I think I'm screwed

[caissiel]

With my experience, I would not take the highway with one of those pups. It create an awful dangerous situation of a light truck. They are OK between two equally weighted trailers but not for me.

[2500HD]

Originally Posted by Erlingiii

The truck is fine, nothing is gonna break or over heat, I am over gvwr, so technically illegal. It will stop, but technically illegal. The truck is built tougher than stated by the sticker in The door but technically illegal. I've personally decided I am going to put airbags on the truck to help keep from being noticed but technically toeing that weight I'm doing so illegally. The stickers are binding comercial or recreational. I've learned a lot in this thread, but I'm not going to trade my truck right this second because it's 700 pounds over gvw

This is probably the best real world answer in the whole thread. We should be free to do what we want within reason. Its always one or two knuckle heads towing a 20k gvw fiver with a 2500 that ruins it for everyone, not just this situation but in almost every area of our lives

[JIMNLIN]

I'm gonna reluctantly pull that trailer illegally with my under rated truck with hopes that I don't get the long arm right up until I can replace it with the correct truck according to the law.

I don't think you understand what "legal" means.

No where in the USA is the door post GVWR determined how much load the truck can carry legally for a private or commercial rig nor can you be ticketed as you call it for being over the door post GVWR.

A FAWR or RAWR/tire load ratings yes.

Give your state size and weights folks a 1-800 or drop by your local state troop headquarters and let them explain your trucks real legal load issues.

[Erlingiii]

Originally Posted by JIMNLIN

I don't think you understand what "legal" means.



No where in the USA is the door post GVWR determined how much load the truck can carry legally for a private or commercial rig nor can you be ticketed as you call it for being over the door post GVWR.



A FAWR or RAWR/tire load ratings yes.



Give your state size and weights folks a 1-800 or drop by your local state troop headquarters and let them explain your trucks real legal load issues.

Enlighten us please. I was under the "impression" that gvwr was legally binding but I am by no means an expert. If you wouldn't mind elaborating, I for one would be grateful and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who would find the info useful.

[camato5]

I had a 2007 Ford F250 4x4 crew cab with the power stroke (6.0) and pulled my 37' 4 slide 5er all over the place without a bit of trouble for 10 years. Traded it for a DP bus but still have the truck, never had any problems. Just made sure the tire pressure was at max rated for the truck tires . Probably pulled 15k to15.5K all the time. How is your truck handling? if it handle fine go have fun man

[caissiel]

My Province license the truck by axle capacity. The pin load allowed is the axle or tire capacity which ever is less. Therefore the manufacturer numbers are strictly for the manufacturer protection. So they are not held responsible for some owners complaint.

[Erlingiii]

My apprehension is waning, but will step the tv a notch when the time is right

[Highway 4x4]

Keep the PSI up on all the tires, air bags in the rear coil springs, drive smart. Done.

[Jack1234]

Originally Posted by caissiel

My Province license the truck by axle capacity. The pin load allowed is the axle or tire capacity which ever is less. Therefore the manufacturer numbers are strictly for the manufacturer protection. So they are not held responsible for some owners complaint.

Originally Posted by Erlingiii

My apprehension is waning, but will step the tv a notch when the time is right

You need to check (Google) the laws & penalties which apply in your State. For example..... in Caissiel's Province of New Brunswick he states that it is axle capacity....where we live in BC it is GVWR and the penalty is a ticket/fine....which can be very expensive as it is calculated according to "how much" you are overweight. You can also have your vehicle(s) impounded if they are deemed to be unsafe.

Accordingly.....You also need to know whether or not you intend to travel outside your home State so you can determine how much $$$ money you'll need to take with you so you can pay your fines and/or get your rig released from impound and how much it will cost you to hire a contract tow to get it home! At the end of the day .....if you are going to violate State/Provincial towing regulations it makes sense to understand the consequences. "If you can't do the time...don't do the crime."

All the rest of the "so called advice" in this thread is just over-weight people justifying why they are special.....why it is OK for them to break the law....methods/advice for how "best" to modify your truck so you can still break the law...NONE of which will mean anything to an enforcement officer if you are found to be towing over your limits in a State/Province that cares to enforce their tow/weight laws......unless of course your State has no weight related laws for recreation vehicles?

[caissiel]

Like Nova Scotia I have one more reason not to visit BC.

[Piker]

Isn't the real issue your "registered weight." I could be wrong, but can't you modify your truck and then have it registered so the license reflects the new tow capacity regardless of the sticker on the door jamb? I think so... though I'm not sure the process you'd have to go through to do this.

