Trailering question

[knack]

My enclosed trailer loaded with my Bronco and off-road camper trailer weighs 9200 lbs. Trailer gross weight is rated at 9990lbs.
I'm looking at buying a tow vehicle with a max tow rating of 9400lbs.
Which number does the DOT pay attention to if I get checked? Am I OK as long as the actual trailer weight is less than what the truck is rated for, or will they look at the rated gross of the trailer?

 

[West Tn Dawg]

In TN, I believe they go by rated.

 

[5001craig]

I wouldn't think you would ever get checked. Unless you tow with a dually or larger pulling a gooseneck or fifthweel the DOT around me never checks anyone. I'm not even sure the DOT rules apply for personal use.

I pull quite a bit and my .02 would be to seriously look at something heavier to tow with. The DOT is not nearly as bad as the lawyers will be after a wreck--even if it is not your fault.

 

[Crush]

Gvw of vehicle includes the vehicle weight. So if the truck is rated at 10k then you subtract the truck wt and that is what you can tow. So say the truck weighs 5k. Then you cAn only tow a trailer with a vehicle on it that weighs 5k together

 

[Yeller]

For you DOT isn't a concern. But your insurance company will possibly call you negligent if something happens and the trailer is over it's gross listed weight and or if your truck is over its manufacturers rating. But from what I'm reading you are within the limits just barely, as long as you keep that in mind and don't add to what you are carrying you'll be just fine.

On a side note watch your weight distribution, it's easy to overload the rear axle on the truck and posiibly the tires, it's worth a stop by the scales to confirm all is good. I had to go to a dually because I was always over weight on a single rear wheel even though I wasn't over gross weight

 

[crankman]

My enclosed trailer loaded with my Bronco and off-road camper trailer weighs 9200 lbs. Trailer gross weight is rated at 9990lbs.
I'm looking at buying a tow vehicle with a max tow rating of 9400lbs.
Which number does the DOT pay attention to if I get checked? Am I OK as long as the actual trailer weight is less than what the truck is rated for, or will they look at the rated gross of the trailer?

First good thing is your looking at your actual weights before your purchase the tow vehicle. That's a smart move, and by the tow rating of the truck I am guessing its a 1/2 ton. I would look at a 3/4 ton truck for the handling and stopping abilities it would give you. That's right up there alley, just something to consider.

 

[OUMX117]

There is quite a bit of bad information being given in this thread so far. Your max GVW has nothing to do with what you can tow. The example above of a 10k gvw weighing 5k and only being legally able to tow 5k is flat out wrong.

The gvw is the legal Gross vehicle weight. This includes the truck, its cargo, occupants, fuel, AND the TONGUE weight of the trailer. most trailers are somewhere around 10-20% tongue weight. SO figure 2 passengers at 350lbs total and you still have 4650 in GVW available to use as you see fit.

The towing capacity only affects the GVW as tongue weight.

Realistic example:

2016 Ford F150 GVW 7000
curb weight 4800lbs
Passenger weight 400lbs

Available gvw for trailer tongue weight and any other cargo that may be in the truck:
1800lbs

Trailer weight 9200lbs at 15% tongue weight= 1380lbs

you are left with 420lbs for misc gear and other supplies in the truck.

Hope this example helps.

 

[5001craig]

I look at the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).

For example, I look at the Maximum Loaded Trailer Weights chart for my truck (here) and see my '13 Ram 3500 SRW Mega w/Aisin has a 25,000 GCWR with a maximum loaded trailer weight of 16,920. Then I follow that over to the Maximum Payload Capacity chart and my 12,400 GVW has a maximum payload capacity of 4,600 to make sure I'm not overloading the rear. Spending some time on a scale is really what you need to do to know exactly what you are looking at. People and gear need to be considered too and are subtracted from payload.

When I'm pushing capacities I make sure my tires are aired to correct inflation. It's my experience that tires are the weak link. My wife snapped this from a couple weeks ago. We were bringing our "new to us" camper home with with "new" tires...

 

[knack]

Thanks for all the information. Vehicle in question is a 2012 3/4 ton Chevy work truck. It will be used mostly for towing a two horse bumper pull trailer or 7K pound GVW utility trailer, but I do want to make sure I can use it for the occasional car hauler/Bronco/M416 adventure.

