300 Lbs Over Payload: What Happens If I Exceed My Payload?
There are those people who will negatively react to your telling them you overload your tow vehicle. Sometimes they are right as there are different weight capacities that come into play and if you exceed all of them, you may be asking for towing trouble.
The issue here is the difference between the GVWR and the RAWR. If you are over the gross vehicle weight rating but not over your rear axle rating, then the 300 extra pounds should not be a problem. But if you are over both, then it could be a problem.
To learn more about this issue, just continue to read our article. It explores the topic so you have the best information to go by. Weight ratings usually work together but sometimes one overrules the other and you can add a little more weight if you need to.
Can I Exceed My Payload Capacity?
It is possible to do but it is NOT advisable to do. Whether you do this overloading or not will depend on your different weight capacities. While the GVWR for most 1-ton trucks reaches 6000 pounds, you need to add in tongue and pin weights before seeing how much cargo you can carry.
Some people have suggested that the tire weight capacity will help you overload your vehicle. But that is of no help if the tire’s weight rating is higher than the rear axle’s weight rating.
Then some people will say that you can overload your payload capacity as long as your rear axle weight rating is not exceeded. This may be correct but it is not always something you want to chance.
To overload your vehicle will take some calculations but if you are close it is best not to overload the vehicle. The next section will tell you why you should not take this chance.
What Happens If I Exceed The Payload?
Here is what possibly could happen. We say possibly because these events may not happen right away or they may not all happen at any given time. You may only experience one or two of these results from overloading your payload capacity.
1. You lose steering ability- handling is essential when driving and too much weight will affect your truck’s handling
2. Brakes cannot handle the weight- there may be too much pressure on the brakes and you may not stop in time
3. Suspension systems can fail- these are rated to handle only so much weight. If you overload your vehicle, problems may occur.
4. Tires can blow- this may happen if you have older tires but it is possible for newer tires to blow under too much weight
5. You lose or damage the tread on your tires- your tires are working harder to maintain handling, stability, and traction, and that extra work can damage the tread
6. Lowers your fuel mileage- your MPG ratings will go down and you will pay more at the pump
7. It is possible that you would void your warranty- manufacturers do not like paying for repairs when it is not their fault
8. The chassis will sag- this will influence driving, stability, etc. Plus puts too much strain on your chassis making it vulnerable to damage
9. The engine can overheat- or at least some vital parts can do this. The engine has to work harder to carry that extra weight and that generates more heat than your cooling system can handle
10. Harder to drive uphill- all of the above will apply here and add more stress to your vehicle than it was intended to handle
11. Your passengers and cargo are put at risk- if something happens to your truck, you could lose your cargo or harm your passengers
12. You could get arrested or ticketed- there are federal laws that prevent overloaded vehicles on the road. If caught, you could face a variety of legal issues
13. Too much weight makes it harder to go around a corner. You have to slow down and go slower and when around the corner you need to speed up which will cost you in fuel as well as wear the brakes out faster
#14. Possible increase in swaying- you may feel the effect when the larger trucks go by you at higher speeds
200 lbs Over Payload
It is hard to keep up with all the capacities that vehicles are governed by. To understand your payload capacity, you take the GVWR and subtract your curb weight. The remaining value will be the maximum payload your vehicle can safely carry.
A lot of people think it is okay to overload their trucks, etc., by a little bit. They do not think an extra 200 pounds is that big of a deal. However, over time, those extra 200 pounds can create a lot of hidden damage that you will not see unless you look very closely.
Two things that will be impacted right away when you overload your vehicle by 200 pounds are, one, you lose fuel mileage as every pound in a vehicle negatively influences your fuel economy.
Two, you may be surprised to find out that your braking distance is a lot longer. This can put your vehicle and family at risk.
300 lbs Over Payload
The higher you go in overweight poundage, the more possible damage is done to your vehicle. As we said, some of this damage may not be visible and will add up over time.
In this case, you may see the previous two issues as well as less handling, harder to corner, more swaying, as well as harder to go uphill, harder to go downhill, and much more.
Or you may not experience these issues just yet but your tires may not be able to handle the extra weight and they may blow on you at the wrong time. It is always risky when you go overweight.
500 lbs Over Payload
This is getting to the extreme but some people may do this. When you are thinking of taking along extra equipment or supplies and thinking ‘It won’t hurt to do this one time’, it may hurt.
The way to attempt this is to check both your GVWR and your RAWR and if the extra 500 pounds does not exceed the latter, it may be possible that no damage will be done to your vehicle’s suspension.
But watch those pot holes, speed bumps, and other road conditions as they will influence what happens to your overloaded truck. Do not expect to get great gas mileage.
1000 lbs Over Payload
This is something we do not even want to consider as you are putting yourself, your passengers, and your cargo at great risk. Your tires may not survive the trip, depending on how far you are going.
Plus, your suspension system may not last that long either. This is a very dangerous load situation to be in and it is not wise to even contemplate doing it.
If you have to go over your payload rating by this amount of weight, then get a friend to bring another truck to handle the excess. it is just not a smart thing to do.
Can You Legally Increase Payload Capacity?
Yes, it seems to be legal but legal is defined by the government, not by the manufacturers or any upgrades you want to install. There are things you can do to raise your payload capacity but these options can be expensive.
You can add E-rated tires that will handle the weight you want to carry. But tires are limited in this capacity as your rear axle rating may be too light for the extra weight.
That means that you would have to replace your axle with a higher-weight rated model and toughen up those springs at the same time. These are all legal to do that we know of but we are not the last word on what is or isn’t legal.
Does The Payload Include Passenger Weight?
Yes, it does as each person in your vehicle, including your pets, is adding weight that your vehicle has to haul. If you have 4 200-pound people in the car at the same time, you need to subtract 800 pounds from your available payload weight.
This may not seem like a lot when your 1-ton has a payload capacity of 6000 pounds. But everything you carry including pin weight lowers the amount of payload space for food, equipment, and other supplies.
Some Additional Words
It is best to avoid overloading your vehicle. With many RV owners so focused on MPG, the more weight you add, the lower their MPG results. That means more money at the pump.
This is the least of your worries when you want to carry that extra weight. Look at your GAWR or gross axle weight ratings to get the best idea about how much you can carry. Do not forget about the GVWR either.
