Has anyone ever caught flack being over max tow rating?

Every time the DOT has stopped me they look at my registered weight, my axle weight ratings, and my tire weight ratings. If I do not exceed those they are happy. That being said I have not been hauling crazy big loads.

It seems to me that most hotshot guys can register for whatever weight they want and keep their loads under the axle and tire ratings but they are most likely over the manufacturers GCVWR of the truck.

The max tow rating is not printed anywhere on the truck and I have heard some say that it is just the manufacturer's "recommendation" and that it has no legal bearing. Others have said no the DOT has books or can look it up and if you are over they will pop you.

The Dodge 1 ton dually has a max tow rating close to 30k but Ford and Chevy are around 23/24k. I know a lot of guys exceed even the dodge number and certainly the ford/chevy on a regular basis.

 

My 15 ford is 27,500. Anytime I get stopped by D.O.T all that they do is check my rear axle rating. No one has ever given me any trouble about it.

 

Our dualie is a F-550. It used to get stopped occasionally because DOT is used to seeing F-350's hauling these 4- and 5-car trailers, and a lot of those carriers are indeed exceeding their axle ratings on a regular basis. The officers usually drop their beef with us once they see it's a F-550 (technically a commercial vehicle - I don't even think you can get it insured as a regular vehicle, like a pickup). They look exactly like a F-350 but have a heavier frame and a heavier-duty suspension; I think this one runs at a little over 9,000 lbs GVW. Even with a full load on the 5-car trailer, the suspension on the truck hardly sinks. That thing is a beast.

Loads like ours can definitely be pulled by a 350 but, over time, the 350's are being strained. Our truck, OTOH, is barely breaking a sweat.

 

I think you are miss informed about your F-550s rear axle rating only at 9,000lbs. My F-350s rating is 14,000lbs. A lot of it is how you position your load. It might be a little harder to do so hauling cars, I'm not sure. But as long as you know your limits and understand weight positioning, they can screw with you all they want, but you'll be fine.

 

No it's not. A F-350 has a GVWR of around 14k but the rear axle is not that high. On the latest F-350 duallys the rear axle is 9,650 lb.

 

Not sure about Fl, but here in Tn. I have my C5500 titled, insured and tagged as a personal auto. Even had a F800 insured and titled as a person auto for a few years here in Tn. But I did have both listed as RV's. Insurance on the 2005 C5500 is half of what my 2004 2500HD was per year.
Pete

 

F550 rear axle is usually a 13,500 pound axle. I have never seen one that was anything but that. Steer axle is usually 6/7,000 pound depending on how it was specs out I believe.

 

Actually you can't register whatever you want, except that you may be able register for less weight than the specs allow.

True, the DOT usually doesn't check into max tow weight. They are looking at combined weights or GVWR's and axle ratings most of the time.

HOWEVER. If you have an injury accident and the lawyers get involved, you can be assured that they are going to be looking at all the manufacturers ratings, including max tow weight. The manufacturers max tow weight is simply their max Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) minus the published curb weight of your truck. This is only a guideline number, since your truck may weigh more or less than their published curb weight depending on equipment.

I'll use my truck as an example. My published max tow weight is 17,400lbs. My published curb weight for the truck is 8,600 lbs. The GCWR is, as you'd expect, 26,000 lbs. In reality, my truck weighs 9,900 lbs with a steel flatbed truck body. This reduces my ACTUAL tow capacity to 16,100 lbs since my GCWR is 26000. (26000 - 9900 = 16100).

Manufacturers arrive at their GCWR by looking at the frame capabilities, suspension, the rear differential, the transmission and the engine. Exceed their specs and have an accident and you can be sure that the lawyers will teach you a whole new meaning to the phrase "losing your virginity."

 

Thanks, that is exactly what I was trying to say, but you explained it much better than I did.