 

[OUMX117]

You will be absolutely fine in a 3/4ton chevy. I wouldn't hesitate to pull the same load with my new F150 either. I have to say, I'm a believer in these new ecoboost engines.... But that's another topic entirely!

 

[lonesouth]

check the user manual. I suspect you would need to use a weight distribution hitch for anything over 5,000lbs trailer weight(trailer+load). To be straight with the lawyers. Course, look around at just about any work truck towing a skid steer and you'll likely never see a WD hitch in use.

 

[lonesouth]

for reference, here's what I found on another forum.

For conventional towing without a WDH, this is what Ford's towing guide says for 2012 (max trailer weight/max tongue weight):

F250/F350 SRW with 6.2L gas engine: 6000/600
F250/F350 SRW with 6.7L diesel engine: 8500/850
F350 DRW with 6.2L gas engine: 8500/850
F350/F450 DRW with 6.7L diesel: 8500/850

check the user manual to see what it says.

 

[knack]

Interesting information. Capacities seem low to me for some of the larger trucks. 8500 lb towing capacity for an F450? I guess anything heavier they want to see a 5th wheel or gooseneck.

for reference, here's what I found on another forum.



check the user manual to see what it says.

 

[Crush]

Well oumx. I guess the dot officer that pulled me over did not know that the f@&# he was talkin about

 

[5001craig]

2012 Chevrolet Trailer Towing Chart

 

[Nothing Special]

Well oumx. I guess the dot officer that pulled me over did not know that the f@&# he was talkin about

Could have been either that he used the wrong term or you misunderstood him. Everything you said in your first post was right on if you were talking about GCWR (gross combined weight rating) rather than GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating).

My enclosed trailer loaded with my Bronco and off-road camper trailer weighs 9200 lbs. Trailer gross weight is rated at 9990lbs.
I'm looking at buying a tow vehicle with a max tow rating of 9400lbs.
Which number does the DOT pay attention to if I get checked? Am I OK as long as the actual trailer weight is less than what the truck is rated for, or will they look at the rated gross of the trailer?

Hard to say what they WILL pay attention to, but they CAN pay attention to anything:

• The total trailer weight can not exceed the trailer's gross weight rating
• The trailer weight can't exceed the weight the trailer is licensed for
• The trailer weight can't exceed the weight rating of your hitch
• The tongue weight can't exceed the tongue weight rating of your hitch (these values may be different if a dead weight or weight distributing hitch is used)
• The trailer weight can't exceed the tow rating of your truck (if your truck has a "tow rating" or the total weight of the trailer and truck (and everything in them) can't exceed your truck's gross combined weight rating (this value may be different if it's a dead weight hitch, a weight distributing hitch, or a fifth wheel)
• The total weight on your truck (truck and load, including tongue weight) can't exceed the gross vehicle weight rating of the truck
• The weight on the rear axle of the truck can't exceed the tricks rear axle capacity
• The weight on the front axle can't exceed the truck's front axle capacity

And I might be forgetting something. There are a lot of rules, following one doesn't mean you don't have to follow the others (which reminds me of an Eric Clapton song, "I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot the deputy." Well OK then, I guess we'll let you go since you didn't shoot the deputy)

 

[OUMX117]

Could have been either that he used the wrong term or you misunderstood him. Everything you said in your first post was right on if you were talking about GCWR (gross combined weight rating) rather than GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating).

I was about to say this exact thing. One small letter changes the meaning of everything. This is most likely where the confusion came from.

Gotta love the government complicating everything with all their d@*& acronyms........%)

 

[lonesouth]

Interesting information. Capacities seem low to me for some of the larger trucks. 8500 lb towing capacity for an F450? I guess anything heavier they want to see a 5th wheel or gooseneck.

That is for towing without a weight distribution hitch. Capacities increase substantially when using a weight distribution hitch or 5th wheel.

 

[knack]

Lots of good information here. Thanks!

 

[Justafordguy]

That is for towing without a weight distribution hitch. Capacities increase substantially when using a weight distribution hitch or 5th wheel.

That is correct. Here is the hitch label from my 2012.