Can it be that heavy?
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 145
Likes: 2
Can it be that heavy?
Hi Guys,
I've got a 2002 F-350 V10 Auto. 4x4 Crewcab SRW Long box. The only mod I made was adding 295/75R16 BFG AT's.
I weighed the truck yesterday at 2 different scales. It came in at a whopping 7800lbs with just me and the wife and 1/2 tank of gas.
Since I am looking at getting a slide in camper I am trying to figure out the weight I can safely put in. I didn't think this truck would be this heavy unloaded and it has seriously cut down the weight of the camper I would need to get.
Anybody else weigh theirs and go into shock?
I didn't think it would way 4 tons!
I've got a 2002 F-350 V10 Auto. 4x4 Crewcab SRW Long box. The only mod I made was adding 295/75R16 BFG AT's.
I weighed the truck yesterday at 2 different scales. It came in at a whopping 7800lbs with just me and the wife and 1/2 tank of gas.
Since I am looking at getting a slide in camper I am trying to figure out the weight I can safely put in. I didn't think this truck would be this heavy unloaded and it has seriously cut down the weight of the camper I would need to get.
Anybody else weigh theirs and go into shock?
I didn't think it would way 4 tons!
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 621
Likes: 0
From: S.W. Oregon
Can it be that heavy?
I have looked at a lot of campers in parking lots and at a few belonging to friends. Every single one of them was quite a bit over the weight limit. I think I remember that with a truck set up like ours with SRW, you technically have only about 2,000 lbs payload for the camper and that would be a pretty small slide in.
My neighbor carries one on his crew cab Diesel that weighs over 4,000 lbs loaded. He has larger tires and air bags, but is WAY over his trucks stated load limit. He claims he has never had any problems driving, cornering or stopping. He even goes on snow covered gravel roads with it.
I would be afraid to carry something that much over, but I am cautious by nature.
There is also the issue, (that I have not seen addressed on FTE, any lawyers here?) of what your liability would be and if your insurance could deny coverage if you were overloaded and in an accident.
My neighbor carries one on his crew cab Diesel that weighs over 4,000 lbs loaded. He has larger tires and air bags, but is WAY over his trucks stated load limit. He claims he has never had any problems driving, cornering or stopping. He even goes on snow covered gravel roads with it.
I would be afraid to carry something that much over, but I am cautious by nature.
There is also the issue, (that I have not seen addressed on FTE, any lawyers here?) of what your liability would be and if your insurance could deny coverage if you were overloaded and in an accident.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,742
Likes: 8
From: OK
Can it be that heavy?
Originally posted by narcicus
I've got a 2002 F-350 V10 Auto. 4x4 Crewcab SRW Long box. The only mod I made was adding 295/75R16 BFG AT's.
I weighed the truck yesterday at 2 different scales. It came in at a whopping 7800lbs with just me and the wife and 1/2 tank of gas.
I've got a 2002 F-350 V10 Auto. 4x4 Crewcab SRW Long box. The only mod I made was adding 295/75R16 BFG AT's.
I weighed the truck yesterday at 2 different scales. It came in at a whopping 7800lbs with just me and the wife and 1/2 tank of gas.
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: Camp Verde
Can it be that heavy?
i'm not advocatin bustin the law
but your 350 v10 should just about handle any kind of slide in camper on the market.i'm a rebel i guess when it comes to numbers...i just use common sense 
. my 250 with ride rites handles a 3300lb camper with absolutly zero problems.i have carried campers for 30 years with a lot of various trucks and my PSD is the best yet.what are you expectin ? think it will break in half with a 10000 gvw ? believe me, there's plenty of brake and xcross wind ability.go have fun bud.
but your 350 v10 should just about handle any kind of slide in camper on the market.i'm a rebel i guess when it comes to numbers...i just use common sense . my 250 with ride rites handles a 3300lb camper with absolutly zero problems.i have carried campers for 30 years with a lot of various trucks and my PSD is the best yet.what are you expectin ? think it will break in half with a 10000 gvw ? believe me, there's plenty of brake and xcross wind ability.go have fun bud.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 998
Likes: 23
From: Tennessee
Can it be that heavy?
My 2001 F350 SRW with 7.3L diesel weighed 7840# the one time I weighed it with my wife, 2 children and myself in it with an 1/8 tank of gas. I would not have thought the V10 weighed this much but it looks like it does.
Greg
Greg
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 145
Likes: 2
Can it be that heavy?
Well I checked with our transport department here in Alberta.
They don't go by the door sticker (9900GVWR)
They use the rating from the tires, in my case 3400lbs per tire x 4
According to that I'm good for 13,600lbs.:-staun
Of course if I go to B.C. and the mountains they go by the Sticker.
Guess I'll try to find a camper in more or less the correct range and play it by ear.
Thanks for the responses.
They don't go by the door sticker (9900GVWR)
They use the rating from the tires, in my case 3400lbs per tire x 4
According to that I'm good for 13,600lbs.:-staun
Of course if I go to B.C. and the mountains they go by the Sticker.
Guess I'll try to find a camper in more or less the correct range and play it by ear.
Thanks for the responses.
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Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,496
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From: Calgary Canada
Can it be that heavy?
Originally posted by narcicus
Well I checked with our transport department here in Alberta.
They don't go by the door sticker (9900GVWR)
They use the rating from the tires, in my case 3400lbs per tire x 4
According to that I'm good for 13,600lbs.:-staun
Well I checked with our transport department here in Alberta.
They don't go by the door sticker (9900GVWR)
They use the rating from the tires, in my case 3400lbs per tire x 4
According to that I'm good for 13,600lbs.:-staun
Are you trying to register as a commercial vehicle?
