27,000# GCVW, is that pushin it?

[Mopar_Mudder]

Hey I just signed up the the TDR and am going to pick up my new 3500 Tomarrow if all goes well, ordered it back in September.



Any way this is what I want to do, I want to haul to Dodge off-road trucks around the country. The R/C comes in at 5500# and the W350 truck is 7000#. The new dually with be about 7500#. I am guessing a 36' gooseneck might be around 6000#? So that makes a total of 26,000#. And I imagine you will have another 1000# for passengers and equipment. So now I am up to 27,000# in a truck rated for 23,000.



What do you heavy haulers out their think, will the law leave me alone or be out to get me?

 

[QRTRHRS]

Welcome aboard bgreener.

Check out this recent thread and do the CDL search for earlier threads. https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61639 For starters, you would definetely need a CDL. If this is a business venture, your into DOT athority, commercial insurance, medical, etc. Actually, even for non business, at 27k, your going to need other than your standard insurance policy. So, not only will the law be after your money but so will many other people.



Your over the manufacturers recomended GCWR. The stealer finds out and there goes the warranty for what that's worth. It has been suggested that in the event of an accident, if your over the recommended GCWR, you could take a beating in the courtroom. I never read of an actual account of this relative to the TDR and what people here do. 27K won't be a problem for the truck but keep the brakes up to snuff. Are you going stick? Get an exhaust brake on right away. Hope this helps.

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

I forgot to mension that I already have a Class "A" CDL so that is no problem.



It will be for personal use not business



It is a 6 speed and I already plan on an exhaust brake, Southbend Clutch, and a Comp of some sort when they get out.

 

[Kirwin]

High GCWR

See "3/4 tons must be great" in this forum for a discussion on this very topic. Ken Irwin

 

[rob10858]

the first warning would be watch out for interstate travels, even private, with that kind of combination weight. alot of the states that we travel are cracking down on duallys carrying too much weight, whether private or commercial. if you are ever asked, you are pulling these trucks for hobby, not for money. the next bit of advice would be to make sure that your truck registration, under gcvwr carries the entire weight of the truck trailer and load, that's the way they make sure that you've paid enough taxes on your vehicle. the last hint would be to somehow classify yourself as a "recreational vehicle" that gives you alot of loopholes to fall into. but regardless, overweight is overweight, whether comm or private. i don't think that you would be legally overweight, we haul about 15000 behind our duallys, and i've heard that is too much, but i don't really believe it. legal is only legal in the inspector's eyes, and we haven't had an overweight question come into view since 1996, only registration and paperwork problems :-{}

 

[Pit Bull]

I'd add some real truck tires, like "F" "G" "H" commercial tires on some 19. 5 Alcoa's Are you sure your trailer is going to weigh that much? Spend more $$$ and get a stronger but lighter trailer I think you will be closer to the mfg. GCWR than you think. Plus if you had a wreak nobody is going to pick up all of the parts and weigh them. Welcome to the TDR.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

You might be surprised at how much stuff folks will pick up and weigh when a 5-10 million dollar lawsuit is at stake...

 

[QRTRHRS]

You got the green? This will help.

http://www.trailers-truckstuff.com/flatbedutility.html

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

Thanks for all the advice, gives alot to think on, I will read that other thread also



PACMAN - In wisconsin you can't regiter the tow vehicle for the combined weight of truck and trail, that is not how they do it. The truck will be registered for 12,000# and the trailer for 20,000 or 24,000 depending on what I get. So I will not technicaly be over the registered weight, as long as I keep the pin weight down to stay under the 12,000#



I wish I could spend the dough for an aluminum trailer

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by bgreener



I wish I could spend the dough for an aluminum trailer

Go ahead, you can't take it with you.

 

[RustyJC]

27000# GCW - Is That Pushing It?

Yes, 27,000# GCW is, to put it mildly, pushing it. Pardon me for asking, but if you knew what you planned to be towing and just bought a new truck, did you consider an almost-new MDT or a used Class 8 tractor? Either of these could be purchased for the price of a new 3500 Cummins. I'm just wondering why someone wouldn't buy the right tool for the job?



Example:



Thread



Photos $33,500 asking price for this truck.



