Don't Tow With A Half Ton

[HBarlow]

From Greg Gerber's RV eNews blog. Sounds like another amateur RVer pulling a long trailer with his 1/2 commuter truck. I've personally seen two similar rollovers. One, was crossing the upper part of WI from Duluth to Sault Ste. Marie, MI several years ago. At the base of a gentle downgrade a 1/2 Chevy with a 28' trailer were laying on their sides. Another, about six years ago was in North FL where a Ferd SUV and its trailer were laying on their sides on the interstate.

"Flipped trailer blocks traffic


RVeNEWS Contributor posted on July 15, 2009 09:08
HOUMA, La. — Westbound traffic on U. S. 90 was partially blocked for nearly an hour and a half Tuesday afternoon after a truck pulling a travel trailer jackknifed just west of the Chacahoula on-ramp police said.
A man was driving a 1993 Chevrolet Silverado west when he drifted near the barrier wall in a left curve. The man overcorrected, overturning the 29-foot travel trailer he was pulling. The trailer broke loose from the pickup.

State police remind drivers that vehicles should be of adequate size to tow large trailers.

To read the complete report from Big Fun on the Bayou, click here.

Posted in: RV Industry, RV Owners

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

State police remind drivers that vehicles should be of adequate size to tow large trailers.

YUP - and that does NOT apply only to owners of *half ton* trucks towing beyond their limits - but to the 3/4 and 1-ton crowd over THEIR limit as well...

 

[fox]

I have a nephew who drag races.

When he first got started he used a GMC sonoma to pull his 40 enclosed traier!! He could get it up to speed ok, bu not control it or stop it. We finally got him to get a dually. He quickly learned the difference.

He won't even let me pull the trailer with the 3/4 ton I have!!!

Just because the dealer says it will it is stupid to do it with a 1/2 ton or SUV.

 

[HBarlow]

YUP - and that does NOT apply only to owners of *half ton* trucks towing beyond their limits - but to the 3/4 and 1-ton crowd over THEIR limit as well...

Gary, you should visit a local DMV office and inquire about the requirements and towing limits in your state. You might learn something. You might possibly learn that what Gary Ames and I have written on the other thread is, in fact, the law in your state. Both Gary and I have towed heavy LEGALLY through OR many times. As a matter of fact, Gary actually grew up in OR and still has ties there.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Gary, you should visit a local DMV office and inquire about the requirements and towing limits in your state. You might learn something. You might possibly learn that what Gary Ames and I have written on the other thread is, in fact, the law in your state. Both Gary and I have towed heavy LEGALLY through OR many times. As a matter of fact, Gary actually grew up in OR and still has ties there.

My point went right over your head, eh Harv... :-laf:-laf

 

[HBarlow]

My point went right over your head, eh Harv... :-laf:-laf

Yeah, Gary, if you were standing near the top of a tall ladder you could talk right over my head.

You own a tiny trailer and have probably towed it a few thousand miles in its entire life. Either GAmes or I towed large, heavy trailers more in six months, possibly only three months, than you've towed in a lifetime and you're trying to tell us we don't know what we're doing towing heavy trailers.

Here's a hint Gary. We and federal and DOT cops nationwide disagree with you. I think it is safe to assume that a majority of the members of each state legislature also disagree with you.

I'm still chuckling quietly as I remember the day in a thread you claimed to be a libertarian. A libertarian who believes, apparently, in freedom for himself but laws and regulations to prohibit behavior by others that you don't approve of.

 

[Bob Cochran]

I remember when I purchased the 5er I have now the dealer saying "You have plenty of truck to easily pull this trailer". I did not say anything but I knew it would work to be 100 lbs below GCW and is!!! He did not have a clue and if customer does not it really is trouble. I sure wish the dealer could be held accountable for what they tell the customer. I guess ultimately it is the customer responsible to know also.

 

[Grizzly]

I remember when I purchased the 5er I have now the dealer saying "You have plenty of truck to easily pull this trailer". I did not say anything but I knew it would work to be 100 lbs below GCW and is!!! He did not have a clue and if customer does not it really is trouble. I sure wish the dealer could be held accountable for what they tell the customer. I guess ultimately it is the customer responsible to know also.

One of the best sources to learn how much truck one needs to tow any Travel Trailer or 5th Wheel, or to haul a Slide-In Camper is to purchase a copy of the RV Consumer Group Guide. It contains a wealth of information on every RV made in the last 6 years and sometimes more.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Yeah, Gary, if you were standing near the top of a tall ladder you could talk right over my head.



You own a tiny trailer and have probably towed it a few thousand miles in its entire life. Either GAmes or I towed large, heavy trailers more in six months, possibly only three months, than you've towed in a lifetime and you're trying to tell us we don't know what we're doing towing heavy trailers.



