how to increase gvrw of 3500 truck?

[GMichaels]

Have a 97 4wd 3500 and went to the scale to weigh it. front axle 4320, truck 7330 rear axle 3320. I know the dana 80 is good for 8k and 60 good for 6k.



A while back i was talking with a contractor that had a 3500 that had a yellow sticker next to the factory sticker on the door pillar. He had the truck capicity increased to 14k. at the time it was not a concern of mine, but seem that it can be done. How?



If you have any idea how this can be done let me know.

 

[PatrickCampbell]

Looks like nobody wanted to touch this one.



The GVW of these trucks cannot really be increased. Individual states may very well let you REGISTER them for more, but having the plate changed on the side is unlikely. Anyone who puts a plate there increasing the GVW is taking liability for any accidents and I don't think anyone in their right mind would do that.



I tried with my 2500 back when I thought I needed it. Then found out that when you hook up a trailer, the GVW of the truck alone, in a sense goes out the window.



What is your need exactly?

 

[OTRPU]

Not sure about the GVW ever going out the window, my understanding is the truck still cannot exceed it's GVWR with the trailer attached. That's why many 3/4 tons get over their rear axle or GVWR long before exceeding their combined weight rating. Truck was born w/3. 54 & D tires, I swapped for 4. 11 & E rated. Texas scales all closed, crossed at Lamar, CO. Called in, just checked truck registration. Crossed at Limon, CO, got green light. Wyo & into Montana to go yet. Dispatchers will tell you anything to get you to hook a load. Colorado, (Jefferson County), wouldn't let me register my pickup greater than the door plate rating.



Cheers,

Steve J

 

[PatrickCampbell]

My understanding (and it is just my understanding) that when you hook up a trailer, your "GCWR" is now the GVW of the truck added to the GVW of the trailer. That is the GVW on the VIN plate/door jam sticker, not license plate.



If you put on better tires on the truck, they can see the rating on the sidewal but how will they know the axle rating or do they not care?



My tag says something like 6084# @ 80 PSI with 245/75/16 tires but the truck came with 265/75/16's rated to 6830# @ 80 PSI. The Dana 80 is rated to 10,000 or 11,500.



I am in the process of a dually conversion to be able to haul up to 26,000. I've been told that I will be fine as long as I am not over any tire/axle rating or the gross combination weight rating, that is the GVW + the GVW, not what Chrysler says in their book.



Here in NJ as far as I know truck, if not a tractor, the truck and trailer get registered as 2 seperate vehicles. So for me it'll be 8800# on the truck + 17200# on the trailer, which is a 20,000# trailer I will have it DE-RATED (on the VIN plate, not just on the registration) instead of having the truck up-rated (on the door jam, again, not the registration or tags) which does not seem to be really possible.



Hopefully that'll work

 

[klenger]

My 3500 is taged for 00000 lbs. My truck tag on the door jam is 9900 GVWR. My combined GAWR is 11,350. The GCWR is an unpublished number. DOT or the cops or whoever would have a tough time finding the GCWR, and then they would need to know your axle ratio. From my research, they only thing that the DOT cares about is total weight vs total tire width, and there is no way you can exceed the limits on that with a pickup truck.