I am on the verge of buying an '07 fit base model. How much weight (in addition to my 200 lbs.) can be hauled? My guess is it should be at least 800 - 1000 lbs., since that would be equal to the weight of 4 big people. Is there a practical way to make it safe to haul more weight, such as installing air shocks or stiffer springs? If so, would this alteration affect the gas mileage when it is empty?

Thanks!

 

In my '08 Owner's Manual (same chassis so it should apply), it states that the maximum load for it is 850lbs. Some members here have installed Monroe Air Shocks in the rear of their Fits; however, I do not recall how well it worked out them nor how their fuel mileage has been affected.

 

Thanks Hootie! Any other thoughts on modifying a Fit to carry a heavier payload?

 

lol what are you trying to carry?

the monroe shocks should be able to help with the ride height, but carrying that much weight wouldnt be good for an automatic transmission

 

I What are you considering hauling?

 

I am a potter and occasionally I will haul clay. 12"x12"x6" box is 50 lbs. Mostly I will be hauling finished work. I drive cross country to teach workshops and I take pots with me. Most likely I won't need to haul more than 800 lbs., however. I just wanted to research the options.

Thanks!

 

I would think keeping the load well distributed and as far forward as possible things would be okay. Take a close look at the rear cargo area 'floor'. It could be the weak point of a large concentrated load. A chunk of 1/2or3/4 ply would easily solve concerns.

 

wouldnt hurt to get a hitch and trailer. that is a lot of weight to be transporting.

 

The rear springs in a Fit are pretty soft and on my Fit two
I wanna say it wasMA811 but memory is short once you pass 70. 240 pounders literally squashed the springs. after installing the Monroe air lifts had no problem with those 2 riders plus towing a lightweight trailer. Go back in the suspension section to at least 2008 early and you'll find lots of posts including some good photos of installation. Highly recommend you doing that if you're going to carry 800 lb of clay in the trunk. The airlifts raise the load capability by a lot though we never measured it.
good luck.

 

The cargo floor can definitely buckle around the edges with a high load on it. This can be exacerbated considerably by trying to remove all the extra weight from the car since you are hauling close to max load (read brain not kicked in and removed spare tire to save weight).

 

Wow, that's a lot of weight... and cross-country? Even with a plywood reinforced floor and air shocks, stability might be compromised there. Consider the height of the floor board with seats down and the stance of the Fit, then the load on top of that.

May not be much of an issue under ideal conditions - straight line, level roads, no crosswinds, not having to take on ramps/off ramps or changing lanes. You're really not left with any wiggle room, like emergency maneuvers, blowouts, etc., anything that would cause the load or center of gravity to shift... Just some points to consider as you mentioned "safely".

Then also consider the car is FWD (effect on steering), added brake and drivetrain load. I wouldn't have 2nd thoughts around town, but cross-country, I would opt for other means. Just me. Good luck!

 

Besides the suspension limits, the primary concern is the tires.
1. you need air lifts on the rear of your Fit. Many posts have been made on which air lifts work best - Monroes are my preference I think the ones for a Cavalier - so you need to research those posts. They go back to early 2008.
2. The MT weight of most Fits is around 2600 lb and about 40% of that weight is on the rear, or about 520 lb per tire.Most Fit tires are rated at around 900 lb so you have a reserve of about 400 lb per tire so load equally a crioss the rear deck between the tires. And of course you have to account for rear passenger weight.

You say you want to carry 800 lb so you are at the limit (you can check your tire weight load capacity on the tire sidewall and naturally you can weigh the caron the rear tires for more accuracy.
However, and I cannot stress this enough, you must have air lifts installed to even think about loading 800 lb in the back of a FIT.

The change in weight distribution and the compression of the rear springs does very large changes in handling.

If a trailer is an alternate consider the $350 trailer at Tractor Supply.

good luck.