Truck Camper Weight...I know, I know

[gbsteph]

On our last camping trip, I weighed my new since this January, 2019 Ram 3500 CTD DRW 4WD with a 2020 Host Cascade on it's back. Had an average load of gear and supplies. Full fuel, 75% full propane, empty waste tanks and about 10 gallons of fresh water. GVWR is 14000, I was at 14480. Front GAWR is 6000, I was at 5180. Rear GAWR is 9750, I was at 9300. Over on max vehicle weight but under on axle weight, so I am comfortable with that. My 04 Ram 2500 with my old Lance 815 had similar numbers. Over on GVWR but under on axles. I'm not worried about the numbers, but my question is, does anyone know of a formula for calculating removed or added weight to a known vehicle weight based on distance from the CG. I've searched the web but only find stuff on aircraft, which I guess would work. If anyone has a simplified calculation, I would love to hear it.

Thanks
Greg

[StirCrazy]

Grit dog wrote:
So bottom line, even in BC, which has the rap as the most light duty weight enforcement, it's a rarity and you need to either run across a cop with a stick up his ___ or just look like cousin Eddy hauling your 40' toy hauler on a jacked up F250 on 37s, pulling doubles with a 24; pontoon boat hooked to the back bumper of the 5ver with bailing wire and duct tape, flailing wildly down the Coq?

youll never see that here, against the law to tow double in BC. but y the back end of the truck would have to have a noticable lower than the front.

Steve

[Grit_dog]

So bottom line, even in BC, which has the rap as the most light duty weight enforcement, it's a rarity and you need to either run across a cop with a stick up his ___ or just look like cousin Eddy hauling your 40' toy hauler on a jacked up F250 on 37s, pulling doubles with a 24; pontoon boat hooked to the back bumper of the 5ver with bailing wire and duct tape, flailing wildly down the Coq?

[StirCrazy]

Kayteg1 wrote:
That must be Vancouver area?
I drove BC across both ways, including Prince Rupert leg and have not seen single cruiser on the trip.
Than BC doesn't have much heavy trucks traffic, so I guess they have to look for other sources of income.

vancouver is a major container ship port. I live in the interior and at any givent time I can pint out 5 or mote highway tractors as I am on the major rout for trucking through BC. I drive on the coq (highway from hell) for about 30 min eacch day till I get to my turn off for work and I would probably geuss I pass 40-60trucks in that time. if you were on the prince rupert rout your only going to see regional drivers up there. all the major shipping goes the coq then at kamloops splits to eighter jasper rout or banff rout through alberta. CVS crusers have never been out patroling the highways like cops patrole a niebourhood, there normaly sitting at the scale locations but do week long blitzes here and there , or if there having problem areas you will see them out and about. to be honest I have seen them out and about more laitly than in the past few years thank good, as we have one of the worst major routs in canada to drive and 90% of the truckers are brand new or idiots.

Steve

[Lexx]

I tend to agree with this. We visit Vancouver every summer for at least a month. We've driven from Vancouver to Alberta and back several times. It's rare to see patrol cars on their highways. And I've never seen a checkpoint where they were pulling over RVs to check for weight. It's probably going to be the guy in the nose up SRW truck with a Host truck camper that gets noticed. I would think that most F450's wouldn't even get a second glance.

StirCrazy wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:

jimh425 wrote:


There’s been “stories” like this for years, but nobody is ever able to give the details first hand.

I recall 1 report given 1st hand by our BC member.
But that was 1 in all those years forum exist.

that I know of there has only been one ticket issued in BC for a overloaded recreational vehicle. he had a huge camper, some how had a quad hanging of the back of it and was towing a boat . they will only pull you over here if you look realy overloaded. I guess CVS could pull you over when they are doing their comercial blitz but I have never heard of it. if you truck is sitting level chances are you wont get stopped.

Steve

[Grit_dog]

^ What he said.
It's the difference between people who "think" they know how "it works" and those who have been using trucks for decades to do stuff that would put many of the members of this forum into immediate cardiac arrest if faced with the same task.

Not being insensitive, but rather sharing info for others to learn from. While a surgeon may be totally comfortable with removing someone's spleen with a good pocket knife, box of tissues and some fishing line and an IT professional would be comfortable with hitting "delete" knowing that all memory wont be lost, I am NOT those people. But I do happen to know what can and can't be hauled on a truck, safely.
But some are experienced and comfortable with vehicles and share that knowledge to dispel the myths and paranoia.

[Kayteg1]

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:

.... Any accident severe enough to bring up investigations of liability and coverage based on weight will have done enough damage to your vehicle(s) that replicating the weight accurately would be nearly impossible. WD hitch setup, gear location, fluid levels, seating positions... all of these impact the actual weight on the various axles. If a match is clearly overweight by hundreds of pounds, I could see this plausibly coming into play (although, again, I've never seen a reliable first-hand report). For those who are over by 50-100 pounds, or so, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to 'prove' you were overweight at the time of the accident.

