Max cargo weight

[Capt Derek]

Have a 2014 Outdoorsman 1500. Max cargo weight is 1680lbs and I am at 1680lbs. I have rear cargo air bags only. My question is Can I go over at all ? By how much if possible ? It's set up for construction with a DDC bed cap and equipment.

2500 or 3500, truck not a grocery hauler, otherwise your limit is your limit.

 

[dhay13]

Yes you did and your story had absolutely NOTHING to do with being over loaded.

I was a witness in a case once where 3 kids were hit by a car on the way to the bus stop early one morning. Driver was tired after working nightshift and tracks in the snow showed he veered left barely across the center line then back to the berm on the right side, hitting 2 of the kids and the 3rd knocked to the ground. In the end the driver was found to be 80% at fault, school district was 15% at fault and kids were 5% at fault (approximate numbers cause I don't recall the exact numbers). On the surface seems pretty clear driver was 100% at fault but the jury thought differently. The kids had no choice but to walk on the road for a short portion due to where the school district decided the bus stop should be. Bottom line is, do you want your financial (or even criminal) future to lie in the hands of 12 people you do not know? In my opinion better to CYA so you have the best chance at avoiding these types of situations.
Tried finding a link to the story but this was back about 1993 or 1994 so couldn't find anything

Wasn't that one. It was a random one I found on the internet. A guy had a camper on or something and was over GVWR. Can't remember it now but he lost his case. Admittedly it took some digging to find it so not gonna search again

 

[62Blazer]

Wasn't that one. It was a random one I found on the internet. A guy had a camper on or something and was over GVWR. Can't remember it now but he lost his case. Admittedly it took some digging to find it so not gonna search again

Can you provide a quick summary of the case? When you say he lost the case, what was on the line? Was it because insurance wouldn't cover something, or was it a civil case where victims were suing him?

 

[dhay13]

Can you provide a quick summary of the case? When you say he lost the case, what was on the line? Was it because insurance wouldn't cover something, or was it a civil case where victims were suing him?

I don't remember now. It was about 4 or 5 years ago I posted it. IIRC it was a slide in camper and I think it was a civil case. To me it doesn't matter. Insurance not covering or me losing my house and everything else, either way I wouldn't want to be in that situation.

 

[Gr8bawana]

People like to bring up "legality" all the time about being liable for causing an accident if over-loaded.
Strange thing is that they can never show us actual proof of this ever happening. It's always "I read about it" or "so and so told me about it".

 

[dhay13]

People like to bring up "legality" all the time about being liable for causing an accident if over-loaded.
Strange thing is that they can never show us actual proof of this ever happening. It's always "I read about it" or "so and so told me about it".

Be my guest and run overloaded if you'd like. I posted years ago about an incident and cited said incident. I'm not going to waste the time to find it again. But I'm not going to get caught up in that legal mess like that guy did. But you do you

 

[62Blazer]

I don't remember now. It was about 4 or 5 years ago I posted it. IIRC it was a slide in camper and I think it was a civil case. To me it doesn't matter. Insurance not covering or me losing my house and everything else, either way I wouldn't want to be in that situation.

Understand your point and have zero issues with you not wanting to be in that situation.

I'm no lawyer, but use the example that you are driving down the interstate with a slide in camper on the truck. You lose control of the truck causing an accident. In that accident you cause another vehicle to wreck which injures or kills the occupants in that car. You now get sued for $5 million. So if they find out the truck was overloaded you lose the case and pay out $5 million, but if the truck was NOT overloaded you win the case and walk away from it? I just don't see that happening. Regardless of why the accident happened you are still responsible for it.

I know there is small print in insurance policies about them not covering you under certain circumstances, like in commission of a crime. Just not sure where they draw the line of it being a "crime" or breaking the law. Sure, running overloaded is technically "breaking the law" but so is driving 70 mph on a 65 mph interstate or running a red light. Insurance companies don't deny coverage if you run a red light and hit another car.

