The confounding 3/4 ton truck...

mkirsch wrote:

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
What I haven't seen, however, is reliably sourced information that is something other than one person or another's opinion on the matter.

That's because no such thing exists.

You ask the manufacturer, and they're going to point to their published documentation. "Don't exceed the GVWR, GAWRs, or the GCVWR, period." Any consequences from exceeding those limits will not be defined in any way shape or form because that both leaves it open for interpretation to the manufacturers' benefit, and prevents someone from using the information against them.

You ask two people in DOT licensing or enforcement, and you will get three different answers about what is "legal" and what is not. That is if you get an answer at all. The only way to know if you're illegal is to get caught on the road and ticketed, and even then it is not definitive because the next officer may not issue a ticket for the same "violation."

All that's left are people's opinions, so that is what you get.

More than anything it is about COMFORT. When you are comfortable driving something, you are as safe as you can be on the road even if it exceeds one of the manufacturer's ratings by a few pounds.

I think mkirsch gives one of the best answers here.

I would add, we are a litigeous country. Our regulations and laws are often purposely written in shades of gray, so there is plenty left open for interpretation.

Which is why you can go to court, lose, appeal it to a higher court, keep losing, and keep going up the ladder all the way to the supreme court.

If you think a F150 is inadequate, sell it and buy a F250, or F350 dually, or all the way up to a class eight. None of these choices will absolutely insulate you from being sued if you injure or kill someone in an accident.