What weight can I pull?

[racerx]

@Herk Thanks for finding my mistake and for the additional information.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by racerx

@Herk Thanks for finding my mistake and for the additional information.

One more point is that "airbags" and "Helper Springs" do not add payload capacity; just handling improvements. Typically the GVWR of a vehicle is more dependant on the truck's frame construction and axle mounting than the axle or tires.

[searay245se]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

First of all, I've never heard of anyone getting sued for being overweight with an RV- and I'll bet you most likely haven't either. On top of that, they'd have to prove that being overweight is what actually caused the wreck. In addition, my understanding is that "negligence" would mean a prudent person would have clearly known better. If I can walk into court with thousands of images of others towing RVs that weigh in excess of what a door jamb sticker says- and if you've travelled much you know this would be easily accomplished- it seems you'd have a hard time proving your case. I think you'd have to be blatantly overloaded- like someone mentioned earlier- to the point where Soccer Moms would be pointing and looking because even they could tell you were overloaded.

Happened a couple years back here in Ohio.Can't remember the specifics but guy was over weight and lost control on a freeway and I'm not sure of the outcome but I think because he was over he was sited for unsafe load and held liable but like you said I think he was way over and just because a thousand people do it it doesn't make it right.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by searay245se

Happened a couple years back here in Ohio.Can't remember the specifics but guy was over weight and lost control on a freeway and I'm not sure of the outcome but I think because he was over he was sited for unsafe load and held liable but like you said I think he was way over and just because a thousand people do it it doesn't make it right.

Source?

[searay245se]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

Source?

I just remembered seeing it on tv but here are some sources that point to the liability of towing over weight.

TRAILER TOWING ILLEGALLY

Personal Vehicle Towing Liability for RV’ers — PersonalInjuryClaimsBlawg

[B and B]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

One more point is that "airbags" and "Helper Springs" do not add payload capacity; just handling improvements. Typically the GVWR of a vehicle is more dependant on the truck's frame construction and axle mounting than the axle or tires.

Factory installed overload springs like my Camper Package do count as increased payload in my case.


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[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by B and B

Factory installed overload springs like my Camper Package do count as increased payload in my case.
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If it is on the door post from the factory; that is true (and there may be more involved that just the springs).
If not; it is flim-flamery by the vendor/dealer.

[OldCoot]

Just keep in mind, just because you may be 100#-200# over the lawyer stickers doesn't mean your frame, rear end, etc is going to break or blow up. Farmers have been and continue to overload trucks for years without problems. Just use some common sense.

IMO, no need to go out and spend $40-$50K for a bigger truck for 2-300#.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Just keep in mind, just because you may be 100#-200# over the lawyer stickers doesn't mean your frame, rear end, etc is going to break or blow up. Farmers have been and continue to overload trucks for years without problems. Just use some common sense.

IMO, no need to go out and spend $40-$50K for a bigger truck for 2-300#.

Knowing you are a few hundred over means taking the time to find out.
Most folks "assume" they are only a few hundred pounds over; but never check. They wind up being tens of hundreds overweight before long; and that is a horse of a different color.

If my tractor breaks down carrying a load of hay, I just leave it in the field till I can get it repaired. My family is riding along in that camper and sitting on the side of the road in 100 degree heat waiting for a tow is no fun at all.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Knowing you are a few hundred over means taking the time to find out.
Most folks "assume" they are only a few hundred pounds over; but never check. They wind up being tens of hundreds overweight before long; and that is a horse of a different color.

If my tractor breaks down carrying a load of hay, I just leave it in the field till I can get it repaired. My family is riding along in that camper and sitting on the side of the road in 100 degree heat waiting for a tow is no fun at all.

OC isn't talking about overloading a tractor. He means that trucks in the ag industry are often loaded substantially beyond what they were designed for without incident. Being involved in this industry for many years now, I can attest to this fact. In actuality, even if farmers/ranchers wanted to abide by the manufacturers suggestion they couldn't. The loads they carry are so complex and varying that they'd be living at the scales if they tried to weigh every time they hauled something. What they do is use common sense. They generally know how to load a trailer to have good balance and the heavier they load the slower they go and the more room they leave.

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by B and B

Factory installed overload springs like my Camper Package do count as increased payload in my case.


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Originally Posted by Herk7769

If it is on the door post from the factory; that is true (and there may be more involved that just the springs).
If not; it is flim-flamery by the vendor/dealer.

Taking the car salesman bull out of the equation. A 250/2500 truck is limited to Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,000 lbs. The Cargo Capacity is calculated by subtracting the scale weight of the truck from 10,000 lbs so anything you add to the truck that increase what the truck weights reduces the Cargo Capacity on the yellow tag on the truck. The camper option adds springs, which adds weight, which reduced the Cargo Capacity of the truck. The camper specs even state the weight of the camper and truck should not exceeded the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,000 lbs or put another way should not exceed the Cargo Capacity of the door tag.

