Anyone had their rig weighed by authorities in these areas?

[noteven]

Has anyone ever been stopped and had their RV tow vehicle & trailer weighed by enforcement persons in MT, ND, SD, MN, WI, MI, or ON?

Has anyone ever wrecked in the above states and province and had enforcement persons order all the wreckage shoveled up and piled on a scale so insurance could determine if you were 500lbs over door sticker?

[Wadcutter]

bid_time wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
There was a fatal accident last year where an RV ran over and killed a State Trooper on a freeway. It was a large class A towing a large cargo type trailer. Now although I have not read the report, I'd be willing to bet a very large sum of money that one of the things the investigation team did was weigh that RV and trailer as well as inspect everything from the brake pads to the clearance lights.

I'll take that bet!

Me too. Won't happen because it's not relevant to the investigation. I've conducted and supervised just such investigations involving semi trucks which are hauling a whole lot more weight than any 'large class a towing a large cargo type trailer'.
Why do people think they have to put in their comments when they don't have a clue what they're talking about? They make good campfire stories when you and your friends are drinking way too many beers but they have no basis in fact. If they only knew how silly they sound with such 'stuff'. They don't have the training, they sure don't have the knowledge, and they've never come close to doing an actual investigation yet they think they're an expert and feel the need to post 'stuff' which is in no way accurate.

[P_Kennedy]

06Fargo you are an Alberta registered RV which is not a "commercial vehicle" you will not be required to enter any commercial vehicle inspection stations anywhere in Canada or the US. Last time BC played this stupid game the ministry of transport got their peepee's slapped hard. The weight police here will extrapolate hoards of legal horse pucky's, ignore the info except common sense. Occasionally there was RV inspections in Alberta at the beginning of the season to not enforce but inform RV'ers of issues with the units which was a volunteer day by LEO's, propane vendors, tire vendors etc. Listen to Dog Trainer & Wadcutter they are the real experience of LEO information. The most important piece of advice that gets avoided here is pay attention to your driving and learn how to read signs and maps even if you have GPS because both have discrepancies. The driver gets to be a relaxed tourist and vacationer once they are stopped for the day.

[bid_time]

msmith1199 wrote:
There was a fatal accident last year where an RV ran over and killed a State Trooper on a freeway. It was a large class A towing a large cargo type trailer. Now although I have not read the report, I'd be willing to bet a very large sum of money that one of the things the investigation team did was weigh that RV and trailer as well as inspect everything from the brake pads to the clearance lights.

I'll take that bet!

[Jim_Shoe]

I pulled into a weigh station out west on my first trip in the 'C'. The sign said "all trucks enter here" so I did. The trooper was nice about it, but told me that it doesn't include MHs,and waved me on through.

[noteven]

Thank you Wadcutter and Dog Trainer

More useful answers. I actually received an answer from Chrysler Corp. why my 3500 truck has a 10,000lbs GVWR - it is to accommodate US states where trucks over 10,000lbs GVWR require a CDL driver. Nothing really to do with the actual components in the vehicle. Factory equipped with 16,000lbs worth of axles, 12,000lbs worth of tires, same brakes,suspension, steering, axles, frame as it's dual wheel cousin, no hub adapters sticking out putting offset loads on the bearings...etc. Stupid is maybe a strong word. "Unusual" that that truck would be marketed like that in another country that has no such "deemed" driver license requirements is maybe more appropriate. Likely has to do with the cost of re-rating for Transport Canada rather than just using what is already ready to go in the US.

We are looking forward to seeing more of these scenic areas.

[Dog_Trainer]

Wadcutter,
Thank you for your post. You explained it as I understand it. The law is not based on the door sticker of your vehicle. The law is set by the state that you are in or where your registration is from. There is so much BS posted on this forum that you have to look hard to sort the fly dung from the pepper.
If you are over your door sticker weight this might cause the Manf. to try and void your warranty for certain failures that the manf may claim to have caused the failure. Remember that there are laws that state that the Manf must prove that the failure was caused by misuse.
To answer the OP's question more directly I live in MI. and I have traveled through the states you mention I have never seen an RV pulled over to be weighed and have no knowledge of anyone that has been cited. I think if you have any weight concerns that they are probably ones that you should deal with on a personal saftey level and not worry about the laws. Enjoy your trip and be safe.

[Wadcutter]

06Fargo wrote:

Allworth wrote:
Troll Time! Troll Time!

buzz off.
We are planning a trip through these states and may want to bring some gear that puts our weight a bit over stupid low GVWR door sticker but under GAWR's.
Appreciate the useful answers so far.

