Tow Vehicle Questions

[The Bone]

I have ordered my last 2 cars but if you want incentives you have to get whats on thew lot. I got my truck in June. at that point the new trucks were showing up and my 15 was a year old. LOL
I couldnt order mine because the order banks were closed and if i wanted a 16 I had to pay up.

[Beau2010]

I dinged the left side rear fender on my '16 Ram DRW while leveling the 5er; Body shop estimate; $4000. Even so, still like the looks much better than the bolt on fenders the other two have.

[vipermanden]

Beau, was it because the Monty drops 7" in front before it starts the level routine, that your fender got clipped? I always keep my RAM about 2 feet away when I am doing the auto level for this reason.

[vipermanden]

You guys are all talking about weight limits etc., and today I am in Canyon Trail RV Park in Boulder City, NV, and I see a Mobil Suites with the Big "D" on the front, and it is a triple axle, and not a toy hauler, and it's GVWR is 24,000 and he is pulling it with a Chevy 3500 DRW! Don't know the length. Then I saw this monster 5th wheel, with no markings on it, and it was a triple axle, and its GVWR was 26,000 pounds, and the owner says it is 48 feet, and they are from Indiana. She said it is a New Horizon? He is pulling it with a modified RAM 3500 DRW with a flat bed on it. I thought I read somewhere on this site, that the DOT was going to limit 5th wheels to 45 feet? The owner of the 48 footer, says their limit in Indiana is 52 feet!!!

[JABURKHOLDER]

Originally Posted by The Bone

You can get a F250/350 SRW with the same 10,000 payload You can also get a F350 with the 11,500 payload package in a SRW
You only jump when you go DRW then the truck capacity goes way up.
When I got mine they said that they were the same truck which was true but they couldnt get a F350 with the 11,500 package for me in the SRW configuration.

Are you sure about those "PAYLOAD" weights ? My 2016 F350 DRW, crew cab, 4x4, diesel, High Capacity Tow Package, Camper Package and Snow Plow Package has a payload capacity of 6,460 lbs. I think you are talking about GVWR,s. ???

[Beau2010]

In a very tight park in Northern IL last fall. I had unhooked and moved the truck out of the way of the 5er in order to level it. A big Class A wanted by and my truck was in his way. Moved the truck where I thought he could get by and I could level the 5er. Thought wrong. I was about 8 inches too close. Hitch came down on the left fender about even with the hitch. THEN, I pulled truck forward and then backed up to let the Class A by and backed into a flatbed truck facing the other way. Didn't even scratch his paint but put out my tail and back up lites. Wasn't even Friday 13. Anyway, the damage was just to the one fender so it will be replaced.

[speedster100]

the very fact that fenders on dually's are being replaced regularly and that I see plenty on the road missing pieces is one big reason I wouldn't want one. My dealer found a 2017 cc 3500HD SRW Denali today in the colour I wanted with the pkg I wanted and it will be delivered by early next week at the latest so a bit more negotiating and they came up $3000 on the trade in on the Denali, ended up about the same dollars as the Chevy Sport Edition LTZ we really wanted but had to wait for months on.... All good and now can't wait...

[Phil P]

Hi

Exceed the tow limits in Florida and a large number of other states and have a fatal accident regardless of who is at fault and you’re looking at a felony that carries a 20 year prison term.

You may consider tow limits BS but the3y do apply.

Phil P

[Phil P]

Originally Posted by speedster100

the very fact that fenders on dually's are being replaced regularly and that I see plenty on the road missing pieces is one big reason I wouldn't want one.

Hi

All the years I had operated DRW I have yet to damage a rear fender.

Phil P

[The Bone]

Originally Posted by JABURKHOLDER

Are you sure about those "PAYLOAD" weights ? My 2016 F350 DRW, crew cab, 4x4, diesel, High Capacity Tow Package, Camper Package and Snow Plow Package has a payload capacity of 6,460 lbs. I think you are talking about GVWR,s. ???

Yes. The truck SRW's trucks come in to load configurations. The 10,000 and the 11,500. When you go to a DRW truck than the load capacity
According to the Ford spec sheet the DRW 2x4 will have a GVWR of 13,000
when going to 4x4 than that number jumps to 14,000. Thats just the truck.
The amount they say combined with truck and trailer is 36,000 with the 3.55 rear gear. With the 4.10 gearing that goes up to 40,000.
Now these figures are probably for a XL truck. As you add options than that takes away from the payload of the truck. Thats is why the sticker in the door is the real numbers of payload left subtracted form the designed payload. Some of this stuff is kind of confusing.
This is the reason to put the cart before the horse. Buy the trailer than get the truck capable of towing it.

[CWSWine]

What I would worry about with 250/2500 and Montana is factory weights. Say 6 months after a accident there is a civil suit and the lawyer request the factory scale weight of the F250 Diesel at 2400 lbs and the factory scale pin weight of the Montana and it's 2800 lbs that could easily be a contributing factor in the accident.