Here's a hint Gary. We and federal and DOT cops nationwide disagree with you. I think it is safe to assume that a majority of the members of each state legislature also disagree with you.



I'm still chuckling quietly as I remember the day in a thread you claimed to be a libertarian. A libertarian who believes, apparently, in freedom for himself but laws and regulations to prohibit behavior by others that you don't approve of.

Oh SNAP!!!

 

[AClayton]

Yeah, Gary, if you were standing near the top of a tall ladder you could talk right over my head.



You own a tiny trailer and have probably towed it a few thousand miles in its entire life. Either GAmes or I towed large, heavy trailers more in six months, possibly only three months, than you've towed in a lifetime and you're trying to tell us we don't know what we're doing towing heavy trailers.



Here's a hint Gary. We and federal and DOT cops nationwide disagree with you. I think it is safe to assume that a majority of the members of each state legislature also disagree with you.



I'm still chuckling quietly as I remember the day in a thread you claimed to be a libertarian. A libertarian who believes, apparently, in freedom for himself but laws and regulations to prohibit behavior by others that you don't approve of.

That was 'kinda' un-called for!!



There is no denying that traveling that many miles a month and especially a year,will yield a driver experience. BUT, traveling that many miles could also be considered repetitious experience..... sort of like taking the same Economics Class at your favorite College... . over and over and over.



Do you really place yourself that high on your own pedestal... . where you can smuggly look down upon other members,simply because they travel with a smaller RV. RVing is not about how big your unit is!!Now,if that someone... . who may not have the funding to purchase the size RV he WANTED,but went out a financed a HH 34' 4 slide 5th wheel..... you would be all over this guy on another thread labeled..... I cannot afford my trailer... . please Obama,bail me out!!



I have had several conversations with you... . many good and some bad... . and would like to add that you may want to consider some CONSISTENCY in your posts. Nobody wants or cares for a Friend that thinks he/she is better than anybody else. I don't have to read your posts,but I do because I have learned from many of them. Enough said!!!



Alan

 

[HBarlow]

... ... ... .....

Do you really place yourself that high on your own pedestal... . where you can smuggly look down upon other members,simply because they travel with a smaller RV. RVing is not about how big your unit is!!
Alan

No. You completely missed the point in your haste to criticize me. Gary's lack of experience with a truck and trailer he thinks should be restricted or prohibited illustrated my point.

Gary argues and apparently believes that people who own trailers larger than his should be required to submit to heavy handed legislation requiring special licensing and should not be allowed to tow trailers weighing up to the gross weight limits of the axles and truck. I don't think he has owned or towed one or has experience with one. What is his opinion based on? How does he know whether towing a large trailer w/dually pickup is safe or not?

I do believe that owners of one ton duallies have the capacity to tow large trailers and the drivers and trucks should not be further restricted by laws that are not currently on the books or seen as required by state legislators. Thousands of RVers are doing it all over the US and Canada every day. Many are full-timers who live in their large fivers.

Most fifth wheel owners do not want to own an MDT or cannot afford one so such a law would kill sales and use of fifth wheel trailers larger than about 28' and prevent use of thousands of them already owned and in use. Such new restrictive laws might even leave thousands of full-timers stranded with no way to move their trailers.

I do agree with the law enforcement officers quoted in the original post that 1/2 tons with soft suspension and passenger car tires should not pull long heavy trailers. I have tried it and quickly bought a larger truck and have seen others trying it with bad results. That is the original subject of this thread. I did not propose legislation to prohibit it. I believe individuals should become informed and make safe and informed decisions. I'm not inclined to support legislation to prevent other Americans from doing things I do not choose to do or things I consider unwise or unsafe. I like freedom.

My own experience and that of my fellow commercial hauler, friend, and fellow TDR member towing heavy trailers commercially was used as my supporting evidence that it is perfectly safe to do so and federal and state laws allow it. If you reread my post you won't find any mention of my own trailer, only my experience towing heavy as a commercial driver.

You didn't express an opinion about the subject being discussed. I suppose you only wanted to discuss me. You are apparently still upset because I criticized GM big block gas motors a few weeks ago. You've been taking potshots at me ever since. As I pointed out then, I criticized a product you apparently like. I didn't criticize you.

 

[TRLRTRSH]

Good post HB "I do believe that owners of one ton duallies have the capacity to tow large trailers and the drivers and trucks should not be further restricted by laws that are not currently on the books or seen as required by state legislators. Thousands of RVers are doing it all over the US and Canada every day. Many are full-timers who live in their large fivers. "

 

[Ereynolds72]

YUP - and that does NOT apply only to owners of *half ton* trucks towing beyond their limits - but to the 3/4 and 1-ton crowd over THEIR limit as well...

