Cambridge Towing Weights - Montana Owners Club

Dave e Victoria · 08-30-2005, 07:33 PM

This may not be a tow vehicle topic but then again.......
Vikki and I are just amazed at how well our GMC is performing

We took our new Cambridge across the FJ scales today. The truck was just filled with fuel. Trailer tanks were dumped this morning and the water tank is near empty. This load is pretty typical for us on an extended trip. Every one was loaded (including dogs) except me. I added my weight to the truck and total in the figures below.

Total truck weight 7845
Total trailer weight 17980
Weight on trailer axels 14162
Pin weight 3840
Total truck + Trailer 25905
Ratio pin to total trailer 22 %

I recognize this as a gross overload for our truck but it is performing like a real trooper.
For the critics in the crowd, our total gross is 25% too high. Trailer axel is almost perfect, Pin weight is 100 % too high although I have air bags to keep us level.

No doubt the high pin weight contributes to the near perfect ride. However, the Mor/ryde components are working well.

So far, despite my lust for a topkick, I m not sure i can truely justify a trade. The 2500HD is flat out awesome.

Montana Sky · 08-30-2005, 08:10 PM

Dave,
Thanks for the weight readings, I have been curious how they would come out. I guess with those numbers I have decided that the Cambridge is just too far over all the weight limits for me to tow. Glad to hear your truck is doing well, now all I have to do is wait for the lotto winnings so I can get a truck big enough to tow that coach. Best of luck for many more happy miles.

ronstan · 08-31-2005, 04:55 AM

You might be able to pull it fine but what would worry me is stopping all that weight. Does the cambridge have regular electric brakes or hyd.

Dave e Victoria · 08-31-2005, 05:05 AM

The Cambridge brakes are electric and big.
Actually, we have now towed over 4000 miles and have had our share of panic stops. It stops.
I'm not so worried about breaking as I am about overall wear and tear on bearings, differential, and so on. Also, I am concerned about stress on the rear tires and rims of the GMC. The Cambridge has "G" rated tires. I may look into doing something similar for the GMC.

cs413 · 09-01-2005, 08:11 AM

I really think you are pushing your luck. Regardless of how well your truck performs, it is still a safety factor. I live in Florida and the DOT is really good at stopping truck-trailer combinations and pulling out their portable scales. When I renew my tags every year the Dept. of Motor Vehicles asks about my DECLARED weight. They told me if you are stopped and found to be overweight, the DOT has the right to confiscate your vehicles and you are subject to a fine AND inprisonment. So be careful if you travel in Florida. That's the reason I traded my Chevy when I bought the 3650RK. The truck just wouldn't handle the trailer safely. So I did what I had to do - traded for a bigger truck. Of course now with the gas prices at a minimum of $3.00/gallon I guess I"ll be safe camping in my back yard for a while. I don't know how all you full timers are going to be able to do all the traveling with the disguisting price gouging going on right now. My heart goes out to all of you. I cancelled a trip to a nice RV park in Troy Alabama this weekend due to the expected shortage. It's getting very frustrating not being able to get away for a long weekend. New Montana and a new Truck and can't use them - now that's a crime! Oh well. Be careful and be safe.

Dave e Victoria · 09-01-2005, 08:18 AM

Curt,
Please explain "declared weight". How does it relate to truck specs etc.?
Dave

Merv · 09-01-2005, 09:18 AM

Here in Wisconsin the truck registration weight does not count the pin weight or the camper weight. (unless it is a slide in I imagine)
I asked about this when registering my tractor.
Dave, maybe you should get a bigger truck. That Cambridge would look nice behind a sleeper cab

merv

sreigle · 09-01-2005, 10:38 AM

Dave, thanks for the info. That's pretty close to what I thought it would be. Your total weight is 2,915 more than ours, which totals 22,920.

I don't doubt the engine and transmission can handle the heavier weight. After all, the medium duty GM's have the same combination, don't they? Just like Ford does with its MD trucks? As you said, axle, rims, tires, bearings, frame, etc., are probably what will give out first. I figure if we went to a Cambridge we could also tow it just fine with our F250 that's rated at 15,400 towing and 23,000 GCWR but I'd probably want to go to an F350 with Tow Boss to get the 26,000 GCWR and 19,200 towing. I wish you luck and hope the truck holds up for you. Your Cambridge is a beauty and I look forward to seeing it in Minden next month.

cs413 · 09-01-2005, 09:14 PM

Dave - In Florida any truck over 5,000 pounds is considered a commercial vehicle. Don't ask me why, but it puts me in the same catagory as a semi. The only difference is the price of our license plates depending on our declared weight on the vehicle registration. In fact my 99 Chevy didn't have air bags(internal) because it was over 5000 lbs. Now my F350 does have air bags so it must be a manufacturer option for Florida unless the law changed in the last 6 years. The GVWR of my truck is 13,000 lbs. The payload capacity is 5200 so that would leave the truck weighing in at 7800 lbs. I can declare anywhere from 7800 to 13000 when I renew my tags in December which is the maximum amount of weight I will carry on Florida roads (GVWR). Obviously it is less money to renew the less weight you declare. So if I did not plan to haul anything, I wouldn't need to declare 13000 and it would cost me a lot less. BUT if I declare 10,000 and when hitched up my pin weight is 3500 plus 7800 truck weight, that puts me 1300 over declared weight and that's where you get into trouble if you are stopped. The DMV also told me I could declare as much as a semi if I wanted to which made no sense because the DOT weighs the axles and the axle ratings are on the door. But that's Florida. When I got the truck last month, the registration had a declared weight of 11,700. I don't know who assigned that weight to me or what the criteria is to assigning weight but when I renew in December, I will probably up it to 13000 to be on the safe side. 11,700 seems like a lot but 7800 truck weight plus 3500 pinweight = 11,300, under the limit. But add 2 people, a couple coolers of ice, some wood and you are over your declared weight. The DOT mostly are looking at 18 wheelers, but they will do random stops especially if the load looks heavy like a sagging truck bed pulling any kind of a trailer. I know this was a long explanation, but I hope you understand what I mean by declared weight. I think what it all boils down to is extra revenue for the state.

Dave e Victoria · 09-02-2005, 03:48 AM

Curt,
Thanks for the info. It does soud like a revenue generator. But, it probably started out as a road surface issue-- like trying to limit the weight on certain roads and bridges. This might be a good one to ask "Trailer Life" for how to deal with it -- especially for us out of state guys. Of course with the price of fuel, Florida looks like a looong ways away.

NJ Hillbilly · 09-03-2005, 02:43 AM

I believe that You are grandfathered to the state that You are registered in. If certain things are not required where You are from then they can't make You do them because their residents have to. I know this is a broad statement but many aspects do fit, knida like a "Diplomatic Immunity"

John

Bob Pasternak · 09-03-2005, 06:14 PM

The thing about Florida is that for semis' you are allowed more axle weight off of the interstates than on. On the interstates it is 19,000 on a single axle and 34,000 on a tamdem. Off the interstate it's 22,000 on a single and 44,000 on a tandem.

Dave e Victoria · 09-03-2005, 08:03 PM

Well now, I think I can fit in there somewhere (LOL)
Dave

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