Is it possible to get the factory GVWR tag changed?

[Bart]

My door tag states that my rig's gvwr is 16,000 pounds with the original 3. 54 gears. I swapped them out with a fellow TDR member for his 4. 10s. According to the shop manual, my rig with 4. 10 now has a gvwr of 19,000. "IF" I were to be pulled over and weighed by the "law" how would I prove that increase? Is there a way to get the factory tag modified to reflect the new gears?

 

[TX Gooseneck]

Do you mean you GCWR? Your GVWR should only be 10,500-12,500lbs.



And in regards to getting pulled over by the law, I've been in every state of the mainland and every scale I've been in looks at the GVWR of the truck + GVWR of the trailer. If you exceed that (say 34,999lbs for example) then you receive a talking to. Some DOT's will look at tire weight rating and go off of that.



Basically, what happens to you is up to the officer that pulls you over.

 

[DonTX]

I doubt it. Back when the CDL was implemented, the rental companies had some trucks that were slightly over 26,001 GVW. They tried to get them reduced by removing a spring leaf or two to make them the same os lower rated ones. They failed.

Something to consider though. Back in my road cop days, we NEVER worried about the GVW rating of a vehicle. After weighing, three elements were used:

1. What is the rig "tagged" for (revenue you know).

2. Was his axle weights "legal" be federal standards. and

3. Did he meet the "bridge law" specs. Things change, and as far as I know it is still not a major consideration, after all some vehicles don't even HAVE a GVWR tag.

I am told by my Winter Texan friends that in Canada, the GVWR tag IS considered first off, but not in the USA.

 

[JThiessen]

There was a fairly long thread on this a couple months ago. Do a search and you might find some info in it.

Best case is go get the answer from your local DMV, not speculation from members here.

 

[DonTX]

Maybe, or maybe not. The local state DMV has little knowledge of federal DOT rules and regs. Some license plate clerk will give you an answer, but not an informed one.

You can go to U. S. Department of Transportation and get the real answers you can print and carry along with you.

There was a fairly long thread on this a couple months ago. Do a search and you might find some info in it.

Best case is go get the answer from your local DMV, not speculation from members here.

 

[CUMMINZ]

I find it hard to believe that ANY 3500 made by any company has a GVW of more than 12,500# much less 16k.

 

[DonTX]

I have the 97 specs from Dodge, sure was not true of any 3500 in 1997! Don't think they made that much change in one year either.

 

[MMeier]

IIRC, my '97 was rated at 10,500 or 11,000 GVWR, left that one alone, but the '03 since I use it for work is now tagged for 34,200# in 11 states. And HP in a lot of states are now looking at anything they can to squeeze your hard earned $$$$ outta your pockets. John, feel free to give me a shout if you want.

 

[georgej]

The 08 Dodge 5500 gvwr is 19000lbs,the 4500 is 16000lbs and your 03 3500 is 34000lbs???? You have a heck of a truck!!!!

 

[GAmes]

The 97 CA 12 valves have a GCWR of 16,000, when the rest of us have 20,000 (regardless of diff ratio). I'm guessing the 98 12 valves are the same. However, the GCWR is NOT on the door tag, it is in little tiny letters in the owners manual. GVWR is 10,500. I smell the odor of bovine excrement.

 

[MMeier]

The 08 Dodge 5500 gvwr is 19000lbs,the 4500 is 16000lbs and your 03 3500 is 34000lbs???? You have a heck of a truck!!!!

34,200# get it right !!!:-laf Like I said, its what I tagged it for... , not whats in the door jamb, DOT could care less what it came from the factory with, for now anyway. Because i run commercially I had to take the GVWR of my truck AND trailer and add them together, welcome to the world of commercial trucking. Mr. Bart above knows what I'm talking about ! Off topic, John, how'd the bed ordeal turn out?

 

[Ragain]

Commercial regs are a totally different set of rules vs. private/state regs. My 3500 is apportioned tagged for 42,000#... ... never been an issue at any POE or roadside DOT inspection. I have never ran that heavy, but I do gross around 37,000# frequently. (I know it sounds dangerous, but my rig is set up to do this safely) I heard a story of someone getting shut down in TX for pulling a pair of horse trailers that had 12,000# gvwr each, but weighed only 5,500# empty each. TXDOT said even though they were empty, the combined trailer gvwr exceeded his gcvwr on the pulling unit specs..... I am willing to bet he wasn't apportioned and fell under a different set of regs.

 

[DonTX]

I am not sure you said what you meant. You say EVERY scale house comes out and checks your door jam plate and looks for one on the trailer, even when empty? I don't notice them doing that, and don't know why they would want to unless you are somehow creating some suspicion somehow. .

Do you mean you GCWR? Your GVWR should only be 10,500-12,500lbs.



And in regards to getting pulled over by the law, I've been in every state of the mainland and every scale I've been in looks at the GVWR of the truck + GVWR of the trailer. If you exceed that (say 34,999lbs for example) then you receive a talking to. Some DOT's will look at tire weight rating and go off of that.



Basically, what happens to you is up to the officer that pulls you over.

 

[Bart]

I find it hard to believe that ANY 3500 made by any company has a GVW of more than 12,500# much less 16k.

I stand corrected. The door tag states the GVWR as 11K but the shop manual states the CGVWR as 16K with 3. 54s and 19K w/ 4. 10s

 

[GAmes]

I stand corrected. The door tag states the GVWR as 11K but the shop manual states the CGVWR as 16K with 3. 54s and 19K w/ 4. 10s

Therefore, it is a none issue. The GVWR or the pick-up has not changed and the GCWR, which is a warranty/marketing thing, is not a law enforcement issue. If you are in a state that registers according to weight, then pay the bucks and you won't have a problem. Forget about the door tag. I have been told by 'ONE' DOT guy that it could be removed with no penalty, kind of like a mattress tag. But, as I said, that was only one guy so I haven't ripped my tag off. I own a 24' gooseneck flatbed trailer that was missing the tag when I bought it. I registered it for the GVWR shown on the cert. of origin and never been hassled, but I've never loaded it over 14,000 either.