lbligh wrote:
when someone makes a comment such as that they increased their hitch/receiver/towing capacity, by by something they have done when it simply is not true....
..See, I think thats where many disagree with the 'weight police', and why threads like this go on and on.
Just because modifications, upgrades done to a rig don't get an official, almighty 're-certification' from whatever powers that do such certifications, does NOT necessarily mean that the enhancements, modifications done are not sufficient to allow the rig to handle the higher weight.
Nor does it mean the rig is 'illegal'. Contrary to what 'weight police' will try to tell you, fact is that law enforcement really does not give a rat's posterior end if you go beyond some 'magical' rating number recommended by the original manfacturer. As long as you're within the weight limits specified by your vehicle's DMV registration and for the roads you're traveling on, they really do not care.
From what I read, the OP re-inforced the hitch receiver and the frame extensions of his MH, and added air bags to the MH suspension to handle the extra weight. Granted, it doesn't have the almighty 're-certification' from whoever it might be that has the authority to re-certify, but fact is, the capacity of the hitch receiver, the weakest link here, HAS been physically increased.
Short of spending ludicrous amounts to trade up to a massive Diesel Pusher based MH that costs more than most people spend on a house, I think the OP did all he could realistically do to make this approach work, and be safe. I applaud him for that, and for posting it here in the interest of helping others.
...if left alone others may then believe that this is an acceptable and safe procedure, when it is not. Presenting bad information can be very dangerous; not only to themselves, but to others who may believe their statements...
Agree that its not good for bad information or 'misinformation' to be posted here. However, I don't agree that what is presented here is necessarily bad information or dangerous. The original poster did a great job of explaining what he did to make this rig safe and acceptable. He definitely came with his 'guns loaded' for the weight police, and again, I applaud him for that. :)
tinmac: Like I said before, I'd like to see more specifics about how you beefed up the the hitch receiver, MH frame. This is something I've thought about doing, too, from time to time.
