2011 Superduty Specs Announced

[Diamondpilot]

GM has not released any details in the new DMAX yet. So don't be in a hurry to hand a crown to Ford. I see no more 6 speed manual, which kinda surprised me, now Just Dodge left with the hand shaker.

df

The dmax numbers were released about a month ago. They made improvements but still are not up to par and they keep that Independent Front Suspension. Its the most capable GM truck ever and they did address some issues with the brakes and chassis but its still second or third fiddle. Either way they will not sell anything close to Ford with all the Government involvement and financial trouble they are in.

http://special-reports.pickuptrucks...t-silverado-heavy-duty-first-look-part-1.html

Chris

 

[Duffster]

That's the way it is, yeah you can drive a truck with a GVWR of up to 26k lbs without a CDL but the GCWR of that truck cannot be over 26k lbs either. Neither number can be over that magic number. This is so you can drive something like a flat bed tow truck with a GVWR of 26k lbs but the GCWR is also 26k lbs so you cannot tow more then 26k minus the truck weight.

I will post this link again and quote it for you:
Section 259:12-e Commercial Motor Vehicle.
Pay close attention to the word OR which I highlighted in red for you. Does it make sense yet...?

You're talking out both sides of your mouth.:confused2:

 

[Lt CHEG]

The difference is those trucks previously never had GCWR's over 26k lbs. I'm sure it varies from state to state, but around here if you are driving a truck with a rated GCWR of over 26k lbs then you need a CDL, period. Even if you are just driving the truck with nothing attached. That is why the other truck manufacturers limit their GCWR's to exactly 26k lbs. Try driving around a big rig tractor with no trailer attached and when you get pulled over with no CDL, tell them you only need it when the trailer is attached. I'm sure they will understand...

Technically you could drive just the truck with nothing attached with only a B CDL, even though you would need an A CDL to drive the truck and trailer.

 

[Lt CHEG]

That's the way it is, yeah you can drive a truck with a GVWR of up to 26k lbs without a CDL but the GCWR of that truck cannot be over 26k lbs either. Neither number can be over that magic number. This is so you can drive something like a flat bed tow truck with a GVWR of 26k lbs but the GCWR is also 26k lbs so you cannot tow more then 26k minus the truck weight.

I will post this link again and quote it for you:
Section 259:12-e Commercial Motor Vehicle.
Pay close attention to the word OR which I highlighted in red for you. Does it make sense yet...?

I think that the simplest way to clarify this would be just to say this. If you don't have anything attached to the truck, the GCWR means nothing as long as the GVWR is under 26,000 pounds. The GCWR rating only applies if you are towing something. So although towing something with one of these new Fords is somewhat nebulous, uncharted territory, it is clear that you don't need to have a CDL just to drive one of these new Fords with an over 26,000 pound GCWR if you aren't towing anything since the GVWR is less than 26,000 pounds.

Also as a side note, I have been in investigations and out of uniform for a few years now but I asked an officer I know that does Commercial Vehicle Enforcement full time and he feels the same way that I do on the topic of not needing to have a CDL in order to drive one of these new trucks as long as you aren't towing anything.

 

[Dmace]

Technically you could drive just the truck with nothing attached with only a B CDL, even though you would need an A CDL to drive the truck and trailer.

Exactly, even though the trucks GVWR is below 26k the fact that the GCWR is over 26k you still need a CDL to drive it. Even without a trailer attached.

I think that the simplest way to clarify this would be just to say this. If you don't have anything attached to the truck, the GCWR means nothing as long as the GVWR is under 26,000 pounds. The GCWR rating only applies if you are towing something.

This is exactly what I thought too but was told otherwise by Highway Patrol. If a vehicle has a GCWR of 26,001lbs or more then you need a CDL to operate it. It DOES NOT matter if you have a trailer connected to it or not, all that matters is what the vehicle is registered to legally carry.

There is no need for a 1-ton truck to have such a high GCWR, it's just Ford's way of playing the numbers game making people think their trucks are better because of a higher tow capacity even though the majority of truck buyers cannot legally tow that much anyways. If you need to tow that much, get a class 4 or 5 truck like the F-450/F-550. Like I said, what's the point of a 1-ton truck that you need a CDL to drive...

 

[Lt CHEG]

This is exactly what I thought too but was told otherwise by Highway Patrol. If a vehicle has a GCWR of 26,001lbs or more then you need a CDL to operate it. It DOES NOT matter if you have a trailer connected to it or not, all that matters is what the vehicle is registered to legally carry.

There is no need for a 1-ton truck to have such a high GCWR, it's just Ford's way of playing the numbers game making people think their trucks are better because of a higher tow capacity even though the majority of truck buyers cannot legally tow that much anyways. If you need to tow that much, get a class 4 or 5 truck like the F-450/F-550. Like I said, what's the point of a 1-ton truck that you need a CDL to drive...

Well one of the guys I work with used to be a local cop in NH and he tells me about a bunch of legal things that NH does differently than the rest of the US. I suppose it is possible that NH has a more restrictive law than the rest of the US. I do know that in NY, the law is as I explained it in my previous post. The trooper that gave me that information explained that since commercial vehicle enforcement is essentially a federal program that it should be the same way throughout the US. As i said, I've been an investigator for a few years now so I rely upon commercial vehicle guys for this type of information instead of my own knowledge, but I tend to trust this guy as an expert in his field. I guess maybe things are just a little more restrictive in NH.

 

[Duffster]

Like I said, what's the point of a 1-ton truck that you need a CDL to drive...

That is the point, you don't.........

 

[JB4310]

Oh man, My head is spinning, is there an emoticon for that?

Section 259:12-e Commercial Motor Vehicle.


If you go by (a) from this link, it appears you would need a CDL just to drive a truck with a 26+K GCWR. doesn't even say anything about a trailer involved.

I've got a phone number for a top dot commercial truck enforcement officer for CT, I've called him before when these spirited legal debates have come up, I'll see what he says.

Can't imagine getting pulled over in your pick up and asked for your CDL and driver logs?

JB.

 

[Duffster]

This should help.

 

[dieselfreak]

The dmax numbers were released about a month ago. They made improvements but still are not up to par and they keep that Independent Front Suspension. Its the most capable GM truck ever and they did address some issues with the brakes and chassis but its still second or third fiddle. Either way they will not sell anything close to Ford with all the Government involvement and financial trouble they are in.

2010 Chicago Auto Show: 2011 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty First Look, Part 1 - PickupTrucks.com Special Reports

Chris

The Power specs HAVE NOT been released yet.

GM will hold thier own. How fast people forget that Ford was almost in line with the rest, only thing that saved them was multiple equity swaps.

IFS is not inferior in anyway to the SFA. What is the weak link in the SFA ?? Ball joints, and it is only as storng as them.