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Re: [RC] Truck for Trailer - Roger RittenhouseSusans comments with mine added..and few errors I had to fix F450 26K GCW 17400 GVWRI'm still a complete dummy about what the ratings mean. Am I correct in thinking that 26K means the total weight of truck, cargo, passengers AND total weight of the trailer behind? So does that mean the 17.4 K GVWR is the max allowable weight of the trailer you can pull? And, if 17K is the max trailer weight that can be pulled, does that mean on nice, flat highways? Or is it considerably less than that considering some of the conditions we haul to? I was wondering if it was worth selling a kidney to get the 650 that won't even breathe hard to pull a big trailer up a grade. Actually the above data is wrong. A F450 is rated at 26K pounds total combined weight of truck and trailer fully loaded with all the junk and dogs on board. So weight it with the max load you expect to haul. Now the GVWR or the total weight the truck can weight loaded with the trailer on the ball. That is the total combined weight of both truck axles. This limit is posted on the door plate. For the F450 it is 14400 pnds The above weight I posted was the max allowed trailer weight of 17400 HOWEVER the only 'real' weights that count are the GVW.. and the total GCW.. Of course you should not exceed the trailer GVWR posted on the plate near the hitch. To find that actual weight - weight the trailer and truck total.. look at the trailer axle weight- mine is about 9200 loaded. then you have to weigh the truck with out the trailer. The tongue weight is the difference between the truck hitched and un-hitched. Add that weight to the trailer axle weight and you have the total trailer loaded weight. I have not done this yet. I know CA has very strange rules about what type of license you need to pull a trailer. I 'think' IF the trailer is listed with a GVWR of over 12500 you need a semi comm licence.. a car licence is not enough and the truck trailer has to be registered different. In TN I run a J tag or joint use - its a semi comm tag, The tag weight rating MUST be higher then I haul. Since I go 21K I have to have a 26K tag on my truck to prevent a ticket. DOT does not care if I exceed the 20K - since its not a posted DOT rating, but they do care if I am NOT tagged to pull that much. I only need a standard licence to pull this rig as long as I am not over 26k pnds.. Over 26k creates a mess of issues with the commercial licence rules for the driver and the truck. Thus staying with a 'pickup truck' and not a MDT or BT keeps me out of those problems. The 'RV -motorhome' registration is quite variable from state to state. In TN a RV is tagged with J tag and is the same as my pickup. The ratings are based for 'normal' use what ever that is. There may be issues with 13% grades up or down.. but all trucks will have to deal with that, but normal grades.. the engines inthe Ford and MDT are quite strong - the larger brakes will provide for the extra stopping one may require. I make sure the trailer brakes will lock up if needed. I use the latest controller for Tonsehika ?? Prodigy is the model also the engine brakes are a must on diesels going in the mountains. The new auto 5 sp transmission on the Fords is suppose to preclude the need for that based on a switch on the dash for hauling.. reports indicate it works great. I would consider a MDT truck Fl-60 IF I did NOT need 4x4, did NOT use it for my day ride truck and my wife would drive it.. since she will not drive a MDT - I tried but no go, and since I do not like getting stuck..I dont see me in a MDT highway hauler.. -- Roger mailto:roger@xxxxxxxxxxx =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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