Excessive 5th Wheel Pin Weight

[Cumminz]

All it takes is for one emergency stop and it will educate a few.

[wbduckman]

Like a thread earlier, I too was in same situation. Ignorant, Uninformed Ford Truck Salesmen & RV Dealers & RV'ers telling me the same irrelevant thing. " Don't worry about that 2500 lb Pin Weight, A 3/4 ton will PULL your Camper just fine"

I stupidly listen, bought a Brand New 2016 Ford XLT 3/4 Ton. They were right on only ONE thing. It did PULL my 39 ft Cedar Creek just fine. Right after I watched it bottom out almost 4" when rig was lowered down. Without me & my wife in the truck, we were already exceeded the MAX Weight Rating by 300 lbs & had not pull off of Driveway.

Throughout this topic & conversations, as hard as I've tried, I have not been able to understand & see the logic in anyone PURPOSLY & KNOWINGLY ignoring a rate rating. Of any kind. Particularly when doing so could result in the death or injury of someone. No matter if you drive 1000 miles or 1.

For Safety & peace of mind, I traded & got a 3500. I lost $5000 in doing so, but I know I did the Right thing.

[spock123]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

While in FL I heard there was talk in the state house of considering just that. One lane for trucks to pass thru at 20 MH and the other for RVs. If one state does this all the others will follow as the revenue it generates swill be great for a few years. If it happens, 30% of posts on forums would go away except for those complaining about fines.

Wouldn't work, as many retired people going to Florida, they would go somewhere else. Most people that buy a camper don't know anything about truck weights. And then the salesmen that tell people sure your truck will pull anything on the lot. Some salesmen might end up in court. Every state would have to do it at once or it would end up like state sales tax when you order something online. But then a lot of campers would do what I did when I drove a commercial truck, dodge the scales.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by spock123

Wouldn't work, as many retired people going to Florida, they would go somewhere else. Most people that buy a camper don't know anything about truck weights. And then the salesmen that tell people sure your truck will pull anything on the lot. Some salesmen might end up in court. Every state would have to do it at once or it would end up like state sales tax when you order something online. But then a lot of campers would do what I did when I drove a commercial truck, dodge the scales.

No state could do it all at once. They would not have enough parking space for the RVs waiting on a proper tow vehicle to move them from the scale area. The amount of revenue generated by fines and impound/storage fees would open the eyes of many legislators. Maybe something the democrats would do as they would see it as a tax on the wealthy,,, we all are wealthy, right?

[5picker]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

No state could do it all at once. They would not have enough parking space for the RVs waiting on a proper tow vehicle to move them from the scale area. The amount of revenue generated by fines and impound/storage fees would open the eyes of many legislators. Maybe something the democrats would do as they would see it as a tax on the wealthy,,, we all are wealthy, right?

Yes... you own an R/V don't you?
That's what all my relatives believe.

[ksmith954]

Originally Posted by acadianbob

I would agree with that. The 250/2500 with diesel is especially vulnerable.

How True !

[Old codger]

Originally Posted by wbduckman

Like a thread earlier, I too was in same situation. Ignorant, Uninformed Ford Truck Salesmen & RV Dealers & RV'ers telling me the same irrelevant thing. " Don't worry about that 2500 lb Pin Weight, A 3/4 ton will PULL your Camper just fine"

I stupidly listen, bought a Brand New 2016 Ford XLT 3/4 Ton. They were right on only ONE thing. It did PULL my 39 ft Cedar Creek just fine. Right after I watched it bottom out almost 4" when rig was lowered down. Without me & my wife in the truck, we were already exceeded the MAX Weight Rating by 300 lbs & had not pull off of Driveway.

Throughout this topic & conversations, as hard as I've tried, I have not been able to understand & see the logic in anyone PURPOSLY & KNOWINGLY ignoring a rate rating. Of any kind. Particularly when doing so could result in the death or injury of someone. No matter if you drive 1000 miles or 1.

For Safety & peace of mind, I traded & got a 3500. I lost $5000 in doing so, but I know I did the Right thing.

I am certainly not here to argue with you. I just could not help but say something here. The Ford F250 and Ford F350 are the very same truck. Ask a reputable dealer and he will tell you the weight stickers placed on the trucks are due to regional differences in laws and insurance costs. The only difference you may ever find is slightly taller spring blocks on the F350 and all that does is make it sit a little higher. It still has same springs and axles. My 2016 f250 has FX4 package so it has taller spring blocks than non fx4. I do not argue any of this, I just hate that you traded thinking you got a heavier truck. You got same truck with different stickers and if you think DOT will weigh you, rest easy now.

