What is the downside to these weights?

rmelder

LSU5000
Truck-2008 F250 4X4 with super springs and air ride
front--5040
rear---3600
Total--8640

Trailer--2008 Cameo
loaded--15080

Truck and Trailer
front--4980
rear truck--6920
rear trailer--12020
Total-------23920

Pin weight--3320= 14%
rear axle-2-7000# axles

Ford ratings:
tow capacity-15200
gcwr---23500

I cannot purchase a new truck. If I drive 55 to 60 mph, should this unit be safe. Thanks.

Ron
 

sailorand

Past British Columbia Chapter Leader
Ron
weather you drive at 55mph or 10 mph it would look like you have a slight overload problem. Speed will make no difference to the weight problem.
I think most people run a little overweight. The big question is what will your insurance company say if you get into a situtayion that you have to use your insurance. These companies do not want to pay out a nickel at the best of times and if they can find 1 lb to get out of paying they will.
Good luck and Happy New Years
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
I think if you check your truck tires you probably have E rated tires. If this is the case you are way overloaded for E rated tires. Also your pin weight is over for an F250. Check out the sidewalls on your truck tires and it will tell you the max weight.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Ron, it does sound like you are over weight. Good thing that you dont live in Calif. You would have to have a class A non- commercial drivers license to be legal. BTW, is the weight for your coach the real weight or what is posted on the sticker in the coach??? Bob:D
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Which Cameo were you looking at? We had looked at them before settling on the BH and none of their pin weights were quite that high. Their Carri-Lites got up there, though. Don't understand where the "lite" part fit in.

On a similar vein, for those who have added aftermarket suspension accessories. If the weight cops pull you over, do they actually take them into consideration or do they just write you up based on what the manufacturer's tags on the coach and TV say?
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
They go by what the manufacturer weighs are. You have to understand that just because you add air bag, that does not increase the frame strenth, brake size, axle carrying capacity etc. That is one difference between a 250 and 350, brake size, frame size, spring size etc. Sure the 250 may pull it but will it stop it? An F350 will probably pull a locomotive or a 747 but how fast can it stop it a 70 miles an hour? The safest and best thing to do is buy the size vehicle that is rated for the size rig you intend to tow.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
John, in Calif. they look at the "GROSS" weight sticker in the coach and the TV. This is what the go by, they dont take you to a scales and weigh it. I am about 500#'s under weight with my rig. With a Chevy 3/4 ton you can have a combined GVWR of 22K. Bob:D
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
John, in Calif. they look at the "GROSS" weight sticker in the coach and the TV. This is what the go by, they dont take you to a scales and weigh it. I am about 500#'s under weight with my rig. With a Chevy 3/4 ton you can have a combined GVWR of 22K. Bob:D

Bob, correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the make, model, and year make a difference in towing. I am going by the Trailer Life towing guide and they even break it down to whether your or DRW, SRW, gas, diesel, 2wd, 4wd, lwd, swb etc. I know from a law enforcement prospective (retired cop) that the sticker on the tow vehicle and the trailer is what matters. Any add on equipment might be a mitigating factor with the judge but unless the lawman is a weight car then they do not carry portable scales. The weight might come into factor if an accident occurs. Then maybe an overweight situation might be a contributing factor in the accident. But as a rule, Officers don't stop RVers unless there is an obvious overweight situation ie a 1/2 ton pickup pulling a 40 foot fifth wheel and the front wheels of the pickup are barely touching the ground.;)
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Jim, I looked up the GVWR rating in my owners manual for my 05 Chevy 3/4 D/A SRW. I think 1 tn's are a little higher, but not much. The CHP here looks at the GVW posted in the coach and mine says 14K and the truck is about 7500#'s. So if I add that up it comes out 21500K#'s. Because the coach is over 10K, I have to get a adendum to my class C license. 15001# and over is a class A non-commercial. Thats Calif, dont ya love it. Yes to answer your question, you will not ever have a problem unless you have an accident. But in calif, your insurance co. may not pay off either, which you could put you in a big jamb. Jim, I have based all my information on my neighbors information to me about towing. I have come believe him because he drives a black and white and it says CHP on the side. I dont argue with him cause he's 6'4" and weigh's in about 300#'s. BTW, his name is Angel, but I just call him SIR. It's no joke thats his name. Johnnie Cash had a song about that, didn't he??? I really think the CHP is going after these kids with 40' toyhaulers pulling them with a Honda civic. Bob:D
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
Hey Bob,
I think your right about the SIR thing. Your right, Calif has some different type of traffic laws. I remember awhile back they wouldn't let any RV over 40' on their highways. I think they changed that because it hurt their tourism so much. When it comes to the weight thing, it always makes me nervous when I see a 3/4 ton pickup towing something weighing 18000 pounds. I always try to either get waaaayyy in front of them or stay behind them because I know they will have trouble stopping. The salespeople most always tell the buyer, "Oh yeah, you can pull that with a 250". That is correct, you can, but you can't stop it. I am right at max with my 1 ton and Landmark and have changed the electric drum brakes out to hydraulic disc brakes on the rig. Now it will stop if I have to quick. You are also right about the insurance stuff. What alot of people don't know is you medical insurance may not pay off either if you are doing something illegal and you get hurt. The big question is why risk it? Happy RVING:D
 

