Bigger tires = more capacity?

There is a thread on TL's forum about SRW and length of 5er. As usual it's gotten off topic, but 1 reply has caught my attention to which I'm confused. The poster states he changed his tires/rims (SRW) to larger size/higher psi ( commercial tires) thus increasing how much more weight he now can carry on his tires......also has a BH. Pin is between 3-4k and combo is over 24k. Says no problem w/ set up. Can you do this w/a 1 ton? Safe? It was this very reason why I ended up getting a dually for I felt the weight of the 5er was too much for SRW and outside factors to boot.

NYSUPstater said:

There is a thread on TL's forum about SRW and length of 5er. As usual it's gotten off topic, but 1 reply has caught my attention to which I'm confused. The poster states he changed his tires/rims (SRW) to larger size/higher psi ( commercial tires) thus increasing how much more weight he now can carry on his tires......also has a BH. Pin is between 3-4k and combo is over 24k. Says no problem w/ set up. Can you do this w/a 1 ton? Safe? It was this very reason why I ended up getting a dually for I felt the weight of the 5er was too much for SRW and outside factors to boot.

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Yes, you can purchase rims and tires that will carry more capacity, but that will not change the ride quality of towing a large fifth wheel with a DRW vehicle. It also does not change your legal GVWR on the truck by upgrading wheels and tires. Law Enforcement, along with your insurance company if you are involved in a collision, will still look at the sticker in the door frame and will go only on those numbers, no matter what changes or modifications you make to the truck.

Rod

Seems you would also to consider the load rating for the axle. Doesn’t matter how big or how much the tires are rated for if you exceed the capacity of the axle and suspension.


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JohnDar said:

Seems you would also to consider the load rating for the axle. Doesn’t matter how big or how much the tires are rated for if you exceed the capacity of the axle and suspension.


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For20hunter said:

It also does not change your legal GVWR on the truck by upgrading wheels and tires.

Rod

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All current 350/3500 have rear axles rated to 10-11,400 pounds.

GVWR along with GCWR are manufacturers warranty numbers and in many states vehicles can be licensed for weight beyond this manufacturers number. No pickup comes close to exceeding to weight of the federal bridge weights enforced by states in their chicken coops(weigh stations).

Exceed the sticker numbers on the door, you may as well go uninsured. The insurance company will always look for a way not to pay a claim.

SNOKING said:

All current 350/3500 have rear axles rated to 10-11,400 pounds.

GVWR along with GCWR are manufacturers warranty numbers and in many states vehicles can be licensed for weight beyond this manufacturers number. No pickup comes close to exceeding to weight of the federal bridge weights enforced by states in their chicken coops(weigh stations).

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Do you mean GVW and not axle capacity? My old '15 F350 SRW rear axle was rated at 7,000 while truck GVW was 11,500.

JohnDar said:

Seems you would also to consider the load rating for the axle. Doesn’t matter how big or how much the tires are rated for if you exceed the capacity of the axle and suspension.


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NYSUPstater said:

Do you mean GVW and not axle capacity? My old '15 F350 SRW rear axle was rated at 7,000 while truck GVW was 11,500.

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I am talking about the axle it's self. The tires are the limiting item on SRW trucks, not the axle as the poster I quoted questioned "Seems you would also to consider the load rating for the axle. Doesn’t matter how big or how much the tires are rated for if you exceed the capacity of the axle and suspension." , who stated one might exceed the axle rating. I responded the the axles themselves are rated for a lot more that both SRW and DRW RGAWR. Chris

I wish, just for once, someone would post a reference to a person who was involved in an accident and the trooper checked the weight rating and the actual weight Also a reference where insurance canceled because you were overweight.

I consider both as internet rumors because as many times as I have asked I've never gotten a reply.

And the rumors go on.....

I think insurance is a contract with specific terms and conditions, overseen by state regulators. If the policy says that an accident caused by xyz conduct voids coverage, that would be one thing. But if it doesn't say that, it seems they would have a pretty steep hill to climb to void coverage.

Example: people routinely make the error of running stop signs, resulting in accidents. Anyone ever hear of coverage being voided by running a stop sign?

Example: people routinely get drunk and cause accidents. Anyone ever hear of coverage voided by driving under the influence?

So what's worse? Exceeding your weight limit or driving drunk?

The insurance company might claim you knew better and therefore should lose coverage. Hard to prove though, unless they found a forum post where you explained your reckless disregard.

avvidclif said:

I wish, just for once, someone would post a reference to a person who was involved in an accident and the trooper checked the weight rating and the actual weight Also a reference where insurance canceled because you were overweight.

