the springs. Next is the brakes. Last is the axle housing itself.
Keep shopping for a dually, as that is what you need to haul your camper.
Offline