ct0218

Well-known member
Actually, the Johnny Cash song was "A boy named Sue". The whole GVWR/GCWR issue really varies not only by state but also by officer within the same department. I believe you could fight a ticket in a lot of cases because of the confusion and lack of a means to actually weigh the vehicles involved. All too often people intermix the terms, such as GVW and GVWR, and as I understand it they mean totally different things. My truck has a GVW of of about 8100 lbs, and a GVWR of 11,400 lbs. Only the GVWR and front/rear axle ratings are listed on the door sticker. The GCWR is not listed anywhere, but research shows it as 23,500. As a former LEO I steered clear of tickets for anyone because it was almost impossible to arrive at the true weights necessary to interpret the laws. I remember only one overweight ticket ever, and it was a Ford F150 pulling a load of hay that I would not have towed with an F550. I took photos and sent in with the ticket, no GVWR/GCWR label needed in that case.

I believe the GVWR of a 2500 is 9200 lbs.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Clark and Jim, you both are right on. But calif is really bad about toyhaulers. Dont get caught at Glamis or Ocotillo Wells. If you dont have the correct endorsments for the weight, or a big enough TV, you drop your trailer right there and have someone come back and get the coach with all the right stuff. I have seen with my own eyes 3950 Cyclones behind a 3/4 tn TV. Most of the young punks out here like pull this stuff about 85-90. I have had them pass me in the fast lane, but this ain't Texas. I think they still call it the $55 lane. Well at least it was when I was hauling freight. I do understand axle and gross weights. Every TV comes with an owners manual and it lists all the weights and specs for the vehicle that you own. I will close now that I have made the water alittle muddier. Bob:D:D:eek:
 

ryburnj

Member
I think if you check your truck tires you probably have E rated tires. If this is the case you are way overloaded for E rated tires. Also your pin weight is over for an F250. Check out the sidewalls on your truck tires and it will tell you the max weight.

What are the next higher rated tires? I have E rated tires on my F-350 SRW right now and they are close to replacement. I am looking into a Cyclone 3912, but I think it may be too much for my truck. Funny thing is, even the F-450 DRW only has only 3000lbs more pulling capacity with 4.30/4.88 gears than my F-350 with 3.73 gears.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Which Cameo were you looking at? We had looked at them before settling on the BH and none of their pin weights were quite that high. Their Carri-Lites got up there, though. Don't understand where the "lite" part fit in.
I'll bet that means if you want it "lite" you have to"carri" less! :D
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
ryburnj; If you have 18" wheels on your F=350 witch I think is standard on 350's they are LT 275 x 70 x 18 LR E with a single load capacity of 3640 lbs each.Those are the heaviest I have found.I just put 5 on one of my trucks, went up from the 17" at 3195 lbs each. Thats all the info I can remember hope it helps, JON ;) ;) :D
 

creeper

Well-known member
Truck-2008 F250 4X4 with super springs and air ride
front--5040
rear---3600
Total--8640

Weights dont seem right. That is the fattest F250 I've seen. My F350 4x4 crew cab, with aux fuel tank, me the wife and gear weigh in at 8800lbs.

My F250 was around 7700lbs fully loaded.
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
Creeper; When my 07 was weighed at the Branson rally the first weigh was around 9400lbs second 9000lbs finally went to the cat scales was still 8600 or 8800 I don't have the papers here. Darn Fords are really heavy. Mine is set up just about like yours. JON ;) ;)
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
My F350 is 7800 but it is a 2wd not a 4wd. When looking at tow rating usually the 4wd tow rating is less than a 2wd because the 4wd weighs more. Remember the 4wd has 2 differentials and 2 driveshafts and a transfer case that a 2wd does not have.
 
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