I read on this site that there is no way to increase the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) that is stamped on the driver's side door post. I also read that there may be licensed shops that can legally increase my GVWR with modifications to my vehicle. Does anyone know where I can find one of these shops?

 

Don't know about California, but in Florida you can tag you vehicle for whatever you want. My 06 is rated at 11,500 GVW as all the one tons. I tagged it at 13,500 GVW. When I'm hooked up with the fiver with everything for traveling, I'm right at 11,500lbs, so I just tagged it up a little. Same price for 11,500.

The guys hauling car trailers down here with one tons are tagged most times for Gross Combined Weight, truck and trailer with load. Can go to 26,000lbs
without a CDL. They still need the DOT #, DOT Physical and DOT Inspection and all the other stuff. The DOT looks at the axle and tire capacity mostly.

 

Why bother?

In California, you are legally allowed to haul up to 20,000 lbs or max tire rating. Yes, of all States, California isn't a **** on this one. (I was told 18,000 but the Law says 20,000.)

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d15/vc35550.htm

Maximum Weight on Single Axle or Wheels

35550. (a) The gross weight imposed upon the highway by the wheels on any one axle of a vehicle shall not exceed 20,000 pounds and the gross weight upon any one wheel, or wheels, supporting one end of an axle, and resting upon the roadway, shall not exceed 10,500 pounds.

(b) The gross weight limit provided for weight bearing upon any one wheel, or wheels, supporting one end of an axle shall not apply to vehicles the loads of which consist of livestock.

(c) The maximum wheel load is the lesser of the following:

(1) The load limit established by the tire manufacturer, as molded on at least one sidewall of the tire.

(2) A load of 620 pounds per lateral inch of tire width, as determined by the manufacturer's rated tire width as molded on at least one sidewall of the tire for all axles except the steering axle, in which case paragraph (1) applies.
Amended Sec. 82, Ch. 1154, Stats. 1996. Effective September 30, 1996.

 

First4age: Doesn't the information you presented have more to do with the gross weight with regard to limiting the damage heavy weights cause to the paving surface? Not sure that that information relates to hauling over GVWR.

 

Idaho is the same.. its what you pay for on your tags.. I am legal up to 26K GCWR. Just don't exceed your tire or axle limits.

I would assume in most place, if you pay for the tags, you are good to 26K, above 26K requires a CDL.

That covers one axle, so it looks like my Dodge could go to 40,000lbs if I had the appropriate tires.. Throw a trailer on there and... So that really doesn't say what the limit is on GCWR.

 

In Washington,the DOT adds some capacity for you free of charge. My 3500 SRW has a 10,100lb GVWR from Chrysler. What Washington does is rounds the GVWR up to the nearest even thousand. I'm licensed for 12,000 GVWR for free.

If I want more,I can pay for more.

 

I talked to two cabover camper manufacturers today (Lance and Artic Fox)and they both said they make a 9 foot camper that is specifically designed for a single rear wheel, 3/4 ton truck, long bed like mine and they both weigh about 3500 lbs. I told them that this would exceed the GVWR of these vehicles by a bunch and they said they advise people to put air bags in the suspension and not worry about the GVWR. One of the manufactures did say that they advise people that go with the 11 1/2 foot camper to get a dually. They both said very few people concern themselves with GVWR and those that do, like me, they advise to purchase a light popup camper. I also talked to a California Highway Patrol official and he said he is aware that many people with cabover campers are exceeding their GVWR and he said they are probably safe but talking a chance on liability.

 

SundayMoney: What is the GVWR written on your driverside door post? Do you have a dually? Opps, I reread your post and you answered.

 

My friend is a CHP DOT and he said they dont worry about the axle ratings its the tire rating thats the week link . he came over to my shop and weighed my 2001 2500 4x4 with my JD 210 le and we pushed it all the way up against the gooseneck and I was 100# over my axle cap. he said I still had 1300# left on the tires and was good

 

'sigh' Interpretation means everything until something happens.
GVWR is what the manufacturer rates your rig at. Its the smallest number on the door sticker and that IS the number that can be looked at if there is any question of liability no matter how you registered your GVW.

Scotty

 

They are out to make money, no to care about your truck, or your safety....

Look at the math. Your truck empty is about 3000-3500lbs on the rear axle. For argument sake lets go 3000lbs, add a 3500lb camper.. Lets guess that 80% of the weight goes on the rear axle, 2800lbs. So now your at 5800lbs.. 3500 SRW RAWR is 6200 lbs.. so your under... but not by much... Now consider water, food, clothes, propane, etc.. You can easily add 700-1000 lbs to the bed of the truck... Sow your at 6500lbs on the rear axle... only a little over the RAWR (but the axle is the same DRW and SRW, so is the frame, brakes... so your good there... but the tires are different).. OE tires and rims are 3195lbs, or 6390lbs combined.. Now your over what your tires can carry, and thats not safe, smart, or anything good...

Its not the truck that can't handle the weight, its the tires... Even if you are at the limit of your stock tires then you will get some very insane sway from the loaded at or above the limit tires and tall camper weight...

So now your options are aftermarket wheels and tires, I have only seen 1 17" rim go above 3195.. .19.5's are your best option..

That doesn't even get into the FAWR, which is very easily exceeded on short box trucks with campers.

Do the math yourself, and you'll see why they say they are fine.. thats how they pay the bills.

 

AH64ID: The RV Dealers that sell you a cabover truck camper that is going to exceed your GVWR may not "pay the bills" in the long run if there is an accident with a vehicle that they installed a camper on and they are involved in a law suit.

On another note I would gladly put 19.5 wheels and tires on my rig to make it "safe". But the problem still is, I am exceeding my GVWR, and, based on what the people on this forum (and elsewhere) say, I can do nothing about my GVWR.

 

No, but your GVWR is a recommendation by the MFGR. All the DOT cares about is what is safe and what you paid for on your tags.

Your frame, brakes, axles, etc are all common with a DRW truck.. tires are what limits you. Put some airbags on and load up to your tires. (unless you start to exceed DRW RAWR).

 

As many times as this has been said no one has ever been able to present evidence of single case where weight over GVWR resulted in any liability issues . GVWR numbers are games manufacturers play going back to when Ford came out with the F-150 to avoid installing catalytic convertors . Just about every truck rates at 26,000 lbs. is capable of hauling much more .

 

In Feb of 2009 two Rv haulers from Star went off the side of a mountain in BC. Both trucks were over their GVWR and Star backed out of the insurance coverage for those two drivers...they lost everything. The officer that tagged me in Sparwood BC had pictures of their rigs...totaled. I stayed at the same hotel as two Star drivers out of Ontario Canada that knew the two that wrecked. I do not have the 'facts' in writing here. However, what I saw in the pix and the officer telling me this as well as the other drivers telling me the same story prompted me to post this...because it can happen if someone wants to be a dick about it. Even when I got my fine and had to drop my load the officer said it probably saved me what those two drivers went through. I will just keep it to myself now as it always gets discredited.

Travel safe.