Got weighed

[3Ts]

Not that they ever bother trucks that size but if you ever got pulled over they'd go by the weight on their scales, not what it says on the registration.

That's why I brought in the weight ticket which they refused to look at. But, yeah, pickups seem to fit into a category all their own and DOT doesn't seem to be interested in them at all.

I suspect once you get up to where you can have 20,000# on an axle, then DOT will be interested.

 

[Redlands Okie]

North central oklahoma here. Not unusual to see 3/4 and 1 tons with trailors parked on the side getting checked and scales laid out. Few years ago it was very unusual.

 

[prof fate]

What truck is that?
Looks like a silverado...I had a 1500 silverado and the MAX GCVWR was 14,400 - you're 2 tons over that.

MAYbe a 2500 is rated higher?

I now have an F350 and not sure it's rated for 18k going down the road,thought the rear axle/GVW on the truck is MUCH hgiher (10,500 vs 7000).

With 4700 on your rear axle I'd be checkig it's rating.

I needed to haul my tractor and mower for the first time and had no idea how to position the load properly so that it hauled safely. I started out by putting the truck and empty trailer on as flat and level area that I had. Then I measured the height of the wheel wells and the hitch. I loaded the tractor and mower on the trailer and rechecked the measurements. After shuffeling things around a bit I ended up with the bucket flat and positioned against the trailers front rail. This gave me a slightly less height at the front wheel well, a height at the rear wheel well of less than 2" and just about 2" less at the ball.

I had no way to check the tongue weight but by measuring the heights and positioning the load I could vary all 3 heights by moving the load forward and aft. I did not know the weight of my load and no way to measure the tongue weight so I made the assumption that if my truck was carrying the load with the front wheels not rising it should steer normal.

Well the trailer steered and handled great. I knew it was there, especially going up and down the hills but on the flats it was like not having anything hooked on to the back. On the trip I pass by a truck stop along the NY Throughway ( I-90 ) that has a CAT SCALE so I decided to get the load weighed. The scale has 3 sections and gives you the weight on 3 axles.

STEER AXLE..............3120 lbs
DRIVE AXLE..............4700 lbs
TRAILER AXLE...........11040 lbs
GROSS WEIGHT.........18860 lbs

Now I have to get the weights with the empty trailer some day. Here is a picture of the loaded trailer. The trailer is rated for 15,000 lbs so I could have brought my 900 lbs grapple along, the post hole digger, the logging winch and the 8ft scraper blade. Just have to figure out how to stack them. Just kidding. Any ways that is how I figured out how to position the load so it would haul safely.

Here is a picture of the loaded trailer that was weighed. I red flagged the mower tail wheel which stuck out past the rear of my 23' trailer.

View attachment 617942

 

[prof fate]

Yes Zing my truck has a gas engine. It is a 2009 Silverado 2500HD with the 6.0 liter engine gasser and 3.73 rear axle ratio.

fried1765 you don't have to worry about me losing it at 75 mph cause I am the guy in the right hand lane that is tooling along about 62 at most. My truck has disc brakes all the way around and both axles on the trailer have brakes. The unit stops very good when fully loaded and I always leave plenty of space from the vehicle in front of me. I use the tow haul mode of the transmission when loaded and it helps a lot to keep my speed down when decending hills. The speed rating for my trailer tires is 75mph. I always carry a infared thermometer and check the temp of tires and hubs when hauling loaded.

all well and and good till some other dipshit does something wrong.

I was towing my 7000lb camper with my silverado when a car pulled out of a gas station into oncoming traffic, into the front corner of a suburban, taking it's front wheel off and causing it to cross into my lane. 35mph road, i was doing maybe 30, and slammed on the brakes. 4 feet more and i'd have been centerpunched in the grille. ON a turn? At night? in the rain? a shifting load? No thanks, I've seen trailers upside down in the median all to often.

 

[RandyT]

Read a case a couple years ago where a retired couple was going through an intersection on a green light when they were struck in the passenger door by a DUI that has ran the red light. A life insurance claim was filed on the deceased wife behalf and was denied for payment with a court case to back it up. Reason for the denial was the couple were towing a trailer that exceeded the allowable towing capacity of the vehicle the husband was driving. Just because you didn't cause the accident doesn't mean that you can't be held liable due to not having the required towing equipment.

 

[oosik]

Many years ago - we towed our small camp trailer to go moose hunting. 105 miles North of Anchorage on the new Fairbanks highway. I ALWAYS left plenty of room between me and the vehicle ahead. There was several times when some cleaver butthead would pass and wedge into that safety space.

If they only knew or even cared. Even with properly adjusted trailer brakes - I still couldn't stop that "train" on a dime. Only took the camp trailer hunting once. Thereafter it was tents. You know - two quartered, skinned moose make a pretty heavy load for a 3/4 ton pickup.

 

[gary49]

2500 HD gasser is a pretty capable tow vehicle, but 2009 is before the tow rating wars got serious. I have a 2wd '06 ext. cab and it's rated to tow 10,200 with the 4.10 rear. About the heaviest thing I've towed with it was a JD 2155 with a 175 loader which I estimate might have pushed 9K# with the trailer. It did fine with the trailer having brakes on both axles (thankfully). I wouldn't try towing your rig with my truck, both trailer and combined weights are over GM's ratings. Looks like you need a new truck.

 

[dnw64]

That is why I mentioned he was probably pushing his weight limits. I have an F150 that's rated at 9000 lbs for a trailer but that 2500 has a lot more payload I bet.

My 2015 RAM 1500 SPORT QUAD CAB 4X4 6'4" BOX is rated to haul 10,170.

 

[newbury]

So from the info on the above chart I am assuming the OP is putting a bit of strain on the transmission and / or rear end ? Rest of truck would be the same regardless of the ration on the rear end I am guessing.

I'd be more worried about stopping the load.

 

[aczlan]

My 2015 RAM 1500 SPORT QUAD CAB 4X4 6'4" BOX is rated to haul 10,170.

But what is it's payload capacity?

Aaron Z