How much weight to tow

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2003F350

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It's not easy to decipher. I saw a youtube the other day (Hotshot Macc) who has a 2020 2500 Cummins with a gooseneck. He had to move weight cause he wasn't legal cause he was at about 26,240lbs. He unloaded a few old tarps, etc to get to under 26,000. However his truck axles weighed about 10,120 and he stated he was legal as per DOT and showed his CAT slip. https://youtu.be/1gNeHr-QVaw

Given that, I still wouldn't feel comfortable going over GVWR for liability reasons. It may be ok criminally but like I said before, juries aren't always the most informed people and if the other side gets an expert witness up there that says you were over payload then you may have just lost your civil case, maybe your house, etc. At a minimum you now have to go hire and pay for your own expert to retort this so even if you win your case you are still out possibly 10's of thousands of dollars
You get it. And I've seen you advocating religiously about not overloading.

Payload and GVWR are driven by math AND government regulations. There are states where you have to plate your truck differently based on what your GVWR is. It is also why some trucks will have GAWRs that far exceed the GVWR of the vehicle, even though by the math they should match.

GAWR is set solely by math. It is, in simple terms, how much weight the axle can safely handle. It is how the RV industry has been able to rate certain fifth wheels as 'half-ton-towable' even though just hitching up puts most half-ton trucks over their payload - they aren't over their axle weight ratings.

Like you, I still don't like going over GVWR or GCVWR on anything I own. It's why I don't have a bigger travel trailer or a fifth wheel behind my Power Wagon. There are far too many liabilities involved if something goes wrong. However, the reality is that a LOT of people pay little to no attention to this kind of stuff and get away with it every day. My thought on it, and why I was pointing out the difference, is that if youre going to do it, at least understand what is going on and where your truck is at.

And Zoe....I am an automotive powertrain engineer. I DO understand how these numbers interrelate.
 

Zoe Saldana

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You get it. And I've seen you advocating religiously about not overloading.

Payload and GVWR are driven by math AND government regulations. There are states where you have to plate your truck differently based on what your GVWR is. It is also why some trucks will have GAWRs that far exceed the GVWR of the vehicle, even though by the math they should match.

GAWR is set solely by math. It is, in simple terms, how much weight the axle can safely handle. It is how the RV industry has been able to rate certain fifth wheels as 'half-ton-towable' even though just hitching up puts most half-ton trucks over their payload - they aren't over their axle weight ratings.

Like you, I still don't like going over GVWR or GCVWR on anything I own. It's why I don't have a bigger travel trailer or a fifth wheel behind my Power Wagon. There are far too many liabilities involved if something goes wrong. However, the reality is that a LOT of people pay little to no attention to this kind of stuff and get away with it every day. My thought on it, and why I was pointing out the difference, is that if youre going to do it, at least understand what is going on and where your truck is at.

And Zoe....I am an automotive powertrain engineer. I DO understand how these numbers interrelate.
Well, you don't write like it.
 
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josie

josie

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A 2500 with the 6.4 will have a much higher payload than a Cummins, since the engine is lighter. However, it's Gross Axle weights you want to watch out for. With the 6.4, I wouldn't hesitate to pull a pretty good sized fifth wheel with it, as long as you're not getting over that Gross Rear Axle Rating.

As for porpoising, if youre getting that then your WD isn't set up properly. I mean there will likely always be SOME, but it should be minimal. And air bags will likely only mask the issue.

5th wheels will still porpoise on large bumps. I've hauled just about everything there is out there, from a 22' travel trailer to a 44' fifth wheel. They will all do it over large bumps. Setup is key to fighting it, and air bags don't always help. They're not a one-size-fits-all solution.

I pull a 35' travel trailer with the Power Wagon, which basically is a 2500 with soft springs. No bags, properly adjusted WD hitch (chain style) and a stand-alone sway bar, and have minimal sway at 65mph and minimal porpoising unless it's a REALLY bad road.
Thanks for shareing your experience.
 
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