Newbie; Question about 2500/3500 Towing-vs-Payload

[JR]

My truck is licensed for 16k,

Isn't this (way) over your tires ratings?

 

[NIsaacs]

Isn't this (way) over your tires ratings?

Yes, the 16k is just so I can haul 26k GCW. Truck GVW is more like 12K or 5k front and 7k rear. With 285/75x16 (3750), tires are good.

 

[SnoKing]

The OP already said this: "And respectfully before it's suggested, I do not want to sell my truck and buy a 1 ton. Thanks"

He said " I'm looking to upgrade our Expedition EL to a RAM 2500 or 3500 (SRW)"

 

[NIsaacs]

He said " I'm looking to upgrade our Expedition EL to a RAM 2500 or 3500 (SRW)"

There are two OP's, I think

 

[SnoKing]

There are two OP's, I think

Ha! Ha! A single thread with two original posters! That is funny? SnoKing

 

[2018MegaCab]

Thank you all for the responses. I appreciate the knowledge and experience.

 

[jhenderson]

I’m always confused about the way different states register trucks. Here you register for your manufacturers listed GVW. End of story. Your trailer gets registered the same way. Your CGVW is the total of whatever you’re towing at the time and is not reflected in any registration forms. The legality of the combination is solely by registered wt of each unit and tire and axle max weights.

 

[AH64ID]

I’m always confused about the way different states register trucks. Here you register for your manufacturers listed GVW. End of story. Your trailer gets registered the same way. Your CGVW is the total of whatever you’re towing at the time and is not reflected in any registration forms. The legality of the combination is solely by registered wt of each unit and tire and axle max weights.

It would be nice if there was more of a standard.

Here all we have to do is meet tire limits and registration weight.

GVWR is only on the glossary, and axle ratings only apply to TAG axles.

I’m sure you could get some sort of an unsafe ticket putting 19.5’s on a ranger and loading it to tire capacity thou.

I’ve stopped at an open scale above my OE RAWR and below the limits of my 19.5’s and they never batted an eye. I knew the limits of my truck and never pushed them, but I would push the door sticker of the 05. Ram has things more figured out for my ‘18 and it’s doubtful I ever push the GVWR.

 

[Cummins12V98]

In WA you can choose higher tonnage in 2k increments but they have a minimum based on your trucks weight.

In SD on my DRW it does not give tonnage but they said I am licensed for whatever my trucks loaded weight is. Seems weird but that's what they told me.

 

[Road Dog]

In BC, if you exceed the GVWR then you'll get a Notice & Order which is a polite way to say your vehicle isn't roadworthy and it's time to call a tow truck. Or you can unload and leave your stuff at the side of the road. You can't exceed the numbers on the decal (GVWR, GAWR) or the tire rating or the rim rating. Generally if your vehicle looks clean and maintained and you're not dragging your a** on the road then you'll be left alone.

A lot of people confuse GVW (a physical limit of your truck) and licenced GVW (what you can haul including a trailer). My truck GVW is 11,000 lbs but I can license it to haul up to 90,000 lbs (which includes the trailer).

 

[jhenderson]

That’s what I’m talking about. There’s no such thing here. You pay by the manufacturers gross wt rating and that’s it. No licensing for combined wt. The trailer pays by the pound on its own registration, just like the truck.

 

[RVTRKN]

Comifornia has two different registration requirements for trucks, if you get unlucky and not realize a C&C (incomplete vehicle) is considered a true commercial vehicle, you must declare your GCVW for registration purposes. In other words you have from 15K GCVW to 80K GCVW, if you chose 15K than you can't legaly go over that or get fines, your also required to go through scales empty or not. I never did, I refused to be treated like a commercial vehicle when it was for private use only. However when pulling my 5ver I was at 22-23K GCVW and if caught it would have been an expensive fine. But I never was, and the 3500 was eventualy registered in Nevada and was considered a regular pickup because the insurance was as a regular pickup. I traded it in recently for 2019 CTD 3500 SRW and never have to worry about that crap anymore.

 

[AH64ID]

In Idaho we pay have 3 non-commercial weights to pick from. 0-8,000; 8,001-16,000; or 16,001-26,000. That's GCW, with the only exception being a trailer with an RV sticker. I register for 26K and call it good.

Most pickups only have 8K plates, as the DMV is notorious for not asking what weight you want and last time I looked the different non-commercial weights weren't even in the brochures or on their website. It got interesting when they started ticketing folks thou

Emissions does go off of GVWR thou.

It is also legal to modify a GVWR, just read Title 49 CFR 567.7. I had a modified sticker on my 05 to account for the 19.5's, just in case I ran into a LEO that didn't understand the Idaho code.