NEVER HAPPENED.
When TC owners are worry about 1000 or so lb overweight, commercial vehicle haulers use their 3500 or F450 trucks to haul 30,000lb + gooseneck trailers (driving via scales all the time).
I spoke to DOT officer about it and his answer was "we don't have any reports about the procedure creating problems"

[specta]

😉

[Mickeyfan0805]

mbloof wrote:
Historically these arguments follow four general themes:

First one is that the numbers on the door sticker are legally binding. Sub arguments on this theme follow ether the payload or GVWR and delve into DOT, State or local level rules (laws?) that have law enforcement writing tickets for non-compliance. Some go so far as ether having roadblocks with portable weigh stations or LEO's carrying scales with them.

Since just about every car+truck has to have the sticker, there has to be some reason for it right?

Second one is in the case of a accident anyone that is over ether GVWR or payload numbers is more at fault or instantly at fault making the person with the 'over weight' rig liable for everything. Added bonus is that the LEO's carry scales with them (or simply haul them) to accident scenes (or repair shops) and anyone "over weight" is at fault.

Third is that you better check the fine print of your insurance documentation as your insurance company is going to deny coverage if you are "over weight". Again here if the first two don't get you, your insurance company (or the OTHER company(s) will) have someone weigh your rig and if your "over weight" your screwed.

Last but not least forth theme is that you will get sued and loose everything because you are "over weight" of the values on the door sticker. (and were involved in a accident)

I've seen and heard of all of the above arguments over the years and recently in other forums. Over the years I've seen many in this forum.

At last I checked, nobody has ever passed on first hand knowledge and experience with any of them actually happening to them.


- Mark0.

Well summarized - and I would concur that this has been the general outline of these conversations.

Interestingly, while the LEO weighing issue is a plausible possibility (although one I've not encountered), the liability/insurance issues honestly seem as though they'd be harder to enforce. Any accident severe enough to bring up investigations of liability and coverage based on weight will have done enough damage to your vehicle(s) that replicating the weight accurately would be nearly impossible. WD hitch setup, gear location, fluid levels, seating positions... all of these impact the actual weight on the various axles. If a match is clearly overweight by hundreds of pounds, I could see this plausibly coming into play (although, again, I've never seen a reliable first-hand report). For those who are over by 50-100 pounds, or so, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to 'prove' you were overweight at the time of the accident.

[covered_wagon]

Any thought given to the fact that the wheels, tires, axles, pumpkin differential gears are resting on the ground? Not on the truck itself..... so can that weight be deducted for a bit more wiggle room?

🙂

[Kayteg1]

That must be Vancouver area?
I drove BC across both ways, including Prince Rupert leg and have not seen single cruiser on the trip.
Than BC doesn't have much heavy trucks traffic, so I guess they have to look for other sources of income.

[StirCrazy]

Kayteg1 wrote:

jimh425 wrote:


There’s been “stories” like this for years, but nobody is ever able to give the details first hand.

I recall 1 report given 1st hand by our BC member.
But that was 1 in all those years forum exist.

that I know of there has only been one ticket issued in BC for a overloaded recreational vehicle. he had a huge camper, some how had a quad hanging of the back of it and was towing a boat . they will only pull you over here if you look realy overloaded. I guess CVS could pull you over when they are doing their comercial blitz but I have never heard of it. if you truck is sitting level chances are you wont get stopped.

Steve

[mbloof]

Historically these arguments follow four general themes:

First one is that the numbers on the door sticker are legally binding. Sub arguments on this theme follow ether the payload or GVWR and delve into DOT, State or local level rules (laws?) that have law enforcement writing tickets for non-compliance. Some go so far as ether having roadblocks with portable weigh stations or LEO's carrying scales with them.

Since just about every car+truck has to have the sticker, there has to be some reason for it right?

Second one is in the case of a accident anyone that is over ether GVWR or payload numbers is more at fault or instantly at fault making the person with the 'over weight' rig liable for everything. Added bonus is that the LEO's carry scales with them (or simply haul them) to accident scenes (or repair shops) and anyone "over weight" is at fault.

Third is that you better check the fine print of your insurance documentation as your insurance company is going to deny coverage if you are "over weight". Again here if the first two don't get you, your insurance company (or the OTHER company(s) will) have someone weigh your rig and if your "over weight" your screwed.

Last but not least forth theme is that you will get sued and loose everything because you are "over weight" of the values on the door sticker. (and were involved in a accident)

I've seen and heard of all of the above arguments over the years and recently in other forums. Over the years I've seen many in this forum.

At last I checked, nobody has ever passed on first hand knowledge and experience with any of them actually happening to them.


- Mark0.

[Lexx]

The person who responded to the thread was himself stopped and had his truck/trailer weighed. He posted that what the CHP officer did was to weigh his rear axle and look at the load ratings of his rear tires to determine if he was overweight. It's as simple as that.

jimh425 wrote:
I saw that somebody spoke to someone who got a ticket. That’s still second hand or did I miss it? Or, counting you or I, third hand.

[jimh406]

I saw that somebody spoke to someone who got a ticket. That’s still second hand or did I miss it? Or, counting you or I, third hand.