Increasing hauling weight.

[Chemical]

I have a 2005 GMC 1/2 ton and would like to install a sled deck to haul the toys around. Is there anything I can do to increase the trucks hauling capacity, legaly?

 

[pipes]

I have a 2005 GMC 1/2 ton and would like to install a sled deck to haul the toys around. Is there anything I can do to increase the trucks hauling capacity, legaly?

trade it on a one ton.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

I have a 2005 GMC 1/2 ton and would like to install a sled deck to haul the toys around. Is there anything I can do to increase the trucks hauling capacity, legaly?

Hauling management yes, air bags, spring minders WITHIN GVW

Increasing payload capacity NO, your truck has a given GVW and it cannot be increase by addons, you must purchase a truck with a larger GVW.

GVW Gross Vehicle Weight rating.

 

[all-4-stroke]

change the badges from 1500 to 2500. DOT will never know lol. but seriously you may be able to boost your GVW buy swaping your stock rear axle with that of a 3/4 TON but check with a reputable mechanic to see if that will work for or against the capasities of the stock frame. its worth a shot if your already into the truck for to much to just trade it off. :d

 

[Summitric]

Trade it for a 3/4 ton or best yet a 1 ton........ Heavier brakes, heavier suspensions and frames, heavier differentials, heavier steering components............. Altogether = more gvw..... Don't take the chance. If in b.c or sask with a loaded deck on a half ton, you're taking a chance of getting pulled over and fined!!!

 

[mel.h]

I agree with Summitric, no real sure-fire way to increase the capacity of the G.V.W. If you get stopped & they run the s/n or your license it will automatically tell them it's a half ton, no trick emblem's will get you away from that. You can get a 3/4 ton front suspension & rear axle, then get a engineer to re-certify it but, buy the time you are done it will end costing you a pretty penny. J.M.O.

 

[maxwell]

as long as your not going through a scale how can they prove your over? sleds are light now.

 

[GPsnownut]

You don't have to go through the scales, they set up check stops and I feel they sometimes target the snowmobilers, they have used portables scales to check your weights if they suspect your over.

Last year in Valemount while our group was fueling up, we witnessed 3 RCMP cruisers pulling over nobody else but the sledders, fortunately they were all busy when it was time for us to leave.
I would get the proper size rigging to haul you equipment, then if they do stop you, they won't find anything to charge you with.

 

[Mike270412]

You don't have to go through the scales, they set up check stops and I feel they sometimes target the snowmobilers, they have used portables scales to check your weights if they suspect your over.

Last year in Valemount while our group was fueling up, we witnessed 3 RCMP cruisers pulling over nobody else but the sledders, fortunately they were all busy when it was time for us to leave.
I would get the proper size rigging to haul you equipment, then if they do stop you, they won't find anything to charge you with.

Also make sure your toys are tied down!!!I've heard of them looking in enclosed trailers to make sure sleds are tied down properly!!!
(sorry,guess thats a little off-topic)

 

[maxwell]

yeah my boss got dinged on his enclosed in valemount last year at the trailer inspection nearr the bridge there. i guess the emergency breakaway system is operated by a battery....which was dead.

 

[Summitric]

also make sure your toys are tied down!!!i've heard of them looking in enclosed trailers to make sure sleds are tied down properly!!!
(sorry,guess thats a little off-topic)

very good point mike...... We strap the front and rear of the sleds in the trailers........seen guys ticketed for not being strapped down.....

 

[maxwell]

how much would you be over roughly? with about 1500lbs of sleds and deck?

i know the dodge 1500s cant carry as much weight as some of the other manufactueres.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Gross payload is about 1500lbs that includes ALL occupants, baggage, fuel and toys.

Almost forgot it will be higher if its a mega cab 1500, probably another 1000lbs or so.

 

[overkill131313]

I have a 92 1500 chevy ext cab 4x4. Im going to remove the box and make a light weight deck, well 2-250 pound compared to a stock box that must weight 500 pounds? I have air bags in the rear so it dont squat. do I load both sleds and go weight it! then figure out if I can add fuel or a second pasanger lol. next question is what is the towing capasity? can I pull 2 sleds on a trailer? with two on truck lol? I used to pull two sleds with my suzuki sammy and never even got looked at. well it had big tires and power and didnt look so small any more lol.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Now you are just being silly,..

Around these parts, they are giving out tickets for unsecured loads in pickups. A person can take chances all they want, its your dollar have at er .

This reminds me of a discussion about guys wanting to tow 30ft 5fers behind half ton trucks.

If you want the jist of legal operation, you are best to ask your local DOT, but weighing would be a good idea.

 

[Modman]

Most 1/2 ton payloads are right around the 1300-1500 lb mark. Haven't seen too many higher than 1500 lbs.

Here's the math when I tried to do it for my truck:
Sled deck - 300 lbs
Sleds - two sleds - 550 lbs each (one weighs 487 the other about 570 so I took the average) = 1100 lbs of sleds full of gas/fluids
Gear - 50lbs for two riders
Extra fuel and oil - 100 lbs
Passenger - 200 lbs
Total = 1750 lbs without factoring fuel in the truck/spare tire/miscellaneous stuff (cooler with food, etc) and I'm sure I'm forgetting 2 or 3 things.

I figured probably close to 1800 lbs. You will be over on any half ton truck with this payload. One biggie that people forget is their insurance - if you are overweight and get into a wreck, and the accident investigation determines you were overweight, your insurance company can (and probably will) default your policy, which means you're not insured. If you just hit the ditch, you might only have to replace your vehicle. If you are involved with another vehicle and injure (or god forbid - kill..) someone, you can probably expect to lose a lot more.

Its not worth it. Find a suitable vehicle.

 

[rusty]

Gross payload is about 1500lbs that includes ALL occupants, baggage, fuel and toys.

Almost forgot it will be higher if its a mega cab 1500, probably another 1000lbs or so.

The mega cabs have a different chassis and they have LESS capacity than the regular cabs.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

The mega cabs have a different chassis and they have LESS capacity than the regular cabs.

My bad, 1970lbs payload capacity for the 1500 MEGA CAB 1500

 

[overkill131313]

Most 1/2 ton payloads are right around the 1300-1500 lb mark. Haven't seen too many higher than 1500 lbs.

Here's the math when I tried to do it for my truck:
Sled deck - 300 lbs
Sleds - two sleds - 550 lbs each (one weighs 487 the other about 570 so I took the average) = 1100 lbs of sleds full of gas/fluids
Gear - 50lbs for two riders
Extra fuel and oil - 100 lbs
Passenger - 200 lbs
Total = 1750 lbs without factoring fuel in the truck/spare tire/miscellaneous stuff (cooler with food, etc) and I'm sure I'm forgetting 2 or 3 things.

I figured probably close to 1800 lbs. You will be over on any half ton truck with this payload. One biggie that people forget is their insurance - if you are overweight and get into a wreck, and the accident investigation determines you were overweight, your insurance company can (and probably will) default your policy, which means you're not insured. If you just hit the ditch, you might only have to replace your vehicle. If you are involved with another vehicle and injure (or god forbid - kill..) someone, you can probably expect to lose a lot more.

Its not worth it. Find a suitable vehicle.

so if I remove my 500 pound box and build my deck to weight under 300 pounds then I come in under 1300 pounds.

 

[Modman]

so if I remove my 500 pound box and build my deck to weight under 300 pounds then I come in under 1300 pounds.

Sure that math works. But internet math only takes you so far, you need to go out and read the payload capacity off the sticker on your truck and then make sure you are under that amount. Probably can be done.