half ton chevy tow 9200lbs?

[buickanddeere]

no traffic at 10 in the morning around these parts haha. everyones at work. I go into work when they all get off. I figured if it wanted to go it would have went but I do a lot of hauling in a 1 ton at work. its not my first rodeo but I really don't want to move it with that truck again. just a little to much for it.

I'm looking at the single tie down strap and the over stressed tires. So you have been lucky a few times? That makes it right and ok? Where is that rig going to go when the first then the second trailer tire fails?

 

[buickanddeere]

Being concerned about distracted drivers has nothing to do with the OP doing something unsafe. Just because other people are doing something unsafe doesn't mean it's okay for someone to decide "what the heck, I'll break the law, and do something dangerous anyway". In fact, distracted drivers make it even worse for the OP to be pulling a trailer so severely overloaded….those are the idiots that pull in front of you and cause an accident you can't avoid because your rig isn't capable of stopping the excess weight.

Weight limits aren't set based upon the maximum weight at the maximum speed….it doesn't work that way. Roads with a limitation of 35mph can have sharper corners, limited sight distances, etc, when compared with a road that has a limit of 55mph. The stopping requirements can equal out because one offers less warning than the other.



Who's talking about going slightly over the limit? The OP was like 40% over the limit. For the comparison to work, you'd have to ask who's driven 98mph in a 70 zone, and then ask whether that was smart/reasonable.

Times 2

 

[hr3]

Come on ,, Where did he say he didn't have the breaks hooked up.. The guy was paying more attrition to the road and the people around him than 90 % of the drivers out there...

 

[ksJoe]

Speed is a factor. Going slower makes it safer (or less bad, depending on your perspective). Only the engineer's who designed it can tell us exactly how much it would improve that situation.

It isn't what you can tow. It's what you can stop. This was a huge risk to yourself but also to anyone else on that road.

Stopping distance is roughly 45% improved by dropping from 70 to 50. (source) That's the first link I found, other sources likely use other numbers. Its probably a bit different for trailers. But clearly, if your primary concern is stopping distance, going extra slow helps dramatically. If you go to google images and search for "stopping distance vs speed" you'll find countless charts with similar shape.

Weight limits aren't set based upon the maximum weight at the maximum speed?it doesn't work that way. Roads with a limitation of 35mph can have sharper corners, limited sight distances, etc, when compared with a road that has a limit of 55mph. The stopping requirements can equal out because one offers less warning than the other.

Weight limits are based on many variables, including speed.

On some things there are even industry standards on how much you overload things if you slow down.

As an example (from Zieman trailers):

The third critical factor is the speed rating referred to at the beginning of the article. This can be most confusing, since some manufacturers use reduced speed ratings in their literature. The basis of reduced speed ratings comes from tire characteristics. Tire industry standards permit an overload of 9% when speed is limited to 50 MPH, 16% at 40 MPH, 24% at 30 MPH, and so on. However, these criteria CAN NOT be blindly applied to an axle rating. Are the axle, brake, wheel, spring, and other components capable of carrying an increased load? And at what cost in durability?
....
This allows the case by case examinations that reduced speed ratings really deserve.

So there's an industry standard on how much you can safely overload tire, based on how much you slow down... Note that is says it cannot blindly be applied to trailer axle rates. It does not say it has no application to trailer axle ratings.

Like I said, only the engineers who designed his truck & trailor could tell us how unsafe his situation was. But its silly to act like slowing down and being scared doesn't help mitigate being overloaded.

Another factor with the tires is heat. This time of year, that's a bit less of a concern tool.

I've lost the link, but I recently read an article about the Kansas Highway Patrol meeting with a group of farmers. The HP was talking about how they don't expect the farmers to have scales at the edge of the field to weigh the trailers on the way out. The HP was outright saying that they would not ticket farmers for being overweight as long as it wasn't excessive.

Who's talking about going slightly over the limit? The OP was like 40% over the limit. For the comparison to work, you'd have to ask who's driven 98mph in a 70 zone, and then ask whether that was smart/reasonable.

This discussion is about chewing someone out for driving that was "knowingly" a "selfish," "dangerous," "reckless" act.

If we're going to be consistent, we should also be outraged about other knowingly selfish, dangerous, reckless driving acts. Such as people buy radar detectors for the sole purpose of enabling habitually illegal and dangerous behavior.

Again - I am not saying what he did as good. I'm just saying it wasn't as dangerous as some are suggesting.

 

[buickanddeere]

The amount of over load on the tires, rims, springs and axle bearings makes hauling this load unacceptable no matter the distance, speed, caution etc. 2nd of all, the load wasn't properly tied down.

 

[MHarryE]

Unless your pickup was at the lower end of the limit there was really no truck risk. For example my F-150 has a 9,700 pound towing capacity. I have a 12,000 pound hitch and trailer towing package but still you should not be way out of range. The trailer and tire limits are at full highway speeds. You never exceeded 50 mph - engineering wise you very likely had a significantly shorter stopping distance than a larger pickup and heavier trailer pulling the same load at 70 mph. Tires - speed and heat are killers. Like stated in one of the earlier posts the tires have greater load limits at lower speeds. For combines we could go to 70% overload in the field at field speeds - all allowable under industry standard. Not going fast enough to create damaging heat. Short haul, late in the year - you were not going to experience the tread separation of a Firestone on an Explorer. Chaining - that does seem skimpy but tie down varies by state. I have seen many commercial haulers moving 6,000 pound compactors with one heave strap across the middle and pass commercial inspection with no problem - in states by me. I, however, tend to over tie down. I use the same chaining method on my 3,600# mini-excavator that I use on a 21,000# combine. The important thing is how did your outfit feel? Were you on the verge of controllability at the speed you ran or did it feel stable?

