RV weights?!!!

[dodge_guy]

So we were at an RV show and I was poking around a bit and started to look at the weight stickers. found some "1/2 ton towable" TT`s with dry weights starting at 8k lbs, one was 8700lbs!!! now, I`m not a weight police member at all, but come on!

Then I was looking at some class A`s. one looked real nice good layout with bunks and plenty of storage. the only problem.......1200lbs of CCC. with people alone that will be 800lbs!!! that leaves 400 lbs for stuff. now I know I pack heavier than most people, but I don`t know of any family that will only have 400lbs between clothes, food, bedding, chairs, and cooking utensils among other things. my trailer alone carries 2klbs of "stuff".

So to all new RV`ers looking to buy, look at all the weights (dry, GVWR and CCC) and don`t listen to the salesman or the smiling 1/2 ton truck sticker! If it sounds like it wont work, it most likely wont!

shop carefully!

[braindead0]

It's standard marketing malarky. They will continue to do so until the majority of consumers wise up and learn, in other words it isn't stopping. Sales people have been using the same tricks for decades.

[Jarlaxle]

1320Fastback wrote:
I've always believed in buying more truck than needed, trailers should be capable of stopping their own weight and you can't trust salesmen.

My 92 D250 has a 10,120 tow rating?
GCVR in the manual says 16,000lbs.

For me the risk is too high, I've read reports of DOT/CHP/city police weighing truck and trailers in Glamis where we ride dirtbikes at.

And yet...as long as the axle/tire ratings are not exceeded and the truck is tagged for it, grossing 30,000lbs on a 3500 dually is-entirely-legal!

[Jarlaxle]

drsteve wrote:

I've seen plenty of 1/2 tons that will handle over 1500 lbs. of payload.

And there are also plenty that wouldn't have enough leftover capacity for the family with 1225 lb of tongue weight, and come from the factory with receivers that won't handle it, and axle ratios that are unsuitable for pulling 10K down the road. I'm with the OP--you need to know your TV, because the manufacturers and salesmen don't have a clue in most cases.

Not even that...salesman will happily LIE TO YOUR FACE to get an extra three cents in their commission. If doing so means you are grossly overloaded...well, that's not their problem!

[slickest1]

I had a neighbor a few years back that bought a 28 ft travel trailer to tow behind his 1/2 ton. I said that is a lot of trailer for that truck. It was all within the weights except for some personal stuff added. We lived in Alberta at the time and the roads are flat so yes the truck pulled it arounf seemingly just fine.
They were returning from a camping trip, him wife 3 kids and dog an d got into a windstorm and before they knew it they were in the ditch. The salesman was not there to help them at all.
I have seen several of these combo's on their side or in the ditch!

[Lantley]

irishtom29 wrote:

Lantley wrote:

It's the newbie , rookie, uninformed buyer that is being mislead.

Yes. People should investigate and prepare. Many don't.

Your right they foolishly trust the large sign that says
"1/2 ton towable" without knowing/understanding the details.

Shame on them they should have known better!...:W

Which brings us full circle to the OP's point.
"1/2 ton towable" is a questionable marketing tactic.

[MitchF150]

While I have a nice 'payload sticker' (#1920) and the same GVWR as my Dad's 1971 F250 (#7700), I still have a pretty wimpy rear GAWR (#4050) and the #1,150 max tongue weight on the factory hitch would be limiting too...

This is with a 13 F150 "Max Tow" that has a "tow rating" of #11,500.. Which is the same "tow rating" as the HD Payload version which is #8200 GVWR up to 2014.

I tow a #5000 GVWR TT with it and I'm within #600 of going over the truck GVWR and even less on the rear axle.. The TT has around a #650 TW. I also load a lot of stuff in the bed as well.

For me, I'd go to around a #7500 GVWR TT with this truck and still feel it would be a very comfortable tow.

Yes, the "1/2 ton towable" label is very misleading and I wouldn't consider most of those branded RV's as such, but then I know what it's like to tow over loaded, and that's with 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton vehicles.... So, I'm pretty conservative in general when it comes to matching 'tow ratings' to 'tow weights' and 'towing comfort'..

