Give them somewhat of a break
I am posting this here because it is one of the few forums I look at. I see a lot of critical reviews of people and their choice of trailer or TV and the research they do. I only ask that we give t...
Forum Discussion
I personally have a problem with unsafe towing... Absolutely I do... However, people think that the payload sticker is the all and all on this issue...it is NOT the key to safe towing. That little sticker causes us to delve into semantics and starts a lot of if thens and accusatory tones going back and forth. Is an overloaded half ton unsafe all the time? I say no... Is an under capacity dually safe all the time? Again I say no.
So, let's take the EcoDiesel and the infamous 800 lbs of payload for an example. Is the truck safe at 799 lbs of payload? Based on previous responses... Yes.. Because it's just a number right?
What if we take that load up to a whopping 801 lbs... Is the truck unsafe? Maybe..maybe not.
What if the "in the ratings 799 lbs was hung off the ball as tongue weight and the headlights of the ram were pointing in the air. The truck is under that mystical payload sticker...right? Is the truck safe? I think not!!!!
In my experience, weights are not the all in all to safe towing and motoring. There are so many more factors to safe towing... The number one being the operator. Does he/she know how to balance a trailer properly, check tire pressure, properly adjust the WD hitch? Does the operator drive sensibly? Do they have the trailer brakes adjusted properly? How about the brake controller? What about the 7-way connections... Are they clean, are the contacts good.
Loading the trailer correctly, adjusting the hitch correctly, driving sensibly are much more important factors than the sticker.
Speaking of the payload sticker... Will someone please explain why manufacturer A will rate the payload sticker nearly at the sum of the axle ratings while manufacturer B will allow the payload sticker to be nearly or more than 1000 lbs less than the sum of the axle ratings? There is NO universal mechanism that I am aware of for OEM's to come up with the payload sticker... Just that it has to be there (I could be very wrong)
Speaking of truck modifications... Does adding LT tires to a half ton and adding air bags or Timbrens change the little payload sticker? Nope it doesn't... The font and print were put there at the factory... Does this change the capability of the truck? YES IT DOES. It's up to the operator to determine their ability to operate a vehicle safely.
Owning a half ton does not make one unsafe or safe...neither does owning a HD truck automagically make one an expert and a safe tower.
The driver/operator is the #1 key to safe towing. They can either be safe or unsafe.
I haven't even talked about aerodynamics... Maybe in another thread.
Thanks!
Jeremiah
So, let's take the EcoDiesel and the infamous 800 lbs of payload for an example. Is the truck safe at 799 lbs of payload? Based on previous responses... Yes.. Because it's just a number right?
What if we take that load up to a whopping 801 lbs... Is the truck unsafe? Maybe..maybe not.
What if the "in the ratings 799 lbs was hung off the ball as tongue weight and the headlights of the ram were pointing in the air. The truck is under that mystical payload sticker...right? Is the truck safe? I think not!!!!
In my experience, weights are not the all in all to safe towing and motoring. There are so many more factors to safe towing... The number one being the operator. Does he/she know how to balance a trailer properly, check tire pressure, properly adjust the WD hitch? Does the operator drive sensibly? Do they have the trailer brakes adjusted properly? How about the brake controller? What about the 7-way connections... Are they clean, are the contacts good.
Loading the trailer correctly, adjusting the hitch correctly, driving sensibly are much more important factors than the sticker.
Speaking of the payload sticker... Will someone please explain why manufacturer A will rate the payload sticker nearly at the sum of the axle ratings while manufacturer B will allow the payload sticker to be nearly or more than 1000 lbs less than the sum of the axle ratings? There is NO universal mechanism that I am aware of for OEM's to come up with the payload sticker... Just that it has to be there (I could be very wrong)
Speaking of truck modifications... Does adding LT tires to a half ton and adding air bags or Timbrens change the little payload sticker? Nope it doesn't... The font and print were put there at the factory... Does this change the capability of the truck? YES IT DOES. It's up to the operator to determine their ability to operate a vehicle safely.
Owning a half ton does not make one unsafe or safe...neither does owning a HD truck automagically make one an expert and a safe tower.
The driver/operator is the #1 key to safe towing. They can either be safe or unsafe.
I haven't even talked about aerodynamics... Maybe in another thread.
Thanks!
Jeremiah
