Caravans do not have to be small in Australia

RobertRyan wrote:

Beentherefixedthat wrote:

73guna wrote:

Beentherefixedthat wrote:

A really good way to judge this is the commercial truck lines. Your average class 8 tractor (the ones hauling 53 foot trailers or semi's) weighs in at only about 14k to 16k lbs. Yet it hauls a GCVW of 80,000lbs or about a 40k payload depending on the type of trailer and how much it weighs.

Big trucks can gross a lot more than 80k.
That 80k limit was put in place for various reasons, one of which is to protect roads and bridges from deteriorating from heavyweight vehicles.

Yes you are right and I realize that but 80k is the limit for MOST of the states and so I used it as an easily understood example to highlight my statement about why our trucks are way under rated. Any higher number only makes my argument stronger.

Not underated but built for their specified use.You have European, Japanese and Australianbuilt Trucks that haul 100 tons but they have very little in common with something that tows 80,000lbs

Well actually Australia for years imported Mack trucks with 18 speed transmissions for hauling your "trains". I believe you now make some Macks there. But that same Mack was used here to haul 80K with very few minor changes including a 10 or 15 speed transmission.

As far as our pickups go. They are definitely and purposely underrated. They could, as I demonstrated, easily and safely haul about twice what they are currently rated for. But then they wouldnt sell so many duallys and medium sized trucks.