 

[18CrewDually]

Understand your point and have zero issues with you not wanting to be in that situation.

I'm no lawyer, but use the example that you are driving down the interstate with a slide in camper on the truck. You lose control of the truck causing an accident. In that accident you cause another vehicle to wreck which injures or kills the occupants in that car. You now get sued for $5 million. So if they find out the truck was overloaded you lose the case and pay out $5 million, but if the truck was NOT overloaded you win the case and walk away from it? I just don't see that happening. Regardless of why the accident happened you are still responsible for it.

I know there is small print in insurance policies about them not covering you under certain circumstances, like in commission of a crime. Just not sure where they draw the line of it being a "crime" or breaking the law. Sure, running overloaded is technically "breaking the law" but so is driving 70 mph on a 65 mph interstate or running a red light. Insurance companies don't deny coverage if you run a red light and hit another car.

Don't confuse motor vehicle laws or violations with Criminal laws/statutes. There are only a few motor vehicle violations that can turn criminal, and running overweight is NOT one of them. Ask any semi truck driver that rolls over a scale weighing more than 80k without a permit. All you do is get a fine and get parked until you figure out how to get under the 80,001 pounds.

 

[CanRebel]

Don't confuse motor vehicle laws or violations with Criminal laws/statutes. There are only a few motor vehicle violations that can turn criminal, and running overweight is NOT one of them. Ask any semi truck driver that rolls over a scale weighing more than 80k without a permit. All you do is get a fine and get parked until you figure out how to get under the 80,001 pounds.

That depends on State/Province you are in. Drivers in my prov. , can go to jail and/or fines and/or suspend/revoke license. Some counties will also impound truck/cargo for min. of 2 weeks.
Fines can go over $100k

it use to be not such a big deal. few hundred dollars. Most of the time, depending how much over, they would even let drivers keep driving, say get permit next time.

If a commercial driver is over weight, and involved in an accident, it is also criminal offense, doesn't matter if the driver is fault or not.

 

[18CrewDually]

That depends on State/Province you are in. Drivers in my prov. , can go to jail and/or fines and/or suspend/revoke license. Some counties will also impound truck/cargo for min. of 2 weeks.
Fines can go over $100k

it use to be not such a big deal. few hundred dollars. Most of the time, depending how much over, they would even let drivers keep driving, say get permit next time.

If a commercial driver is over weight, and involved in an accident, it is also criminal offense, doesn't matter if the driver is fault or not.

I'm in the US. That's all I can ever comment on. I don't know what goes on up there.

 

[dhay13]

Understand your point and have zero issues with you not wanting to be in that situation.

I'm no lawyer, but use the example that you are driving down the interstate with a slide in camper on the truck. You lose control of the truck causing an accident. In that accident you cause another vehicle to wreck which injures or kills the occupants in that car. You now get sued for $5 million. So if they find out the truck was overloaded you lose the case and pay out $5 million, but if the truck was NOT overloaded you win the case and walk away from it? I just don't see that happening. Regardless of why the accident happened you are still responsible for it.

I know there is small print in insurance policies about them not covering you under certain circumstances, like in commission of a crime. Just not sure where they draw the line of it being a "crime" or breaking the law. Sure, running overloaded is technically "breaking the law" but so is driving 70 mph on a 65 mph interstate or running a red light. Insurance companies don't deny coverage if you run a red light and hit another car.

Depends on circumstances. If you are all legal and an animal runs out in front of you and you cause a crash it will be different than if you are drunk and overloaded and cause a crash.

 

[62Blazer]

Depends on circumstances. If you are all legal and an animal runs out in front of you and you cause a crash it will be different than if you are drunk and overloaded and cause a crash.

Guess I can see that being a factor. Part of it is probably how blatant the overload is....are you 100 lbs. overloaded or 3,000 lbs. overloaded. Would be tough to prove the 100 lbs., but guess it would be easy to prove a blatant overload.

