BEFORE YOU TOW, WATCH THIS! THE ULTIMATE ADVICE
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Thanks for putting this information out there. What people don't realize is that in collisions with a fatality, the police will do a complete and thorough investigation, including looking at the weight of the tow vehicle and trailer. If you are driving a mismatched vehicle, the LEAST you will get is to be cited. More likely, you can be criminally charged (usually a felony).
Not only that, you might be driving out-of-class for your license. (Usually the jump point when needing to upgrade your license is if the trailer is rated at 10,000 pounds or over.) If this is the case, then you are treated as if you had no license at all.
Additionally, your insurance company will jump on this to deny you any coverage since you weren't "licensed." These consequences can apply even if you are not at fault.
Thanks and keep up the great videos.
S22ParaCop
only required if the trailer is over 10,000 GVWR and the GCWR exceeds 26,000.
S22ParaCop The license part doesnt qualify for farmers and the 250mile exempt laws in place.
S22ParaCop The only "upgrade" of license falls under commercial drivers license which is a vehicle totaling 26,000 or more on public highways. This is also exempt under the 250 mile radius farmers have.
Check with your State Troopers or Highway Patrol. They really know this stuff, especially the commercial enforcement guys. They can also explain the non-commercial A & B licenses that were basically created for the 5th wheel RV and trailer operators.
Plus your insurance rates could go up or canceled..just sayin'
This helped me convince my wife that we NEED a new RAM 3500 HD Dually to tow our 4000lb travel trailer.
You know.....margin of safety.
Factory400 😂
Lol, that's a victory!
RAM 3500 SRW as my first towing truck ... still affords me many choices in the realm of safety and rigs.
🤣
😀😀😀
I've watched many of these self-help youtube videos in my research. Several of them are yours. You do an exceptionally good job with your presentations. It seems to me that maybe you have professional training. Your preparation is apparent. The flow of the information you offer follows logical sequence and you avoid rambling on with nonsense where most amateurs lose it. Your speaking voice is clear and you pronounce your words clearly and properly. Keep up the good work. I appreciate your efforts.
Great advice. I have a 2015 F150, and bought a "half ton towable" 5th wheel thinking I could do it. I did the math and with the pin weight of 1600lbs I was too close to the 1900lb payload and over the rating of the factory tire. Ended up buying an old 96 F250 powerstroke with a 3000lb payload that is now enjoying her senior years as a tow vehicle.
Great comments, I could not agree more. In my RAM 3500 dually with a 3700 lb truck camper, I just returned from Minnesota ice fishing this January and hit crosswinds gusting up to 30-40mph range on I-80. I had to lower my speed to 50mph and I was still being pushed all over the road. Even semis reduced their speed likewise. I believe in a lesser truck (2500 or 1500) with the same payload these crosswinds would have been even more dangerous and I would have had to suspend travel for a couple of days. BTW, the camper dealer told me that this camper was so light, that all I needed was a 3/4 pickup. I am so glad that I got the biggest, heaviest, and most capable pickup for my truck camper.
I just stumbled on this video by accident, but the information was so important to ME who will be looking to tow stuff in the relative near future that I stayed to hear the whole thing. This (legality) is an aspect of towing I hadn't even thought of! Thank you so much for this very VALUABLE bit of information. I see much more research in my future!
Julie Stevens I am like you as I want to buy a small travel trailer and I did not know this....
I have been researching a lot of things and I found this video while researching and I am glad I did
Don't worry about how much weight you can pull or sit level with. Worry about how much you can turn and stop. That's a LOT less than you can pull.
As a Tow Truck operator (retired) I 100% agree with what the information in this video! I Really enjoy watching all of your videos (the ones I have seen), you are VERY informative.
It's not how much you can tow, it's how much you can stop!
Mike Farinella not if the trailer has it's own brakes...
trailer brakes can be sketchy themselves. Do not rely on them totally.
rev9fan1 go tell that to the family of 5 you just killed......because you can’t stop.....
There's another dumbass comment from someone who doesn't pull a trailer with brakes. If you have a good brake controller box and experience in front of the trailer then anything being towed can be stopped
Scott Baker Trailers have drum brakes. These assist in stopping, but should be treated as just that, an assist. A dually one ton has a much safer and easier task of stopping a trailer that is heavier than the truck.
Trailer brakes are best viewed as moderately supplemental.
Nice discussion. I remember when I was 26 years old and was helping a friend. That was 33 years ago. He had bought a load of cement block to build a small room for his water tank and pump. We loaded the block even with my cab on my 1964 Ford F250 and when I went across a rail road track the front wheels were not touching the pavement. It's a good thing we only had to go maybe 3 miles to his house and he lived out in the country. This discussion is a good reminder it is better to be safe than sorry.
Really great advice. I checked everything and decided for now after not towing for 12 years to keep it well under the load limit. I don't care it takes time to get used to pulling and all the variables that go into it as well. I'd rather be as safe as possible than try to impress someone with our trailer.
