Weight question (LONG)

[dboyw]

With all the resent talk of weights from here and there, I got to thinking and looking at what I do. I have towed this fifth wheel for two years now without problems, but I would like the juries opinions.

The truck is in my sig. GVWR on sticker says 8800lbs, Front axle 4800lbs rear 4670lbs. Book says GCWR 20000lbs with Max trailer of 10000lbs. Truck is registered as a class 3 in PA (7001-9000lbs).

I had the truck weight done with family all in, fuel tank of fuel. Weight was 4600F, 3260R, 7860T (front,rear,total). OK, all is good.

Trailer is a 03 Keystone Laredo 29BH. Dry weight is 7220, hitch weight 1460. Just put these figure out there. I do not go by the dry weight. I had the truck(family, fuel full) and trailer weight done with the trailer loaded for a week of camping(clothing, food, misc), approx 15gal fresh water, black and grey empty. Fresh water tank is behind trailer axles. Weights: 4500F, 4700R, 7480trailer, 16680T.

Question: Am I OK?

With the trailer on, it looks like I have about 30lbs more on the rear axle than I should. Total on the truck is 400lbs more than GVWR. Also is the fact that the truck with trailer on is 200lbs over my registered weight.

My concern now is that I am planning a trip to SD this June and I want to be have as many bases covered before the trip. This trip will be have the trailer loaded with about a weeks worth of stuff or more, a full fresh water tank, plus a generator in the back of the truck(run AC at rest stops).

I await your response, questions, and concerns. Thanks
(slowly walking back to seat, and looking at judge and jury for resolution)

 

[powerboatr]

short answer is yes your over weight on the rear axle by 30 lbs.
with your truck loaded as you desribed was 7860 and you have a gcwr of 8800 this leaves 940 pounds you can add to teh truck and still be in fords rating

your gross cvwr is 20000 and your rig as you weighed put you in at 15,340 so you are good there
but you hitch pin wt is just a lttle high on the rear by 30 lbs .
you could load the trailer with more wt towards the rear to lighten the pin wt by 150 lbs.
what is the trailers max axle wt and gvwr? and max pin wt rating
you could load her up with all your gear if your gvwr is say around 9800 or 10k
i would be leary of lightening the pin wt any more than 150 LBs.
I will not tell you to tow over your rating but my old 250 was rated like yours and i ran a 2k pin wt for ever.
but we need to stay within the design parameters to stay LEGAL
as far as loading yout truck with a generator and all your gear.... you are going to run out of (rated) capacity.
hopefully your trailers gvwr is high enough you can stuff all your gear in it, minus the generator.

 

[s d mills]

What Robert said with some additional considerations. Pack lighter, go to a slider hitch (or reset your hitch location), and pop for the next higher weight classification when you re-register (if permissable).

As for the legality issue, I've been scaled on several occasions by states and the US DOT and never once did the authorities refer to my doorjamb sticker for weight info..they've gone by the weight my trucks have been plated at (11K).

 

[powerboatr]

i am not familiar with the weighted tag thing.
that seems awful weird to me,
i am rated at 13k gross,
i get tagged in alabama not by weight, but by VALUE......at least that s what my registration says

 

[s d mills]

 

[powerboatr]

thats U G L Y i mean the plate not the truck and JV i didnt say "not his rear"
so you get charged on your weight or value??
the tax man cometh

 

[s d mills]

thats U G L Y i mean the plate not the truck and JV i didnt say "not his rear"
so you get charged on your weight or value??
the tax man cometh

Both....value prorated and excise tax relative to weight. SUVs can be registered as either auto or truck, and entry weight is 7K. I pay $85 more in excise tax for 11K and when I step up to 16K this July I'll pay an additional $105 in excise tax beyond what I pay now (total of $585). Note that trailer plates are also weight rated.

Indiana doesn't care about vehicle weight ratings. Though I've never heard of anyone doing it, you could plate a Jimmy/Blazer/Exploder for 26K GVWR. They just want the money.

 

[fgtex]

I pay $85 more in excise tax for 11K and when I step up to 16K this July I'll pay an additional $105 in excise tax beyond what I pay now (total of $585). They just want the money.

Let me get this straight...You have to pay $585 in vehicle registration fees every year!! Wow!

Living in Texas gets better every day.

fgtex

 

[BJS]

Robert Alabama just changed their registrations in '05 or that's when my grandmother & little bro got notices they are going to registration & taxes based on the COMBINED weight that you will haul. there was a little blerb on the renewal notices that were sent out for '05. it was nice enough to say that what you put here may impact your tax fees.

As far as the original question... nope you're not legal against the door jam stickers some states, commiefornia, do enforce based on stickers in the doorjam. Since you're exceeding the axle weight that would be where they would tag you, I've talked to several guys who have been stopped over GVW but under axle ratings and they were let go because you can play games w/ the gvwr and registration but not the axle ratings. Like has been suggested I'd see what you can do to get the weight shifted off of the rear axle, either by loading the weight more rearward in the camper or moving the pin forward a couple inches in the truck bed. As far as the tag legality you need to check w/ your DMV to find out if you are supposed to tag for truck's weight or truck & trailer weight.

 

[powerboatr]

bjs
our little reg forsm are CONFUSING
I was under the impression it was weight as well. but then my registration has a blank that says VALUE, and each year its gone down on the rv, and contour.
I think the probelm is that alabam just figured out how to do drivers license and registration over the internet, and each satelite office is doing things different
as for 05 i am claiming it as VALUE for tax purposes.