My lawyer talk to me about weights and specs since he is a RVer and knows about RV Safety findings that 51% of the RVs on the road are over at least one rating. That was also published in Legal magazine so lawyers are taking notice.

I had an employee a few years ago clipped about dozen cars on side street while driving drunk. Insurance company paid up but he was hauled into court and judge awarded damages plus restitution and the restitution part was making everyone whole and repaying the insurance company for the claims. That happens more then think...

[dfb]

Originally Posted by Phil P

Hi

Exceed the tow limits in Florida and a large number of other states and have a fatal accident regardless of who is at fault and you’re looking at a felony that carries a 20 year prison term.

You may consider tow limits BS but the3y do apply.

Phil P

Please show us the statute....

[dfb]

Originally Posted by Phil P

Hi

Exceed the tow limits in Florida and a large number of other states and have a fatal accident regardless of who is at fault and you’re looking at a felony that carries a 20 year prison term.

You may consider tow limits BS but the3y do apply.

Phil P

Does this apply to 6 fat chicks in an old vw bug?

[dfb]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

What I would worry about with 250/2500 and Montana is factory weights. Say 6 months after a accident there is a civil suit and the lawyer request the factory scale weight of the F250 Diesel at 2400 lbs and the factory scale pin weight of the Montana and it's 2800 lbs that could easily be a contributing factor in the accident.

My lawyer talk to me about weights and specs since he is a RVer and knows about RV Safety findings that 51% of the RVs on the road are over at least one rating. That was also published in Legal magazine so lawyers are taking notice.

I had an employee a few years ago clipped about dozen cars on side street while driving drunk. Insurance company paid up but he was hauled into court and judge awarded damages plus restitution and the restitution part was making everyone whole and repaying the insurance company for the claims. That happens more then think...

Are you self insured? Otherwise I'd have to say hogwash..we've been thru this a million times. There us no weight police, no insurance company will deny coverage because of weight. Where this comes from is beyond me...

[mhs4771]

Granted you'll be covered by your Insurance Co., but there is always Civil Court where it's an entirely different ballgame. If the other people involved hookup with a Lawyer you could be in deep do do.

[mlh]

Like you said you will be covered by your insurance co. when you are sued. It's the insurance co. money they are protecting up to the limit of your policy. You don't get sued in criminal court.
Lynwood

[dfb]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

Granted you'll be covered by your Insurance Co., but there is always Civil Court where it's an entirely different ballgame. If the other people involved hookup with a Lawyer you could be in deep do do.

Anyone can be sued for anything. First, there is liability. Being over weight ratings is not what the lawsuit would be about. It's, speed, or dui, or wreck less driving. An attorney will only go to the limits of YHE policy...this is where "judgement proof" comes in... but weight won't be an issue...

[Phil P]

Originally Posted by dfb

Anyone can be sued for anything. First, there is liability. Being over weight ratings is not what the lawsuit would be about. It's, speed, or dui, or wreck less driving. An attorney will only go to the limits of YHE policy...this is where "judgement proof" comes in... but weight won't be an issue...

Hi

You have a lot to learn!

Phil P

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by dfb

Are you self insured? Otherwise I'd have to say hogwash..we've been thru this a million times. There us no weight police, no insurance company will deny coverage because of weight. Where this comes from is beyond me...

That good to know that I can slam into your truck and just for the fun of it and don't have to worry -- Insurance will cover it.. I can drive drunk and hit couple dozen cars - Don't worry insurance will cover it. i can drive over weight and not be able to stop and total your car and put you in the hospital and don't have to worry - Insurance will cover it. I guess I don't have to take any responsibility for any my actions because " Insurance will just cover it".

I don't know what world you live in but you can't break the law and just say insurance will cover it. Sit on jury for civil lawsuit and you will learn a lot about taking responsibility for your actions and the judge will give you lessen in being responsibility for you actions.

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by dfb

Anyone can be sued for anything. First, there is liability. Being over weight ratings is not what the lawsuit would be about. It's, speed, or dui, or wreck less driving. An attorney will only go to the limits of YHE policy...this is where "judgement proof" comes in... but weight won't be an issue...

'

The Jury that I was on there was a question we had to answer. "Was the vehicle being operated within manufacture Specs - Yes or No - What percentage fault to you assign" In this civil case 40% of the fault of the accident was give to raised suspension and over size tires. Are they Legal Yes - can they cause an increase stopping distance on wet road - you bet they can. We assigned fault to 5 different items on the list and added up to 80% his fault. The award was over 1 million dollars for restitution (insurance company recouping cost) and damages.

In this case the guy that he hit was 28 years old and lost a arm and foot in the accident.

After seeing what goes on the jury room with non experts and juries take on a whole new meaning.

If you have a lot assets you might want look at umbrella policy. I carry 2 million that will cover over the coverage lawsuits/medical expense. If you are in an accident that the hospital bills and damage exceed your coverage you can be liable for the excess.