Great advice and information. As the driver and operator of a vehicle, you assume all responsiblity for the safety of yourself and passengers, as well as others around you. As a Law Enforcement Officer, I have seen so many crashes that could have been avoided by just using the proper equipment that the manufacturer had set in place. Travel trailers pulling the tow vehicles into the ditch and pulling the vehicle into oncoming traffic, buy little more than a gust of wind. Improperly loaded trailers and payloads also cause catastrophic failure, even if they are within the rating of the vehicle. Modification to a vehicle may make the load more predictable and ride better under load but will not change the capacity of the vehicle. The frame, and transmission are still the same after the mods.
As a X Truck driver your video was VERY well explained!!!! nice job.
Speaking as a professional trucker since 89; there is a slew of items that go into Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, just modifying the suspension fails to take into account all of the other factors that are important to maintaining vehicle control. Every part matters. There is also the idea that you don't just want the ability to haul a given item but that you have a substantial margin of overhead. It is that substantial margin of overhead that keeps you out of trouble.
This is one of the best videos I've seen regarding safety, and legalities! Thank you for making people aware!
If everything is legal and there is an accident does the State pay? Does the man who says "you must do it this way" is he liable? If I follow all your advice, are you liable?
Just found your channel. Seriously considering getting a travel trailer to safely and comfortably tow behind my Ram 1500 Hemi. I've never been into rowing before, and your channel provides a lot of info I hadn't thought of before. Thanks a bunch!! Hoping I'll be able to find more info for beginning RV'ers.
A little off topic, but have you ever wondered how many people have been maimed or killed because Uhaul, Penske, and the like rent F750 and International 4600 box trucks to just anybody who have a plain old drivers license and the money. I was 25 years old, and rented an International 4600 truck with a 26 foot van, along with a 18 foot trailer to haul a car on. They never asked the first question about whether I even knew how to crank it. Luckily, My grandfather was a trucker for 55 years, and my dad hauled hot shot from time to time. I had a good bit of knowledge from them. I had also owned a travel trailer and an F350 from the time I was 18. But they knew none of that. I took that rented rig on a 1200 mile trek, and arrived safely, but the whole time, all I could think was how most people have no idea how to operate something like that, and there is nothing to stop it from happening.
Another important overlooked issue is tire capacity and air pressures. A lot of people don't have a clue.
Yea and that's why that information is printed on the tire.
tire speed rating too
I love that the moral is…just because you can, does not mean you should…thank you…
I had a friend who went to a RV dealership and picked out a very nice one. The dealer asked what he was going to tow it with. He said his Chevy 1500. He refused to sell it to him because of the danger. I mean this RV was huge. They talked for a while and basically told him the same thing you’re saying.
My friend went and bought a Ford F-350 with all the bells and whistles for towing then went back and bought the RV.
He said the dealer was surprised to see him again because most just go to another dealer who only cares about the money.
What about me a 5000lbs tow truck and a small rv trailer 4850lbs tow is it good
Thank you. My husband loves his ram 1500. And we’re considering a travel trailer. And now he agrees that a 25 ft max 6500 max gvwc is our max. Small trailer for just the two of us, but if it’s better, safer, that’s the point.
I love how your touting an add a leaf, lift blocks, and a set of shocks as major suspension enhancements. The blocks especially are a terrible idea for anything other than a grocery getting pavement queen. If you tow with them you add a lot of stress into your leaf springs and driveline causing premature driveline failure and spring wrap.
So true
i want to say, your diction, pace and wording is of someone that is educated. your website is informative, clear, and unequivacal in its tembre. you did good. you helped us all.
30 year Service Manager with Ford, GM and Chrysler. None of them will ever change the weight rating on a truck. Also you may change suspensions with all kinds of aftermarket goodies but that doesn't change transmission, differentials and frames capacities. I've seen plenty of transmissions and differentials fail because of over weight trailers and the factories can and will not pay for the warranty repair to fix. If it's real serious they will void the warranty. My best advise is to never exceed 80% of the weight rating for safety and vehicle reliability sakes.
Don't the ratings have a built in safety buffer? Kinda like Scotty the engineer. He always padded the safety specifications to allow for special rigging.
If the 80% is the case, Ford screwed me then. My F-150 with tow package is rated at 7,350# GVWR. I just weighed my truck and with a full tank of fuel and no one in the truck weighed 6,200# !! 80% rule would be 5,880.... thanks Ford ….
Thanks. Making my long term plans. Since I have two.transmissions fail WITHOUT towing, both 97,000 miles or less, same manufacturer of the big 3, and have been planning on limiting dry weight to 60%. And people need to account for spare fuel tanks as well.
My dad sold RV's and had the same 80% rule for his customers. He would not sell them anything that was more than 80% tow capacity.