I know you can register a 1 ton as a 3/4 ton in PA to save money on yearly fees, but it does limit how much you can tow legally... and I think you go the other way, but not sure.

I have seen plenty of pickups with DOT stickers pulling car haulers with as many as 4 cars on them. There is no way they are under the load rating on the door jamb... and more than likely in CDL territory, over 26k lbs... and they are certainly bound by the DOT... so there must be something else too it. Modifications and registration perhaps?

Our old motorhome had a 20,000 gvw... with the water and diesel fuel tanks full, and with 6 people in it and all our stuff, we were pushing 22k. Not something I ever worried about. Call me crazy.

I will say, that nothing tows like a dually, especially one with a long wheel base. I ran around in a 4 door long bed duramax for a couple of years. That was some smooth towing. They add a whole other level of confidence when you're rolling down the highway maxed out on gross combination. I had a DOT sticker on my truck at the time, so everything was legal beagle... I even went to the lengths of putting a load distribution hitch on when I pulled my 20' deck-over bumper pull trailer because I was pushing the limit on the hitch capacity... did I need it for safety? probably not... did I need it for legality? not sure, but doubt it... the DOT officer I talked to said better to be safe than sorry so I bought it.... did it improve ride? actually yes quite a bit, so it was worth it just for that.

The law actually is open to interpretation... that's why we have lawyers. Ask 10 different DOT officers how they'd handle a grey area, and you'll get 10 different answers. Because of this, most of the honorable DOT guys shy away from ticketing in the grey areas.

All for now...

cheers

[JIMNLIN]

Enlighten us please. I was under the "impression" that gvwr was legally binding but I am by no means an expert. If you wouldn't mind elaborating, I for one would be grateful and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who would find the info useful.

Its impossible to show you all 50 states and Canada provinces weight laws but when it comes to axle/tire load limits their all on the same page. That way trucking can move between jurisdictions without having to unload or load.
Let me show you a Q&A email paste and copy from from a RV owner on anther website asking about GVWR and GCWR. Answer as always will come from a Commercial enforcement officer(s) ..... (snipped for length).

"You were requesting information pertaining to state laws limiting the gross vehicle weight
rating (GVWR) and/or gross combined weight rating (GCWR) for fifth wheel
and recreational vehicle owners. I have answered each of your questions
in the order asked.

Q: “Many of the owners travel over their tow vehicle GVWR and /or
GCWR. Are there any state laws against this? Or does the owner just
take the risk if they wish?”

A: The California Vehicle Code (CVC) does not contain a law that
specifically limits the amount of weight a vehicle may tow based on the
towing vehicle GVWR or GCWR. There are, however, laws that limit the
amount a vehicle may tow based on other criteria.
Section 1085(d) of Title 13 California Code of Regulations prohibits
the loading of tires above the maximum load rating marked on the tire,
or if unmarked the maximum load rating as specified in the applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, or in a publication furnished to
the public by the tire manufacturer. This would most likely happen in
the case of a pickup truck towing a large fifth wheel travel trailer, as
those types of trailers tend to transfer a larger portion of their
weight to the last axle of the towing unit causing that axle to exceed
the tire load limits.

I trust this has adequately answered your questions. Should you desire
any further information, please contact Officer Ron Leimer, of my staff,
at (916) 445-1865.
Sincerely,
S. B. DOWLING, Captain
Commander
Commercial Vehicle Section"

.................................................. ................................................

A registered gross weight ??
Another worthless number in my state (and others) for a private use vehicle as we have no weights for registering our truck. And the weight varies from state to state. Some states call it tonnage/ some states call it gvw/some states call it ladin weight/BC calls it a GVWR.
Registered weight can be for registering purposes in that state or province. Your state may ticket you for exceeding that registered weight but other states wouldn't have a code number for that violation.

You may have a one ton DRW truck registered for 18000 lb but when you go over the scales you cannot exceed a FAWR/RAWR/tire load ratings.

[timetogo]

"Title 13 California Code of Regulations prohibits
the loading of tires above the maximum load rating marked on the tire"

Sounds fair and easy enough.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by JIMNLIN

Its impossible to show you all 50 states and Canada provinces weight laws but when it comes to axle/tire load limits their all on the same page. That way trucking can move between jurisdictions without having to unload or load.

Sorry - you are not totaly correct. While true for traffic on Interstate highway system, federal law includes provisions, exemptions, and variations applicable to particular states, routes, vehicles, or operations. Trucks moving from jurisdiction to jurisdiction must follow local rules when off the interstate and major routes identified by shifting loads, unloading or paying for overloads.