This is not meant to be offensive. I for one appreciate the concern people have for other’s safety and the term weight police is not being used in a derogatory manner.
This is meant to tell you some of the weight police here are dead wrong, some are half right and some are really good. But thank you to all who have helped me research, investigate and experience this world for myself.
You can go here for the back story which prompted this post:
https://www.keystoneforums.com/forum...ad.php?t=45015
In short I had some “weight police” attempt to discourage me and tell me I was “dangerous” “overloaded” “overweight” etc because I was towing a 34’ trailer with a 1/2 Ton Sierra Denali. After an entire season of towing, many trips, many miles and towing with 5 different trucks, including a F250 Diesel, I learned the 1/2 ton Sierra Denali with the 6.2l and electronic trailer sway control handles and tows my trailer better than the 5 other trucks I tried (including the F150 3.5 and the F250 6.7 Diesel). This experience is 100% contrary to the experience the weight police said I would have. I almost went and bought a 3/4 ton diesel. Glad I tested 5 trucks first over this summer.
Here is where you are half right and half wrong (not all of you).
1)The payload sticker on your truck (half WRONG).
“There is a payload capacity on the tire label sticker on your door jamb. This is the trucks payload capacity.”
That is half wrong. The tire sticker is NOT the trucks payload capacity. The tire sticker is the payload the TIRES can support which may be less than what the truck can support. On my truck they put Passenger rated tires which gave me a payload of 1300 lbs. Per a discussion with GM if you change to LT or better tires you just increased tire payload to or above your trucks payload capacity.
My suggestion: stop saying the tire capacity is the truck’s capacity.
Half right = your truck’s payload capacity is limited by the payload capacity of the tires.
Half wrong = your tuck’s actual capacity is much higher than the tire limit. You can increase tire payload capacity with better ply tires.
2)Trucks ACTUAL Payload
As pointed out above. The tire label is NOT the truck’s actual payload as many suggest.
Payload as only some of you accurately point out is the trucks GVWR - the trucks current weight, which is higher than the tire payload label on these half ton trucks.
Suggestion: Ask for the trucks GVWR - GVW and then tell a person which tires they can switch to if they want to reach the trucks payload rating instead of being limited by passenger tire pay load ratings.
3)”You can’t tow a 34’ windsail with a 1/2 Ton truck”
This has been the main concern I have heard people say. A 34’ trailer is too long for a 1/2 ton truck.
I am here to tell you I have towed with 5 different trucks this year, all on the same route in identical weather conditions going over the Oregon/California border. For those who know, that s a pretty steep grade at times.
I can confidently say, the 1/2 ton Denali wit the magnetic suspension and electronic ride control tows and handles better than any truck I have tried from 1/2 ton F150 3.5 EcoBoost up to 3/4 ton diesels, including the F250 6.7l. And yes the WDH was setup perfectly for each truck before going on the trips.
Half right = the 2021 Silverado 5.3l RST pulled the trailer fine but was the worst on handling.
Half wrong = my 2015 Sierra 1500 Denali 6.2 blows all those trucks out of the water and I have yet to find a truck, even a 3/4 ton which handles remotely as well as this truck. And stoping power is just as good as the 3/4/ ton trucks.
Suggestion: don’t assume because you or a friend had a bad experience it relates to all other scenarios. I could but any truck on the market right now (and almost did) but I am grateful I tested the 5 trucks I was considering before buying one because it led me back to the 1/2 ton some of you said couldn’t handle my trailer. Some of you were dead wrong on that point and I almost wasted a good amount of money.
4)Tongue weight: ”Your 10k lbs trailer has a tongue weight of XXXX”
Seriously, so many people got this dead wrong!
I know there averages for a bumper pull trailer are 10% - 12% tongue weight. Sometimes 15% in the case of toy haulers.
What I learned is many of the WP did not know what I found out. Manufacturers actually design and build the RV with the exact tongue weight they want and have that number readily available for you. You don’t have to assume this number anymore. They also design your trailer so when it’s fully loaded it won’t fluctuate more than 1% in either direction, seriously. This will be hard to believe for some, so you’ll have to call the manufacturer yourself or look up the specs on your trailer build sheet.
Half right = yes the tongue weight of a bumper pull will be between 10% - 15%
Half wrong = no you don’t have to assume 15%…the trailer has been designed, balanced and the storage limited to specific areas by the manufacturer to give you the exact tongue weight.
Suggestion: tell people to look at the tongue weight listed on their trailer build sheet instead of scaring them by saying, “You have a 10K lbs trailer so your tongue weight is going to eat up 1,240 lbs of your payload.” That is so wrong. See the next point.
5)Trailer weight vs tongue weight
The GVWR of my trailer was 9580 lbs.
