What is my gross combined vehicle weight rating?

[RVTRKN]

We don't alter the GCVWR, we ignore it, because we are not restricted to it. Its not unlawful, and countless professionals have provided testimony, do you need them to be sign an affidavit and have it notarized. I don't get your point, are you saying we can't go over Dodges GCVWR period? Because me and several other members who have legally registered over the GCVWR and have gone through the scales over the GCVWR know it to be legal. You can ignore the truth, but it doesn't mean your right.



So now that we know by experience we can, its now in your court to prove we can't. We have it in writing, so lets see you prove us wrong. I don't want to seem pig headed, but you keep claiming it's illegal to go over the GCVWR. It's just a number that Dodge imposes on you for the warranty issues. When you tow at 30K GCVW, things have a tendency to break, just ask Ford and GM owners that do it, with the proven weaker engines. Dodge will not repair under warranty if they know that. When I had a door sticker of 26K I was worried about just that, but my Dealer didn't care. That doesn't mean that if it broke down on the interstate it would have been. Its the risk we take when hauling over the GCVWR and under warranty.

 

[HBarlow]

We don't alter the GCVWR, we ignore it, because we are not restricted to it. Its not unlawful, and countless professionals have provided testimony, do you need them to be sign an affidavit and have it notarized. I don't get your point, are you saying we can't go over Dodges GCVWR period? Because me and several other members who have legally registered over the GCVWR and have gone through the scales over the GCVWR know it to be legal. You can ignore the truth, but it doesn't mean your right.

So now that we know by experience we can, its now in your court to prove we can't. We have it in writing, so lets see you prove us wrong. I don't want to seem pig headed, but you keep claiming it's illegal to go over the GCVWR. It's just a number that Dodge imposes on you for the warranty issues. When you tow at 30K GCVW, things have a tendency to break, just ask Ford and GM owners that do it, with the proven weaker engines. Dodge will not repair under warranty if they know that. When I had a door sticker of 26K I was worried about just that, but my Dealer didn't care. That doesn't mean that if it broke down on the interstate it would have been. Its the risk we take when hauling over the GCVWR and under warranty.

Very well said. You summarized the issue very nicely.

 

[Cosmo]

RVTRKN - you actually have proof in writing? Why haven't you just posted a link to it then?



If experience is all we need for proof, I can prove it's legal to NOT register a truck for its rolling weight and pull a trailer exceeding the max axle and tire weights, since I've done it before and didn't even raise an eyebrow at the scales. Interesting.

 

[RVTRKN]

What Notary Public do you want me to use. I don't need to show you all of my insurance, registration for 26K, DOT inspection and Class A lic. If you don't believe it, or other members, than thats your choice. If you can make out the door tag its for 26K, on the lower rear door corner.

 

[Mhannink]

i looked up the ca regs and i might have missed it but i didnt even find the gcw for big rigs which i know is 80k without permits. what the regs did give specs for was axels. now based on that i think you can legaly pull any amount of weight you would like provided you have the proper liecense and that you dont go over your axel weights. other then that as far as i can tell your legal. which does make sense. again looking at the truck regs it said you could not be more then 12k on the steer axel 20k on single axels with duals and 34k on tandems. that would add up to 80k i never read where it said you couldnt be more then that. although i could have missed it.

 

[RVTRKN]

The big question, is when private use is over the GCVWR in which some States have a special lic. For non commercial "Not For Hire" use. For me it doesn't matter due to my commercial lic. , but it still is that you can not go over axle ratings. If you go over the GCVWR, more than likely you will fall into the special lic. , non commercial use in your State, if there is such a requirement.

 

[HBarlow]

DOT doesn't know or care what Dodge/Furd/GM claims as GCWR or towing rating.

If a DOT enforcement officer or scale operator is concerned about weights on a light truck like our Rams they will look at GAWRs posted on the driver's door frame.

Every DOT officer probably knows that the maximum carrying capacity on LT 16" wheels and tires is 3,000 lbs. in round numbers, a little more for some sizes, just as they use the 5,000 lb. per tire rating on big truck tires.

There is very little that is complicated about DOT weight enforcement.

 

[AH64ID]

Not to dig up some old bones. . but this thought crossed my mind today. .

If OEM ratings are the end all be all of ratings, why buy a DRW? A SRW has a higher tow rating and gets better fuel economy. I mean OEM ratings are 100% gospel right... .

 

[TCDiesel]

Not to dig up some old bones. . but this thought crossed my mind today. .



If OEM ratings are the end all be all of ratings, why buy a DRW? A SRW has a higher tow rating and gets better fuel economy. I mean OEM ratings are 100% gospel right... .

Back 20 years or later tire weight could not meet the 3000 per tire needed to get the 12k rating necessary to get the 1 ton or 3500 model. . So you needed duals Or 4 tire axle to meet this minumium. . Now single tires are 3300 plus weight rated... Duals are NO longer necssary. . Some People buy the DRW for the look. . SRW will in most cases out perform DRW in every category except sway on dry payment.

 

[NIsaacs]

Back 20 years or later tire weight could not meet the 3000 per tire needed to get the 12k rating necessary to get the 1 ton or 3500 model. . So you needed duals Or 4 tire axle to meet this minumium. . Now single tires are 3300 plus weight rated... Duals are NO longer necssary. . Some People buy the DRW for the look. . SRW will in most cases out perform DRW in every category except sway on dry payment.

