Payload capacity long distance

[laufer]

If you decide to exceed the payload capacity, make sure the load is low, well balanced, and well secured. The best place for heavy things is right behind the front seats on the floor so the weight is on the front and rear axles. Weight on the roof is obviously bad if you can avoid it. And weight on a cargo tray on the hitch is probably bad because it can cause weird roll dynamics (read about problems with 15 passenger vans), plus it levers on the rear axle and lifts the front axle so the weight on the rear axle is multiplied.

Thanks, these are great points!

I looked around a bit more for the official numbers, and the following discrepancy remains:

• The sticker in the door jamb says literally: "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 431 kg or 950 lbs."
• The official 2005 Toyota 4Runner brochure explicitly lists a "payload" of 1450 lbs for the 4x4 V8 Limited. "Includes the weight of occupants, optional equipment and cargo; limited by weight distribution." As expected, this figure is equal to GVWR minus curb weight.

You are suggesting that the 950 lbs limit is far too conservative. By definition, it should be legal to go up to the GVWR. Shall I assume that the safe limit falls somewhere in between?

 

[Walkenvol]

My understanding is that those numbers provided are what the manufacturer says can be added to the vehicle and the vehicle will still meet the braking, acceleration, handling numbers published for the vehicle. If one exceeds those numbers, then the driver should take that into account by driving more cautiously, not following as closely, etc. The truck will have absolutely NO trouble transporting the weight, it just may not handle quite the same as it does when unloaded.

Enjoy your trip - don't worry as you and your truck will be fine.

 

[m85476585]

My understanding is that those numbers provided are what the manufacturer says can be added to the vehicle and the vehicle will still meet the braking, acceleration, handling numbers published for the vehicle. If one exceeds those numbers, then the driver should take that into account by driving more cautiously, not following as closely, etc. The truck will have absolutely NO trouble transporting the weight, it just may not handle quite the same as it does when unloaded.

Enjoy your trip - don't worry as you and your truck will be fine.

Braking and acceleration will be fine because it can tow around 5000-7000 lbs (depending on the model. And typically up to 3000 lbs without trailer brakes, unless the manual has a more conservative limit). It's just handling and load on tires that's a concern.

 

[techno]

There's one big thing that has not been addressed in this thread. The OP stated he was folding the rear seats down and filling the entire back with stuff, but was also going to have 2 passengers..... Where did he put passenger number 2?????

 

[JB.]

Could someone please help me understand the discrepancy between curb weight, max payload, and GVWR?

Concretely, I have a UZN-215L (2005 V8 4x4 Limited, 5-seater, all stock, factory hitch).

- Curb weight: 4505 lbs for this model (according to Edmonds)
- Max payload (occupants + cargo): 930 lbs (on sticker in door jamb and owner's manual)
- GVWR: 6005 lbs (on sticker in door jamb and according to Edmonds)

I looked around a bit more for the official numbers, and the following discrepancy remains:

• The sticker in the door jamb says literally: "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 431 kg or 950 lbs."
• The official 2005 Toyota 4Runner brochure explicitly lists a "payload" of 1450 lbs for the 4x4 V8 Limited. "Includes the weight of occupants, optional equipment and cargo; limited by weight distribution." As expected, this figure is equal to GVWR minus curb weight.

Your posts spurred me to look into this as, I agree, it is nagging.

I believe it's the optional equipment that creates the discrepency. I compared a few GVWRs to curb weights as well as door sticker load limits of various vehicles. Subtracting the door sticker limit from GVW always produced a number significantly higher than subtracting curb weight from GVW. I also tend to think that the door sticker limit is based on something like the maximum possible amount of optional equipment rather than specific optional equipment for each vehicle. The door sticker load limits seem far too consistent to be individualized for each vehicle. If that's the case, then the door stickers still are usually conservative, but not nearly as much as they seem when compared to curb weight. Perhaps the system is something in between, but I'm confident it's the optional equipment that creates the difference.

Here's my optional equipment. Imagine how much it all weighs. Could be quite a bit just from the moonroof, airbags, and suspension alone.

50 State emmissions
Daytime running lights
Side and curtain Airbags
Power tilt/slide Moonroof
Rear Spoiler
JBL 10 speaker stereo
X-REAS Suspension
Floor and Cargo mats

Btw, my 2005 door sticker limit is 950lbs. I'm not clear on what yours is. If it's the 930, I'd love to figure out what accounts for the 20lb difference.

 

[laufer]

Your posts spurred me to look into this as, I agree, it is nagging.

I believe it's the optional equipment that creates the discrepency. I compared a few GVWRs to curb weights as well as door sticker load limits of various vehicles. Subtracting the door sticker limit from GVW always produced a number significantly higher than subtracting curb weight from GVW. I also tend to think that the door sticker limit is based on something like the maximum possible amount of optional equipment rather than specific optional equipment for each vehicle. The door sticker load limits seem far too consistent to be individualized for each vehicle. If that's the case, then the door stickers still are usually conservative, but not nearly as much as they seem when compared to curb weight. Perhaps the system is something in between, but I'm confident it's the optional equipment that creates the difference.

Here's my optional equipment. Imagine how much it all weighs. Could be quite a bit just from the moonroof, airbags, and suspension alone.

50 State emmissions
Daytime running lights
Side and curtain Airbags
Power tilt/slide Moonroof
Rear Spoiler
JBL 10 speaker stereo
X-REAS Suspension
Floor and Cargo mats

Btw, my 2005 door sticker limit is 950lbs. I'm not clear on what yours is. If it's the 930, I'd love to figure out what accounts for the 20lb difference.

Sorry, mine also says 950 lbs but I must have gotten confused between that and the 431 kg. I edited my original post accordingly.

I think you hit the nail on the head with all that optional equipment. My list would be exactly the same as yours.

I also believe you're right regarding the door sticker reflecting a fully loaded vehicle. So, while I don't think our optional equipment adds up to 500 lbs, the missing piece of the puzzle might be this:

Third-row foldaway 50/50 split fold-down removable seats (second-row tumble-forward with third-row seats)

So our true load limit might well be 950 lbs plus the weight of those heavy third-row seats. That's actually relatively good news.

Thanks for helping me sort this out!