So many people told me, “You have a 10k lbs trailer so your tongue weight will be 1200lbs which will put you over on payload.”
Wrong. The dry weight of my trailer is 7170 lbs. The loaded weight with all our gear is 7580 lbs and weighed on the scales, the tongue weight = 760 lbs. Full tanks would only add another 500 lbs which would then put my tongue weight to 810 lbs. That is way off from what people were saying.
Half right = Yes a fully maxed out trailer would give you a max tongue weight
Half wrong = there is no way I could possibly add another 1500 lbs to my already fully loaded trailer carrying full tanks of water. There i just no room left.
Suggestion:
Don’t calculate based on the MAXIMUM weight. Be realistic. My trailer has a payload capacity of 2,410 lbs. At max I have only been able to add 910lbs to the trailer including full water tank.
6)Trailer Length = Wind Sail
“You are pulling a 34’ wind sail with a 1/2 ton truck…it will drag you all over the road.”
Half right = Total length of my 29DSFWE is 33’ 11”.
Half wrong = the box (i.e.) wind sail portion is 29’ exactly.
Suggestion: Clarify if you are meaning the box or tongue to bumper as my tongue and bumper are hardly a wind sail. Also, my 1/2 ton truck handles this 29’ wind sail better than the 3/4 ton trucks I have tested. But only my 1/2 ton handled this way. The 3/4 tons handled better than the other 1/2 tons I tested.
7)Increasing Truck’s Payload Capacity
“You can’t increase your payload, you need to buy a new truck”
As noted above, that is false. Per GM You can increase your tire’s payload up to the truck’s actual payload (GVWR - GVW). Remember that little tire sticker is not your truck’s payload, it’s the payload capacity of the tires which is almost always less than the trucks payload on a 1/2 ton truck due to using P rated tires instead of LT or better tires.
Thats not all though. My particular truck included everything as the max tow trucks except for the HD rear springs. Per GM, if I only put HD leaf springs in the rear, I can increase my GVWR from 7100 lbs to 7900 lbs. I can add 800 lbs to my trucks payload for $250. But since I don’t need it, I am not going to. My truck even includes the 3/4 ton rear axles rated at 14K lbs, which one person couldn’t believe. Verified via the manufacturer again.
Half right = most 1/2 ton trucks might not be as lucky as I am with only having to swap HD rear springs to add an additional 800 lbs payload.
Half wrong = stating it can’t be done. Per the manufacturer it actually can be done on every truck and you can even have a new GVWR sticker mailed to you. The amount of money it takes for that will depend on each truck, for mine, it’s $250.
Suggestion: Research that before saying it can’t be done. It can be done and for very little money in some cases.
OVERALL SUGGESTION:
Please continue to educate people and call them to research/investigate. I have fully appreciated that myself. But some weight police need to do their own research before being so mater of fact. When someone asks you to explain something that seems wrong, don’t dig your feet in and try to win a battle. Research to see if you are wrong. In my case, there were some who were dead wrong and dead set I needed to buy a new 3/4 ton truck. That led me to borrowing/renting 3/4 trucks and realizing, my 1/2 ton handles and pulls better.
This is how I would start with a new person.
“Give us your actual numbers and we can help (CAT scale highly advisable):
1)GVWR of your TV
2)Unloaded weight of your TV
= Payload Capacity TV
3)Tire Payload Sticker
=can get better tires if needed to reach TV payload capacity
4)GVWR of Trailer
5)Unloaded weight of Trailer
= Payload capacity of trailer
6)Manufacturer designed tongue weight
7)GCWR of TV
8)Here is how much you can add to your truck and/or trailer before reaching your max capacities.”
It is really that simple.
The entire narrative that follows is what can be disconcerting. The numbers won’t lie, but the narrative may be dead wrong or half wrong in some instances.
Again, I appreciate so many who showed concern, educated me and pointed me in the right direction. About half on the other side seemed to be simply spitting hear-say and promoting a false narrative along the way.
P.S.
Best narrative I received was from Lewis B (some others were great too),
“I think my concern from the start was how you were arriving at "payload" capacity on your truck. The only numbers that count are the yellow payload sticker on your truck as well as the GVWR, GCWR, FAWR, RAWR, trailer GVWR, tire ratings, etc.. Every truck will be different due to build and options. You seem to be on the way to discovering that and making decisions that work for your family. The ultimate proof of legality will be a truck scale and the ultimate proof of "drivability" will be the first time you are surprise passed by an 18 wheeler in a wind storm on the freeway. Many of the guys here (including me) offer comments based on BTDT.
Again, my compliments on your quest to "get it right" and seek aid from others. Hopefully, you will interpret the fact that I am sitting here late at night talking about your RV as my desire to see you be successful and your family have a safe and comfortable RV adventure. Even though some may not get it, that's my way of saying "welcome”.”
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