I don't have any control over what others tow with their vehicles.. They got to the campground without dying, so I guess it works for them?

Anyway, looking forward to May when I can tow my TT again.. 🙂

Mitch

[irishtom29]

Lantley wrote:

It's the newbie , rookie, uninformed buyer that is being mislead.

Yes. People should investigate and prepare. Many don't.

[dodge_guy]

Lantley wrote:

irishtom29 wrote:

Lantley wrote:

irishtom29 wrote:
A 2017 F-150 with a regular cab and 8' box is available with 3270 pounds of payload. A crewcab with a 6.5' box is available with 2910 pounds. A crewcab with a 5.5 foot box and 4WD, which seems the most popular configuration, can have 2100 pounds of payload. These are formidable payloads.

The new 3.5 Ecoboost has 375 HP and 470 torque. Again, very formidable.

Now I challenge you to go find these vehicles on a dealers lot or anywhere else for that matter. Vehicles equipped with these payload rating are very rare.
Proclaiming the 8700 dry trailer 1/2 ton towable maybe technically correct. However the fine print should say " You will have to factory order your 1/2 ton in order to buy one rated/equipped to do the job.:S

The heavy duty payload trucks are rare. But they're available. You simply order the heavy duty payload package, no big deal, ordering vehicles isn't uncommon. And the units around 2000 pounds payload are probably common, when shopping F-150s last year I encountered many with payloads in the 1800-1900 pound range on the lots. These were regular F-150s, not ones with special payload packages.

And don't give me that head slap nonsense, as though the notion of such trucks is outlandish. What's outlandish is a refusal to accept easily verified facts, or to quibble and change goalposts when faced with facts that refute an argument.

Since ordering is such an easy process and these truck are readily available. Do you think the RV manufacturers will mention any of this in their advertising? Or do they let the newbie think any old 1/2 ton is capable without getting into the details.
The educated, experienced buyer knows the ratings and availability of the capable 1/2 tons.
It's the newbie , rookie, uninformed buyer that is being mislead.

Yep, if a customer is ignorant about trucks, they will just see 1/2 ton towable and go out and buy one. I still say towing a loaded 8700lb TT with a family in even a properly equipped 1/2ton truck will be sketchy at best!

[Lantley]

irishtom29 wrote:

Lantley wrote:

irishtom29 wrote:
A 2017 F-150 with a regular cab and 8' box is available with 3270 pounds of payload. A crewcab with a 6.5' box is available with 2910 pounds. A crewcab with a 5.5 foot box and 4WD, which seems the most popular configuration, can have 2100 pounds of payload. These are formidable payloads.

The new 3.5 Ecoboost has 375 HP and 470 torque. Again, very formidable.

Now I challenge you to go find these vehicles on a dealers lot or anywhere else for that matter. Vehicles equipped with these payload rating are very rare.
Proclaiming the 8700 dry trailer 1/2 ton towable maybe technically correct. However the fine print should say " You will have to factory order your 1/2 ton in order to buy one rated/equipped to do the job.:S

The heavy duty payload trucks are rare. But they're available. You simply order the heavy duty payload package, no big deal, ordering vehicles isn't uncommon. And the units around 2000 pounds payload are probably common, when shopping F-150s last year I encountered many with payloads in the 1800-1900 pound range on the lots. These were regular F-150s, not ones with special payload packages.

And don't give me that head slap nonsense, as though the notion of such trucks is outlandish. What's outlandish is a refusal to accept easily verified facts, or to quibble and change goalposts when faced with facts that refute an argument.

Since ordering is such an easy process and these truck are readily available. Do you think the RV manufacturers will mention any of this in their advertising? Or do they let the newbie think any old 1/2 ton is capable without getting into the details.
The educated, experienced buyer knows the ratings and availability of the capable 1/2 tons.
It's the newbie , rookie, uninformed buyer that is being mislead.

[Atlee]

Are the HD F150's relatively rare? Yes. But they are out there. My current F150 is a HD model. Long bed, SCAB, XLT. It has a CC of 2,286# with the Eco engine.

There weren't too many around. My salesman was "motivated" to find one since that was the only truck I would trade for. He found 5 different ones in PA. I live in VA.