 

[TimboRam77]

So who has the lowest payload. I’ll start. This is a loaded limited, so my placard states 968 pounds. If my family gains any weight I’ll be illegal to carry them. Now in the market for another diesel.
A 2018 high trim g56 Cummins unicorn would be nice.

 

[Gr8bawana]

That depends on State/Province you are in. Drivers in my prov. , can go to jail and/or fines and/or suspend/revoke license. Some counties will also impound truck/cargo for min. of 2 weeks.
Fines can go over $100k

it use to be not such a big deal. few hundred dollars. Most of the time, depending how much over, they would even let drivers keep driving, say get permit next time.

If a commercial driver is over weight, and involved in an accident, it is also criminal offense, doesn't matter if the driver is fault or not.

Nobody is talking about commercial drivers here.

 

[CanRebel]

Nobody is talking about commercial drivers here.

Learn to read... Person I quoted was...

 

[18CrewDually]

Just to be clear, I wasn't making it about commercial drivers. The point was they get checked and aren't criminals for being over weight. That was my point.
Don't get hung up on the comment.

 

[Dusty]

Curious, I checked my policy and although I found nothing about overloading, payload or otherwise, I did find that my company can deny a liability claim for "misuse," which includes things like use during a commission of a crime, reckless driving, racing, etc., including "use of a vehicle in an unprescribed manner." I don't have to watch 300 episodes of Perry Mason or Lehto's Law to know that is a pretty broad clause.

Now in New York a truck owner can register their pickup as a personal vehicle, or as a commercial vehicle. Mine is registered as a personal vehicle and maybe that makes a difference.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 96544 miles.

 

[mtofell]

So who has the lowest payload. I’ll start. This is a loaded limited, so my placard states 968 pounds. If my family gains any weight I’ll be illegal to carry them. Now in the market for another diesel.
A 2018 high trim g56 Cummins unicorn would be nice.

A buddy had a 1500 Laramie with 1070# (before his canopy, dogs, coolers, beer, etc., etc.) that was the lowest I had heard until yours. He then added about 800# hitch weight of his trailer and it wasn't pretty. He now drives an F350.

Is your truck an Ecodiesel? I know those had some ridiculously low payloads when they first came out. I think the 1500s had a redesign around 2017ish and the payloads got better. Prior to that a lot of them were laughable.

 

[2003F350]

Curious, I checked my policy and although I found nothing about overloading, payload or otherwise, I did find that my company can deny a liability claim for "misuse," which includes things like use during a commission of a crime, reckless driving, racing, etc., including "use of a vehicle in an unprescribed manner." I don't have to watch 300 episodes of Perry Mason or Lehto's Law to know that is a pretty broad clause.

Now in New York a truck owner can register their pickup as a personal vehicle, or as a commercial vehicle. Mine is registered as a personal vehicle and maybe that makes a difference.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 96544 miles.

And this right here is why I tend to err on the side of caution. Sure, they likely will never use that clause on you if something happens and you file a claim, but it DOES give them the legal right to walk away from you and deny your claim, if they so choose. Does it happen often? I'm betting no. But if you have a 16-18k 5'er behind a 2500, and kill somebody in an accident because you were speeding, then the possibility exists that you could be on your own and out a truck/5'er/a LOT of cash.

 

[TimboRam77]

A buddy had a 1500 Laramie with 1070# (before his canopy, dogs, coolers, beer, etc., etc.) that was the lowest I had heard until yours. He then added about 800# hitch weight of his trailer and it wasn't pretty. He now drives an F350.

Is your truck an Ecodiesel? I know those had some ridiculously low payloads when they first came out. I think the 1500s had a redesign around 2017ish and the payloads got better. Prior to that a lot of them were laughable.

No it is a 5.7. The weight was not a factor when I bought it because I was so excited seeing the nationwde search for a 100% match yielded 1 result at the dealership 5 miles from my house. Other than the little trailer backup knob I have every option. Bought the truck while in transit . Real gentlemen's truck.