[Tonkatoy77]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Just keep in mind, just because you may be 100#-200# over the lawyer stickers doesn't mean your frame, rear end, etc is going to break or blow up. Farmers have been and continue to overload trucks for years without problems. Just use some common sense.

IMO, no need to go out and spend $40-$50K for a bigger truck for 2-300#.

Very true. The farmer I haul hay for has a 1996 F-350 PS. Whenever there is a field that I can't get the semi into, he takes his pickup with a 28' GN trailer to get the hay out. I have seen him haul 24k lbs of hay before. He only hauls it less than 10 miles, but he has been doing that with his truck for 19 years now with no issues.


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[Tonkatoy77]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

Taking the car salesman bull out of the equation. A 250/2500 truck is limited to Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,000 lbs. The Cargo Capacity is calculated by subtracting the scale weight of the truck from 10,000 lbs so anything you add to the truck that increase what the truck weights reduces the Cargo Capacity on the yellow tag on the truck. The camper option adds springs, which adds weight, which reduced the Cargo Capacity of the truck. The camper specs even state the weight of the camper and truck should not exceeded the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,000 lbs or put another way should not exceed the Cargo Capacity of the door tag.

Factory installed does raise the CC, not lower it. I don't remember the exact number, but I believe the GVWR goes up to 11,200 lbs.


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[OldCoot]

I was not implying or inferring to ignore the scales in determining whether you were overloaded or not. I was just suggesting that once you find out you might be a couple of hundred pounds over, that nothing catastrophic is going to happen like the frame breaking or the rear end blowing up. The "lawyer stickers" have a safety margin built in and NOBODY is smart enough to calculate exactly how much overload it will take to break a frame. They can only determine the exact breaking point by actual tests.

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by Tonkatoy77

Factory installed does raise the CC, not lower it. I don't remember the exact number, but I believe the GVWR goes up to 11,200 lbs.


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GVWR doesn't increase till you get into the 350/3500 class trucks.

The max GVWR of 250/2500 is 10,000 lbs and anything that adds weight to the truck takes away payload. CC is the scale weight of the truck the day it rolled of the assembly line subtracted from 10,000 lbs so adding weight (springs and sway bars or different trim levels)to the truck lowers the CC.

If you want to know you true CC load the truck with people and stuff that goes with you camping including the hitch and bring it to the scales. On a 250/2500 take the scale weight subtract it from 10,000 and you have the CC of the truck at that moment in time.

The advantage of 350/3500 is higher GVWR that fall between 10,000 and 11,500 lbs for a SRW model.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

Taking the car salesman bull out of the equation. A 250/2500 truck is limited to Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,000 lbs. The Cargo Capacity is calculated by subtracting the scale weight of the truck from 10,000 lbs so anything you add to the truck that increase what the truck weights reduces the Cargo Capacity on the yellow tag on the truck. The camper option adds springs, which adds weight, which reduced the Cargo Capacity of the truck. The camper specs even state the weight of the camper and truck should not exceeded the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 10,000 lbs or put another way should not exceed the Cargo Capacity of the door tag.

This is an accurate statement- at least as far as the number on the door jamb is concerned. The GVWR is limited to 10k and adding ANYTHING, including overloads will eat into CCC. However, in reality I contend that you most certainly can safely handle a heavier load in a 250 with upgraded suspension. You can get a 1 ton with a "10,000lb. GVWR Package". It's the exact same thing as any other 1 ton- it's just been derated for registration purposes.

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

This is an accurate statement- at least as far as the number on the door jamb is concerned. The GVWR is limited to 10k and adding ANYTHING, including overloads will eat into CCC. However, in reality I contend that you most certainly can safely handle a heavier load in a 250 with upgraded suspension. You can get a 1 ton with a "10,000lb. GVWR Package". It's the exact same thing as any other 1 ton- it's just been derated for registration purposes.

I agree. Now the question is what is that number? There is also a sweet spot built in those number if things go south you have some room to recover. So is 100lbs over or 1000 lbs over? At some point it becomes dangerously overweight and not knowing what the number is "I" will keep my CC within manufacture specs.

It is also a CYA and I do a Cat Scales weight each spring loaded to go camping and file a copy at home and in the truck.

[deebarjay]

gross vehicle wt. 10,000 lbs.

front axle 6000 lbs.

rear axle 6100 lbs.
---------------
12100 lbs.

and another notice that says.....do not load more than 1995 lbs.

and my 18 inch tires are E rated 3400 lbs.

hard to figure out how the maxes are put in place....got to think they build to a govt. category ....but for ease of production f250's and 350's have common parts except for rear axles....you cant get a 410 or 430 in a f250.
but you can get a 3.55 in a f350.
my 1987 f350 had a much larger radiator than the f250 in a 6.9 diesel....none of those differences in engine and tranny exist any more....
git her done ford .

[lostpatriot1974]