I would say SRW is probably a good way to go for personal use with "known" load size that doesn't really change in weight or configuration. However in the hotshot trucking of mixed loads, never knowing what your next load will be, you need the extra capacity of the dually. The more weight you can haul on the tow truck, the better the combinations towing performance in all categories.



Nick

 

[TCDiesel]

Again unless Ram starts putting Bigger Brakes, Heavier Springs,Stronger transmissions,Stronger Axle DRW is just NOT Necessary. By the Way I have over 2 million log miles pulling anything form Single axle trailers to centipede trailers with 385 with stick. . the unit is 125. 000lbs alone. . scales out at 185K. . you are welcome to come. . If you sign the Cat Waiver on a ride along. . It will be a great lesson in heavy/over-sized hauling.

I also have 3 Rams ALL SRW 3500. . I have had 2 DRW they cannot hold a candle against SRW in Most Categories EXCEPT SWAY. . ALL the benefits of SRW out weight the DRW 9 to 1. You only think you have more truck BC it has more wheels.

 

[TCDiesel]

Here's a picture of the trailer We use to relocate Big Stuff...

 

[ENafziger]

Here's a picture of the trailer We use to relocate Big Stuff... <!-- google_ad_section_end --> <!-- / message --><!-- attachments -->

Ok, well the real question is what does the sticker on the door say the GCWR is?

--Eric

 

[TCDiesel]

GVW 80K after that you need permits for oversize loads

 

[mwilson]

i looked up the ca regs and i might have missed it but i didnt even find the gcw for big rigs which i know is 80k without permits. what the regs did give specs for was axels. now based on that i think you can legaly pull any amount of weight you would like provided you have the proper liecense and that you dont go over your axel weights. other then that as far as i can tell your legal. which does make sense. again looking at the truck regs it said you could not be more then 12k on the steer axel 20k on single axels with duals and 34k on tandems. that would add up to 80k i never read where it said you couldnt be more then that. although i could have missed it.

Some of you seem curious about big rigs so here is another factoid for you.

As mentioned above, AXLE Weight is also very important when trying to hit the magic 80,000 lbs limit for interstate travel.



When you see a semi-trailer with what is called a "10 Foot Spread", ie there is about a six foot distance between the trailer tires it does the following for a trucker.



If the axles are 10' apart or more on center then they are each considered a single axle rather than a tandem so you can place 20,000lbs each on them rather than the 34,000lb tandem limit.



So when a tractor trailer is going for maximum payload the goal is 12,000 on the steers, 34,000 on the drives and 34,000 on the trailer axles. There is your 80,000lbs with conventional axle spacing.



With a modern long wheelbase tractor it is almost impossible to get 12,000lbs on the front axle unless you slide the fifth wheel darn near into the bunk. You can get 10,500 to 11,000lbs on the steer pretty easy, it's that other 1,000lbs or so that will drive you nuts trying to bridge/scale an 80,000lb situation.



So enter the 10 foot spread concept. You can pull the load to the rear of the trailer a couple three feet and throw an extra 3,000lbs or so onto the trailer legally and cross any scale in the country at full gross with the tractor steers being at 11,000 , the tractor drives at 33,000 and the trailer carrying 18,000 on each axle (36,000lbs combined) and be perfectly legal for example.



This is just in case some of you had seen the spreads and wondered what the purpose was.



Mike.

 

[NIsaacs]

But you didn't tell us what the purpose was It has to do with the "bridge law" to spread the weight for all the little weak bridges on the old two lane highways. Also to go a little farther on the bridge law, there is a distance formula for the spread between the drive axles and the trailer axles. You must have the minimum distance to gross 80k. If that distance is less, then you must haul less but I can't remember what the distance/formula is, I been out of the big truck business too long. I don't know what the rule is now days but Arizona didn't used to honor the spread axle weights, also no triples other then the little stretch of I-15.



Nick

 

[mwilson]

But you didn't tell us what the purpose was It has to do with the "bridge law" to spread the weight for all the little weak bridges on the old two lane highways. Also to go a little farther on the bridge law, there is a distance formula for the spread between the drive axles and the trailer axles. You must have the minimum distance to gross 80k. If that distance is less, then you must haul less but I can't remember what the distance/formula is, I been out of the big truck business too long. I don't know what the rule is now days but Arizona didn't used to honor the spread axle weights, also no triples other then the little stretch of I-15.



Nick

You are right, I thought I'd seen a reference to the federal bridge formula in a previous post but now I don't see it.



That is what happens when you try to pound out an explanation during lunch break..... :-laf



I was always towing at least a 45' trailer so I had the length, just couldn't scale 80,000lbs easily until I switched to the spread axle trailers.



Got tired of running the steer tires onto the steel angle iron on the leading edge of the scale pad in Virginia at night so I would show the proper weight for a green light.....



Mike.

 

[TCDiesel]

41FT form center Drives to Center Trailer Axle. . Sometimes they will allow Pin to center Trailer axles. . If. . your trailer axles are to far back pass 41ft some States can issue a violation W/O Permit to do so.

 

[mwilson]

In an effort to correct my error,:



Here is the link to the quickie explanation of the bridge formula...

Bridge Formula Weights Calculator - FHWA Freight Management and Operations



Mike.

 

[NIsaacs]

Good job! I used the formula for a 30' spread on 5 axles and only come up with 66,500 lbs, no wonder I was always in trouble hauling logs. We were required to bunk 32 foot logs so we were always too short when we got caught Also when I was in Montana during the spring thaw, the weight limit was regulated by tire width, If my memory serves me right, it was 400 lbs per inch of tire width, got in trouble then too:-laf



Nick