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My understanding is that the Styker was designed to accomodate the (possibly) heavier weight of alternate or new armor. In other words, possible armor upgrades were built-into the original specifications.

Well, that's a relief.

Motor Trend Test:

As the sun touched the horizon, we performed one last test when we rolled up to a wall of dirt, positioned to be some sort of flood-control basin. Up the wall the LAV climbed, pushing, pulling one, then two axles over the hump, then it teetered forward until level. As the machine dug down, its Achilles' heel showed itself: a high center. The sheer weight of the vehicle had tires digging dirt until there was no more. The LAV then quietly rested on its underbelly, treads floating in air. How does one get an LAV unstuck? Obviously, with another LAV. So we waited, at the end of an amazing day of driving an amazing vehicle, finally halted by a careless driver doing something he probably shouldn't have. Our advice: If you ever have the chance to get an LAV stuck, take it.

From another webboard where the Stryker problems are under close scrutiny; Post #9, last one, at the bottom.:

I am at work, so I can’t hunt for the links, but a quick search shows that the US Army lists the combat weight of the Styker APC version as 38,000 lbs or 19 tons, I have seen disputes on this weight regarding the definition of combat weight, so it may be actually higher. The Canadian army web site lists the Coyote as 14.4 tons, so 4.6 ton plus the weight of the gun, turret and ammo. Apparently there is a US Army Safety board report already stating that the axles are overloaded on the MGS, sorry I can’t find you a link.

Also the reported ammo load for the MGS is 18 rds! And other reports which I take with some salt, state that the coaxial has to be cleared from outside of the vehicle and parts of the auto loader are not armoured.

Please note, I am not a LAV hater, actually I think they are pretty damm good, but I think this MGS is a piece of junk which we do not need and can not replace MBT, no matter what the defence minister is smoking.

Here is the US army link
http://www.army.mil/features/strykerDemo/default.htm