Can I safely exceed the GVWR and payload on my TV?

[willdennis]

Hi all,

When I got my brand new TV 6 years ago (details in sig below), and was shopping for my first TT, I was kindly educated by some of the folks on this board on how to properly estimate how much trailer I could buy (dry weight, then estimate the "people & stuff" load) and how that would fit the max load capacity parameters of my TV (hitch weight, payload, GVWR and GCWR.) So with this information, I constructed a nice Excel spreadsheet that does all of the math for me.

The current TT is around 4800lbs dry; according to my spreadsheet calcs, I am about 100lbs over GVWR (1.4 percent) fully laden for camping. I feel the TT has been a good fit for my truck, and easy to tow (although, I haven't gone up any big mountains with it...)

Now I'm shopping around for the next TT. I'm looking at a nice TT that runs 5900lbs dry; that would put me about 250lbs (3.6 percent) over the GVWR, and also 100lbs over max payload (5.2 percent)

My question is, how concerned do I have to be about going over the published weight max's of the TV (especially now that I don't have to worry about invalidating a warranty...) Are these max's on the conservative side, and by how much can I safely exceed them realistically (like maybe up to 5 percent ??)

If it's definately NOT a good idea to go over these maxes, what could I do to increase the payload and GVWR maxes on my TV? (other than getting a bigger TV of course :P)

Thanks all!
Will

[time2roll]

A hundred pounds over? People do it every day. Can't recommend it but there are far more important safety factors while driving than 100 pounds extra payload.

Best I can say is put it on a scale and know your real numbers.

[TomG2]

Can I safely exceed the GVWR and payload on my TV?
Leave out that word "Safely" and accept all the "go ahead, you will be fine" advice. Including that word implies that you are already aware that it might be unsafe to disregard the manufacturers ratings.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

I would tow that in a heart beat.

My dad towed 10's of thousands of miles with a 7K TT and a 69 Chevy half ton. So did I. This is when there were no little yellow stickers on the doors like now days.

This truck had drum brakes, a 3 speed tranny and half the HP your truck has and more than likely had half the capacity of the truck you have now.

Your truck would tow that trailer like a dream compared to my 69 half ton and my half ton handled my TT just fine.

Your truck has disk ABS, LOTS of HP, and a ton of gears and yet a lot on this forum are afraid to tow 5 or 6K........Sh....oot. :R

On a side note. Going to the races the other day I was following a F450 with a truck camper on the back. I have no doubt he was within the capacity of his truck. Talk about sketchy!!! OMG!!! It looked like the thing was going to flip over on the road around every turn! No way in hell I would have driven that truck. It was that sketchy but yet the yellow sticker said it was ok.

[nohurry]

If you don't have the new TT yet, you don't know your actual final weights yet. You cited empty weight on the TT. I hope you're factoring in the items, water etc you'll be adding.

I know I'm in the minority here, but if your weights are accurate I would do it. With the caveat that you make sure your tires are LT, not P rated as some half tons are, and The weight rating on the tires are above your actual weights. I would also upgrade to a better hitch like an equal-i-zer or similar, with integrated sway control. Don't go too fast, be cautious in wind, and down hills etc. you'll be fine.

Easy for me to say, I know. I tow a 7k TT with an F 350 diesel, but I towed the same TT with my 2003 half ton (shh!). It was about as overloaded as you will be, and I had no problems. I used it to my advantage though. Every time we went out, I'd say to the missus "we need a bigger truck Hun". It worked :B

[blt2ski]

Safe vs smart vs legal LEO vs legal Civil are five different variations on the same thing.

Safe can be unsafe below ALL the ratings if you are loaded in an unsafe manner. Say too much wt to one side or fore or aft on a trailer, tow rig etc. Or maybe too little HW on the trailer, so it sways.

Smart says, if trailer sways, put more wt or switch wt to front of trailer, so trailer does not sway, along with installing a sway control as an added safety measure.

Legal - leo, is what the LEO that pulls you over has to show is a true black and white in the field legal over weight! This is frankly, for a smaller rig like a 15 series, a max of 500 lbs per inch width of tire. For a typical pickup in todays world that is 5000-5500 lbs per tire on the truck, and around 4000 or so for the trailer tire. Are any of us near these numbers? not likely, so from an LEO standpoint, you are legal from the road bed engineer design max point load limit. OR Federal Bridge Laws! BUT, they can getchya on something else. Like a battery that is too low of voltage to stop you trailer if it runs away and the electric trailer brake is to stop it. Or you can not stop the WHOLE rig in less than 25' from 25mph or some field test they can do. Can the trailer brakes hold or stay locked while you start from a stop? If you fail any of these tests, you are dead in the water. Do you have the correct PAID for license GVW for the truck and trailer. If under, you are good to go, if also under the FBL amount. If OVER any of these two, you are over weight, can get fined, told to move items around so you are under weight, or told to go buy a LARGER paid for gvw for the rig! Been there done ALL the above!

Legal Civil, a lot of gray can occur! You generally speaking, need to stay under any and all manufacture warranty and performance ratings, or you can potentially get sued for negligence. Heck, you can get sued if UNDER these and lose depending upon the how or why or what ever.