If it had been earlier in the year when I was doing the trade, I would have just ordered one. As it was, Ford had begun the retooling at the factories for the new 2015 models.

Lantley wrote:

irishtom29 wrote:
A 2017 F-150 with a regular cab and 8' box is available with 3270 pounds of payload. A crewcab with a 6.5' box is available with 2910 pounds. A crewcab with a 5.5 foot box and 4WD, which seems the most popular configuration, can have 2100 pounds of payload. These are formidable payloads.

The new 3.5 Ecoboost has 375 HP and 470 torque. Again, very formidable.

Now I challenge you to go find these vehicles on a dealers lot or anywhere else for that matter. Vehicles equipped with these payload rating are very rare.
Proclaiming the 8700 dry trailer 1/2 ton towable maybe technically correct. However the fine print should say " You will have to factory order your 1/2 ton in order to buy one rated/equipped to do the job.:S

[irishtom29]

Lantley wrote:

irishtom29 wrote:
A 2017 F-150 with a regular cab and 8' box is available with 3270 pounds of payload. A crewcab with a 6.5' box is available with 2910 pounds. A crewcab with a 5.5 foot box and 4WD, which seems the most popular configuration, can have 2100 pounds of payload. These are formidable payloads.

The new 3.5 Ecoboost has 375 HP and 470 torque. Again, very formidable.

Now I challenge you to go find these vehicles on a dealers lot or anywhere else for that matter. Vehicles equipped with these payload rating are very rare.
Proclaiming the 8700 dry trailer 1/2 ton towable maybe technically correct. However the fine print should say " You will have to factory order your 1/2 ton in order to buy one rated/equipped to do the job.:S

The heavy duty payload trucks are rare. But they're available. You simply order the heavy duty payload package, no big deal, ordering vehicles isn't uncommon. And the units around 2000 pounds payload are probably common, when shopping F-150s last year I encountered many with payloads in the 1800-1900 pound range on the lots. These were regular F-150s, not ones with special payload packages.

And don't give me that head slap nonsense, as though the notion of such trucks is outlandish. What's outlandish is a refusal to accept easily verified facts, or to quibble and change goalposts when faced with facts that refute an argument.

[Lantley]

irishtom29 wrote:
A 2017 F-150 with a regular cab and 8' box is available with 3270 pounds of payload. A crewcab with a 6.5' box is available with 2910 pounds. A crewcab with a 5.5 foot box and 4WD, which seems the most popular configuration, can have 2100 pounds of payload. These are formidable payloads.

The new 3.5 Ecoboost has 375 HP and 470 torque. Again, very formidable.

Now I challenge you to go find these vehicles on a dealers lot or anywhere else for that matter. Vehicles equipped with these payload rating are very rare.
Proclaiming the 8700 dry trailer 1/2 ton towable maybe technically correct. However the fine print should say " You will have to factory order your 1/2 ton in order to buy one rated/equipped to do the job.:S

[irishtom29]

A 2017 F-150 with a regular cab and 8' box is available with 3270 pounds of payload. A crewcab with a 6.5' box is available with 2910 pounds. A crewcab with a 5.5 foot box and 4WD, which seems the most popular configuration, can have 2100 pounds of payload. These are formidable payloads.

The new 3.5 Ecoboost has 375 HP and 470 torque. Again, very formidable.

[bikendan]

Lantley wrote:

bikendan wrote:
1/2 towable marketing isn't any different than the minivan/CUV-towable marketing.
it's all smoke and mirrors and using specs that a minority have to justify using the label.

look how all those minivan/CUV-towables have 3500lbs GVWRs but extremely low CCC amounts. they don't expect buyers to pay any attention to the CCC or hitch weight numbers, only the magical 3500 number.

because they can find a handful of 1/2 configurations, that can tow some of these 1/2 towables(especially 5th wheels), they think it gives them the right to use the "1/2 towable" label.

A long time ago my mother taught me to wrongs don't make a right!

Just because there are other misleading ads doesn't make it OK or justify misleading 1/2 ton advertising:S

I edited my post because I left out a few words.
I agree with you, neither marketing ploys are ethical. But they take advantage of the typical uninformed consumer who doesn't know any better.