2000-2010 Ford F150 and a F350 often have the exact same engine and the exact same transmission
my truck can handle most towing things. however I would like to add that the trailer has limits as well. and I was trained to handle a trailer. I see a lot of people who have no idea how to drive with a trailer. you made a lot of excellent points thank you
Bilstein 5100 series shocks make a dramatic difference in how smooth the Super Duty trucks ride.
recreational vehicles are typically given a lot of leniency on weight as well as tandems
Your video advice is great! Especially for the rolling idiots driving overloaded rv's etc. I want to add a few things, 1st, I run a 2005 f450 with a heavily modified 6.0 bullet proofed motor down to the block and a full Kelderman air ride system. I have a 18K 5th wheel and 3 kids. So I have a lot at stake and so should anyone else thinking of rolling that kind of weight. A lot of what you said is spot on advice and I could drag at 80mph all day... but is it safe? hell no. On a recent trip we pulled through and all over the smoky mountains and as the saying goes it's not the "pulling it's the stopping" 8-10% grades are brutal on the braking system, this should scare the hell out of everyone for good reason! Braking and torsion stability are the most crucial part of towing not pulling.
Any trailer over 12K should be towed with a dually as the braking system is massive compare to a F250. It's all great until you have to dodge a semi or a car in front that does the stupid right in front of you... Just because you have extra springs etc. does not help one bit when the crap hits the fan, so to all you bright newbies and old salty's I strongly suggest studying the CDL hand book because most of it involves this type of hauling and safety procedures. These RV's and trucks are half the weight of a fully loaded semi and you would save a life to treat them as such.
SandmanFlorida all I can say after a career in fleet service: look at the brake part numbers for the whole brake system on a 1 ton and a 3/4 ton.
What is the difference? For a lot of manufacturers, the answer is nothing.
F450s have a 10 lug, but the physical rotor size, dimensions and brake between 250 and 350... not much. In fact, a couple years it’s the exact same part. The suspension is the difference, axles are the same.
@@roundsm18
How about break cooling..? Or contact patch size..or how about center of mass?
Any of these ring a bell ? ...
@@marcgrundfest1495 between a 1 ton SRW, Dually and 3/4 ton... the parts for most are identical. Same size, same rotors. All of it. Unless you bought a 1-1/2 ton you don’t get bigger brakes. I know it’s upsetting but all the things you just mentioned. Identical. You get a different suspension.
Well said ...thank you for the words of wisdom. Any of us with trucks should take note!
We aren't going to get a new truck (Toyota Tundra), but we're going to get a very lightweight travel trailer (under 4K). Thanks for all the great info and the responsible attitude.
Great video with very vital information! Thanks for taking the time and interest to put this out there! I believe the vast majority of folks overtax their vehicles thinking “it should do the job fine because my Uncle or Dad did it for years!” All to save money buying smaller!
The truck dealerships might add into this train of thought that you can tow more than the truck's rated capacity. Twice I have been on a Ford lot looking at F250s and the salesman has tried to talk me down to an F150, saying that the tow specification are actually "soft", and the truck can tow more than that.
Thats pretty sketchy
i would run real fast from a dealer like that......
Ask them to "Put it in writing" and see where the conversation goes. HA!
They do that because they make more commission on the lighter trucks they have more room to push numbers around.
DargoDog p
Thank you for the enlightenment.Not just did I learn more then I new,but with you was a lot,but the safety to all out there watching this. You are very knowledgeable about towing and weight pull. When I get a truck,i know what to look for when I purchase one......Again thank you. I listen to some of you putting this man down for talking so much.I really enjoyed listening to him.Some people need it spelled out to them. Maybe comprehension problems. But he also showed pictures of what he put on and why he did it.So,I think you missed the point of the video,but that's ok we all forgive you.
I know that when I am ready to start towing my RV I am going to do a little overkill and buy a 3500 pickup or van, if it is even more feasible to get a 4500 then I may go that route. I have a 26ft trailer and I believe a 2500 should do the job, but I have a lot of stuff inside that trailer so I figure that bigger is going to be much better
Elizabeth Cherry lol show me a 26 foot travel trailer with enough cargo capacity to need more than a 3/4 ton pickup. If you actually had it loaded the way you described, the trailer itself would be overloaded.
Great video. I would like to add. What ever you vehicle is rated to tow stock it is recommended not to exceed 75% of that. If you tow 100% suspension enhancements will keep you safer and improve drive ability
Great Message!
Safety Rules!
Glad I found this video, even though it isn't exactly what I was doing a search for. Lots of information Im glad to gave learned.
You may upgrade tires, suspension, engine and transmission to allow towing greater weights. But you are still limited by chassis design and the axles themselves. This too is taken into consideration when rating towing capacity.
