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> Over gross liability?

Jknight611
post Jan 8 2018, 03:27 AM
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Group: Members
Posts: 35
Joined: 9-March 16
Member No.: 8,785
Favorite Truck Camper(s): Northstar Adventurer 8.5
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 2018 Chevolet 3500 Duramax Crew Duelly
Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift with Fastguns
Truck and Camper Setup: Totally stock, nothing needed



My truck is painfully close or over the truck’s gross weight limit. It handles fine and in 30,000 miles hasn’t shown any ill effects from overloading. BUT, in the event of a traffic accident am I opening myself up to a liability nightmare? I couldn’t imagine in litigation being overweight would play out very well!
Anybody have any experience with this issue? I am torn about replacing my current truck with a 1 ton.
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emcvay
post Feb 8 2018, 08:53 AM
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Group: Members
Posts: 66
Joined: 5-April 17
From: Washington
Member No.: 9,497
Favorite Truck Camper(s): Arctic Fox
Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Ford F350 Crew cab long box 6.4l 4x4
Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift
Truck and Camper Setup: 2010 F350 PS CC LB SRW with AF990



I see questions like this asked all over the net but the one thing I haven't seen is anyone siting a single case of a civil suit where a camper on a pickup that was over the GVW being the reason etc, for the accident and therefore a reason for compensation.

I suspect the reason is that the door sticker doesn't actually mean a whole lot. Yes I said that. The sticker police will want to argue but it matters not. Site a case.

The axle on my truck is actually rated by the manufacturer at 9750lbs not the 7000lbs Ford rates it at. This is because of lawyers. The FMC rates the truck based on the 'weakest link' and since the tires are rated at 7000lbs (3500 ea) they rate the rear axle accordingly. Yes they also rate the springs etc etc but they always go by the lower number 'to be on the safe side'. So, should someone replace said weaker components then they may no longer be over their GVW by any reasonable measure.

It might be mentioned that court findings are often based on whether or not a person knowingly or intentionally did one egregious act or another. So if one plopped a 12 foot camper on a 1500 and went and wrecked it's likely they would be at fault and lose the battle. Whereas, someone with a built F350 who plops a 9 footer with a sticker on the back that says 3000# who gets in an accident is not likely to be found to knowingly or intentionally doing anything wrong. Sure they might be over, but did they know that (prove it), and were they over the sticker? The real axle weight? The sum of the components? Did they put new E rated 4400# tires and wheels on? Replace the spring pack Put new better shocks on? Were they towing? If not, were they over what the manufacturer said the brakes are able to stop? All of these things come into play and many of the overweight rigs I've discussed with others are only overweight by the door sticker but not the axle or the components they've added to allow for the extra weight.

Just my 2c
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Posts in this topic
Jknight611   Over gross liability?   Jan 8 2018, 03:27 AM
RV_Tech   This is an interesting question and one which I ...   Jan 8 2018, 04:17 AM
emcvay   Was at an RV lot and saw a Dodge 3500 SRW (fairly ...   Jan 10 2018, 05:34 PM
mbrink   It is very easy to get over weight with any truck/...   Jan 10 2018, 07:29 PM
SidecarFlip   This is my take on it... You are golden until som...   Jan 10 2018, 09:14 PM
RV_Tech   Here is what bothers me most about the weight issu...   Jan 11 2018, 02:57 AM
SidecarFlip   if most owners actually knew what they weighed rea...   Jan 11 2018, 08:08 PM
RV_Tech   Component wear for sure.   Jan 11 2018, 09:56 PM
Jknight611   Thanks guys, as I mentioned, my truck doesn’t seem...   Jan 13 2018, 05:44 AM
campimgcrazy   Me to. The only thing stopping me is that monthly ...   Jan 14 2018, 04:35 AM
SidecarFlip   I'm allergic to payments. If I want something...   Jan 14 2018, 04:42 PM
JADE RACING   The Cat scale ticket tells the story. Here is what...   Jan 16 2018, 11:11 AM
SidecarFlip   I know that Capri Campers weighs each individual u...   Jan 17 2018, 10:54 AM
SidecarFlip   Maybe things will change with Lance, now that they...   Jan 17 2018, 10:55 AM
Jknight611   Tale of the scale, it continued to bother me, so ...   Feb 6 2018, 01:44 PM
emcvay   I see questions like this asked all over the net b...   Feb 8 2018, 08:53 AM
Jknight611   I absolutely agree that a properly equipped truck ...   Feb 8 2018, 08:53 PM
RV_Tech   There is always a disclaimer at the end of the bro...   Feb 11 2018, 04:08 PM
SidecarFlip   It's all about 'everything is peachy' ...   Feb 11 2018, 04:40 PM
Jknight611   Sidecar, I absolutely wholeheartedly agree! M...   Feb 13 2018, 09:08 AM
SidecarFlip   People get an RV (not just a TC, but any RV) and...   Feb 13 2018, 10:51 AM
wintertree   Some people can stay in a Truck camper for long pe...   Feb 14 2018, 08:58 PM
SidecarFlip   We do the same thing kind of. When we go somewher...   Feb 15 2018, 10:08 PM
don89   Staying in motels is indeed easier than finding a...   Nov 8 2022, 11:16 PM
Haland78   I have done the same thing, and I have done the o...   Nov 8 2022, 11:31 PM


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