I spent my LE career weighing vehicles and investigating crashes. I also commanded the most active, highest fine producing fixed scales in the state. I taught truck weight laws for several years. I was recognized by the courts in IL as an expert in truck law. So my info is not something I got from listening to some guy sitting around a campfire.
First we need to correct your misconception on what your 'stupid low GVWR door sticker' means. It's a manufacturer's sticker. It is not the law. Manufacturers do not set legal weight limits. Legal vehicle weights do not set by 'stupid door stickers'. In fact your vehicle doesn't even have to have a door sticker after you buy it. It's like the tag on your mattress. It's required for initial production and sales. It's not a legal document. There are a lot of vehicles legally licensed in the country that no longer have their door stickers.
Second, your RV is not even close to the legal limits. Legal weight limits are generally 20,000 lbs for a single axle and 80,000 gross. I don't care what kind of 5er or camping trailer you have, you aren't even close to those weights so any weight enforcement officer isn't going to waste their time weighing you.
Third, your only concern would be your registered weight and even that won't be a concern outside your home state. Every state registers differently. In some states your trailer must be registered for it's max weight separate from the tow vehicle and the tow vehicle must be registered for the max weight you're hauling with your trailer connected. Other states have a combined weight so as long as your truck and trailer weight registration combined is more than your actual weight then you're good. Then there are other states that don't register their RVs for weight. They just get a license plate showing the vehicle is registered. And then there are some states that don't register some trailers at all. When you take any of those to another state you're still good as you are legal in your home state.
As far as weighing a vehicle if involved in a crash - ain't gonna happen. Let's say you fail to slow enough in time and you rear end the vehicle in front of you. The legal issue won't be your weight. The legal issue will be you failed to control your vehicle enough to avoid striking the vehicle in front of you. If I'm driving my 1947 Willys which weighs 1500 lbs traveling 30 mph and I rear end someone it's because I didn't allow for enough stopping distance between me and the vehicle in front. That's no difference than if I'm driving my Frieghtliner hauling corn weighing 80,000 lbs at 70 mph and I rear end the car in front of me. Or if I'm on my 900 lbs Gold Wing and I rear end someone. I didn't adjust my driving distance between vehicles is the cause of the crash.

[dieseltruckdriv]

I have lived in South Dakota all my life, and drove truck based here for 17 years. I have NEVER seen an RV at a scale. That was going through 36 states.

Here in SD, the scales specifically state that RVs are exempt from weighing.

Edit: I have never been in an accident with one of our campers, but tourism is our second largest "industry". They want people to come here.

[x96mnn]

Never been weighed in those states, never travelled there before though. Have been weighed twice in Nova Scotia, they automated most of the scale houses where you are weighed on the road and screens state to bypass or pull in. I had to pull in twice with my 1500 and 30ft TT, was under the weights both times by a few hundred pounds.

The scale house stated RVs are not what they are looking for, they only control commercial but the new system makes you pull over. He did not say if they would chase me if I drove right through, he stated he wouldn't but did not want to tell me that then a rule come out and I end up breaking it on his advice. If I had of been over, said not his issue but they could call law enforcement and have it towed. He then again stated not my issue right now lol so I do not think they are your concern.

The only concern I think you have, something bad happens and it is to the wrong person. Someone who people on here refer to the weight police, you hit them and they ask to have it checked your at fault. No one here who cries weight police is going to stand up for you and take a hit, nor will Ford/dodge/chev. Being right in your mind is just that, yours. I have pushed it, went over it and come back again. I don't think it is that big of a deal to be honest being over a bit as long as your comfortable. There are people who say the same about drinking and driving though, know your limit.

[noteven]

Allworth wrote:
Troll Time! Troll Time!

buzz off.

We are planning a trip through these states and may want to bring some gear that puts our weight a bit over stupid low GVWR door sticker but under GAWR's.

Appreciate the useful answers so far.

[Allworth]

Troll Time! Troll Time!

[W4RLR]

Never weighed. But Florida does occasionally put out VMS signage at weigh stations that direct all rental trucks, pickup trucks, and RVs to weigh stations for inspection. In my case, they dipped my fuel tank to check for dyed diesel.

[Lantley]

Im not sure what the point is here. The troopers have the authority to check your weights. I agree its not likely to happen,. However common sense has told me to never say never. None of us can 100% guarantee that you cannot and will not be stopped if a LEO officer state or local wants to check your weights

[C-Bears]

First of all, as has already been stated Troopers could care less about RV's. They are checking commercial truck traffic for overweight and safety violations.

Secondly, if they would investigate you for being overweight (which I don't think they ever would), the first thing they would check would be what weight your actual registration allowed, and each state is probably different.

It would have to be some type of fatal crash before an attempt to weigh an RV would be anything included in an investigation by a Trooper. And the only way the DOT or Commercial Truck Enforcement folks would be involved would be if a commercial vehicle was somehow involved.

But really all RVers should weigh their rigs, know their limits, and try to stay at, or below them for everyone's safety.