How to Increase Truck Payload Capacity

To calculate your pickup’s payload, you’ll need two values: GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and curb weight. GVWR refers to your pickup's maximum weight while fully loaded, including your truck, the passengers, and the cargo. Curb weight relates to your vehicle’s empty weight (besides fuel), also called wet weight. To derive your truck's payload from these two numbers, subtract its curb weight from its GVWR; simple as that.

Can You Increase Payload Capacity? 

While we’ve already covered this point numerous times, let's establish it as fact. NEVER, under any circumstances, can you exceed your vehicle’s payload capacity. Regardless of the modifications to the suspension or chassis, exceeding your vehicle’s payload beyond manufacturer-specified values isn’t just unsafe but illegal. 

Rather than modifying to increase payload capacity, you should always modify your pickup to improve hauling performance. But remember, just because your pickup can now handle its max payload better doesn’t mean you can exceed it. 

Payload Tips

There are a few basic tips to follow when considering payload; namely:  

• Never exceed your vehicle’s payload capacity: While it may be tempting, it’s illegal and ill-advised to increase/exceed your vehicle’s weight capacity. Doing so doesn’t just put excessive strain on your pickup but endangers yourself and other drivers on the road. 

• Always verify the weight you’re carrying: Before loading up with heavy cargo, verify that you aren’t exceeding your vehicle’s payload capacity. A quick calculation, including passenger weight and cargo weight, can save you from an accident and vehicle damage.

• Slow Down: Loading heavy cargo in the bed increases your vehicle’s momentum and strains the braking system. As a result, stopping distances increase. It’s essential to slow down whenever hauling–especially when close to or at maximum payload–to prevent a front-end collision from failing to account for the added momentum and increased weight. 

• Carry weight in front of or over the rear axle, never behind: Whenever hauling a heavy object(s), it’s always best to load your cargo in front of the rear axle rather than behind it. In the case of a pickup, this means securing your heaviest cargo against the bulkhead rather than the tailgate. Placing weight behind the rear axle can shift weight off the front end, thus reducing the effectiveness of the steering and front brakes. It can also lead to high-speed stability issues and excessive bouncing over bumps.   

How to Increase Hauling Performance

Now that we’ve established that you can't increase your truck’s payload capacity, only improve your pickup’s ability to handle the weight, let’s browse our expert’s favorite ways to improve handling performance while hauling. 

Upgrading your ride’s rear springs is an excellent way to improve performance with a heavy load in the bed. Stiffer rear coil springs, upgraded overload leaves, or heavy-duty leaf packs substantially reduce spring sag and increase stability, minimizing the effects of weight in the bed. However, heavy-duty springs will decrease ride quality while unloaded, leading to a rough, bouncy ride over bumpy roads.