Thats why i haul my 1500lb landscaping trailer with a dual axle peterbilt. Kinda slumps the rear but she makes due 🫰🏼
Fantastic done video. I find the best/easiest way to determine how much weight a truck can have exerted onto itself comes down to this formula: Truck's GVWR (Subtract) Truck's Tare Weight (Equals) Trucks remaining Payload capacity.
For example, my 2001 F350 SRW weighs in at roughly 7400 lbs My trucks Factory GVWR is 9900 lbs. So I'd take 9900 (Subtract) 7400 (Equals) 2500 lbs. So my truck is certified to be able to legally & safely carry a maximum capacity of 2500 lbs which is what the frame, springs, axles, tires, etc can carry safely. Now my truck weighs that 7400 lbs with several aftermarket parts on it such as a brush guard, roof rack, headache rack, loaded toolbox etc. plus a full tank of fuel and me inside the cab. Some trucks of the same make/year as my own may weigh more/less than mine does as not every truck has the same components as others so the best way is to have your truck weighed at a truck scale with you inside and a full tank of fuel plus whatever tools, aftermarket parts your truck has and than subtract that number from your door jams GVWR and that will give you your available safe working load limit. Remember that a bumper pull trailer exerts roughly 10-15% of it's weight onto the tongue/hitch and a Gooseneck is roughly 20-25% and a Fifth Wheel is roughly 15-25% These are important numbers to know so you know how much weight from the tongue/hitch is being exerted onto the truck, and if you exceed that weight capacity on the tongue/hitch weight that you are over your trucks safe working capacity for towing & payload and you should NOT attempt to tow that trailer with that truck.
I wish this video was published before I bought my current travel trailer. My truck does ok and little issues but I will be upgrading as soon as I can.
If you going to tow 18,000 lbs get yourself a F 350 or a Ram 3500 better and more secured. I tow a 8900 lbs but I buy a F250 which is good enough.
I tow a 5700lb rv behind a 2018 Durango with 5.7L Hemi, Fastway WDH, Air Lift Bags and factory tow package.
Something I don't think you mentioned is, your insurance most probably won't cover you if you have a wreck and your trailer weight is more than your TV is rated for.
Yes it will; this is one of the worst Internet myths around. Show me one actual example where some private party that was overloaded yet fully insured was denied coverage in an accident.
Charlie S If you get cited for being over weight and that is the reason you wrecked? No, most insurance companies will not cover that. If you're NOT cited the wreck was caused by other means then they will cover.
@Josh Salaets Please standby while holding your breath as this information is easily found...
Here's the take away, in case you missed it. "TOW RESPONSIBLY!!"
You're welcome.
my TV is rated for 1080P. is that good?
Yes they will. It’s the same if you were driving under the influence. You were driving illegally, but they cover you. Or you ran a red light whick is illegal, guess what they still cover you. Speeding and get into an accident guess what? Covered.
Great info and advice. Thanks for setting the record straight. As a professional transporter of RV’s it really aggravates me to see over loaded personal trucks driving down the hwy at ridiculous speeds. Thanks for trying to correct that mind set!
5 dot officers confirmed that first and foremost they look at tire rating, 2nd they look at axle spacing, 3rd they look at registered weight to the truck/trailer. 4th they look at over all appearance of the payload and make a personal judgment call on weather or not it's safe or not. All I'm saying is that I pull a 10,000 empty gooseneck and load 15 to 19k on it daily with a ram 3500 drw without any attention despite my 24k "manufacturer max tow rating"
I agree tires and licensed GVW are what DOT look for on pickups from 1 tons down down. I agree with the vid mainly because I have pulled overloaded trailers all my life and most people don't have the experience to do what we do. Good trailer brakes cannot be over emphasized when towing over capacity loads. I don't really trust electric and went to hydraulic. At first vac over hydraulic them electric over hydraulic. I don't know about the legal aspects as I have never had a serious accident. I have know a couple guys that had accidents pulling gooseneck loads of cattle and they didn't get into trouble because they were grossly overloaded.
Get over 1 ton and you are in a different ballgame and you will get thorough DOT inspections.
Getting ready to buy a 5th wheel, have watched several of your videos now. You do a much better job than most rv vloggers, excellent info
Just because you can do something...... doesn't mean you should.
that's basically what Jeff Goldblum's character said in Jurassic Park Video
My friend shares an office with another Attorney that specializes in Tickets given to businesses. He said that the most common tickets he deals with are for Newbie Roofers towing those dual axle trailers that they put the scrap roofing in to haul it to the landfill. The DOT pulls over almost every one of them they see loaded, because they know they are often exceeding the towing capacity. They have a Portable Scales Truck waiting nearby, and after looking at the Info plate on the vehicle they weigh the trailer, and write a citation and tell the driver not to move it until he gets a bigger truck. He also says its almost unbeatable, and just tries to negotiate a smaller fine with the DA and plead guilty before court.
Also, the frame stays the same. You will bring the mechanical capability of the frame beams and welds further into the safety margin and in a very serious situation, they will fail sooner.
