Heavier tires and towing

[Yogi217]

Hi everyone,

I apologize for the newby question, but I am new to towing anything of significance. I do not have my trailer yet, but I have a horse and a pony. Probably about 1800lbs.

Anyway, the real question is how would heavier tires affect my towing? My max towing is 8,409. If I go to, for easy math, tires that are 10lbs heavier at each wheel, will that drop my max towing capacity to 8,369? Will it drop my payload from 1,609 to 1,569?

Just asking because I know there can be difference in how sprung vs unpsrung weight affects things... Not that I understand that concept well of it makes any difference in this case, but that their are things that are sprung and unsprung...... As I plan out future projects such as lift/levels and bigger tires, I want to make sure I know how my choices will affect the performance of the truck in different situations before I start spending the money and the time.

Thank you!

 

[NH_Ram]

Yes your payload will lessen with heavier tires. It doesn't make sense as that is unsprung weight but that's just how they do it. GVWR (7100lbs) minus curb weight (around 5500 lbs) equals payload (1600lbs) in this case. Now if you add 40lbs to the curb weight with heavier tires/rims, your payload will decrease by that same amount. Just like a 400lb driver has less payload than a 150lb driver.

Tow capacity will also lessen as that is GCWR (12000-17000lbs depending on package) minus curb weight.