96 F-250 diesel, campers under 2300?
First time poster. I grew up camping out of a truck camper. Back then my parents hauled a camper and 3 kids on a 1970s F-150!! Knowing what I know now, they were way overloaded, and so are probably ha...
Forum Discussion
First of all there is no "legal GVWR". GVWR is not a legally enforceable number. The DOT or anyone else can't ticket you for being over it. In fact, most "hot shot" truck drivers exceed their GVWR daily thru all manor of weigh stations and DOT checks and it's not a problem. Only tire weights and bridge axle weights are legally enforceable.
I would look a lot more at your axle weights than your GVWR. Your rear axle is probably good for 6,000 or more pounds (it's on the door sticker). Did you get individual axle weights at the scale? What was the rear? I'd guess it wasn't much over 2,000 pounds leaving your with roughly 4,000 pounds of rear axle weight capacity.
Don't worry about swapping front axles. The front axle weight will change very little when loading up a TC.
I carried a 4,000 pound camper on a 2007 Chevy 3500 SRW for a couple years. The truck's GVWR was 9,900 but fully loaded with the camper and my family it weighted about 11,100. I eventually put the same camper on a 2005 Chevy dually. This truck's GVWR is 11,400; fully loaded with the camper and family it weighted about 13,100. I drove both rigs thru many states and thousands of miles for years with no problems. I was NOT over my tire or axle weights. (but very close)
I would look a lot more at your axle weights than your GVWR. Your rear axle is probably good for 6,000 or more pounds (it's on the door sticker). Did you get individual axle weights at the scale? What was the rear? I'd guess it wasn't much over 2,000 pounds leaving your with roughly 4,000 pounds of rear axle weight capacity.
Don't worry about swapping front axles. The front axle weight will change very little when loading up a TC.
I carried a 4,000 pound camper on a 2007 Chevy 3500 SRW for a couple years. The truck's GVWR was 9,900 but fully loaded with the camper and my family it weighted about 11,100. I eventually put the same camper on a 2005 Chevy dually. This truck's GVWR is 11,400; fully loaded with the camper and family it weighted about 13,100. I drove both rigs thru many states and thousands of miles for years with no problems. I was NOT over my tire or axle weights. (but very close)
