How would DOT know?
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 578
Likes: 12
How would DOT know?
If you were over GCW? It is not listed anyplace on the truck, only GVW is listed, and it is below the total axle weights. My front is 4,000 something, and the rear is 6,000 something, that makes my F250 capable of 10,000 but on the sticker it says 8800, I don't get it. I was told my loaded trailer is 14k, but I think they are over stating the trailer as weighing 5k, the load is 9k its a 25 foot gooseneck. and ones I see advertized on the net are around 4k. My manual says 18,500 GCW.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2006
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Sometimes it's difficult to know but sometimes it's a no brainer.
For Example: When you see a Ford Excursion towing a triple axle toy hauler (which I see often) say like a weekend warrior 30+ footer then you know it's too heavy and overweight for the Excursion.... A lot of DOT guys would just know that a F-250 towing a 38 ft triple axle travel trailer is over weight too! But in many cases you can't tell. I see toy haulers behind trucks that have no business there, and if I know that, surely they would too! I am blown away when I go camping and I see a 1/2 ton Chevy that is towing my exact same 11k toy hauler behind it! Some people are morons and don't give a rip about other people's lives or safety! Going over weight is risky and I hope that people who do get busted EVERY TIME!
For Example: When you see a Ford Excursion towing a triple axle toy hauler (which I see often) say like a weekend warrior 30+ footer then you know it's too heavy and overweight for the Excursion.... A lot of DOT guys would just know that a F-250 towing a 38 ft triple axle travel trailer is over weight too! But in many cases you can't tell. I see toy haulers behind trucks that have no business there, and if I know that, surely they would too! I am blown away when I go camping and I see a 1/2 ton Chevy that is towing my exact same 11k toy hauler behind it! Some people are morons and don't give a rip about other people's lives or safety! Going over weight is risky and I hope that people who do get busted EVERY TIME!
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
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I see that you live in Washington. Legally, you can license your truck for upwards of 30,000 GCVW (which would include all towed trailers, except RV's).
The major stumbling block is if stopped by roving DOT inspections or weigh scales and your overloaded on your axle(s) due to tire size/rating. Licensing is one thing, meeting state tire/load requirements is another.
When I had my '93 F250 4x4, my problem was tire ratings. Sure I carried very heavy loads short distances (county roads reduced speeds), but I found that with 235/85/16 E's and 265/75/16/E 's, I was exceeding the tire ratings at 2700#'s(fifth wheel pin weight). According to the states charts, I was OK with tire sizing(cross section and tire width).
Depending on how you load your trailer, you may have similar problems.
Good luck
The major stumbling block is if stopped by roving DOT inspections or weigh scales and your overloaded on your axle(s) due to tire size/rating. Licensing is one thing, meeting state tire/load requirements is another.
When I had my '93 F250 4x4, my problem was tire ratings. Sure I carried very heavy loads short distances (county roads reduced speeds), but I found that with 235/85/16 E's and 265/75/16/E 's, I was exceeding the tire ratings at 2700#'s(fifth wheel pin weight). According to the states charts, I was OK with tire sizing(cross section and tire width).
Depending on how you load your trailer, you may have similar problems.
Good luck
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
In the state of North Carolina, enforcement could give a rats behind about your rating. The license plate has to cover your load. If you have a 10,000 total combined weight load (truck/truck trailer) and a 8,000 pound tag, you are busted. Same senerio with a 10,000 pound or greater tag, you are safe, no matter what your suggested rating capacity is.
Rating is suggestive, not binding, only a means for planning.
John
Rating is suggestive, not binding, only a means for planning.
John
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 325
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From: Wake Forest, NC
What John said is true here in North Carolina. I'm told that the DMV recently pulled over a woman who was returning from a local horse show on I85 outside of Durham. She had a F150 puling a three horse trailer. As previously stated if you stick out you're bound to get pulled over. Anyway, they wrote her up for excess weight, not having a valid registration to cover the weight and also for not having an inspection sticker on the trailer. They were going to make her drop the trailer right there horses and all but, her kids were crying and she was ten miles from home so, they escorted her home! The folks who enforce the law could care less about your trucks rating. If your registration covers your total combined weight your good! If not, you're busted. Can you say $tate revenue $$. Personally my F350 is a registered farm vehicle and is good for 20K lbs while my F150 also a registered farm vehicle is good for 9K lbs. Better to be safe on the registration when it comes to weight!
Hey John, A good friend of mine lives in Creedmoor. It's really growing fast out there!
Hey John, A good friend of mine lives in Creedmoor. It's really growing fast out there!
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,517
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From: SE Wyoming
They can't just "know" to truly ticket you they have got to have portable scales that they place under each tire. For GCVW they will take your trucks listed GVW rating and the trailers GVW and combine them, hence G Combined VW and see if you are over that number. But there are two issues, the vehicles GCVW AND what your license says you can pull, in most cases a class C is nothing over 26K GCVW, which covers most 1 ton truck/trailer setup's legally listed weight.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 325
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From: Wake Forest, NC
I fully agree. I don't know "all" of the details in this case but, if a F150 is pulling a three horse gooseneck with three horses they can pull you over just to "check" the registration weight rating. If the weight rating is the standard vehicle weight vs being increased I'd suspect they'd pull out the scales. Remember it's easy $$ for most towns. Just my $ .02.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Originally Posted by galaxie641
They can't just "know" to truly ticket you they have got to have portable scales that they place under each tire. For GCVW they will take your trucks listed GVW rating and the trailers GVW and combine them, hence G Combined VW and see if you are over that number. But there are two issues, the vehicles GCVW AND what your license says you can pull, in most cases a class C is nothing over 26K GCVW, which covers most 1 ton truck/trailer setup's legally listed weight.
