Max cargo carring capacity...

[Dacomputernerd]

So me and my dad have been hauling building supplies and cabinets for my basement, and i was wondering how much weight I can safely put in the cargo area (In the EXT with both back rows of seats folded down)

I looked on the driver's door sticker and the rear axle can handle 3600lbs, so how much can i load it up with only 2 passengers in the front?




(we made a truck bed out of tarps so we dont ruin the back of the seats when hauling cinderblock etc.)

[ieatglue]

You can hold LOTS in there. My bro and I hauled a million 2x4s and a 28' ladder. Probably 4000lbs of you're the only 2 :undecided

[zamar]

You can hold LOTS in there. My bro and I hauled a million 2x4s and a 28' ladder. Probably 4000lbs of you're the only 2 :undecided

glue...4000lbs is like 2 tons. It would almost be like crushing a SWB TB and loading it in the back. Ouch:eek: If you had a flat you would need a forklift to fix it :D

[Alfb]

I looked on the driver's door sticker and the rear axle can handle 3600lbs, so how much can i load it up with only 2 passengers in the front?

This is probably stating the obvious however you can safely say it is not more than 3600 lbs. :laugh:

[ieatglue]

I never like using pounds. I'm used to kilograms :duh:

[Alfb]

I never like using pounds. I'm used to kilograms :duh:

I've always said the metric system is a ploy by the rest of the world to make the US less competitive. :rotfl:

[bmm354]

You can probably only load about 1,500 lbs total inside your TB (that's not a misprint). This is pretty normal for most SUVs, and surprises many people. I have a feeling a lot of SUVs are overloaded on a regular basis.

Look at the sticker on the door and find the GVWR. This is the gross vehicle weight rating, the total weight your TB's frame, wheels, tires, etc. was designed to safely handle. It includes the vehicle itself, fuel, passengers, cargo, etc. Then you need to know how much your TB weighs. You can probably find this online at Chevrolet.com or in mag reviews. Take the GVWR and subtract the TB's weight. This is the amount you can throw in your TB, including passengers and cargo.

Ok, just looked on Chevrolet.com. For the TB EXT the max GVWR is 6,400 lbs for the 4x4. Estimated weight is 5,000 lbs. So 6,400 - 5,000 = 1,400 lbs. max cargo/passenger weight.

Specs from: http://www.chevrolet.com/trailblazer/specifications/
Click on capacities

[DouglasEsh]

With loading a truck your also going to have to pay attention to the axle weights. You can actually go over the axle weight but still be under the GVWR. You will need to find out how much weight is on the rear axle before you put a board in it. Then subtract that from the axle rating to get what can be put on that axle. It gets a little more complicated than that because of weight distribution but that is a good starting point. Don't exceed that number and watch the GVWR and you'll be fine.

Note that this is all with the presumption of safety. The truck is not going to handle or more importantly brake as well as it does when unloaded. If your worried about it, you can either get a trailer or a rental van.

[Dacomputernerd]

Thanks everyone :D

One more question-
I was just wondering if anyone knew how much of the 3600lbs capacity of the rear axle was being used by just the truck with nothing in it


Thanks for the replies,
Kelvyn

[2002BlkLTZ]

You'd have to go scale it at a scale that can give axle weights (truck stop CAT scale) or weigh the axles seperately on one scale. A CAT scale form a truck stop will run you around $7 (at least they used to be that!). I'd guess it's probably around 40% of the total weight of the empty truck is on the rear axle, maybe slightly less.

[jdits7]

Just did some calculations

SWB 2WD-1133lbs
SWB 4x4-1156lbs
LWB 2WD-1427lbs
LWB 4x4-1446lbs

Hope this helps.

[Dacomputernerd]

Just did some calculations

SWB 2WD-1133lbs
SWB 4x4-1156lbs
LWB 2WD-1427lbs
LWB 4x4-1446lbs

Hope this helps.

are these for the rear axle?

[bmm354]

are these for the rear axle?

Those figures are the estimated payload for the entire vehicle, and assumes the weight is evenly distributed. That's the total amount of "stuff" (people, cargo, whatever) you can safely load into your TB.

[Dacomputernerd]

Those figures are the estimated payload for the entire vehicle, and assumes the weight is evenly distributed. That's the total amount of "stuff" (people, cargo, whatever) you can safely load into your TB.

Thats all good and well, but the rear axle can handle more weight then the front(according to the drivers door sticker), and the engine+two passengers are over the front axle, whereas the rear axle only has the back half of the vehicle to support.

So no one knows the numbers for sure? Would I be safe with around 750-900lbs of stuff in the back

[bmm354]

Yes, the rear axle is stronger than the front. But the GVWR assumes cargo is evenly distributed--that's just the way it's calculated. That's why you see little disclaimers that say something like "cargo must be evenly distributed" in ads that mention how much cargo a vehicle can carry.

As for getting an exact number for what you can put over the rear axle, you'll have to guesstimate. I think someone earlier mentioned that about 40% of the vehicle weight is sittting over the rear axle. This sounds about right for a front engine/rear or 4-wheel drive SUV. So for your TB that's about 2,000 lbs over the rear axle. In theory that leaves 1,600 lbs free. But wait...with that kind of weight back there you might be over the GVWR. Exceeding that number puts the weight of your TB over what it was designed to safely carry and is not a good thing.

I think your estimate of 750-900lbs is safe. For short drives (so the tires don't get too hot) you could probably haul 1,000 lbs or more back there.

[DouglasEsh]

Thats all good and well, but the rear axle can handle more weight then the front(according to the drivers door sticker), and the engine+two passengers are over the front axle, whereas the rear axle only has the back half of the vehicle to support.

So no one knows the numbers for sure? Would I be safe with around 750-900lbs of stuff in the back Of course not, a Trailvoy is not primarly a work vehicle. Why would anyone go out and get these numbers?:confused: I would venture up wards of 1000lbs given that the tounge weight is 500lbs and thats weight sticking out the back of the truck not inside it.

Yea, and the weight of the truck is not evenly distributed. That engine weighs a lot and is centered right on the front axle line.

Edit:
Max payload for a EXT is 1400lbs so yea 1600lbs is over so after two people you ain't getting 1000lbs in an EXT unless those two people are real light and your real good at weight distribution. So I'd go with the 900lbs max also.

[Dacomputernerd]

So 750-900lbs, and 1000lbs for short trips :D

Thanks everyone for your quick responses :yes:

[mattbuff5]

i'm planning of driving approximalty 150 miles via interstate with the cargo area loaded with 19 boxes of porcelein tile.. each box weighs 57.9 lbs ... this equates to 1100.1 lbs. also there will be 2 people in the vehicle plus minimal luggage. i estimate the following weight totals:
tile = 1100.1
humans = 350
grout = 50
luggage = 150 MAX

this totals to 1650.1.......

do you guys think i will be safe? will i dammage the shocks, struts, etc? any reccomendations on speed, air inflation psi's, etc.... all help welcome

[LineNoise]

That sounds like it would be too much. I would do it for a short trip, not 150 miles. Do you have access to a small trailer? that would relieve alot of stress on the rear of your truck.

[ScarabEpic22]

That sounds like it would be too much. I would do it for a short trip, not 150 miles. Do you have access to a small trailer? that would relieve alot of stress on the rear of your truck.
I agree, especially if you have an EXT and the I6, you will be struggling.

I would rent a cheapo enclosed U-Haul trailer instead as the weight will be much better distributed and you wont have to worry about damaging your shocks and suspension.