Has anyone ever done this? I'd like to increase the GVWR from 9200 lbs to the 9900 lbs that the F-250 has. I'm looking at larger trailers and will be at my max payload with the added hitch weight. The extra 700 lbs would make a huge difference, and all that would be required are the upgrades I plan to do already.

I've seen local rental company that has a 16 passenger Excursion the extra steel alone would put them over 9200 lbs not even taking into consideration 16 people. I've contacted a local limousine builder and am waiting to hear back from them about getting the GVWR increased on the door sticker. This assumes that a limousine have actually had the GVWR increased and a "special" exemption hasn't been made.

Hopefully this will all work out and for a few hundred extra dollars I can get the Ex legally able to carry more weight.

 

As you are already checking on, you would have to get either Ford or an OEM approved coachwork company to certify it. Most will not if they are not doing the work as their license to certify such things is on the line.

 

Is this something the ford dealer could do? If the dealer could do it that would definitely make things easier.

 

Not the dealer, would have to be certified by Ford, or one of their approved chassis conversion companies. The kind of people that buy incomplete chassis and build conversion vans, motor homes etc.

 

I think how you drive has a lot to do with how much weight your vehicle can handle. Let someone who is safely below their weight limits but floor it at every green light and slam on the brakes at every red light keep their stuff together as long as someone who is marginally over weight but takes it easy.

The stress on your equipment depends more on how you treat it than the "legal" limit. I have gone WELL beyond the listed limit of my truck many many times with no issues, but I have seen many fail with no loads as well.

Take it easy on starts and stops will give you much more leeway than upgrading equipment and abusing it.

 

The legal limit matters especially if you get popped in a state like PA that fines you $1 per pound over the GVWR/GCVWR of your vehicle or rig

 

I went to my local auto tags place and asked if I could increase mine. I wanted to increase it so I wouldnt have to have emissions test done. They told me the answer is flat out NO. The reason is that the Excursion is not a truck its a station wagon. And on station wagons, the gvw cannot be changed. Therefore, in PA, the GVW on an Excursion cannot be changed.....I do not know about motorhomes, ambulances, and other special constructed vehicles.

 

Aint that the truth. I work for SEPTA, a mass transit authority in philadelphia, and one of my co-workers was towing a bucket truck and got lost and accidentally went over a small bridge. The cop waited till he went over and then stopped him. There was absolutely no way for him to turn around since it was a small 2 lane back road. The cop took him to a rock quarry where he weighed the wrecker and truck. The fine was a bit over $13,500. After the SEPTA lawyers and several trips to court, the ticket was dropped.

 

I'll try to avoid PA then, in NC you can pull whatever you want with an SUV no questions asked. If you tow with a truck as long as your tags match your weight you are cool.

 

It's funny that every time one of these type discussions start there are some who say "my EX can easily pull way more than the factory rating". Guys if you do and have an accident hope you don't get a smart lawyer against you. If you're towing more than factory rating you are negligent, no way around it. Having 2 family members in a major insurance company claims department stressed pull within your vehicle published limits. I guarantee you that if I'm in a accident with a vehicle pulling a trailer that's the first thing I'm going to check.

 

Do they not have limousines in PA no way could they stay under 9200 lbs

 

The attempt is not to adjust it to something silly, I just want it rated the same as an F-250 9900 lbs.

 

This similar topic is raised a lot over at the Truck Camper forum at RV.net.
Lots of guys buy F250's then a salesman comes back and sells them a really big camper that is way too heavy, and they come to the camper forum asking how to increase the GVRW. In some states you can get it done, but it is quite expensive, and takes a lot of $$$$.

While not counting the sticker, you can match your Ex to a F250/F350 by replacing the Ex springs with 250/350 springs. The axles are rated much higher than eventhe250/350 ratings, but the tires are also a limiter for the 350's.

While I have not got my sticker changed, since I carry my Avion Truck Camper on my SRW F350 CCSB 4x4, I have added RS9000's Stableloads and most importantly 19.5 wheels and tires.









They are 265x70x19.5 load range G tires rated to 4500 lbs per tire at 110 lbs. this was after our trip this summer over the Denali Highway, 110 miles of single track gravel road...
Just be prepared for a much stiffer ride! The side walls are over 1 inch thick!

Garry in Kodiak, AK

 

Not talking about your effort. If you can find a way to do it legally, more power to you!!!

 

I know I can just do it, but I'd like to do it legally. It's going to come down to if I can get it done reasonably priced. I think it's just going to take some time to find someone willing to even look at it. The company I called got back to me, conversions starting at $35,000. I don't think they understood what I was asking for. At least I hope not.