What weight can my truck legally pull?

[Monster5601]

Honestly none of that tells us a thing. We must look at the proper table for both types of towing in the trucks manual to determine it.

Chris

Wait a minute, are you saying the door sill sticker listing the maximum payload weight of 3,133 pounds doesn't mean anything? Isn't any trailer weight applied to the tow vehicle, either tongue weight on the receiver hitch or 5th wheel/goose neck subtracted from this maximum payload number?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Wait a minute, are you saying the door sill sticker listing the maximum payload weight of 3,133 pounds doesn't mean anything? Isn't any trailer weight applied to the tow vehicle, either tongue weight on the receiver hitch or 5th wheel/goose neck subtracted from this maximum payload number?

This is true but what he asked is what his truck can pull.

Chris

 

[ZAR2USA]

The registration process at least in Texas is simple. You can register your truck and or trailer for any weight you want. When you go to get your plates you tell them you want to specify a weight. I did this on two trucks just last week. We bought a couple 2015 f-250's and from the dealer the registration had the gross registered weight on them around 8k. I have no idea how they come up with this number but I bumped them both up to 10k. I doubt I will have more than that on the trucks. Texas doesn't have linear fees for registration it is based off of bracketed ranges. Anything up to 10k costs the same to register which is around $70. If you go over 10k but less than 20k(guessing here not sure of exact boundary) the costs double. If you ever get stopped and they weigh you and your weight is over the registered weight be prepared to get out your wallet. I don't know why everyone with a pickup doesn't at least register for 10k at a minimum because the cost is the same.

I will have to follow up on that with my local DMV and ask if I could adjust it. But first I think I will pull into my local State weight scales and ask the officer on call for their rule of thumb, and there steps they use to determine it.

 

[ZAR2USA]

Correct. Your trucks GCWR is 23,500. The tow rating is obtained by subtracting the trucks empty weight from that value. So they obtained 15,700# by taking the trucks weight of 7,800# from its GCWR. The 14,000# BP rating is obtained by what the manufacturer deems safe. Chris

Chris I did as you and others have said, went to the owners manual and found this. It match the door sticker for GCWR.




I was surprised to see how well the bullet points were laid out by Ford in determining maximum trailer weight;




Fords calculations for the limits imposed;




I found the following confusing and oxymoron.








I hope to soon give an update on what my local weigh station enforces.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Chris I did as you and others have said, went to the owners manual and found this. It match the door sticker for GCWR.

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=404900"/>

I was surprised to see how well the bullet points were laid out by Ford in determining maximum trailer weight;

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=404902"/>

Fords calculations for the limits imposed;

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=404904"/>

I found the following confusing and oxymoron.

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=404908"/>

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=404909"/>

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=404910"/>

I hope to soon give an update on what my local weigh station enforces.

They should also have a table showing max weight with each hitch type.

Chris

 

[schmism]

I feel compelled to mention (as others have) In terms of the original question.

What weight can my truck legally pull?

After you check all the tables and charts, and you determine that you can load 10K LBS on your trailer "by the book"

if your pulled over or asked to weigh at a stop, especially mobile scales, they will check individual axle loads. This means that even if you were under your 10K limit, if you pulled it to far forward and are sporting to much tounge weight, you may be over your rear axle GAWR.

In addtion to that, if your trailer uses torsion sprung axles and not leafs with load distribution triangles, then its possible to also overload a single trailer axle from miss loading your "legal" 10K lbs.

A third condition that is unlikely but possible, if you have setup a Weight distributing hitch incorrectly, it is possible to overload your front axle weight rateing. (to much bar)

Its my understanding that (in IL) at a portable scale check. they will check
axle weights, Front/Rear and trailer (GAWR)
tow vehicle weight (GVWR)
trailer weight (GVWR)
and the combined setup tow vehicle plus trailer (GCWR)

I frequently get the expressway at a location that the IDOT likes to put out there mobile scales at. They have mobile scales positioned to check all the above.

 

[downslope]

Do they check individual wheels, that you're not over on the tire rating(s)?

I feel compelled to mention (as others have) In terms of the original question.



After you check all the tables and charts, and you determine that you can load 10K LBS on your trailer "by the book"

if your pulled over or asked to weigh at a stop, especially mobile scales, they will check individual axle loads. This means that even if you were under your 10K limit, if you pulled it to far forward and are sporting to much tounge weight, you may be over your rear axle GAWR.

In addtion to that, if your trailer uses torsion sprung axles and not leafs with load distribution triangles, then its possible to also overload a single trailer axle from miss loading your "legal" 10K lbs.

A third condition that is unlikely but possible, if you have setup a Weight distributing hitch incorrectly, it is possible to overload your front axle weight rateing. (to much bar)

Its my understanding that (in IL) at a portable scale check. they will check
axle weights, Front/Rear and trailer (GAWR)
tow vehicle weight (GVWR)
trailer weight (GVWR)
and the combined setup tow vehicle plus trailer (GCWR)

I frequently get the expressway at a location that the IDOT likes to put out there mobile scales at. They have mobile scales positioned to check all the above.

 

[bdog]

Do they check individual wheels, that you're not over on the tire rating(s)?

I have not seen them check individual wheels as in side to side but when I have been stopped and weighed they weighed the axle, divided by the number of tires on that axle and then compared that to the weight rating stamped on the tire.

 

[NorEaster]

I did not read many responses to this but lets get this out on the table- manufacture ratings other than vehicle curb weight and axle capacities have no place when it comes to a DOT inspection or highway stop.

Ask any OTR trucker, DOT watches tire ratings, axle weights, and GCVW (Truck and Trailer combined).

Stay under axle weight ratings and under 26,000 gross, 26,001+ is grounds for Class A when towing a trailer over 10,000. 10k truck, 16k room for trailer= 26,000 GCVW. This is how lots of hot shot trucks run on class C licenses. Stay under 26,000 GCVW and you avoid the hassle of Class A.

Further more, payload is calculated by adding GAWR (gross axle weight rating, comprised of GFAWR and GRAWR (gross front and rear axle rating) and then subtracting the vehicles curb weight from it. 10k combined axle rating, 7k curb weight, equates to 3k payload.

 

[downslope]

Can they make any money running at 26K or less? It seems the competition would be rough when others with CDL are running long 20-24K+ trailers behind dually 1-tons or 450's/550's, etc.

A modern 10K truck is basically a SRW 1-ton, and a 16K trailer would be running singles not duals. That could be fine for hauling your own stuff without a CDL but I don't think it would work too well in a for-hire situation, and then you would still have to do all the other DOT stuff like logs, insurance, inspections, etc.

Quite a few years back, maybe until early eighties, you could still buy a 1-ton dually rated 10K GVW. That's what I would like to have if I were running right at 26K combination weight.

I did not read many responses to this but lets get this out on the table- manufacture ratings other than vehicle curb weight and axle capacities have no place when it comes to a DOT inspection or highway stop.

Ask any OTR trucker, DOT watches tire ratings, axle weights, and GCVW (Truck and Trailer combined).

Stay under axle weight ratings and under 26,000 gross, 26,001+ is grounds for Class A when towing a trailer over 10,000. 10k truck, 16k room for trailer= 26,000 GCVW. This is how lots of hot shot trucks run on class C licenses. Stay under 26,000 GCVW and you avoid the hassle of Class A.

Further more, payload is calculated by adding GAWR (gross axle weight rating, comprised of GFAWR and GRAWR (gross front and rear axle rating) and then subtracting the vehicles curb weight from it. 10k combined axle rating, 7k curb weight, equates to 3k payload.