The Problem with Lifted Trucks That NOBODY Is Talking About...

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[ctechbob]

People don't even look at their payload when they are trying to determine the suitability of their trucks to tow. It is a huge uphill battle to get them to even give a passing thought to how any modification might affect that ability.

[Santerianumero]

I've watched TFL for years and I can honestly say that it is one of the best channels. Not only is it entertaining, it is highly informative. So many people travel unsafe. I get slack from many when going on trips because I pay attention to GVWR, payload, GCWR, my axle ratings, etc... but in the end, the outcome of not paying attention to these highly important metrics is the difference between breaking down, getting stranded or even causing injury to yourself or others. Excellent episode!

[jefferp]

Lifted, leveled with giant hooptie wheels and tires is common. Folks will sacrifice everything for the look they want. I asked someone why he modded his truck. He said, “I don’t want my truck to look like an old mans truck.”

[benca]

this was awesome. Next, do a video on how stupid it is to install wheel spacers.

[garretlewis]

Another thing people don’t think about is when they put on bigger tires, the speedometer and odometer are off. Unless they do something to correct it, it throws the vehicle speed and actual mileage off. Also, too much lift without compensating will put strain on your front CV joints, affect the driveshaft angles, etc.

[jvogel]

I love these technical explanations of truck engineering and capabilities. Interesting and informative. Thanks.

[richardfiske]

Good info guys. As the former owner of a Tacoma it seems that the aficionados of that platform (hello overlanding?) are some of the most obvious offenders for these issues. Doing the math: given the 950 pound payload (which my truck had), over half of that is taken up by a fiberglass shell, the driver and one passenger. After one extended camping trip in an admittedly overloaded condition, I was very ready to move onward and upward in size. My current F250 may be considered "overkill" for someone who doesn't plan on towing heavy bud I'd rather err in this direction than be caught short.

[rickeyb]

The engineers created the truck a certain way in order to optimize its structural longevity and overall performance. I have lifted and/or leveled almost every truck I have owned. The added height combined with a larger wheel and tire looked great but any advantages gained from the lift were eventually lost in unnecessary mechanical component wear and tear, coupled with deviation of the factory steering and handling. IMO, staying stock is the better choice.

[str-lrd]

Good news is that 95% of people that lift and modify their trucks never take them off-road or tow/haul anything. Worst obstacle they see is a curb or speed bump, but braking can be problematic in a emergency if much larger tires are fitted.

[hawktb]

The only "mods" I've made to my 2002 Silverado 1500HD were adding step rails to assist with climbing in and out of the cab, a 2013 step corner rear bumper to replace the rusted-out bumper, LED fog lamps, and tow mirrors with heating capability. None of these affected the truck at all, but definitely helps with climbing in or out of the cabin or the bed. I was told that I "should" lift my truck to "make it look so much more cooler, " and thankfully, I never followed through with the trouble of lifting it. The reliability of the truck is what I wanted, and it's performed quite well when towing/hauling reasonable loads. Never mind the fact that the 6.0L V8 is a gas guzzler with the 4L80E and 3.73 (I think... Got the spec sheet somewhere and my old mind is starting to slip a lil...) gear axle ratio, it's a solid daily driver that's kept giving me performance without question. Needs a bit of work since it was a former Ohio plow truck, but wouldn't trade it in for anything else. Thank you, André, for this VERY informative episode because it keeps me grounded in my decision to NOT lift the truck or put bigger tires on it. 🙂

[BrandonBaecker]

It also astonishes me how many people add a bunch of weight to their rigs and never touch the brakes. It's often ignored in favor of performance or cosmetic upgrades, but your vehicle still has to slow down and stop effectively, particularly on mountain passes.

[BEYONDYOURIQ]

I put 4 inch lift and 37" tires on a Ram 2500...sweet!

[persistentwind]

University of Nebraska Lincoln conducts guardrail rollover testing... look into lifted trucks results vs guardrails... it's eye opening.

[vicenteochoa]

Spending time on Reddit forums, people really don’t care about towing safety. People laughed at me when I suggested they weigh their rig at a cat scale because I said it looks improperly distributed.

[chrisowen]

Great topic! So many people won’t give it a second thought. I’ve even heard people say that lifting their truck makes it stronger so it can tow more. Although I know better, I’ve never been able to explain it. Now, I’ll just send them to watch this video!

[alexmills]

The single most limiting and defining aspect on a trucks GVWR is its braking power. Larger tires are more leverage and momentum on your brakes to stop the vehicle and you have to be cognizant of how hard you are making your brakes work with how you load your truck. The tires can carry 14000 lbs on a SRW truck, but no truck is rated that high because of its braking limitations. The axles are strong enough to carry more weight, the frame is built to support well over design load, and the truck will let you know if you start to overheat it. Braking is the factor you have no warning and only a weight rating to go by on how effective that system is. If you do any mods, find an empty road and test your brakes, see how they changed. Lockup power, distances and to ensure it doesn’t totally fail under a high load situation.

[AvscRrabbit]

Great video. I've always thought that the 1/2 ton trucks were the hardest working vehicle in America. Poor things doing 8 lug work.

[ElmwoodAl]

I deal with a lot of Hot Shotters, it's crazy to me when they arrive in a lifted 3/4 or 1 ton. With big ass tires. I have tried to explain to the drivers several of the points that have brought up in this video. They don't care.

Drive away with 7k load max on a goose neck, their ass end sagging like I loaded them with twice the weight. Honestly scares me more that DOT does nothing about it

[spenny]

Gameplan: buy larger truck than needed just to have bandwidth for performance downgrades. More money, less capability

[justins]

This video stopped me from getting larger tires for my f250 with a slide in truck camper. Thank you. 1-2 inches of extra clearance doesn't sound worth the consequences.