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Towing Overweight???

Hookem2004
Explorer
Explorer
I know that this has been discussed in length about towing over weight. And it's not towing and moving the trailer but the main issue is stopping. And if you get into an accident you can or will be 100% at fault being overloaded.

I am just curious how I see many 5th wheel toy haulers with triple axles being towed by a 3/4 ton truck. I know they have to over their towing limits. How do they get the dealer to sell them these trailers?

Reason I ask is the wife and I were looking at a new fiver and the dealer would sell it to use but told us that we'd have to have a truck with the proper towing capacity that we are looking at.

I have no intentions of towing out of class, but just blows me away that I see other's doing it. And I'm not talking about 1,000lbs over, it's got to be 3-4,000lbs over.
2006 302 Skyline Rampage TH
2006 3500 Duramax CC/Dually
2004 2500 Suburban
2008 Z06 Corvette
2000 1950 Lund Tyee 200HP Yamaha HPDI
1999 2835ss Chaparral
67 REPLIES 67

kofire
Explorer
Explorer
I have a class C license. Trailer is heavy. Depends on what I have in it probably 12-15k give or take.

joebedford
Nomad II
Nomad II
kofire wrote:
I tow a 38' fiver with a 3/4 ton diesel and am completely legal. So show me what laws I would be cited for
How much to they weigh? What kind of driver's license do you have?

momentum_rv
Explorer
Explorer
kofire wrote:
Calkidd wrote:
kofire wrote:
In California there is no law that enforces GVWR/GCVWR of tow vehicles. If it was an issue there would be a law covering it. It's California for Petes sake. There are license laws in Ca. They would be found here https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/cdl_htm/lic_chart

If you are under axle, tire and rim ratings you are completely legal. That's assuming you have the correct licensing. There's lots of stories and "I know a guy who blah blah". It's all internet FUD. There has never been a documented case of a lawsuit or even accidents in California where an "overweight" TV was totally to blame. I challenge anybody here to find one.
There is one story of a f250 that lost control of a fs3000 on a Ca freeway. It was just a made up story. Nobody first hand knew the person involved and the story's facts didn't ad up.


Tow vehicles are all different you need to research what you want to see the actual differences. As an example ford changed GCVWR of a dually by 3k lbs in the tow boss package. It was just a gear change they did nothing to the brakes. It was for warranty purposes only.
Yes there are laws that govern weights for towed vehicles. Thus the reason CHP will set up check points outside of the Pismo exit from the beach.

If you come off the sand with a 40' 18K lbs TH with a 3/4 ton you will be cited. Plus in Ca if you 5er weights over 15,5K you are required to possess a non comercial class A license. This also goes for 11K lbs travel trailers.
Well you're wrong on your weights I literally posted the link to the requirements for a Non commercial class A in California. It's over 15k for fiver, over 10k for TT.
Yes there are laws for rim, axle, tire ratings but none for staying within GVWR/GCVWR of your tow vehicle. If you are under your rim, axle and tire rating and you have the correct licensing, you are completely legal in Ca. Hotshot truckers literally do this all day long across the United States. I tow a 38' fiver with a 3/4 ton diesel and am completely legal. So show me what laws I would be cited for


Kofire is correct... and the check points at Pismo & Glamis are for incorrect License for weight of vehicle/trailer.
2015 Grand Design Momentum 385TH
2015 Ford F-350 DRW 4x4 Lariat

kofire
Explorer
Explorer
Calkidd wrote:
kofire wrote:
In California there is no law that enforces GVWR/GCVWR of tow vehicles. If it was an issue there would be a law covering it. It's California for Petes sake. There are license laws in Ca. They would be found here https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/cdl_htm/lic_chart

If you are under axle, tire and rim ratings you are completely legal. That's assuming you have the correct licensing. There's lots of stories and "I know a guy who blah blah". It's all internet FUD. There has never been a documented case of a lawsuit or even accidents in California where an "overweight" TV was totally to blame. I challenge anybody here to find one.
There is one story of a f250 that lost control of a fs3000 on a Ca freeway. It was just a made up story. Nobody first hand knew the person involved and the story's facts didn't ad up.


Tow vehicles are all different you need to research what you want to see the actual differences. As an example ford changed GCVWR of a dually by 3k lbs in the tow boss package. It was just a gear change they did nothing to the brakes. It was for warranty purposes only.
Yes there are laws that govern weights for towed vehicles. Thus the reason CHP will set up check points outside of the Pismo exit from the beach.

If you come off the sand with a 40' 18K lbs TH with a 3/4 ton you will be cited. Plus in Ca if you 5er weights over 15,5K you are required to possess a non comercial class A license. This also goes for 11K lbs travel trailers.
Well you're wrong on your weights I literally posted the link to the requirements for a Non commercial class A in California. It's over 15k for fiver, over 10k for TT.
Yes there are laws for rim, axle, tire ratings but none for staying within GVWR/GCVWR of your tow vehicle. If you are under your rim, axle and tire rating and you have the correct licensing, you are completely legal in Ca. Hotshot truckers literally do this all day long across the United States. I tow a 38' fiver with a 3/4 ton diesel and am completely legal. So show me what laws I would be cited for

SolidAxleDurang
Explorer
Explorer
Lantley wrote:
Accidents can happen to anyone at anytime. Negligence is deliberate behavior contributes to the accident.
Sliding through a red light in itself is not negligent. Sliding through with bald tires can be considered negligent. Sliding through with a RV that is too heavy for the truck as determined by the manufacturer can be considered negligent.


There is no such thing as an "accident". There are only "on purposes".

