That is the w as y in Oregon and Washington state. It's league for what ever you are willing to pay. personally know a few that are Comercial haulers and are stopped ever scale. The are licence WAY over GVWR and completely legal.

 

This is a bad assumption... The maximum payload for that year (or any year for that matter) would be in a single cab, gasoline, DRW, 4x2

 

I have to admit that when I originally did this post I wasn't concerned at all about the LEGAL aspect of my payload. My only intent was to research the differences from model year to model year to find out what REALLY CHANGED over the years. In all my years of RVing, I have never seen or heard of anyone being stopped for a possible weight violation. The assumption has always been that non-commercial vehicles were exempt and that the laws were only for 18-wheel type trucks. Am I wrong here?

 

Don't exceed your tire rating or axle ratings. One step further is to register for the amount of weight on the tow vehicle.


That is all that really matters.

 

Ask any of my landscape customers here in PA. They've been stopping guys left and right for going over GCWR with F250/F350 and trailers. Anyone can be stopped for overloading a vehicle. Remember, in Amercia, everyone is a criminal.

How does it make sense that you can just pay for whatever load you want? You sure can't do that in PA, and I'm pretty sure you can't do it anywhere without re certifying the truck. I'd like to see documentation that says you can. Having just been through PA titling and registration class last week and working in commercial sales I am pretty comfortable with my own states rules. If you have a 10k truck, you can register it anywhere between curb weight (though you need to add fluids fuel and yourself) up to manufacture GVWR. Some folks register class 3 trucks as class 2.

 

yep. The laws are by weight. 26,001 and up combination is a class-A commercial vehicle. There are exemptions for agricultural use and RVs.

 

Now I'm really confused. In doing a little more research it looks like any truck with a GVWR over 10K is a class 3. However, when I look at my state registration it says nothing about it! Several comments mention "registering" the truck. I have no clue how to do that. When I bought the truck 3 years ago I had no clue that its weight would have such an impact. The other worry I now have is the fact that I am substantially over weight with the camper installed. The sticker numbers are:
GVWR: 11500, Front Axle: 5200, Rear axle: 8250
My actual weights (with wife and I aboard and fuel tank full) as shown on the CAT scale slip are:
Truck without camper: 8250, Front axle: 4800, Rear axle: 3140
Truck with camper: 13300 (1800 over) Front axle: 4220 (580 under), Rear axle: 9080 (830 over)
The tires are: "E" rated Michelin, standard size. Not sure about weight spec.
In my Florida trip the truck handles fine. The only modification I made was to add "Superspring" helper springs to the rear. They helped substantially. Since then I have made other mods but have not driven the truck with the camper installed yet. These mods are: Banks PowerPack, Banks brake, Biletein shocks, Helwig front and rear sway bars and rear air bags. Given how the truck handled the weight before, I am pretty confident that it will be better with these additional mods. However, that still does not solve my weight classification problem. Any suggestions on how too proceed from here??? I don't even have a clue who to go to. Our Secretary of State office?

 

Finkstr:


Pull your registration out of the glove box. What does it say about your registered GVW?


Should at least match the 11,500 on the door cert.


The hitch type and classification means nothing at this point. Has nothing to do with the GVW or GCVWR.


Hitch type has more to do with how much you can tow with it (the hitch) before exceeding its design specs. Follow the sticker on the hitch and you are good to go.

 

It may be under this weight. On retail deals we always offer the customer the choice if they would like to save and reg for less if they won't be using the truck heavy. If you are one of those "smart" shoppers that demands low out the door pricing they they probably set you up with the lowest legal registration in order to save themselves the money. Leaving legality out, for safety purposes you should be most concerned with how your figures compare with the sticker on the cab. If I were you I'd make sure your center of gravity is between the wheelbase. If you are over on the rear axle and under on the front with a CG behind rear axle then that would be very dangerous.

As for registration you would get the info from your DMV

 

Here is part of the confusion. Each state is diffrrent. Each state has different rules. Each state that I know of exempt RVS from most or all the rules. Generally is if an personal RV there is little in the way of rules and enforcement. Commercial and NON RV are different yet. I am legal for my triple axle 40' 5th wheel, GCVW 24,000, but I have to pay for special plates and licence for the truck BY GCVW if my dump trailer is over 8,000 lbs. Even though it is for personal use. This is in Oregon, in Washington state i can load it as much as i want, as long it is for personaI use. I personally know people here that have licence there trucks way over there sticker GCVW and haul commercially, stopped at every scale and checked, and are legal.

 

If you go over your vehicles limit and get in an accident I would bet my life savings that there isn't an insurance company in the world that would cover you. You can register whatever weight you want but at the end of the day if you get into an accident be prepared to pay. Might as well use the saying its only illegal if you don't get caught.

 

Ohio is whatever you tag the vehicle, my F350 had 26k plates for a year. Commercially if I had a class A cdl I could haul whatever I could axle. Privately the same is true without a cdl. RV's are exempt for personal use.

 

Yea registering your vehicle for the weight is one thing though. Hauling it legally is another. RV's may be exempt by DOT's but if/when you get into an accident and if/when your insurance company finds out you are over the limit you are most likely to be the one paying for all damages by yourself. I am up in canada but we do get a lot of US trucks through here. I drove commercial trucks for close on 15 years. DOT's only care about per axle weights.

For an example if you had a regular pickup and we said each axle could take 5000 lbs of weight. That means you can put 10,000 pounds as long as it is distributed properly. You can't have 7000lbs on one and 3000lbs on the other. You would be overweight on a commercial vehicle along with the possibility of void insurance and if it were a personal vehicle and got in an accident you could still have voided your insurance if they find out. The liklihood they will find out might be close to 0 but as long as its possible it won't be me taking that chance.

 

So you are a lawyer?

 

What do you think happens if someone drives drunk? Is speeding? Talking on there cell phone and runs a red light? These are all violating the law and the insurance Co still has to pay. The only way they can get out if you commit fraud against them. Again in MOST states the stickered GCVW is NOT the legal limit.