โOct-03-2014 09:30 AM
โOct-05-2014 11:06 AM
โOct-05-2014 10:45 AM
โOct-05-2014 10:29 AM
โOct-05-2014 10:10 AM
Miles Away wrote:
Before I retired I was a traffic homicide investigator and did accident reconstruction, so I look at this as going beyond just a traffic ticket. You must also consider the civil issues involved if you are in a wreck. If you exceed the manufactures specifications you leave yourself open for civil litigation and a situation where your insurance company may abandon you because your modifications materially changed what they thought they were insuring. Use your best judgement and always act as if you were a prudent uninsured.
โOct-05-2014 10:05 AM
JIMNLIN wrote:
Sorry about the topic hijack Bert.
I would think the 19.5" tires with their shorter sidewall profile would have less carcass roll than the sidewalls in a taller/larger profile 17"/18" tire.
However those taller sidewalls can sure ride easier than the 19.5" tires.
โOct-05-2014 09:58 AM
LarryJM wrote:
Your both missing the point, no where did I mention that that sticker was somehow written into a law ... it's about operating a vehicle in a safe manner and operating a vehicle outside the limits contained on that sticker and this safety related requirement that I was addressing is where you run afoul from a legal standpoint as was pointed out in the quote I referenced in my initial post here. Such things as wreckless driving, and a host of other laws could come into play. Anyone who is advocating operating a vehicle beyond what is on that sticker is IMO treading on dangerous ground especially when it comes to civil proceedings because of injuries, etc.
To restate those numbers on that FMVSS sticker legally establish the maximum "SAFE" total weight for that vehicle and operating a vehicle in excess of those numbers is doing so in an "UNSAFE" manner and there is where a host of "LAWS" could be applied to cover this area. As always it's up to the courts to determine ultimately what is or is not legal.
Larry
โOct-05-2014 09:45 AM
blt2ski wrote:
Bert,
Have not seen you in a bit, you got rid of the chebby?!?!?!?! Look at some 19.5" tires too. You can get a 245-70-19.5, same diam as a 285-75-16 or 285-70-17, an LRG will net you about 5500 IIRC. Have not driven the IHC for a bit, so do not remember what I have on the sidewall. If you need a good traction, look at the Michelin XDE M+S....I can't believe I am recomending michiblows.......oh dear oh me oh my! a low point here.......oh dear oh me oh my.....
Marty
โOct-05-2014 09:10 AM
โOct-05-2014 08:59 AM
BertP wrote:Miles Away wrote:
Bert:
I understand. Be careful that you don't exceed your vehicle GVWR as that is an established (legal) limit and is not changed by different tires, springs, airbags or just about anything else. To keep it legal, stay with what you have, aired up to 80 psi (if that is the max psi for your tires)and you should not have any issues.
That's what I used to think as well, but if you check the laws, you will not find a single instance in the US or Canada where the manufacturer's GVWR is the legal limit for any vehicle. Most jurisdictions state that you can tow or load up your vehicle with anything you want as long as it is "safe". They neglect to define "safe", though. So, that's why I would like to have 4,000 lb tires. I will hit the limit of my truck long before I hit the limit of my tires thus reducing the likelihood that my vehicle will be labeled as being "unsafe".
It is strictly bureaucratic so there is little or no logic to it. But, it is the law.
There is some logic to my madness, though. We tend to look at our tires and think that as long as each tire's capacity is greater than half the load on the axle, then we are good to go. After all, half of the axle's load is on each tire, right? That's true if you are driving on level roads. I am considering using my TV in a more commercial setting that will take me off road. In that case, the load will not be split 50/50 across both tires a lot of the time. So, by having 4,000 lb tires in a setting that would usually call for 3,100 lb tires, you are safer when the load on a given tire jumps to around 4,000 lb due to undulating terrain.
That's my theory anyway :h
Bert
โOct-05-2014 08:47 AM
โOct-05-2014 08:42 AM
โOct-05-2014 08:35 AM
blt2ski wrote:
Larry,
Now you are talking civil, vs legal. Legal is what an LEO charges you on, jail or fines can occur of out of the black and white laws as they are written. Civil on the other hand, have a LOT of gray in them. There is not always a 100% this is law. Only what a person thinks a law should be etc.
The local CVEO/LEO's that I have had "weight laws" of washington state, have ALL been very clear, manufacture door stickers etc are nothing more than warranty/performance recommendations. THer is nothing illegal about being over those amounts, as long as you have a paid for license/registration that is greater than your current weight, along with you are not over the Federal BRidge Laws for max weight on ANY given road!
This is what the LEO enforces, not door sticker rules.
My 2000 C2500 has an 8K registration, I am legal to 8K lbs gvwr, NOT the 8600 on the door sticker from a legal standpoint. If I am pulled over at 8500 lbs, I would get an over weight ticket! I would need to buy a 10K registration, then I would be legal to the door sticker, along with to 10K lbs.
LEO's have a field test they do to determine if your brakes are legal or not. If you fail this test, the rig is red tagged, and not allowed to go anywhere. You have to either get the rig towed, flatbed hauled to a shop, or fix it on the side of the road. You then have to call the LEO out to verify the rig is fixed before taking it out on the road. An LEO has no way of knowing if your rig is passing the FMVSS laws or not. Those tests go beyond what they have the ability to check on the hwy with you pulled over, so they have there own field tests that have passed local and state courts.
Civil court is a totally different animal as you are talking about.
ALL of the powered RV's with tag axels on them, those tag axels along with the added frame to make the rearend longer were added AT the RV manufacture. It is up to the END body user to install the door sticker. Our pickups and vans are finished at the factory, hence why they have door stickers from the manufacture. But Fleetwood has to put the final door sticker on the cutaway vans they use for class C rigs. As such, they can use the max of the axels, or the reduced gvwr that tha frame manufacture uses. OR if they add a tag, then they can use the max axel rating for all three axels if they wish.
Most dump trucks you see with drop axels, ALL have been added after market. There is nothing illegal about modifying a rig, except if you go beyond some requirements. A lifted pickup for example that has headlights or a bumper too far off the ground can get cited and red tagged.
Marty
โOct-05-2014 08:03 AM
โOct-05-2014 12:12 AM
Bedlam wrote:
Brakes are identical on F250 and F350 SRW trucks. Upgrading mine to the capacity of a 350 is matter of wheels. the only difference you will then see in the build sheet is the emblem, rear axle block and u-bolts. Even ambulance chasers would have hard time proving the equipment was not up to the task. You're bringing in way too much FUD and may want to cross-check what you post.