Toyota Tundra Forum

I need to increase the cargo capacity on my 07 CrewMax buy something like 400 to 500 pounds. I'm towing a HTT with a dry hitch weight of 645# before options, cargo and loaded propane tanks. The four passengers and dog have a combined weight of about 650#, my Equalizer WDH weighs 100 pounds (according to the manufacturer). My best guess is I'm somewhere near 1,500# of cargo capacity, not including fuel and all those other little things that you end up with. That's already 140# over the limit.

I'd like to put bicycles and a few other lightweight items (chairs) into the bed of the truck.

What is the weakest part of my suspension that I need to attack first? It makes no sense to buy Bilstein shocks if the stock shocks have capacity over the springs, bearings, wheels or tires.

I have 35K miles on the truck right now, it's 28 months old.

TIA!

Tires, air bags, brake controller, and WD hitch and and you're good to go.

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Shocks only absorb bumps. Springs are what handle the load. Officially, you can't increase the payload cap of the truck. Tires and springs will be the weak points. Airbags will help.

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2007 SR5 Crewmax 5.7L 4x4
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i see a new set of e rated tires in your future

Right now, with towing over my cargo limit my truck shows no sign at all of distress. It's not dagging in the rear, (Equalizer WDH) it brakes really well, I have no issues with it on the highway at all, even in the wind or when trucks pass me.

I read on a Reec rreceiver a few years back that a WDH actually takes weight off of your TV axles, I'm trying to see if Equalizer can tell me how much that is.

I was looking through all of my trucks paperwork and found the sticker. IT lists my cargo capacity at 1601#, 255# more than I though I had. Somewhere I thought it was 1346#, now I have to try and remember where I saw that. Womps saw the same thing too.

I'll carefully watch the rear tires and start there first. Air shocks or air bags might be the next step, but I have a good spring shop I can go talk to also.

Taken from another forum:

I spoke to an Engineer at Equalizer and he confirmed that WDH's do increase your hitch weight.

Receiver hitches have two ratings. The ratings of receiver hitch on the tow vehicle are important to safe towing, so you'll want to be sure what the receiver on your truck can handle. Receiver hitches are rated for their Load-Bearing and Weight-Distributing capacities. Typically receivers display one of the two, if not both ratings. If only one is shown, it is important to find out which rating it represents. If it is the
load-bearing maximum, that means that your receiver will also have a weight-distributing maximum, and you will want to find that out to make sure that the trailer you're towing doesn't exceed the weight distributing maximum rating. If that's your weight-distributing maximum, you will have to tow trailers with less than that rating in the loaded tongue weight, unless you upgrade the receiver on your tow vehicle.

Using a weight distribution hitch, will allow you to use the heavier "Weight Distribution" or "Weight Distributing" ratings instead of the "Load Bearing" rating.

Do you happen to know the weight increase when going to a WDH for any of the common manufacturers?

A good rule of thumb to follow is to only tow 80% of your vehicle's tow rating. And most states (if not all) require a WD hitch when towing more than 4K pounds. The weight may vary by state.

Rone, I don't, and that's what I'm after. I can remember a few years back reading a label on a Reece receiver that indicated the WDH added to your capacity. It was a significant number, but I can't remember what it was. Maybe 200 pounds but I'm not certain.

I may just have to spend some time at the scales to try and figure this out. I'll have time after the fall ball season ends in October and can use some scales a few miles up the road.

I'll keep you posted.