[ben31]

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I've seen a Jeep Wrangler pulling a toy hauler...with two dirt bikes in it!! Now, that is crazy!!

[doc73]

AND we have come around full circle...

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by doc73

AND we have come around full circle...

and back again......

[DreiHunde]

Originally Posted by doc73

AND we have come around full circle...

Again

[rabreen]

The OP asked for people who have actually done this not commentary from those that never ever would.

I have a 2015 Chevrolet 2500 diesel. Pin weight and the payload of my truck are the same so I know I am overweight, but I also know I am considerably under rear axle limits according to the Cat scales. I am also FAR below max pulling (and stopping) weight limits for my truck.

I do travel with 66 gal of fresh water in my 40' fifth wheel. Fresh water tank in my fiver is in the far rear, so it acts like a one big ballast. Before the weight police argue with me, I am under max trailer gross weight (i.e. For the trailer axles themselves) according to the CAT scales. And I have heard the horror stories about traveling with full water... In two different fifth wheels over thousands of miles I have never had a single problem.

I also use Timbren rubber springs that replace the bump stops above the rear axles for extra support. Trailer pulls great and I feel safe doing so. Not saying anyone else would feel the same way but that's not what the OP asked.

So, in short: Timbren for a little more support, stay below rear axle weights and use water as ballast if your trailer payload allows.

Best of luck to you!

[amblt]

Throughout this topic & conversations, as hard as I've tried, I have not been able to understand & see the logic in anyone PURPOSLY & KNOWINGLY ignoring a rate rating. Of any kind. Particularly when doing so could result in the death or injury of someone. No matter if you drive 1000 miles or 1.

Bang on, Sir. All my training in many fields has stressed the importance of knowing and following the applicable standards and ratings-both phyical and personal. It's an attitude, a way of life, almost a religion, and lets me sleep at night.

[rat4spd]

Why does my Ram 2500 have a 9000# gvwr with a 5.7, but the 6.4 has a 10,000#? Same frame, axles.....It's like a sub-set of the 250/350 Ford dilemma, but instead 2500A/2500B.

[doc73]

You spin me right round, baby
Right round like a record, baby
Right round round round
You spin me right round, baby
Right round like a record, baby
Right round round round....

[DreiHunde]

Originally Posted by doc73

You spin me right round, baby
Right round like a record, baby
Right round round round
You spin me right round, baby
Right round like a record, baby
Right round round round....

Thx, Now I'm gonna have Flo Rida stuck in my head all nite.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by rabreen

The OP asked for people who have actually done this not commentary from those that never ever would.

I have a 2015 Chevrolet 2500 diesel. Pin weight and the payload of my truck are the same so I know I am overweight, but I also know I am considerably under rear axle limits according to the Cat scales. I am also FAR below max pulling (and stopping) weight limits for my truck.

I do travel with 66 gal of fresh water in my 40' fifth wheel. Fresh water tank in my fiver is in the far rear, so it acts like a one big ballast. Before the weight police argue with me, I am under max trailer gross weight (i.e. For the trailer axles themselves) according to the CAT scales. And I have heard the horror stories about traveling with full water... In two different fifth wheels over thousands of miles I have never had a single problem.

I also use Timbren rubber springs that replace the bump stops above the rear axles for extra support. Trailer pulls great and I feel safe doing so. Not saying anyone else would feel the same way but that's not what the OP asked.

So, in short: Timbren for a little more support, stay below rear axle weights and use water as ballast if your trailer payload allows.

Best of luck to you!

Or air bags, they can be a bit more fine tuned but a bit more..
I have been lucky as well after all the miles and miles we've put on and never lost or tank.. YET. LOL

[rat4spd]

Originally Posted by DreiHunde

Thx, Now I'm gonna have Flo Rida stuck in my head all nite.

More like Dead or Alive.

[Skyliner]

The moron two doors down from my home finally figured it out after 3 years. He has been towing a 40 foot 5th wheel with a 3/4 ton for 2 seasons.

Today I saw a shiny new dually in his driveway! Yippee, I'm so happy that he won't be towing overweight anymore!

One down, one more to go!

Now we need to get the neighbor who tows his 36 foot bumper pull with his F150 (no tow mirrows BTW, no max tow package, passenger tires) to get a real truck. This guy is dangerous and I avoid the road when he is towing.

D

PS Yes, for reasons I won't get into, the guy two doors down from me is a moron. You'll just have to trust me on this one. The F150 guy isn't a moron just unsafe.

[rat4spd]

I think I've mentioned this before, but a farmer my father in law gets hay from had a late 90's F250 dealer converted into a dually. He hauled a 40' gooseneck dovetail with tandems and 300 small bales. I was impressed. That had to be about 30,000#.