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Old 05-07-2018, 01:37 PM   #1
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Cargo capacity of truck?

Can helper springs increase the GVW of a truck?

Rick
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Old 05-07-2018, 01:47 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lzcamper View Post
Can helper springs increase the GVW of a truck?

Rick
No, the GVWR is set by the manufacturer based on the design of the truck.

"you can’t increase your payload, but you can do things to make your truck more comfortable operating at or very near GVWR"

So, helper springs can be used to allow the truck to be operated at or close to the GVWR but not above.

Can You Boost Your Payload Ratings? - PickupTrucks.com News
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Old 05-07-2018, 01:58 PM   #3
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the trucks payload is determined by the wheels, tires, brakes, wheel bearings, axles, suspension, and frame. you can upgrade some of those, but not all of them (at least not practically), and whatever weakest link remains, thats still limiting the safe GVWR.
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Old 05-07-2018, 08:53 PM   #4
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Both of the above responses are excellent!

Quote:
Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz View Post
the trucks payload is determined by the wheels, tires, brakes, wheel bearings, axles, suspension, and frame. you can upgrade some of those, but not all of them (at least not practically), and whatever weakest link remains, thats still limiting the safe GVWR.
Yes, and it is not practical for the owner to know what that weakest link might be. An interesting discussion on this subject in the FiberglassRV forum led to a specification document from Ford which shows that they use two or even three (depending on configuration) different thicknesses of frame rail steel in the same cab and box combination of F-150, with the thickness to suit the payload rating chosen. So that guy who says "I put the heavy springs on it so my truck is now the heavy-duty version" is mistaken.
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Old 05-08-2018, 01:11 PM   #5
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Thanks for the links and information. From what I understand, the facts state that to stay safe and legal (especially for insurance purposes), a person needs to stay within the rated cargo capacity of their individual truck. There are so many other parts involved in the cargo capacity than just the springs.

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