 

[Jim W]

Illinois has issued a new plate class for trucks. This is a C class plate which covers 8,001 to 10,000 LBS where the B plate covers trucks up to 8,000 LBS. They then have a schedule for other weights you may wish to register for. Such as a D plate that covers 10,001 to 12,000 LBS and so forth. Most 1 ton and some 3/4-ton trucks use to register for the D plate, but now owners of the 3/4-ton truck can register for the C class and save some cash.

I am reclassifying my 3/4-ton truck to the C class plate to save some money and I do not need to be classified so heavy.

 

[jhenderson]

Comifornia has two different registration requirements for trucks, if you get unlucky and not realize a C&C (incomplete vehicle) is considered a true commercial vehicle, you must declare your GCVW for registration purposes. In other words you have from 15K GCVW to 80K GCVW, if you chose 15K than you can't legaly go over that or get fines, your also required to go through scales empty or not. I never did, I refused to be treated like a commercial vehicle when it was for private use only. However when pulling my 5ver I was at 22-23K GCVW and if caught it would have been an expensive fine. But I never was, and the 3500 was eventualy registered in Nevada and was considered a regular pickup because the insurance was as a regular pickup. I traded it in recently for 2019 CTD 3500 SRW and never have to worry about that crap anymore.

How much extra for 25K GCWR compared to 15K? Does the trailer reg fee go up with GVW or is it a flat rate?

 

[RVTRKN]

Gross Vehicle Weight Range in Pounds
Fee
10,001–15,000
$332
15,001–20,000
$447
20,001–26,000
$546
26,001–30,000
$586
30,001–35,000
$801
35,001–40,000
$937
40,001–45,000
$1,028
45,001–50,000
$1,161
50,001–54,999
$1,270
55,000–60,000
$1,431
60,001–65,000
$1,562
65,001–70,000
$1,701
70,001–75,000
$2,004
75,001–80,000
$2,064
Prorated CVRA Fee —The JAN column reflect

My commercial rate for what I should have registered at with the 22/23K GCVW Besides the other fees would have been $546.00, when you add the other fees, it would put the total at @ $800.00+, and thats on a 12 year old vehicle.

 

[Road Dog]

That’s what I’m talking about. There’s no such thing here. You pay by the manufacturers gross wt rating and that’s it. No licensing for combined wt. The trailer pays by the pound on its own registration, just like the truck.

It's actually slightly more complicated in BC. First, all pickup are considered commercial and have a commercial plate. For trailers there are two different plates -- utility and commercial. Small utility trailers and "specialty trailers" including travel, boat, ATV, horse, etc get a utility plate and have their own licensed GVW. Hauling trailers (like flat deck) and any trailer used commercially get a commercial plate and use the licensed GVW of the tow vehicle.

Naturally the government likes to complicate everything. What's the difference between a car hauler (utility plate) and a flat deck (commercial plate)? Nothing -- it depends on what's written on the sales receipt.

 

[RVTRKN]

All trucks, large or small, in Comifornia get a commercial plate. But it's the fee's that are different than a true commercial vehicle, and as I posted before, a C&C truck in Comifornia is considered a true commercial truck. The VIN number is the key, insurance as well, will only insure a C&C truck as a commercial vehicle and your insurance will double in cost. Now if you can get an insurance company to waiver the commercial tag, some State's DMV's will let it go as a regular pickup, like here in Nevada.

On a side note: If you put a campershell on a regular pickup in Comifornia, you can get it registered as a car, BUT don't take it off and haul anything, it's a fine if caught.

 

[Wiredawg]

All trucks, large or small, in Comifornia get a commercial plate. But it's the fee's that are different than a true commercial vehicle, and as I posted before, a C&C truck in Comifornia is considered a true commercial truck. The VIN number is the key, insurance as well, will only insure a C&C truck as a commercial vehicle and your insurance will double in cost. Now if you can get an insurance company to waiver the commercial tag, some State's DMV's will let it go as a regular pickup, like here in Nevada.

On a side note: If you put a campershell on a regular pickup in Comifornia, you can get it registered as a car, BUT don't take it off and haul anything, it's a fine if caught.

This permeates into the insurance industry, my 5500 is insured separately from our other vehicles due to being branded "commercial." Its ashamed there is such prevalent lack of logic in that commercial is how a vehicle is licensed/used. It's the price of ownership.

Cheers, Ron

 

[RVTRKN]

AAA in SoCal insured my C&C with a waiver cutting costs in half, and State Farm in Nevada insured it as a regular pickup, after sneaking it through, but I did have to have all my insurance needs covered under them first, then they got it done. Of coarse, I don’t have to worry any more because I traded it in on the 2019 Ram 3500 SRW.