 

[tylertown]

tylertown,
Looks like a nice excavator and curious about what you are using it for? Do you have a loader tractor to use with it?

Wondering if Tylertown is still heavy into dairy farms today, as I remember when I lived in Summit in the 1970"s there were lots of them in the area.

I do smaller land scaping and land clearing work mostly. small pond or 2 a year and a few other odd jobs demolition things of that sort. I rent a skid steer when needed there are some farms left but nothing like it used to be.

 

[tylertown]

Unless your pickup was at the lower end of the limit there was really no truck risk. For example my F-150 has a 9,700 pound towing capacity. I have a 12,000 pound hitch and trailer towing package but still you should not be way out of range. The trailer and tire limits are at full highway speeds. You never exceeded 50 mph - engineering wise you very likely had a significantly shorter stopping distance than a larger pickup and heavier trailer pulling the same load at 70 mph. Tires - speed and heat are killers. Like stated in one of the earlier posts the tires have greater load limits at lower speeds. For combines we could go to 70% overload in the field at field speeds - all allowable under industry standard. Not going fast enough to create damaging heat. Short haul, late in the year - you were not going to experience the tread separation of a Firestone on an Explorer. Chaining - that does seem skimpy but tie down varies by state. I have seen many commercial haulers moving 6,000 pound compactors with one heave strap across the middle and pass commercial inspection with no problem - in states by me. I, however, tend to over tie down. I use the same chaining method on my 3,600# mini-excavator that I use on a 21,000# combine. The important thing is how did your outfit feel? Were you on the verge of controllability at the speed you ran or did it feel stable?

to tell you the truth the truck and trailer handled the load fine for being as over loaded as it was. taking of up an incline you could feel a strain but that's it. electric brakes help a lot. nothing out of the ordinary. I wasn't worried about the trailer tires or truck pulling it my only concern was the 2in ball they are only rated for 5k.. so they say but weight ratings on things like this are very conservative. I have recently up graded to a 2500hd and a 20 ft 14k tandem axle equipment trailer but is still a bumper pull but with 2 5/16 ball. pulls no problem. but no I would not be scared to pull it with that setup again. just take it easy and windows down and radio off. be very aware of what is going on around you while hauling and stay off of congested roads.

 

[tylertown]

The amount of over load on the tires, rims, springs and axle bearings makes hauling this load unacceptable no matter the distance, speed, caution etc. 2nd of all, the load wasn't properly tied down.

If I were a commercial hauler it would be unacceptable. with the setup I was dealing with if the ex wanted to go it would have went and would have took the truck and trailer with it. I have recently upgraded to a 2500hd with a 14k tandem axle trailer also with electric brakes. no more of hauling like that. but the truck handled the load fine. take off wise and the electric brakes on my old car hauler stopped it fine just had the booster cranked up. my only real concern was the 2in ball and coupler. they are rated for 5000lbs of pull but didn't break any welds or stretch anything. but did not like it. around my parts its nothing to see a 1970s Chevrolet towing that kind of weight on a wore out trailer with 2 good tires and the fenders rubbing the tires. a lot of people around here use 1 ton trucks to move their house trailers to another location. your talking 25,000 or plus lbs! and im sure that a lot of house trailers don't have brakes if they do theyre probably air or surge and they have to do the same thing I did. watch wait and stay alert. what I was doing wouldn't draw any attention in these parts. I passed a local law enforcement agent on the way to my property and he waved and went on. I guess I answered my own question. Can a Chevrolet tow 9200lbs? yes it can but make sure you have e brakes and a heavy duty trailer. Thanks for your input on this. I am very appreciative of your concern for the well being of us Mississippians.

 

[MHarryE]

If I were a commercial hauler it would be unacceptable. with the setup I was dealing with if the ex wanted to go it would have went and would have took the truck and trailer with it. I have recently upgraded to a 2500hd with a 14k tandem axle trailer also with electric brakes. no more of hauling like that. but the truck handled the load fine. take off wise and the electric brakes on my old car hauler stopped it fine just had the booster cranked up. my only real concern was the 2in ball and coupler. they are rated for 5000lbs of pull but didn't break any welds or stretch anything. but did not like it. around my parts its nothing to see a 1970s Chevrolet towing that kind of weight on a wore out trailer with 2 good tires and the fenders rubbing the tires. a lot of people around here use 1 ton trucks to move their house trailers to another location. your talking 25,000 or plus lbs! and im sure that a lot of house trailers don't have brakes if they do theyre probably air or surge and they have to do the same thing I did. watch wait and stay alert. what I was doing wouldn't draw any attention in these parts. I passed a local law enforcement agent on the way to my property and he waved and went on. I guess I answered my own question. Can a Chevrolet tow 9200lbs? yes it can but make sure you have e brakes and a heavy duty trailer. Thanks for your input on this. I am very appreciative of your concern for the well being of us Mississippians.

Did you ever find the tow rating of your 1/2 ton Chev? I was checking out a F-150 yesterday and the tow rating was 11,300 pounds. I thought that Chev, Ford and Ram today would all be pretty equivalent on their ratings if a person equipped them properly. The Tundra of course tops the all with the 250,000 pound tow rating they advertise - I mean towing a Space Shuttle on trailer should mean should be considered within limits, correct? But remembering your particular case I did not see anything unsafe as you understood your challenge. There are no engineering limitations like a tire is rated for 1,880 pounds and you load it to 1900 it will shred immediately. If you haul something across a desert at 75 mph on a 120 degree day with the tire under inflated and the load near capacity then worry. You, short tow, low speed, moderate temp. You main worry would have been the rich guy in the a Escalade behind you driving 85 to your 50 while he is checking his stock portfolio and steering with his knees while holding his white chocolate vanilla latte in his other hand.