Each district in NC has a vehicle with portable scales on board so weighing you on the side of the road is not an obstacle for the boys in blue.
I have no idea what caused the incident that Duker reported, because most times that don't bother pickups unless something looks way out of wack.
I haven't run a tag on one of my trailers for years.
Duker, I agree things are growing big time.
John
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2007
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I forget the state per inch tire rating for Wa. But on the tires I think they say 3,200 lbs with 80 psi. My rear axle will go over 6,000 the front over 4000 thats 10,000.
Rear tires are about 8.5 wide.
Question I license for 10,000 gross, how is the weight of the trailer covered? Do I license for the GCW? Also if I license for a given weight won't all those other states recognize it?
Oh and to the fella thats worried about overloading, this truck is better than some of those old 40's and 50's trucks with single master cylinders and all wheel drum brakes, and 235 cu in engines that would be considered okay to go 26,000 gvw and who knows the GCW of them and a 160 hp engine if your lucky yeah its all in the rear end gear sets.
And besides if its pulling a trailer it will have its own set of brakes.
Rear tires are about 8.5 wide.
Question I license for 10,000 gross, how is the weight of the trailer covered? Do I license for the GCW? Also if I license for a given weight won't all those other states recognize it?
Oh and to the fella thats worried about overloading, this truck is better than some of those old 40's and 50's trucks with single master cylinders and all wheel drum brakes, and 235 cu in engines that would be considered okay to go 26,000 gvw and who knows the GCW of them and a 160 hp engine if your lucky yeah its all in the rear end gear sets.
And besides if its pulling a trailer it will have its own set of brakes.
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2007
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Talked to a fellow with a 98 Dodge 1 ton yesterday. It has the same trailer capacity of my F250. He said 18,000 GCW. And actually his won't take the same because his dually truck weighs more than mine. So there is something pretty weird with all this GCW stuff. Its a manufactures mixed up mess. Probably fresh college students just hired as engineers that are know nothings.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,782
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From: Huntington Indiana
Worst case - you get into bad accident. Unit towed off and totally weighed. Over manufactuirers limits you could be at fault for the accident even though you was in the right. Lawers would have a field day with this.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2003
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Originally Posted by bigredtruckmi
Worst case - you get into bad accident. Unit towed off and totally weighed. Over manufactuirers limits you could be at fault for the accident even though you was in the right. Lawers would have a field day with this.
PLEASE show me JUST ONE case where this happened. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ANYPLACE in the United States !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One REGULAR test Ford does for the GCWR is pull up an 8% grade at 20% overload for x miles (I forgot exactly how many) to see if the truck holds a minimum speed without over heating.
How does that test relate to safety???
Answer... It DOESN'T. It is a performance rating. If you are willing to go slower up that hill, you can do it without overheating and do it safely.
At one time the limiting factor for the GVWR was the parking pall.
The test was to see how much weight the truck would hold in park on a VERY steep hill. When the pall broke, the GVWR was set at 50% of that weight.
Before you start saying that the GVWR is safety related, PLEASE find out what the limiting factor is for that rating.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,714
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Originally Posted by Leader
Here we go again.....
PLEASE show me JUST ONE case where this happened. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ANYPLACE in the United States !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One REGULAR test Ford does for the GCWR is pull up an 8% grade at 20% overload for x miles (I forgot exactly how many) to see if the truck holds a minimum speed without over heating.
How does that test relate to safety???
Answer... It DOESN'T. It is a performance rating. If you are willing to go slower up that hill, you can do it without overheating and do it safely.
At one time the limiting factor for the GVWR was the parking pall.
The test was to see how much weight the truck would hold in park on a VERY steep hill. When the pall broke, the GVWR was set at 50% of that weight.
Before you start saying that the GVWR is safety related, PLEASE find out what the limiting factor is for that rating.
PLEASE show me JUST ONE case where this happened. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ANYPLACE in the United States !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One REGULAR test Ford does for the GCWR is pull up an 8% grade at 20% overload for x miles (I forgot exactly how many) to see if the truck holds a minimum speed without over heating.
How does that test relate to safety???
Answer... It DOESN'T. It is a performance rating. If you are willing to go slower up that hill, you can do it without overheating and do it safely.
At one time the limiting factor for the GVWR was the parking pall.
The test was to see how much weight the truck would hold in park on a VERY steep hill. When the pall broke, the GVWR was set at 50% of that weight.
Before you start saying that the GVWR is safety related, PLEASE find out what the limiting factor is for that rating.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Originally Posted by scottman70
I can most assuredly say that if there was a pileup on a snowy road, say like what happened on the I-40 this weekend and you ran into the back of my family's Excursion with a over loaded f-250 and a 20k fiver I am suing your a!*.......... What is this show me proof garbage? Of course that type on incident orrurs in the US maybe not very often but when you go over weight you are placing yourself at risk and others at risk! Limiting factors are the brakes, the chassis, the tires, the axles, could be the hitch setup etc.....
Give me a break.
John