Hauling a Heavy load -

[GMBoy]

Ok, a woman down the street who trusts my judgement with cars (I help her with her car maint. etc) has asked a question that I have to ask here because I'm not sure.

Seems that she has to take a very large friend to a Doctor's appointment. The issue is that this woman weighs somewhere around 550-600lbs. The doctor's is about a 30 minute drive each way. The car is a 2004 Toyota Camry. She plans on putting the woman in the back seat since she can noway fit up front with the bucket seats and console.

The concern is over the payload damaging the suspension or rear seats and such. Any precautions that should be taken? I think the max payload of the car is 800lbs so with the large woman and my friend (she weighs maybe 150) they are at or close to over the capacity limit. But the most weight will be all in one spot - the back seat. I think she should keep the gas tank no more than 1/2 full to save some weight and increase the rear tire pressure to maybe 38-40lbs. Otherwise drive easy and watch dips and bumps so as to not bottom out too hard. I am sure the car will sag in the back. Maybe she should just borrow somebody's van or SUV...

Any thoughts? (I know this may sound funny, but it is a serious concern to my friend who regrets even agreeing to take this woman to the Dr's.)

 

[rpn453]

Wow, how is she going to even get in the car?!

I wouldn't worry about it. Having five 200 lb males in a car smaller than that Camry was not unusual in university.

 

[GMBoy]

That's true. I think it'll be fine, too.

 

[bubbatime]

True, I've done the five 200+ pound males in a Civic before so she should be fine.

 

[bubbatime]

True, I've done the five 200+ pound males in a Civic before so she should be fine.

 

[Lazy JW]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy
....
I think she should keep the gas tank no more than 1/2 full to save some weight and increase the rear tire pressure to maybe 38-40lbs. Otherwise drive easy and watch dips and bumps so as to not bottom out too hard....


The fuel volume and tire pressure won't matter very much but it would probably help your friend to believe she is improving the situation. Definitely tell her to drive carefully and praise her for doing a good deed.
Joe

 

[hate2work]

Originally Posted By: Lazy JW
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
....
I think she should keep the gas tank no more than 1/2 full to save some weight and increase the rear tire pressure to maybe 38-40lbs. Otherwise drive easy and watch dips and bumps so as to not bottom out too hard....


The fuel volume and tire pressure won't matter very much but it would probably help your friend to believe she is improving the situation. Definitely tell her to drive carefully and praise her for doing a good deed.
Joe


Putting extra air in all 4 tires is the first thing you should do. Don't go crazy with more pressure, I'd say an extra 6 lbs each would be good. Running on 1/2 tank will reduce the weight by about, what, 70 - 80 lbs, so I'd do that as well.

She might want to call the local fire department, often times they can help in situations like this.

 

[IndyIan]

The Camry won't even notice. We had 4 guys plus 3 hockey bags in a toyota echo, about 1000lbs load, and we drove down the roughest paved road imaginable. The car bottomed out dozens of times but bumpstops these days are designed really as part of the suspension so it was no big deal. I don't think the driver even really knew it was bottoming, no bad sounds or harshness.
Ian

 

[VK56VD]

The Camry should be okay. I would possibly have her sit in the middle of the back seat to balance things out evenly.

 

[addyguy]

I've regularly had over 1100lbs of people in my '02 Cavalier, being driven over rough, poorly maintained roads. Car sits low, and exhaust hits the ground occassionally, and car accellerates slow, but it survives it over and over....I wouldn't worry about it for a sec....

That is a very nice thing your friend is doing! I hope this woman is okay in the end...

 

[GMBoy]

Well, the trip went fine. The big woman, BTW is on a plan to loose all her weight so she can resume a healthy life. I wish her the best. I was told they moved the pass seat as far forward as they could and she just rolled on in. The car sagged and bottomed a little but no big deal. She was weighed at the Dr's at 627lbs so that's just like 3.5 avg people in the back.

 

[eljefino]

G-d bless your friend for helping this person out. A fire dept response would result in more shame and embarrasment in front of the neighbors.

Doctors have incredible cures for the morbidly obese so this sounds like a hopeful situation.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Doctors have incredible cures for the morbidly obese so this sounds like a hopeful situation.


Like eating less?

Yes, yes, I know that it's actually a psychological problem so it's not that simple.