How to officially increase the GVRW of a vehicle?

[GunRunner]

Hey 4wdtalk peeps. John here. I was wondering is there a way to officially increase the GVRW of a vehicle?

 

[9Sean2]

I'm pretty sure there is no way to legally increase your GVRW. That said, you can beef up your suspension and that will have an impact on GVRW, just not something you can legally change on your trucks paperwork.

 

[smritte]

You cant increase what its labeled as but, the rating is based on, Axle, Brakes, Trans, Frame, Suspension. You can increase how much weight it can hold but, can you stop it, are you going to burn up the trans and how well will the frame support it.

One of my old tow rigs had an 11k capacity. The frame and rear diff was the same to 14k. I upgraded the trans, added in some new springs, a couple of coolers, front rotors and was done. It was still an 11k vehicle but had no issue hauling 14k.

 

[smritte]

Here's something I found on another site. Even factory set ups can have issues. In my opinion, the overhang and the wash board were what caused this. This is why you choose carefully before you mod for more weight capacity.

Broken Ram

 

[Pado]

So I'm going to jump in on this discussion: when you add all the above for example, how can you tell aside from just doing it, what the GVRW might be after such upgrades?

 

[smritte]

You have to look at what everything before and after is rated at. If you can replace pieces from something with a higher rating, thats one way. The issue starts with the frame. If you look at an F350 frame then look at a 450, you see a slight difference. More of its in the brakes. Its possible both have the same trans and engine. But if you compare a 450 to a 550, its possible to have the same engine but that's where it stops. Its also possible the parts wont interchange.
Then we have adding in bigger diffs on our rigs to counter the tires we run.

If you take a standard Dana 30, it has a 1/2 ton rating (1500). Dana 44 3/4 (2500), Dana 60 1 ton (3500). Adding in Dana 60's with suspension, you have a better rated diff and brakes but your Jeep still has a frame rated at 1/2 ton.

My old dually frame and diff (Dana 70) was rated to 14k pounds but the trans and front brakes were rated at 11k. Swap in a better trans and brakes, redo the suspension to match my weight and I had no issue with the 13.5k overall weight that I moved. If I got pulled into a truck scale, my vehicle would have been taken off the road. This was because the door sticker still stated 11k regardless of what I did.

 

[F Clayton]

Brakes is far to often left stock. Brakes need to go big when you start messing with everything.