They used to do this heavy trucks, I had a real set to with a guy once that wanted me to actually go out and measure the tread width of my tires. The 11R22.5 stamped on the tire wasn't good enough for him. I made a point of getting him straightened out.
Anyhoo, my point is, unless you are registering a vehicle with a GVWR rating over 10,000, tire rating/width should not be a consideration.
I'd double check that info with a couple of sources.
Waxy
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Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
Can it be that heavy?
My truck (see sig) with a full tank, myself (245), girlfriend (130-140, not sure and don't dare ask!) was 6900lbs. I think 4000 on the front and 2900 on the rear.
Anyway, 9 out of 10 trucks that haul campers are over the GVWR. No biggie, to a point. You just don't want to go over the GAWR. Sooo...take 3400 (tires) times 2 and you have 6800lbs, which should be your rear GAWR anyway. Take 6800 minus say 3000 for your rear axle weight and you have 3800 lbs for a loaded up camper and people and gear, in other words total payload.
Anyway, 9 out of 10 trucks that haul campers are over the GVWR. No biggie, to a point. You just don't want to go over the GAWR. Sooo...take 3400 (tires) times 2 and you have 6800lbs, which should be your rear GAWR anyway. Take 6800 minus say 3000 for your rear axle weight and you have 3800 lbs for a loaded up camper and people and gear, in other words total payload.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 621
Likes: 0
From: S.W. Oregon
Can it be that heavy?
I am not faulting any of the replies to this thread. Like most here at FTE, it's full of good information. However, as it has in past threads on this subject, the issue of legal or insurance ramifications from being technically overweight seems to get overlooked. I don't have any idea of them myself and maybe lawyers and / or insurance experts don't drive Ford trucks and visit FTE, and that's why no opinions are offerred. It would be interesting to know what they thought.
Maybe a few specific examples will bring in an expert or two:
If you turned sharply to avoid a pedistrian and rolled your truck and were found to be carrying a camper that put you 1,000 lbs overweight, could your insurance company deny coverage? Anyone ever hear of something like this actually happening?
What if you rear ended someone with the same camper? Could it be said that because you had an "overloaded" truck, you could not stop quick enough and are not covered?
Maybe a few specific examples will bring in an expert or two:
If you turned sharply to avoid a pedistrian and rolled your truck and were found to be carrying a camper that put you 1,000 lbs overweight, could your insurance company deny coverage? Anyone ever hear of something like this actually happening?
What if you rear ended someone with the same camper? Could it be said that because you had an "overloaded" truck, you could not stop quick enough and are not covered?
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
Can it be that heavy?
I've heard lot's of opinions regarding insurance companies...but not one hard fact about denying a claim or put at fault because of an overloaded truck.
I will be loading an approx 2300lb (wet) camper on my truck. I will be about 400 lbs over the 8800lb gvw, but way under the axle and tire ratings. I don't have a problem with that. My friend loads a 3600lb camper in his 2500 Cummins Dodge (srw) 4x4. I think he's an idiot. The truck does handle it ok, but it's still not a good idea. He needs a freakin' dually for that baby.
I will be loading an approx 2300lb (wet) camper on my truck. I will be about 400 lbs over the 8800lb gvw, but way under the axle and tire ratings. I don't have a problem with that. My friend loads a 3600lb camper in his 2500 Cummins Dodge (srw) 4x4. I think he's an idiot. The truck does handle it ok, but it's still not a good idea. He needs a freakin' dually for that baby.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 998
Likes: 23
From: Tennessee
Can it be that heavy?
Shepard,
You bring up a good point but could they also deny to cover the claim if you were in an accident and you were doing 80mph and the speed limit was 55mph. I don't think they could but you might have a tough time when renewal time came.
Greg
You bring up a good point but could they also deny to cover the claim if you were in an accident and you were doing 80mph and the speed limit was 55mph. I don't think they could but you might have a tough time when renewal time came.
Greg
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,328
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From: Medford USA!
Can it be that heavy?
"Overloaded" to me is a minivan at Home Depot on a Saturday morning loaded with a Unit of plywood in side of it
Virtually all camper haulers are "overloaded" in some configuration in some state at some time. Heck, most RV's are "overloaded" by the same principles when they leave the showroom floor. Most states use different criteria for measuring your vehicles payload. Some use the tires, others use the sticker, others make it up as they go along. Legally, arguments can me made in all directions. I'm married to a Lawyer. My brothers a Lawyer. My dad is a Judge. Enough with the *!!*# Lawyers
Gross negligence is one thing. "may have been overloaded" is another. This phrasology in a courtroom can be twisted in a 1000 different directions.
I'm more concerened with how does the camper handle and drive? With mine, I've taken precautionary steps to set it up the best way I know how, including ading the special 19.5" wheels and 12 ply 4000#+ tires
I'm quire sure it handles better than the minivan with a unit of plywood stuck in it
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...otoid=847&.jpg
Virtually all camper haulers are "overloaded" in some configuration in some state at some time. Heck, most RV's are "overloaded" by the same principles when they leave the showroom floor. Most states use different criteria for measuring your vehicles payload. Some use the tires, others use the sticker, others make it up as they go along. Legally, arguments can me made in all directions. I'm married to a Lawyer. My brothers a Lawyer. My dad is a Judge. Enough with the *!!*# Lawyers
Gross negligence is one thing. "may have been overloaded" is another. This phrasology in a courtroom can be twisted in a 1000 different directions.
I'm more concerened with how does the camper handle and drive? With mine, I've taken precautionary steps to set it up the best way I know how, including ading the special 19.5" wheels and 12 ply 4000#+ tires
I'm quire sure it handles better than the minivan with a unit of plywood stuck in it
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...otoid=847&.jpg