I towed a 21ft camper with a 2300lb dry weight with a 99 dodge grand caravan 3.3 liter. all I added to the van was helper shocks and a trans cooler. I ran this setup for about five years with no problems. never had any trailer sway. every time we went out, it was with two 85lb dogs, two adults, two preteens, and several hundred pounds of gear. we even went on two,750 mile (one way) trips to south carolina. best damn vehicle I have ever had. it even got 11mpg while towing, whereas my dad's navigator only got 10mpg towing same camper on same route. I was lucky that I never got pulled over, since the factory rating for that year caravan was maybe 1800lbs, but I can't remember.
Pure logic...Perfect!!!. Great advice...
When a manufacturer brags about max payload capacities it is usually for the regular cab 2 wheel drive dually. Add more doors and a transfer case or a bumper and winch and that all takes away from payload. Add your mother inlaw and and you might as well just pay someone else to haul it.
very good video! love the pictures that show exactly what you're talking about, and very useful information from beginning to end!
Excellent video! Thank you. Be considerate to others! Never tailgate others, this is harassment and terrorism!! Stop sucking up to the vehicle in front!! Keep healthy and safe always. Keep up the great research and work.
couldn't agree with you more. I work as a truck driver and some of the trailers I see pulled by vehicles clearly exceding the gcwr... it amazes me how careless some people are
And when purchasing a truck you need to know what you are hauling. You may even need to educate the dealerships. Great video.
Sandra Westley from the UK yes the dealership just want the sale, some have a conscious and would sell something dangerous, but that does depend on his bonus, I expect
you learn something everyday
This past summer I was hauling some solar panel hardware for a guy, not a big load at all, probably a couple thousand pounds worth on my equipment trailer. I got pulled over by a DOT cop. He asked me if I was doing this for hire. if so I needed DOT numbers on the truck. Then he asked what the GVW was on the trailer. I told him 14,000 Lbs. He asked about the GVW on the truck I told him 11,300 Lbs. He said if I was over 26,000 Lbs. total, truck and trailer, I'd need a class A (trailer truck) license even if I was empty. I told him I was just helping this guy on the side. He held up his hands and said "don't tell me that!" He said if you're making ANY money with the truck you need DOT numbers. That means all these lawn mower guys of which I'm one, Bush Hog guys that trailer their tractors etc. Anybody that makes money using their pick up in any way, either loading the truck, pulling a trailer or anything else is supposed to have DOT numbers on the TRUCK, not trailer. This is New York State by the way. He was really good about it. He also said that if I had a trailer rated for 15,000 Lbs. even if it wasn't loaded to capacity, I'd be driving out of class, they go by the GVW on the vehicle sticker, not what it's registered for or the load on the trailer.
Great information about towing capacity of a truck.
Thanks for your easy instructions. I have a 22 ft flatbed that we purchase in a John Deere package deal and the trailer was set up with brake away cable looped through the safety chain. My trailer was empty when it came loose of the trailer ball. Safety chains stayed on but the CABLE BROKE and trailer hitch went under my truck and damaged my bumper and lucky there was no damage under the truck. I will be following your method and thanks
Another thing you forgot to say is when people put on aftermarket bumpers, bull bars, cattle catchers and over kill winches that weight 100's of pounds over the stock bumpers plus all of these lights that people want to compete with the sun and other things weigh 100's need to subtract from the sticker on payload capacity.
Gary C: agreed. shoot a cup of coffee technically takes away from payload capacity.
Might want to add the weight of yourself to that brother. You may never want to step foot in a truck again.... Also you mention lights. Without lights I am not legally allowed to operate my business the way I do. I need emergency lightbars and warning lights on all angles of my trucks as we make frequent stops. What should I do just not run my business because of a 30lb light bar? And Id say thats pushing the weight.
Manufacturers include a 150lb weight allowance for the driver when determining advertised payload, anything above that does need to be counted against payload. Gary is not saying that you shouldn't run your business, rather that you should remember to count your extra lighting against payload.
When in doubt, you can always hand-calculate. For example, my truck has a 6500lb GVWR, with 3250 for each axle. Its curb weight (full fluids and a 150lb driver) is 4400lbs. Knowing this, I can tell you that my legal payload is up to 2100lbs, assuming it is properly distributed to avoid overloading the axles. If I were to add a headache rack with a lightbar, and a nice beefy ladder rack that added up to 400lbs of steel, my legal payload is now 1700lbs, because I've added 400lbs to the weight of the truck without any changes to the ratings.
That might actually increase your weight rating.
Its called getting as bigger truck, too many idiots overworking a small truck instead of going up a class, or two.
I am so glad you made this point. Officers trained and specialized in accident reconstruction investigation have made this point so many times .