I consider both as internet rumors because as many times as I have asked I've never gotten a reply.

And the rumors go on.....

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The internet weight police testified at the internet trial, before a jury of internet peers. Jury failed to come up with a verdict.

Chris

The ability to increase carrying capacity by larger tires along with the correct rims still does not impact the gvrw rating if the tires can carry more then the rear axle rating. If your rear axle rating states 9,000 lbs for example but you install tires/rims that can carry 10,000 your capacity is still 9,000 lbs. conversely if you tires/rims can only carry 8,000 lbs, you carrying capacity is just that, 8,000 lbs.

As far as insurance dropping you or disavowing coverage I highly doubt that will happen. Probably the only way you could press the issue is in a lawsuit against the individual and not the insurance company. Which I may add I would do in a heartbeat if the vehicle was an issue in an accident. Tires/wheels incorrect, lack of tread depth(lack of maintenance), over loaded, or their is clearly a mechanical misfunction that was caused by a “Rube Goldberg” cobble job. In other words people should be held accountable for their actions (or lack of).

NYSUPstater said:

There is a thread on TL's forum about SRW and length of 5er. As usual it's gotten off topic, but 1 reply has caught my attention to which I'm confused. The poster states he changed his tires/rims (SRW) to larger size/higher psi ( commercial tires) thus increasing how much more weight he now can carry on his tires......also has a BH. Pin is between 3-4k and combo is over 24k.

Says no problem w/ set up.

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It's the old "I've been doing it this way for years with no problems" justification again.

Towing a Bighorn with an F150/1500...leaving the gray tanks open all the time while camping...mounting that $50 bike rack to the rear bumper of a small TT...the list is endless!

Doesn't matter whether it is right or wrong or against the law...who cares?

As long as I can do it "with no problems"!

Getting away with something for years "with no problems" doesn't make it right.

It just means that one day whomever is doing it "with no problems" will find out that yes...it is a problem!

Sorry for the rant...

Nobody that I see has mentioned the extra strain on the suspension (brakes particularly) for the mass of those bigger, and probably much heavier, tires and rims. Maybe a misplaced belief but I think it is one of the reasons that the F450s have bigger brakes, that is, to handle the larger, commercial, tires and rims.

ksucats said:

Nobody that I see has mentioned the extra strain on the suspension (brakes particularly) for the mass of those bigger, and probably much heavier, tires and rims. Maybe a misplaced belief but I think it is one of the reasons that the F450s have bigger brakes, that is, to handle the larger, commercial, tires and rims.

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The trailer tires would be considered unsprung weight/mass and would have a negligible effect on brakes. If F450's have bigger brakes it is probably because they have higher load capacities and conversely would also need beefier tires and they are in commercial territory. One of the things with trucks is getting taller tires would mean more leverage on the drivetrain components which also means you could brake stuff quicker. Getting the same size tires but heavier is not going to do anything to the trailer, there's no drivetrain to run, your just pulling it along so it would count towards the trailer total weight.

danemayer said:

I think insurance is a contract with specific terms and conditions, overseen by state regulators. If the policy says that an accident caused by xyz conduct voids coverage, that would be one thing. But if it doesn't say that, it seems they would have a pretty steep hill to climb to void coverage.

Example: people routinely make the error of running stop signs, resulting in accidents. Anyone ever hear of coverage being voided by running a stop sign?

Example: people routinely get drunk and cause accidents. Anyone ever hear of coverage voided by driving under the influence?

So what's worse? Exceeding your weight limit or driving drunk?

The insurance company might claim you knew better and therefore should lose coverage. Hard to prove though, unless they found a forum post where you explained your reckless disregard.

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Excellent analogy!

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The difference with that analogy and towing over limit is that you were never legal at the outset of driving. It was an infraction of the law that you committed while you were driving legally to begin with.

For example if you have a suspended or revoked drivers license, most insurance companies will not cover the insurance claim on the insured vehicle, because at the time that you started driving you were violating the law. Most of them however will pay the claim against the other vehicle if the causing driver was the one that was suspended. But that varies from insurance company to insurance company and how their policies are written.

The Insurance companies attempted to do that with DUI cases however there was no way for them to prove that at the outset of when the at fault driver began driving that vehicle that they were intoxicated. Since the Insurance companies could not prove that, the rulings were overturned and the Insurance companies were forced to pay the claims.

No matter if in the end you can get your insurance company to pay, why risk it and deal with all of the potential litigation and liability?

Rod