Ballast New truck: weights, towing capacity

[rback33]

I kept getting that message yesterday. I thought it was a shot at my LACK of character(s).

Or the number of characters on TBN.

*LMAO* not going to judge anyones character...at least not yours..

 

[rback33]

Oh, I thought I read about "someone" making stupid and unsafe recommendations. I thought I was the stupid one and needed to be taught. There's ribbing and then there's ribbing.

I honestly try to be safe. I weigh my load and know what each axle is carrying. I even know my ratings and thought that those are maximums to be respected and not bogus. So if I am missing a huge wink from GM about ratings then I would like to know about it.

I honestly don't believe Bob or anyone else was trying to say you are unsafe. I think it was meant as a general comment about lots of other people in other threads. I remember seeing some of them myself. I can tell you for sure that if you weigh every load and know what is on each axle you are ahead of me. I haven't checked an axle loading since l drove the 379ext Pete all over the country. However.. if you go through THAT much trouble... maybe you are either REALLY **** retentive (that's ok, if u look it up in Webster's you'll find my wife's mug) or you slightly concerned about you setup. In your shoes I would have axled it out the first time and assuming same or very similar loading never again. I have never seen your setup, but from what you are telling me I have no reservations about your saftey goals. If you WANT an excuse to bump up to 3/4 ton and are looking for us to help you blow something past the CFO I am SURE we can come up with somethin...

 

[rback33]

oops... forgot the "other" war starting jab...

this only applies because you have a GM... anything else and you would have it MADE! lol


Sorry... couldn't resist...

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I think it was meant as a general comment about lots of other people in other threads. I remember seeing some of them myself.

That is exactly correct. I suggest that anyone who wants to see stupid advice should simply read through many of the trailering posts that have come up over the years here on TBN. In most threads someone will spout off that you can get away with it, but it may not be legal. . . or other similar words of wisdom. Now I don't care if people destroy their own equipment, but if someone wants to enter the Darwin Awards contests, then please do it all alone, don't risk my family or my friends by driving down the highways and biways of this land with your overweight load that is held down with bungie cords and rubber bands behind a too small truck with faulty brakes. . .

 

[roxynoodle]

Ok, I think this is the bottom line. Your half ton trucks can haul safely but you need to know your towing limit. There are differences based on frame (the longer the frame, the slightly less towing you can do), engine, transmission, and rear differential. You also need to be equipped with the right hitch. If your towing package came with a Class III, either upgrade that hitch or add the WD hitch before you decide to exceed that hitch's rating. All ball mounts and hitch balls are not made alike either. If your ball mount says it is rated for 5000 lbs either don't exceed that or upgrade to one with a higher limit. Same with the hitch ball. Your trailer needs to be as level as possible when loaded. Too much or too little tongue weight throws off the whole system. Make sure your chains are hooked up and also the break away box. And drive carefully! Don't get too close to others, it will take you longer to stop than usual.

There has been a lot of discussion also about whether you can fully max your truck every day. You can but it won't last very long if you do. Towing is harder on your truck than anything else you do with it. If you are towing near your limit a lot then you really should upgrade to a 3/4 ton truck.

Now, do I win the donuts?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Now, do I win the donuts?

GOT MILK?

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Ok, I think this is the bottom line.


blah, blah, blah


Now, do I win the donuts?

Excellent summary, but you obviously missed the fact that they not donuts . . . they are POWER RINGS. And frequent excessive consumption of power rings will, in fact, reduce the size of the payload you can carry.

 

[Highbeam]

Ok, I think this is the bottom line. Your half ton trucks can haul safely but you need to know your towing limit. There are differences based on frame (the longer the frame, the slightly less towing you can do), engine, transmission, and rear differential. You also need to be equipped with the right hitch. If your towing package came with a Class III, either upgrade that hitch or add the WD hitch before you decide to exceed that hitch's rating. All ball mounts and hitch balls are not made alike either. If your ball mount says it is rated for 5000 lbs either don't exceed that or upgrade to one with a higher limit. Same with the hitch ball. Your trailer needs to be as level as possible when loaded. Too much or too little tongue weight throws off the whole system. Make sure your chains are hooked up and also the break away box. And drive carefully! Don't get too close to others, it will take you longer to stop than usual.

There has been a lot of discussion also about whether you can fully max your truck every day. You can but it won't last very long if you do. Towing is harder on your truck than anything else you do with it. If you are towing near your limit a lot then you really should upgrade to a 3/4 ton truck.

Now, do I win the donuts?

Thanks roxynoodle, that's what I thought but was confused earlier on. I thought the basis of our logic which is the listed ratings for all things towing were being dismissed. It turns out that we may have been saying the same thing all along. Your box of power rings is on its way.

Not only do I weigh my truck and trailer axles regularly, not every time but every time the load changes, but I also record each tank of fuel's mileage and maintenance tasks. The scales are digital and very easy to get to on my route. Doesn't everyone do these things? Maybe I do qualify for **** retentive as well as concerned that I am near my limits.

You all have a mark on your trailer to exactly place your load to get the minimum of 10% tongue weight right?

 

[rback33]

You all have a mark on your trailer to exactly place your load to get the minimum of 10% tongue weight right?

*nods* EXACTLY where the two dividers lock in place to keep the horses seperated...

I rarely haul flatbed loads with my pickup, but in my years of truck driving and working on the farm I have a pretty good "feel" for where to park/load things. I am sure you are the same way now and weigh your loads less often than you used to. In many respects, we would be better off if EVERYONE paid as much attention to the details as you do. To be honest, I thought it was ludicris when the changed tie down laws to specify tying all four corners. Two bommers, one on each end sounded great and is the way I have "always done it." After reading the thread about the nasty wreck, and how ONE and only ONE chain came loose and the tractor never moved... it sure put things in perspective. That corner of the tie down mechanism that was taken out only cost him 25% of his system. I would have lost 50%. I'll boomer by the book (like the alliteration?? lol ) from now on.

 

[roxynoodle]

No, I don't have any marks on my trailer for the tongue weight because that would depend on the load anyways. But if my trailer is slanted backwards, I know it isn't right, same if it is slanted forwards. If it is level on level ground then I have never had an issue. I haven't weighed all my stuff, but I know my trailer weights, horse's weights and tractor's weight. I know that 2 "scoops" of gravel from the quarry weighs 5300 lbs since those morons put that in the back of my truck 2 years ago. The whole point really is to exercise sense, something unfortunately few people seem to have. When I see someone towing unsafely I just try to get away from them!

As for my energy rings, I like glazed.