My brother, retired from police force as traffic, road-rage unmarked patrol and accident reconstruction specialist . And motor cop. (I know, pretty stupid.) Anyway he has mentioned a half ton truck being pushed by an overloaded travel trailed. Kinda funny, but seriously dangerous!
They are out there so, be carefully.
Don't get discouraged so many people appreciate your advice. We just have so many people who doesn't have the intelligence to understand the math. And think they can pull king Kong they will be the one's buying a new truck to replace the one they destroyed by not listening. God bless you and thank you for your advice.
this is really very simply ! any vehicle is what the manufacturer says it is and specs it as ! dispite what you may do 2 the vehicle unless you can get all the work signed off and the specs re-evaluated by the DOT or whoever signs off on such upgrades 2 confirm thet they are safe and meet all the criteria needed !
This is all so true. One major point about towing capacity, the gear ratio makes a huge difference. A GM 3.08 for my truck would be 6700, my 3.42 is 9400, same exact setup but the gears increases tow capacity by 2700 pounds, a 40% increase.
But you truck still can not tow that 9400lbs anyway you are missing the point. MFG. tow ratings are unrealistic. Your max payload capacity, GVWR and RAWR will be overloaded before you ever get close to that factory tow number. Plug in your rigs numbers here find out for real fifthwheelst.com/rvtc_calculator.html
That has nothing to do with weight capacities changing gear ratio is just making it easier for the truck to pull it by lowering gear ratio it also lowers your top end speed and lowers fuel economy quite a bit and raises engine RPM's
@@5019ant never mind pulling it, what about stopping it?
@@5019ant Well yeah it does as far as the manufacturer tow capacity rating is concerned when everything else is the same. It won't change the sticker on the vehicle listing weight capacities but it will impact the life of the transmission.
Thank you very helpful.I needed this alot.
Awesome video, I agree with what you said. I know what my truck is rated for, I weighed it with everything in it. I am at 8000 lbs. What a lot of people forget is the amount of weight of people, and all the extras they bring. Would like to see you do a video on actual weight, I see all these people going down the road with travel trailers, 5th wheel, pulling a extra trailer with golf cart, BBQ pit, or 4 wheelers. All of this is extra weight. Just because you can pull it doesn't make it safe. Thanks for this video great job.
Im going to use this driving vlog platform for my resume.
One choice that most purchasers don't consider is that chassis configured the same come in heavier duty models with small increases in costs. The F 250 can be replaced with F 350 or F 450. Those models have the heavier frame and spring packages.
Don't forget about the lawsuit that will inevitably ensue any accident that may happen if you are found to be over weight.
It's literally a channel of a guy driving around in his truck talking about...trucks. I'm amazed how many followers he has. Impressive.
You're not watching enough of my videos my friend.
@@BigTruckBigRV I actually found you through KYD. You have some deep insights.
People don't consider the wimpy little wheel bearings in the half ton axel, they don't do well over weighted.
I used to work at a home improvement store. I would have people show up with a Chevy S10, or a Ford Ranger, and they would want me to load a pellet of bricks in the bed. I would tell them that the pallet weighed about 3,200 pounds, but they would tell me “it’s a truck, it can take it”. I would start to load it in the truck, they would watch the leaf springs flatten out, then change their mind. But they would just take your word for it, I had actually show them.
The limitation for towing has a lot to do with the transmission limit.
Even a medium duty is limited by transmission capacity
I've been there and a lot of times it's the people just starting out that get dad's old truck and think I could save money by adding some leafs. Then they start towing and there's lots to learn. The hardest part is knowing what's personal and commercial because it's not getting caught it's when you get into an accident.
Awesome video, great information. Thank you sir.
I'm on the market for a diesel truck and researsching all the capacities for the trucks. I'm amazed and how oblivious some people are to their payload capacities. I just got a 40ft 5th wheel that has a dry pin weight of 2560lbs!! That weight alone meets or exceeds the payloads of most 3/4 tons. I drive around the park I live at and I ask truck owners about their trucks and if they recommend it. Most of them have 2500s or F250s and trailers comparable to mine. They claim their truck can pull their 16000lb trailer, which it can, but when I ask them about payload they have no clue, or assume its good since their truck can pull it. These people are maxing out their trucks payload without realizing it or caring.
Way over Max 2:42 in this video th-cam.com/video/tocXIo2ltgM/w-d-xo.html GVWR is 10,000lbs, 2015 F250 CC 4x4 Lariat pin weight is around 3,800lbs. Max cargo with diesel is around 2,000lbs
In the end, the time, effort and cost spent to enhance a f250 or 2500 isn't worth it. Might as well get a 1 ton or 450 if the goal is a large 5th wheel or TT.
With prices the way they are, anyone in the market for a new 250/2500 should be getting a SRW one-ton anyway. $2000 extra gets you almost double the payload.