Rusty

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

Well this will be my every day all purpose truck, a Class 8 rig isn't much fun to cruise around in. Either way this truck will be used to tow my 83 1 ton off-roader around, which I know it can handle that fine, I do it with a 2500 now. I am just looking at the option of also pulling my budys Ramcharger at the same time so we don't have to take 2 trucks and trailers everywhere, if I can't I can't. It is only twice a year that we go more then say 250 miles from home, I am not worried about pulling that extra weight on the short local trips. It is mainly the couple of times a year that we head out of state, one of thoose trips is from Wisconsin to CA, thats about 5000 miles round trip. So I am not going to go out and buy an extra big truck just to use once a year.

 

[RustyJC]

Originally posted by bgreener

Any way this is what I want to do, I want to haul to Dodge off-road trucks around the country.

OK, that's a little different situation than my assumption from your initial post. Nothing was mentioned about "once a year" above, so I assumed that what you described was full-time service for the truck. Will the Dodge/Cummins handle it with no problems - probably.



I still think running 20% over GCWR puts you in dangerous territory insofar as tort (civil) law is concerned should you be involved in an accident, regardless of fault. You pay your money and you take your choice... .



Rusty

 

[rob10858]

again folks, call me slow or dense, but how many time have y'all seen ford, chevy and dodge dually's pulling loads that make you look twice and wonder how they do it? the answer is simple. if the state and federal guys give you the approval to gross out your combination weight at a certain level, even though it exceeds the mnfs specs, who's to blame? all it takes is the proper documentation, [meaning money paid for registration] when that happens, you are "legal" to pull weights that dc would deny in a lawsuit. when the first battle begins, when someone in an overweight pickup is involved in a horrific accident, the lawyers will be busy. we have comm ins, have met all of the state and federal requirements, safety- wise, but you never know... . now i'll start another post on things that have driven us crazy:--)

 

[Pit Bull]

Re: 27000# GCW - Is That Pushing It?

Originally posted by RustyJC

Yes, 27,000# GCW is, to put it mildly, pushing it. Pardon me for asking, but if you knew what you planned to be towing and just bought a new truck, did you consider an almost-new MDT or a used Class 8 tractor? Either of these could be purchased for the price of a new 3500 Cummins. I'm just wondering why someone wouldn't buy the right tool for the job?



Example:



Thread



Photos $33,500 asking price for this truck.



Rusty

Rusty, when you going to get one of these? That is one nice rig. Have you ever seen any that just built on to the back of the sleeper and did not pull anything? That would be sharp. Better than the Bus conversions

 

[QRTRHRS]

Here's some more eat your heart out.

http://www.rvtruck.com/rv_truck_005.htm



And more.



http://www.cowboycadillac.com/crewzer.htm



A custom toter bed would round out that Volvo nicely now wouldn't it?



Re: >GCWR lawsuits. We see it implied. Anyone ever actually been privey to one?

 

[RustyJC]

Re: Re: 27000# GCW - Is That Pushing It?

Originally posted by Pit Bull

Rusty, when you going to get one of these? That is one nice rig. Have you ever seen any that just built on to the back of the sleeper and did not pull anything? That would be sharp. Better than the Bus conversions

Take a look at this "Super Class C" that Bill Rowell (Warpath), the owner of iRV2.com is having built on a Freightliner FL120:



Warpath's MH



He thinks he can pull this off for around $60K to $70K, including the purchase of the truck.



Edit: Forget that sissy "wood versus aluminum" debate regarding RV framing. Here's how they frame a MAN'S motorhome:



Warpath's MH Framing



Rusty

 

[Pit Bull]

"But if you want your motorhome on steroids and tattooed "Rolling Thunder" then get a truck and lets go! "



I think he is right. What a rig.

Oo.

 

[JFitzgerald]

Originally posted by bgreener

Hey I just signed up the the TDR and am going to pick up my new 3500 Tomarrow if all goes well, ordered it back in September.

Hey, I know that big yellow truck. Remember mud racing at Sandwich 4xFunFest a few years back?? Welcome to TDR.

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

Mr. Fitzgerald, how the hell ya been, guess it is a small world !!!!



Are you totaly out of the mud racing thing now, I knew you were talking about?





Me I just keep throughin more money into the money pit. Done a bunch more to the motor, more lift, 39. 5" boggers. Just got 5. 86's gears and a Dana 70 to through in it now. Seems to be a never ending deal. Plus now I got a 84 Ramcharger to use for a trail rig to keep running alos. Isn't life fun



But on a side note I am leavin right now to go pick up my new 3500, it will look good pullin big yellow around.....