More about GVWR

[Wo_ody]

All the discussion in the http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/27785106.cfm tread has been interesting. To me, it all boiled down to sure the truck can handle an over-weight camper but is it legal and what is the penalty for not being legal.

OK, so what is sole measurement of a truck camper being weight legal? I stopped at an Interstate truck weighing station operated by the DMV. As has been correctly stated many times, only commercial vehicles are required to go through the Interstate scales. However, a state's mobile unit has the right to pull any vehicle over on a public road for any reason and weigh them on the spot.

The DMV told me, THE SINGLE DETERMINING LEGAL FACTOR FOR UNDER/OVER WEIGHT IS THE DECLARED WEIGHT IS ON THE VEHICLE'S STATE REGISTRATION...PERIOD.The manufacture's embossed tag on the door post is not binding; however, in most probability the registration and door post tag should match. Also, being "legal" has nothing to do with the axle manufacture's rated capacity of the rear axle or the tire manufacture's rated tire load. If the combined weight of all wheels exceeds registration weight, you are not legal. Also, and this is down to splitting hairs, you might be under registration weight but ticketed if front or rear axle exceeds auto manufacture's rating (ie, not axle manufacture's rating.

What is the penalty for being over weight? This may vary from state to state. Where I checked, it is $0.01 a pound plus processing fees. I was unable to determine the value of processing fees.

What concerns me the most is the possible liability of a civil suit if I was over weight and was at-fault in an accident. But realistically, determining the actual weight of a loaded truck camper at the time of an accident is a far stretch. IMHO,the odds of being weighed in a timely fashion at the scene of an accident are in your favor. However,if you do have an accident it would behoove you to get the gross vehicle weight as low as possible before the police arrive.

Yes officer, that accident scared the pee and poop right out of my camper and it's also been sweating ever since. Ha!

[ISBRAM]

In Colorado they don’t have a place on the registration for the GVWR. They do have a place for CWT or curb weight. On my Ram it shows “68”, which must be from the on the original MSO from Chrysler as it reads 6727 shipping weight.
My GVWR sticker on the truck reads 8800 GVWR and that is also stated on the MSO.

[John___Angela]

There is an overpass near our place in BC. Underneath it is a traffic choke point where a lot of the traffic passes through. The RCMP coordinate with the highways guys and do safety checks on RV'S,. They watch for safety chains, trailers with no batteries, triple tows, and campers. With campers they take a look. If it looks questionable they put it on portable scales. If its over the GVWR you can unload cargo to make it legal or you can unload the camoer from the truck. Quite common to see campers sitting on the side of the road or a boat waiting to be towed. (Triple tow).

[rickeoni]

Has anybody ever been personally cited for being overweight?

B.C. ministry of transport FAQ.

Q. How does a Peace/Police Officer decide if
a vehicle is unsafe?
Peace/Police Officers will use visual cues to
determine if a vehicle is obviously overloaded.
These cues include vehicles:
• that look unstable when moving
• that have a front end higher than the back end
(the vehicle is not level)
• with tires that appear deflated


I have seen some obviously overloaded vehicles running down the road and the constabulary pays them no never mind. If no one has ever been cited, lets talk about hovercraft because they are way cooler then discussions about weight.

[Wo_ody]

jimh425 wrote:
If we are going by numbers on truck/camper, if the camper has a weight placard of 3000 but weighs 4500 ready to roll are you ok if the capacity of the truck says 3000? 😉

I'm certain, there are other RVs that are overloaded. Obviously, looking way out of balance would be a indicator for police.

Of course...odds have it the majority of TC operate overweight.

DMV procedures may differ from state to state.IMHO...I would only be concerned about what the policy is in the state you have your vehicle registered and insured.

In my case, the registration first calls for empty weight. If it is above 7,500 lbs, the registration declares (in order) empty weight, gross weight, the GVWR, and the GCWR. So per my DMV, in the case of a non-commercial vehicle having an empty weight exceeding 7,500 lbs the deciding factor is the registration GVWR weight vrs the actual weight of the vehicle. Or in the case of pulling a trailer, it is the registration's GCWR vrs the combined weight of the vehicle, its load including applied tongue weight, and the axle weight of the attached trailer. The vehicle manufacture's door post tag or the camper manufacture's tag or the trailer manufacture's tag has no bearing on the determination of whether a vehicle or vehicle towing a trailer is under or over weight.

This has raised my curiosity. So in my state, who and how is the GVWR determined when registering the vehicle?

[Wo_ody]

downtheroad wrote:
Just to join the discussion: (not challenging you - just trying to understand your thinking).
So, what are you saying? That it is pretty much ok to be over-weight?

What I'm saying is know the DMV laws of the state your vehicle is registered. Then "operate" the best way you see fit.

[Reddog1]

I think you will find that in most states if an officer is of the belief your vehicle is unsafe, you can be cited. You can then "confess" by paying the fine, or you can go to court in an effort to convince the judge your vehicle was not unsafe. To my knowledge this is a rare situation and I have never heard of this type citation actually being issued although it could be.

I mean this in a respectful way, but sometimes we get caught up an a chase of "what ifs". Most people are real concerned while on the couch reading decals and making guesses, but not enough to weigh their equipment and drive to their law enforcement and ask the questions. Your insurance agent is in the business of selling insurance, do you really think he knows all of the laws? Again, I do not intentionally intend to flame anyone, but simply offer food for thought.

Wayne

[kohldad]

Started to state a reply, then went out to check my registration. Was surprised about two things. That there was an GVW stated on the registration and the GVW is wrong.

This made me check into SC laws. When I registered the truck for the first time 10 years ago, I wanted a standard passenger vehicle tag because it was cheaper but mainly isn't considered commercial in other states. Was told "no", I had to have a "TRUCK" tag because of my weight. Just did some checking and found out I was told wrong. According to SC Legislative Law Section 56-3-630, "trucks having an empty weight of nine thousand pounds or less and a gross weight of eleven thousand pounds or less" can be tagged as passenger cars which would remove the GVW from my registration.

[jimh406]

If we are going by numbers on truck/camper, if the camper has a weight placard of 3000 but weighs 4500 ready to roll are you ok if the capacity of the truck says 3000? 😉

I'm certain, there are other RVs that are overloaded. Obviously, looking way out of balance would be a indicator for police.

[Butch50]

Just to throw something out here, you don't have to be over weight to be sued in a civil case. You could be empty and still be sued. They don't have to prove you were overweight all they have to prove is you bear some of the responsibility for the accident. Based on the amount of the responsibility is how much they well receive form the total amount being sued for. Somebody can sue you for virtually anything they want to. All they have to find is a lawyer that is willing to take the case.

Also in Arkansas they do not register by weight. They just charge you for the vehicle and what you put on it is up to you. I asked when I registered my truck before this one. I wanted to make sure I was licensed for what I was going to be carrying.

I have little story to tell about weigh stations, I had a Volvo semi tractor that I singled out and had it titled as Motor Home. It had a bed on it and I used it to pull my 5er. Well I was rolling up I5 empty north of Seattle and went by one of those in motion sensors that they have and it told me I had to exit. I was registered as a MH so I rolled on by. I kept looking for a chase car to pull me over but they never sent anyone after me. I think after I was going by they seen by the truck I was not commercial and just let me go.

[downtheroad]

Just to join the discussion: (not challenging you - just trying to understand your thinking).
So, what are you saying? That it is pretty much ok to be over-weight?