Biggest problem with a 450 or 550 is everything is a lot more expensive, and there isn't a lot of aftermarket replacement parts available, so things like brake pads are considerable more expensive
The cost difference between my '16 F350 vs a F250 was within a couple hundred bucks. I custom ordered mine and "build and priced" both. Jumping to the F350 option was less than my optioned auxiliary cab heater, and WAY less than the useless sunroof option for $950+.
Other issues to owning a 1-ton vs a 3/4 ton is many states tax and register one ton's or trucks with greater than 10K lb GVWR differently. This is why many of the truck makers offer a payload package just under 10K pounds. I believe Ford is a 9900lb payload package. The truck is mechanically no different, but will legally be registered at 9900 or 10K pounds.
Taking a course is a good thing. People will do what they want on the road. Everybody knows not to drink and drive but it goes on and on.
Yes thanks I have been saying this for years and get laughed at
well said man! A bit part of it from what I see is stability. theres a reason semi trucks way over 20,000lb and have 8 drive tires. It's all about controlling the weight you're moving. It just like how you don't try to push an 8000lb truck around by hand without someone ready to hit the brakes in the driver seat
I worked for the largest truck rental, sales, lease, logistics company in the US for almost 21 years. Knew all about weight ratings. Ordered a 2015 Silverado 2500 HD Duramax 4X4 based on CHEVY'S towing specs. What a bunch of bull.... ALL of the truck mfgs. were and are guilty of trying to be top dog in the towing categories. My truck is stock except for a factory sprayed in bedliner and the AMP Inc. power steps. I knew I was never going to get a HUGE 5th wheel because for just my wife and myself, just didn't need or want a massive one. I took my truck to a CAT scale to weigh it, with myself and my wife on board as it would be when traveling, and full of diesel. I was stunned. It weighed 8,140 lbs. It has a 10,000 lb GVWR. Sooooooo...........that leaves only 1,860 lbs that can be added legally. Add a 5th wheel hitch and maybe some firewood or something and you are down to the 1, 700 range. Getting any decent 5th wheel with that low of a pin weight is almost impossible. I have a travel trailer now, and will probably just stay with one. Frees up the bed and the tongue towing is nowhere near weight problem. It is very confusing for the average person, but they should educate themselves. I try to tell people that you can put a 200 lb person in a little red wagon and PULL them easily, but you can't put that same 200 lb person on your back or shoulders and CARRY them. Same with trailer towing. Thankfully the manufacturers are now going to the SAE J2807 standard towing specs which should maybe at least bring some fairness and accuracy to the game, but the mfgs. will always try to fudge.
Bill C. I agree with you Bill, it's hard for most people to understand the weight capacity of their trucks, I was at an RV show this weekend and this guy was trying to explain to me that a 2500 could pull a 15,000 pound trailer a complete misunderstanding and he is selling them.
Marshall Hall
I can tow any vehicle of any weight with my massive cock.
In my opinion don't confuse Cargo Carrying Capacity with Pin weight. I have a 2015 Duramax High Country and it weighs about 8,100 lbs full of fuel with me and the wife in it. You have to look at Gross Combined Weight Rating which is 24,500 minus what your truck weighs and that leaves about 16,400 not counting a fifth wheel hitch. General motors specs a fifth wheel capacity of 17,100 and I don't agree. The difference is your trailer or your fifth wheel has brakes. When you talk about Cargo Carrying Capacity that is your truck bed full of stuff or a truck camper and you have to stop it. The weak link is your tire rating, take a look and do the math. A slightly higher rated tire will give you another 1,000 lbs. Also in my opinion that sticker on the door is how your truck was rated as delivered to you, I agree it can't be changed but you have to live with your decision. I personally am looking at a fifth wheel which has a gross weight of 15.,000 lbs with a dry pin weight of 2,500 lbs along with a new set of tires which I will need soon. I spent a month on the road in January with my 8,000 lb travel trailer and I looked at all the fifth wheel tow vehicles which were for the most part 3/4 ton trucks. A couple of days ago I looked up the rear axle capacity (not the sticker) and standing on its own the 14 bolt AAM 11.5 inch is rated at 10,000 lbs Good luck.
Gary,
I believe Bill is talking about when adding tongue weight or fifth wheel weight of a trailer to a truck that is 1700 lbs away from being over weight. I tie a 16' trailer with 2 5200 lbs rated axels to be safe on what I will load it up with. I am buying a f450 to be safe because the trailer will be connect M-F without being disconnected. I have plans to get a 14K lbs Kubota skidsteer with attachments. To tow on a 4500 lbs trailer. To be safe I over killed it so I don't have to worry. Plan safe+Drive Safe
Great informative clip. makes absolute sense. One spot buy a state police inspection and some of these folks are screwed. It also puts lives in danger.
Very good informative video. Please do one on the hazards of going thru a stale yellow light and ultimately running a red light. This can also be dangerous to other motorists and put them at risk as well.