Take your pick on what you want to do. I generally speaking follow the axel limits, gvwr for a truck that has axel limits 20-25% above the GVWR......some thing is wrong about this IMHO. BUT, I am NOT the engineer who certifies the rig, per federal standards. These standards are not followed by LEO's that pull you over. ALL they care about is paid for license, are you under from a weight standpoint!

Choose your poison!

Marty

[KD4UPL]

If you're within the axle weights and the tire weights I wouldn't be too concerned about 100 or even 250 pounds. Just be aware you're over so you will maintain and drive the vehicle like you're over. That is, use good quality parts, particularly brakes. Don't go too fast, leave a long time to stop, etc.
Overloading any vehicle isn't a good idea but the reality is that it happens all day every day with very few consequences.
In the construction industry most people don't bother to weigh their work trucks. They load up the tools, supplies, and crew they need for the job and head out. I've seen many 1500 and larger trucks on job sites that are clearly overloaded and they pretty much stay that way.
Truck camper owner's were mentioned. I'm one. My truck's GVWR is 11,400. Loaded with the family, camper, and gear the rig weighs about 13,000. It drives well and has for thousands of miles. However, I'm not over my axle or tire ratings and I keep the truck meticulously maintained. I drive the speed limit or under.
I would much rather not be overloaded but I'm already driving a dually. The next truck will hopefully be a 4500 or 5500 series with a flatbed.

[BenK]

There is only one person responsible for the setup...the driver...even
if they did NOT choose the parts & adjust it all. You can have a 1,000
printouts of folks saying 'sure you can'...'been doing it for decades
with no problems'...opinion consensus them all...again they have no
skin in the game...only the driver does

The OP is asking about GVWR, which has an 'R' in the acronym, which is
'RATING' from that OEM. The other acronyms also have that 'R' in there

That number rating is their MAXIMUM for that product.

All of the specifications from any OEM is their contract to you that
also comes with a warranty (with terms). Most on any vehicle sold for
public roads here in North America also has regulatory agency certifications
to that 'R'...

Then those specifications has fine print that modifies all of the specifications
listed on all their stuff

I do NOT ever say you are good for it, or any such thing...but...provide
the info to make the risk decision (AKA gambling)

Note that all things designed/engineered for public consumption are
NOT for the good days out there...but...for that day Mr Murphy crosses
your path.

Either you have the right sized/rated/etc or not spot on...there will
be no time to go back to the store for bigger/better/etc...nor will
there be time to re-adjust anything

Many consume the OEM's design margin thinking they are good for it...well
maybe for a while, but things will wear out sooner than later and that
day Mr Murphy crosses your path...will there be enough to MANHANDLE
the situation?

All of my offroaders and trucks have gotten bigger over time. Realized
both that I have my family along and that I'm not as invincible as
thought was back in my 20's...been there done that too many times...

[willdennis]

fla-gypsy wrote:
You can exceed it but no one on this forum can definitively tell you that it is safe. It's the one time that something goes wrong that can have serious consequences. Make your choice

Am looking for opinion consensus and new information that others may have, not expecting any definitive answers... I just surmised that it *may* be safe to *somewhat* exceed the different max weight ratings. Of course in a perfect world I would not, but perfect is sometimes the enemy of the good 🙂

[fla-gypsy]

You can exceed it but no one on this forum can definitively tell you that it is safe. It's the one time that something goes wrong that can have serious consequences. Make your choice

[willdennis]

K Charles wrote:
35,000 people died by auto last year alone, some think autos should be outlawed, and you want to know if it's safe to be overloaded?

Not me, not me, yes I do

[willdennis]

Fisherman wrote:

Slownsy wrote:
You started with 4800 100lb over and want to go to 5900 not 250 over but 1100 and as it is larger you will properly ad more. Is it safe? I don't think so.
Frank

X2

Some days I just wonder and then don't even bother to respond. Some people really need to see Dr Phil..WTH are you thinking.

You guys do realize that not all the extra TT weight transfers to the TV, right? The hitch weight goes up, yes, but not by the total extra weight of the TT :R

[wing_zealot]

Fisherman wrote:

Slownsy wrote:
You started with 4800 100lb over and want to go to 5900 not 250 over but 1100 and as it is larger you will properly ad more. Is it safe? I don't think so.
Frank

X2

Some days I just wonder and then don't even bother to respond. Some people really need to see Dr Phil..WTH are you thinking.

He is talking payload and GVW (just like the title of the thread says), reading comprehension 101.

[wing_zealot]

Shal36 wrote:

I've noticed that the F150 can be delivered in a number of different GVWR capacities but I can't imagine the 6800# and 7000# versions have different axles, springs, brakes, or frames.

You can now re-imagine, the frame is different.

[Fisherman]

Slownsy wrote:
You started with 4800 100lb over and want to go to 5900 not 250 over but 1100 and as it is larger you will properly ad more. Is it safe? I don't think so.
Frank

X2

Some days I just wonder and then don't even bother to respond. Some people really need to see Dr Phil..WTH are you thinking.

[Slownsy]

You started with 4800 100lb over and want to go to 5900 not 250 over but 1100 and as it is larger you will properly ad more. Is it safe? I don't think so.
Frank