If you are behind the wheel, you are responsible for everything. Any accident involves negligence... Otherwise they wouldn't happen.
TV = 15 Ram 3500 Dually 6.7 / CC-LB / CTD / Aisin / 3.42 / 4wd / EBrake
5er = 12 Keystone Avalanche 330RE
Toys = 08 Kawasaki Brutie Force 650i 4x4 ( x2 🙂 ) 14 Arctic Cat Wildcat 1000

Lantley
Nomad
Nomad
Hondavalk wrote:
momentum rv wrote:
carringb wrote:
If you hit a car because you couldn't stop in time, you are at fault regardless of weight. There are zero standards for trailer brakes (beyond having them) some weight is only one variable when it comes to stoping distance. Ultimately, the driver is responsible for maintaining control of THEIR vehicles, for conditions are encountered.


True, but the difference is an accident vs. negligence.


I believe if you hit someone in an accident you were negligence. :B


Accidents can happen to anyone at anytime. Negligence is deliberate behavior contributes to the accident.
Sliding through a red light in itself is not negligent. Sliding through with bald tires can be considered negligent. Sliding through with a RV that is too heavy for the truck as determined by the manufacturer can be considered negligent.
19'Duramax w/hips, 2022 Alliance Paradigm 390MP >BD3,r,22" Blackstone
r,RV760 w/BC20,Glow Steps, Enduraplas25,Pedego
BakFlip,RVLock,Prog.50A surge ,Hughes autoformer
Porta Bote 8.0 Nissan, Sailun S637

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
Calkidd wrote:

If you come off the sand with a 40' 18K lbs TH with a 3/4 ton you will be cited. Plus in Ca if you 5er weights over 15,5K you are required to possess a non comercial class A license. This also goes for 11K lbs travel trailers.


California, making the world safer for all of us.
bumpy

Calkidd
Explorer
Explorer
kofire wrote:
In California there is no law that enforces GVWR/GCVWR of tow vehicles. If it was an issue there would be a law covering it. It's California for Petes sake. There are license laws in Ca. They would be found here https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/cdl_htm/lic_chart

If you are under axle, tire and rim ratings you are completely legal. That's assuming you have the correct licensing. There's lots of stories and "I know a guy who blah blah". It's all internet FUD. There has never been a documented case of a lawsuit or even accidents in California where an "overweight" TV was totally to blame. I challenge anybody here to find one.
There is one story of a f250 that lost control of a fs3000 on a Ca freeway. It was just a made up story. Nobody first hand knew the person involved and the story's facts didn't ad up.


Tow vehicles are all different you need to research what you want to see the actual differences. As an example ford changed GCVWR of a dually by 3k lbs in the tow boss package. It was just a gear change they did nothing to the brakes. It was for warranty purposes only.
Yes there are laws that govern weights for towed vehicles. Thus the reason CHP will set up check points outside of the Pismo exit from the beach.

If you come off the sand with a 40' 18K lbs TH with a 3/4 ton you will be cited. Plus in Ca if you 5er weights over 15,5K you are required to possess a non comercial class A license. This also goes for 11K lbs travel trailers.

lincster
Explorer
Explorer
kofire wrote:
1jeep wrote:
4:30 gears and the front axle being a wide track is what makes up the ford heavy tow package, its not just a gear change.
No it's not. At least the yrs I'm referring too. The "tow boss" package from 2005-2007 F350. It's gears and a couple other little things. Nothing else was changed besides 4:30 gears


Correct. I owned a 2006 with the Tow Boss package.
2022 F350 PSD CC 4X4 Dually to pull 2006 LE3905

Lincsters Truck/Trailer

Lincsters Rail

1jeep
Explorer II
Explorer II
oh boy, im not arguing. I know what I have, every time I park im reminded how much easier it is to park compared to my previous one.

But we are now so far off the topic.
2016 Ford F350 crew cab dually 6.7 platinum with heavy tow and 4:30 gears
2015 Carbon 327 with a BMW k1600 and Canam 1k inside

kofire
Explorer
Explorer
1jeep wrote:
So sorry to tell you this but my 2016 F350 drw with the "heavy tow package" came with 4:30 gears and the wide track front axle, so while other years might differ don't try to tell me what I bought and paid for!

No need to apologize. I'm correct on the yrs I was referring too. You are correct on yours. You keep on talking about the "heavy tow package". I'm referring to the "tow boss package". I have no idea if these are the same thing or not. Regardless This is not a formal technical discussion on fords. I'm making a point that manufacturers change things with weight ratings without touching the brakes. Sometimes it's as simple as a gear change. Relax man

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

1jeep
Explorer II
Explorer II
So sorry to tell you this but my 2016 F350 drw with the "heavy tow package" came with 4:30 gears and the wide track front axle, so while other years might differ don't try to tell me what I bought and paid for!
2016 Ford F350 crew cab dually 6.7 platinum with heavy tow and 4:30 gears
2015 Carbon 327 with a BMW k1600 and Canam 1k inside

kofire
Explorer
Explorer
lincster wrote:
1jeep wrote:
f350 drw is a totally different rear end from the srw.


I agree with you and that is my point.
Don't make a blanket statement that 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have the same components except for leafs. That just isn't true and folks need to do their research before stating stuff like that.
Lincster knows his stuff. It all depends on the make, model and yr built. In my vintage of trucks 2005-2007. The F250-350 srw were almost identical. It was the same axle. Just possibly different spring packs , rims, tired and mayb a lift block. It was the same exact axle and brakes. The f350 drw was completely different.
You could order a f250 with the camper package and it was literally a f350 with f250 badges on it.

kofire
Explorer
Explorer
1jeep wrote:
4:30 gears and the front axle being a wide track is what makes up the ford heavy tow package, its not just a gear change.
No it's not. At least the yrs I'm referring too. The "tow boss" package from 2005-2007 F350. It's gears and a couple other little things. Nothing else was changed besides 4:30 gears