That is a VERY subjective call...When most lights turn red and the others go green after 3 seconds, running a yellow should never endanger another vehicle. The law states that "based on current conditions, what you're driving and other factors, if you're close to the intersection at speed, it's more dangerous to try and stop than going on through.
Very well said.
There will always be people who argue with the law and safety precautions because they have big egos and no empathy for other humans.
Also, don't listen to the car salesman. Mine swore up and down it was fine to pull my 18000 lb gooseneck horse trailer with my 2500. Yes. The truck can pull it but I'm maxed out on specs. He couldn't understand why I was insisting on buying a one ton.
Must not have been much of a salesman. I would have put you in a brand new 110,000 dollar one ton dually.
@@jakesellers9447 right?! Lmao!
thank you good video. as a cross country truck driver I see this all the time. A F150 or a 1500 Chevy pulling a gooseneck or fifth wheel trailer. Yes it will pull it but God forbid you lose your trailer breaks!! or you have a tire blow out on your truck your going to meet the ditch!!
All the extra parts don’t make the frame any stronger. That’s the point. To much weight you will tip or crack the frame.
Thank you for clarifying that to everyone! I've seen some crazy setups where people have no business towing what load they have.
I completely agree with advising people not to tow more than their vehicle is capable of. However I'm having a hard time understanding this. The GVWR is the amount of weight you can put on the vehicle itself. Being the vehicles weight, fuel, passengers, cargo and trailer tongue weight. But it's not actually calculating in your tow capacity?
Rich Miller Exactly what I'm struggling with. It's hard to understand (for me at least) the towing capacity and everything with how complicated they make the ratings.
You also need to understand what the GCWR is. That is the total weight you are allowed to have with truck, trailer, persons, toys, dogs, soda pops, water, fuel. Every ounce that is on the truck, trailer, hitch all needs to be under what the manufacturer states on the tag.
Rich Miller
The GVWR, Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, is the total safe weight limit of the towing vehicle with fuel, occupants, implements, attachments and cargo as set by the vehicle manufacture. This rating is absolute and remains the same regardless of enhancements, improvements or upgrades. The unladen empty weight of the vehicle, sometimes referred to as curb weight, subtracted from the GVWR is the vehicle total payload. This amount is diminished by each and every thing added to the vehicle that was not installed by the manufacturer, for example, winches, winch bumpers, roll bars, steps or snow plows and the like. Vehicles also have a GAWR which is the Gross Axle Weight Rating which must be considered when loading the vehicle. All weight applied above and to the rear of the rear axle is considered applied to the rear axle and therefore must be applied to the rear axle weight rating and the same for the front axle. The towing capacity is how much weight the vehicle can safely control on a trailer including the weight of the trailer. Note that a properly loaded trailer has 60% of the weight evenly distributed between the tongue and the axle and the remainder from the axle back which adds weight to the towing vehicle and therefore has to be accounted for in the GVWR to remain legal. Therefore if you have a 7000 pound GVWR and an empty weight of 4800 pounds you can place 2200 pounds, aka payload, in the tow vehicle. If you are towing a trailer that has a loaded weight of 5000 pounds and 60% is between the tongue and axle you have to account for the additional weight placed on the tow vehicle and subtract that amount from the payload.
Ok so move stuff around so that the weight on the vehicle is right. You want some pressure to keep traction for breaking but not too much as to bounce off the frame.
How many times have you ever seen DOT weighing a non commercial camper? I can see them weighing the guys delivering new ones.
My sister drove into a scale with their pickup and 5ver when they first got it. Cop came out and told not to ever enter a scale again.
In asia a honda cub can handle several tonnes
On another note, my RAM 2500 has the identical axle, transmission, engine, springs, and brakes as the 3500, yet it is rated lower. Explain why this would make mine less safe?
People think their truck is all big and bad "My truck can tow blah blah blah".... they don't realize that some trailers weigh TWICE as much as some trucks. 5th wheels can up to weigh 17,000lbs dry. Don't underestimate your tow capabilities because you got faith in your truck, do some research. Like watch this guys videos for example.
I have a 1999 f250 7.3 that I converted to a dually. I’m building a steel welding bed and I’m putting a 950 pound welding machine on it. On top of that I’m going to be pulling a 11k pound Montana 5th wheel. So not including my truck, I’ll be pulling 13,800 pounds.
Right on great information thanks 👍🏼
Interesting this, in Australia all you need to do is go too an automotive engineer to make an assessment on what you done too the vehicle and do an engineering report on your vehicle to be sent into the department of transport and you can pump the payload or towing rating up
@Big Truck Big Rv damn i haven't watched one of your video's for awhile. good to be back watching your video's again.
You sir made some great points and a lot of sense well done sir.
Finally! A Texan with his head screwed on right!
One of your greatest points, putting others at risk. So many people disregard their own safety--and sadly the safety of their own loved ones--but the disregard for the other people out there on the road is the worst part! Thanks for the video!