Makes perfect sense to me. I'm really not too concerned with what some "legislator" has determined to be the "legal limit"; the fact is, 3/4 and 1-ton trucks have limits and there are plenty of guys out there towing well beyond them.



There was a thread on this forum (probably linked to another forum) some years back where someone towing a trailer crashed and caused severe injury or death to other commuters. Legally, that person was found to be responsible because his truck was overloaded. He was towing beyond the truck's GCW. I'm sure some details were left out of the story but it seems to set a precident to stay within the trucks limitation as indicated in the Owner's manual.

 

[GaryOwen]

I think too many assumptions are being made in this post. First of all, the size of the 1993 Chevy Silverado was not mentioned in either of the linked articles. It could have been a 1500, 2500, or 3500.



Secondly, even IF it was a 1500, it may not have been LEGALLY overloaded. State police reminded drivers to tow with a vehicle of adequate size, but did not state that this particular truck was overloaded.



Next, Gary - K7GLD never mentioned anything about legislation, simply that any pickup can be overloaded - I can't argue with that, as I have seen plenty of 3500's loaded well beyond their designed and/or legal limits. Might of been there a few times myself.



Before someone questions my experience, I also have hauled travel trailers commercially. Probably more than the OP, but in no way claim to be an expert. I believe that larger pickups are generally safer for towing and recognize that it is better to have too much truck, than too much trailer.



Bottom line is being safe for ourselves as well as others. TDR has been a great place for learning and sharing, let's keep it that way.

 

[HBarlow]

... ... ... ... Next, Gary - K7GLD never mentioned anything about legislation, ... ... ...

He did in another related post. He (and I) was simply continuing that argument. Gary is always in favor or legislating the behavior of others he doesn't approve of such as mysterious conspirators he blames for increasing the price he has to pay for fuel.

 

[AClayton]

Good post HB "I do believe that owners of one ton duallies have the capacity to tow large trailers and the drivers and trucks should not be further restricted by laws that are not currently on the books or seen as required by state legislators. Thousands of RVers are doing it all over the US and Canada every day. Many are full-timers who live in their large fivers. "

I also believe that 1 ton dually's can handle large loads safely... . In fact I believe any dual wheeled vehicle with the proper tires can safely be over-loaded but only to the point of the driver being responsible enough for the load being towed or hauled. If that makes sense... . ! I don't think we need any further Govt. intervention in this case because all it will basically add is more revenue for them OUT of our pockets.



HB... . PM sent





Alan

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

You own a tiny trailer and have probably towed it a few thousand miles in its entire life. Either GAmes or I towed large, heavy trailers more in six months, possibly only three months, than you've towed in a lifetime and you're trying to tell us we don't know what we're doing towing heavy trailers.

Yup Harvey - you're a legend in yer own mind - and TOTALLY full of yourself - among OTHER nasty stuff... :-laf

He did in another related post. He (and I) was simply continuing that argument.

ONLY in yer own mind Harvey - my comment had NOTHING to do with other threads, or "arguments" that exist only in YOUR own imagination - and any SANE person would have treated my comment in that context, rather than attempting to drag your aggressive personality defects and anger #@$%! over here from another unrelated thread! :-laf



Here, switch OFF your attitude problems and flawed reading comprehension - and NOTICE my comments were related to the owner/drivers - NOT the vehicles!

YUP - and that does NOT apply only to owners of *half ton* trucks towing beyond their limits - but to the 3/4 and 1-ton crowd over THEIR limit as well...

You know - over the limit of their driving skill and judgement - get it?



Seems everyone ELSE did...



Now, if THAT wasn't clear enough for you, I can get out the kid's Crayolas, and draw you a picture...



My comment had absolutely NOTHING to do with you, other threads - or other hot-shotters - but merely upon the FACT that simply stepping into a "larger" truck does NOT automaticlly make anyone a better or safer driver - in fact, it was not even in response to ANYTHING you yourself posted, but rather to a quote from the story itself- chances are, the guy in the story that started all this would have still ended up on his side in a 2500 or 3500, under the same conditions...



DO get over yourself Harvey - you REALLY aren't all that much, except in your own mind... :-laf



Apologies to the onlookers - Harvey just has this obsessive/compulsive "thing" for me - be a lot more interesting if we were both 18 and he was a good looking female redhead... :-laf



.

 

[DonTX]

I guess I am getting old, I have totally lost the direction this thread is heading, if it in fact does have a direction.

 

[CRuth]

Just put harvey on ignore like most of us.

 

[AABEN]

Well boy's your years of pulling is OK if you have a good head! I know of some cowboys NOT REAL ONES that has driven for years and still not have good sense.