A happy ending?

valhalla360 wrote:


Fact is this guy was grossly negligent. We aren't talking about being a couple hundred pounds overweight. He was wildly overweight with poor weight distribution.

Considering the payload is right there on the door jam, claims that he was told he had more payload don't ring true.

My experience has been that when shopping for a truck, the salespeople have no experience. At least that is the case on the East coast area where I live. They sell mostly 1/2 ton trucks and seem to think a 3/4 or 1 ton should be able to carry everything. It seems that there is a combination of ignorance and just trying to make a sale for a truck currently in their lot. Buyers and salespeople alike also seem to be confused about the need to check the specs for the specific truck. They often fail to realize that a diesel engine, crew cab and other modifications and options can significantly affect the cargo carrying capacity.

The approach of RV dealers doesn't seem to be much better. Brochures and literature which do provide specs seem to be geared towards underplaying this issue. They typically show weights for a stripped down basic unit without common options such as an A/C and even awnings. New buyers don't understand that the spec weight is going to increase by often thousands of pounds when the camper is loaded and ready for a trip.

The weight problem is not restricted to truck campers and can be even worse for trailers. Trailers are typically built with undersized tires, wheels, suspension and frame components. It is common to see a 25-30' trailer that is designed to sleep up to 6 people but is only rated to carry about 1000#. These trailers often have huge compartments that are loaded up with BBQ grills, tools, lawn furniture and often even large amounts of firewood in addition to the clothing, kitchen stuff, food and gear that a family is likely to load.