Towing a 6000 lb trailer with a Taurus?

beemerphile1 wrote:
...

But we are only talking about one issue, what is the statue?

What you don't like Reckless Driving or Exceeding the Conditions?

Or do you want the actual number quoted?

BenK wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:

BenK wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:
That is all fine and great. But a lot of those setups will not be legal in many states...

I sure would like to see you try to prove that. State DOT doesn't care about the manufacturer's tow ratings.

Cousin 'was' a Sargent in the Calif Highway Patrol...he persisted and pushed back that it was the law. Backed it up with documentation...

Okay, you added more hearsay, what is the law? Tow ratings should be followed but they are not LAW.

Agreed, but there are laws governing all kinds of automotive stuff...

But we are only talking about one issue, what is the statue?

Wonder if the California Highway Patrol still has that magazine just for troopers

Some times shows gruesome pictures. Gory even for me...dad was a butcher and grew
up going to slaughter houses seeing animals dispatched and hung over large vats
for the blood

Too bad didn't keep any of them...a good wake up for some folks who NEED to see'm

beemerphile1 wrote:

BenK wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:
That is all fine and great. But a lot of those setups will not be legal in many states...

I sure would like to see you try to prove that. State DOT doesn't care about the manufacturer's tow ratings.

Cousin 'was' a Sargent in the Calif Highway Patrol...he persisted and pushed back that it was the law. Backed it up with documentation...

Okay, you added more hearsay, what is the law? Tow ratings should be followed but they are not LAW.

Agreed, but there are laws governing all kinds of automotive stuff

We used to shake our heads when we talked about this stuff and how
scary it is out there. More so for him, as he sees (saw) this every day.
Plus the results from so many of them that go unreported

To answer you and others...it is the GAWR and tire ratings. Most
over loaded go over GAWR and unless they have gone to over sized
tires and wheels...their tires are illegal for that load. Before
digital, so film pictures of the scale reading, license plate and
tire sidewall (I taught him HOW2 on that)

He/they can stop and ticket just about anyone for just about anything
except for a brand new vehicle just off the lot with paper tags...

Finally, just stick around and read some more...you will find so many
advising it is okay to go over the ratings and some even go so far
as to say some ratings are nothing but performance related.

I can see the logic in Can-Ams setups. But applying that same logic that Andy uses comes up with durability and cooling system questions. And Liability too.
As I posted earlier, GCWR is generally what the cooling system on a vehicle is sized for, so a Taurus clearly has a weakness there. And a bigger trans cooler on a trans with a pump that does not flow the needed levels of fluid for an exceeded GCWR will be a big limitation.
I guess if one is willing to give up warranty, tiptoe around mountains, and risk liability exposure, the I suppose towing 6 times the Taurus's tow rating is a creative way to avoid buying a truck.
Don't forget the $3000 Hensley either...

I believe the phrase is "exceeding conditions", in this case it would be the design conditions of the tow vehicle.

Although I have only heard about this in the process of a wreck investigation.

Not quite finding any specific laws or the details of the ticket from this story...

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/14534698/gotomsg/14537694.cfm

The only legal violation that comes to mind would be wreckless driving, but that's kind of a catch-all, and there would have to be a reason to pull the vehicle over to start with. I can't find anything specific in Michigan or California's motor vehicle codes that references the OEM GVWR. (and I know many others much smarter than I have searched and come up blank before)

That being said, if nothing goes wrong, most officers will not likely have a reason to stop the rig. However, when the fecal material hits the rotary-oscillator, it's a HUGE liability on the part of the operator, and it's not a liability a company like Can-Am or Andy himself is going to assume. Heck, if Ford Motor Company won't stand behind a consumer who hauls more than the intended design, what makes anybody think CanAm would assume any liability at all??

BenK wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:
That is all fine and great. But a lot of those setups will not be legal in many states...

I sure would like to see you try to prove that. State DOT doesn't care about the manufacturer's tow ratings.

Cousin 'was' a Sargent in the Calif Highway Patrol...he persisted and pushed back that it was the law. Backed it up with documentation...

Okay, you added more hearsay, what is the law? Tow ratings should be followed but they are not LAW.

BenK wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:

Hybridhunter wrote:
That is all fine and great. But a lot of those setups will not be legal in many states...

I sure would like to see you try to prove that. State DOT doesn't care about the manufacturer's tow ratings.

Depends...

Cousin 'was' a Sargent in the Calif Highway Patrol...Sacramento area

Quite because he couldn't take the politics any more

He had his employees (patrol folks) check and had portable scales
for most of his troopers. Mostly GAWR violations

He got into lots of trouble as lots of letters written and his bosses
got heat from state legislators, but he persisted and pushed back that
it was the law. Backed it up with documentation

His last straw was when one of his trooper got his knees cut off by
those old shock absorber bumpers and that he had to pick up one too
many little bodies underneath the dash.

Why my advice has 'first decide if you believe in the ratings or not...
if not, then do whatever and know you took the OEM off the liability
hook...or if you do, learn how the ratings system works"



Or provide the 'sure you can' that most come here looking for...knowing
or suspecting that they are not within their ratings. But those OPs
do not understand that there is no contract, nor warranty like the
OEMs provide for their vehicles. Internet advise is worth the price
paid...nothing...

Agreed! Posters come on here looking for permission. Many site that the weight laws state to state are not specific to recreational trailers. Hence, they can go over their ratings are not worry abut liability. Of course, this won't hold water in a CIVIL CASE.

The other big thing folks don't get, or don't care to remember...that all things
designed/engineered is NOT for the good days out there...but for the bad to worst
day out there when Mr Murphy crosses you path

So many, too many think that bad stuff only happens to the 'other guy'...tell
that to that 'other guy'...