Squirrelly Steering Near Max Payload

[USA EV]

1,511 or so

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[Yellow Buddy]

Anyone noticed when heavily loaded that the steering gets very squirrelly? It even has a bit of an oscillation as if pulling a poorly loaded trailer.

This happens when the bed is pretty evenly loaded, and today it was even a little more front loaded. A few of these cylinders were even in the cab.

I wondered if it might be due to the more 50/50 normal weight distribution and when loaded I guess it'd be more like 35/65. Does that make the front "light" even though actually heavier than unloaded?

My best guess is that it's probably tires, with inflation on the low side of normal, lots of sidewall (17" wheels, iirc), and weak sidewalls.

Air up the rears a little more and air down the front a little. Doesn’t solve it completely but it helps.

 

[Grease Lightning]

If that's concrete you are beyond max payload. This load of cider put me over max payload. And yes, when the front tires are lightly loaded relative to the rear it will be squirrelly. My Corvair is squirrelly by design.

I think we all want to know the backstory here…

 

[VTbuckeye]

After a couple dump runs a couple weeks ago after a bathroom renovation (drywall, tile, backer board, rotten plywood...) i found that handling was definitely degraded. However I was driving less than 40mph for 3 miles. With bedmat, tonneau, and assorted stuff in the truck plus me, the tare weight is 7200lbs. Run 1 was 2k pounds of stuff and run 2 was 1660 pounds. Both overloaded. Onboard scales are good for determining if the load is at least the dump minimum charge (800 lbs). Handling was better than when my Tacoma had 1400lbs in the back (also overloaded) after the summer 2020 kitchen rejuvenation.

 

[Henry Ford]

I think we all want to know the backstory here…

When the local cider mill has cider they can't sell they call the local homebrew club, of which I'm a member. I pick up as much as I can and distribute it to other members. We let it sit in our basements for extended periods of time and it becomes better. Win, win!

I always thought I was overloading my truck, with bed scales now I know I'm overloading my truck!

 

[Nomoregas]

If that's concrete you are beyond max payload. This load of cider put me over max payload. And yes, when the front tires are lightly loaded relative to the rear it will be squirrelly. My Corvair is squirrelly by design.

that's some fine looking whiskey!