In looking through the Washington and municipal laws regarding whether or not truck campers are RV's I noticed the laws are rife with definitions involving 10,000 lb vehicle weight (with an occasional 12,000 lob or 1 ton reference). Below it, for the purposes of the law, you are just a "car". Above it you are a "big" truck with many more restrictions. This goes to chaining up requirements, car pool lanes, parking etc. It sure helps me understand the 10,000 lb GVWR option that Ford has on its pickups. Just change a sticker and all is well. It does seem rather outdated though with so many of today's pickups having higher limits. I also suspect it is one of the more commonly ignored aspects of the law. I've gone by lots of state troopers in the car pool lane in my DRW pickup with the camper and they haven't payed any attention.By the way, some of the laws refer to 10,000 lb vehicle weight so I guess officially you can be in trouble if you weigh more than 10,000 lb independent of what your GVWR is.I suppose this sort of thing is common in other states and just as commonly ignored?

Until you do get stopped or involved in a wreck. The insurer's lawyers will be all over it like white on rice.

Somebody, anybody, please just once post the who, what, where, when somebody got arrested or sued over their actual weight versus the sticker. Don't mean some trucker hauling to many postholes.OK now another cup.

In looking through the Washington and municipal laws regarding whether or not truck campers are RV's I noticed the laws are rife with definitions involving 10,000 lb vehicle weight (with an occasional 12,000 lob or 1 ton reference). Below it, for the purposes of the law, you are just a "car". Above it you are a "big" truck with many more restrictions. This goes to chaining up requirements, car pool lanes, parking etc. It sure helps me understand the 10,000 lb GVWR option that Ford has on its pickups. Just change a sticker and all is well. It does seem rather outdated though with so many of today's pickups having higher limits. I also suspect it is one of the more commonly ignored aspects of the law. I've gone by lots of state troopers in the car pool lane in my DRW pickup with the camper and they haven't payed any attention. By the way, some of the laws refer to 10,000 lb vehicle weight so I guess officially you can be in trouble if you weigh more than 10,000 lb independent of what your GVWR is. I suppose this sort of thing is common in other states and just as commonly ignored? Many of these laws are confusing, especially so as it relates to non commercial operations like RVs. Some states simply exclude RV's from most commercial carrier weight laws; for example truck weight stations. Most states enjoy resproicty that allows you to be recognized as legal in another state as long as you are legal in your home state. You are correct, many of these laws probably need to be revisited and the weight thresholds raised as many one ton pickups today are over 12,000 gross and are used for recreational vehicle towing or hauling and never used commercially.

I'm glad Texas is truck friendly. Ford offers the 10k pound downrate option, but I wouldn't want to take it.The main reason is that my insurance company knows my truck's GVWR and other specs. They know my RV's specs. Come claim time, it will be pretty obvious if there is a weight issue or not just due to the manufacturer ratings.

It's funny, when I bought my 2003 SRW Quad cab Dodge 3500 the brochure states that my truck has a payload of 4660, but when I got the truck it has a 9900 lb combined gross weight rating, but the truck weighs 7700 lb so my door sticker payload is 2200 lbs. I have a 2003 Lance 1071 on it and the CGW is 11,800 lbs and it handles it just fine, like it isn't there, so I have a 4660 lb payload after all

10,000 lb Vehicle weight and the law | Good Sam Community

28 Replies

Bedlam
Moderator
May 16, 2014
My F250 has the downgraded sticker to allow driving in 4WD without chains when restrictions are in place yet has the upgraded suspension. I carry my TC skiing but leave the trailer behind because that's another set rules for chaining that require the tow vehicle be chained and a drag chain be added to one of the trailer tires regardless of vehicle sizes.

Carpool lanes are still a mystery to me. There are restrictions to vehicle size and weight, yet I have not seen enforcement of this on RV's. I also see public transit using these lanes which means they have an exemption yet the road bed is constructed to handle their weight safely.
billtex
Explorer II
May 16, 2014
brholt wrote:
In looking through the Washington and municipal laws regarding whether or not truck campers are RV's I noticed the laws are rife with definitions involving 10,000 lb vehicle weight (with an occasional 12,000 lob or 1 ton reference). Below it, for the purposes of the law, you are just a "car". Above it you are a "big" truck with many more restrictions. This goes to chaining up requirements, car pool lanes, parking etc.

It sure helps me understand the 10,000 lb GVWR option that Ford has on its pickups. Just change a sticker and all is well. It does seem rather outdated though with so many of today's pickups having higher limits. I also suspect it is one of the more commonly ignored aspects of the law. I've gone by lots of state troopers in the car pool lane in my DRW pickup with the camper and they haven't payed any attention.

By the way, some of the laws refer to 10,000 lb vehicle weight so I guess officially you can be in trouble if you weigh more than 10,000 lb independent of what your GVWR is.

I suppose this sort of thing is common in other states and just as commonly ignored?

Yes, many states have these restrictions for tax purposes, etc. And this IS a reason to keep the GVWR down rated on some trucks...
Marshfly
Explorer
May 16, 2014
805gregg wrote:
It's funny, when I bought my 2003 SRW Quad cab Dodge 3500 the brochure states that my truck has a payload of 4660, but when I got the truck it has a 9900 lb combined gross weight rating, but the truck weighs 7700 lb so my door sticker payload is 2200 lbs. I have a 2003 Lance 1071 on it and the CGW is 11,800 lbs and it handles it just fine, like it isn't there, so I have a 4660 lb payload after all

The crazy high advertised payload in the brochure is for a stripped, regular cab, 2wd truck. Add your Quad Cab, options, 4wd, blah blah and it eats into the payload pretty quickly.
805gregg
Explorer
May 16, 2014
It's funny, when I bought my 2003 SRW Quad cab Dodge 3500 the brochure states that my truck has a payload of 4660, but when I got the truck it has a 9900 lb combined gross weight rating, but the truck weighs 7700 lb so my door sticker payload is 2200 lbs. I have a 2003 Lance 1071 on it and the CGW is 11,800 lbs and it handles it just fine, like it isn't there, so I have a 4660 lb payload after all
mlts22
Explorer II
May 16, 2014
I'm glad Texas is truck friendly. Ford offers the 10k pound downrate option, but I wouldn't want to take it.

The main reason is that my insurance company knows my truck's GVWR and other specs. They know my RV's specs. Come claim time, it will be pretty obvious if there is a weight issue or not just due to the manufacturer ratings.
jmtandem
Explorer II
May 16, 2014
In looking through the Washington and municipal laws regarding whether or not truck campers are RV's I noticed the laws are rife with definitions involving 10,000 lb vehicle weight (with an occasional 12,000 lob or 1 ton reference). Below it, for the purposes of the law, you are just a "car". Above it you are a "big" truck with many more restrictions. This goes to chaining up requirements, car pool lanes, parking etc.

It sure helps me understand the 10,000 lb GVWR option that Ford has on its pickups. Just change a sticker and all is well. It does seem rather outdated though with so many of today's pickups having higher limits. I also suspect it is one of the more commonly ignored aspects of the law. I've gone by lots of state troopers in the car pool lane in my DRW pickup with the camper and they haven't payed any attention.

By the way, some of the laws refer to 10,000 lb vehicle weight so I guess officially you can be in trouble if you weigh more than 10,000 lb independent of what your GVWR is.

I suppose this sort of thing is common in other states and just as commonly ignored?

Many of these laws are confusing, especially so as it relates to non commercial operations like RVs. Some states simply exclude RV's from most commercial carrier weight laws; for example truck weight stations. Most states enjoy resproicty that allows you to be recognized as legal in another state as long as you are legal in your home state.

You are correct, many of these laws probably need to be revisited and the weight thresholds raised as many one ton pickups today are over 12,000 gross and are used for recreational vehicle towing or hauling and never used commercially.
Jim_Cindy
Explorer
May 16, 2014
Somebody, anybody, please just once post the who, what, where, when somebody got arrested or sued over their actual weight versus the sticker. Don't mean some trucker hauling to many postholes.
OK now another cup.
romore
Explorer II
May 16, 2014
Until you do get stopped or involved in a wreck. The insurer's lawyers will be all over it like white on rice.

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10,000 lb Vehicle weight and the law

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