Weight

[1000arms]

Maine law:

Title 29-A, §2360: Excess vehicle weight

Let me rephrase; That only applies to commercial vehicles.

Part of my job is moving heavy equipment so I have to read and comprehend that stuff. I'm not just pretending to be an internet know-it-all.

This is a better place to start.

Title 29-A, Chapter 21: WEIGHT, DIMENSION AND PROTECTION OF WAYS

legislature.maine.gov

... Does this mean that you are an actual internet know-it-all? ...

Kidding aside, it does appear intended for commercial vehicles, but is it limited to commercial vehicles? From what I can tell, it applies to commercial and non-commercial vehicles.

For example, I suspect the following applies to commercial and non-commercial vehicles.

Many current one ton pickups exceed 10,000 pounds GVWR.

"An operator of a bus or truck with a registered weight or gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds or subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations who fails to stop at the weighing point when the signs are operating, unless otherwise directed by a state police officer, commits a traffic infraction "

From:

Title 29-A, §2358: Weighing of vehicles

Your thoughts?

 

[Joe917]

Motor homes, truck campers, Expo trucks are exempt from weigh stations.
Bus or truck refers to commercial bus or truck, they must stop.
A Prevost motorhome at 54500 lbs is not required to stop.

 

[Smileyshaun]

9 pages later and no one is even really answering the OPs question just bickering back and forth about what is a law and other stuff . But I want more arguing it helps fuel the dark side of the force ….. continue

 

[billiebob]

The F-Series Super Duty F450, F550, F650 were all built to address the issue of overloaded F350 service trucks. Weight has no allegence to commercial vehicles only. Forget arguing here if you feel you can overload yer family camper. Just overload it and drive to yer local DOT/MOT office and ask them to scale it.... be sure to report back how it goes, actually a body cam video would be much appreciated.

 

[UHAULER]

Not that the Maine law applies anywhere else, but they do classify infractions up to 500lbs over on two axle vehicles as “minor” and waive any penalty.

I think you are fine with your truck. You said you are right at gvw and under your axle ratings.

 

[eyemgh]

I think you are fine with your truck. You said you are right at gvw and under your axle ratings.

The truck is rated 7000/3950/3950 total/front/rear. Mostly unloaded we are at 6850/3400/3450. The LT Wildpeaks are rated well over either axle weight at the pressures we run (40 front, 45 rear).

I packed it to the gills today assuming absolute worst case scenario, a winter trip to DVNP requiring 4 wheel chains, an extra full sized spare and all our safety gear. I threw in the kitchen kit, table, chairs, cooler and 5 gal of water. I added an extra 5 gal of water to make up for food, clothes and anything else I might have forgotten. That got us to 7400/3650/3750.

To get to that weight I pulled the Wilco Hitchswing and replaced an aluminum floor jack with an ARB orange marshmallow. I did put in heavier traction boards though. I obliviously drove that trip last year with the Wilco and floor jack and it did fine, including some fairly technical (for a truck with a camper) off roading.

Getting back to the original question, would leaving the extra spare and one set of chains at home dropping us closer to the GVWR really make enough difference to offset the risk of going without them? Given the tires we run, that we are below both axle ratings, and that the GVWR is set with OEM tires that are essentially car tires, my gut feeling is that we are probably OK. In light of the fact that the only US based evidence cited thus far (Maine) has said less than 500 pounds over is a "minor" infraction and penalty free, if there is any *evidence supported* reason that this is a bad idea, I'm all ears.

Thanks.

 

[Grassland]

The truck is rated 7000/3950/3950 total/front/rear. Mostly unloaded we are at 6850/3400/3450. The LT Wildpeaks are rated well over either axle weight at the pressures we run (40 front, 45 rear).

I packed it to the gills today assuming absolute worst case scenario, a winter trip to DVNP requiring 4 wheel chains, an extra full sized spare and all our safety gear. I threw in the kitchen kit, table, chairs, cooler and 5 gal of water. I added an extra 5 gal of water to make up for food, clothes and anything else I might have forgotten. That got us to 7400/3650/3750.

To get to that weight I pulled the Wilco Hitchswing and replaced an aluminum floor jack with an ARB orange marshmallow. I did put in heavier traction boards though. I obliviously drove that trip last year with the Wilco and floor jack and it did fine, including some fairly technical (for a truck with a camper) off roading.

Getting back to the original question, would leaving the extra spare and one set of chains at home dropping us closer to the GVWR really make enough difference to offset the risk of going without them? Given the tires we run, that we are below both axle ratings, and that the GVWR is set with OEM tires that are essentially car tires, my gut feeling is that we are probably OK. In light of the fact that the only US based evidence cited thus far (Maine) has said less than 500 pounds over is a "minor" infraction and penalty free, if there is any *evidence supported* reason that this is a bad idea, I'm all ears.

Thanks.

Yeah I'm totally great with you on the road. Your knowledge of what's going on with your own vehicle is miles ahead of the average Joe.
You understand axle ratings and how tires factor in.

 

[jbaucom]

Getting back to the original question, would leaving the extra spare and one set of chains at home dropping us closer to the GVWR really make enough difference to offset the risk of going without them? Given the tires we run, that we are below both axle ratings, and that the GVWR is set with OEM tires that are essentially car tires, my gut feeling is that we are probably OK. In light of the fact that the only US based evidence cited thus far (Maine) has said less than 500 pounds over is a "minor" infraction and penalty free, if there is any *evidence supported* reason that this is a bad idea, I'm all ears.

Thanks.

If you're going where you expect to need chains, carry them. If you anticipate needing a second spare, carry it, but I have to ask, how often have you needed your first spare? How many times have you had a non-repairable tire failure? If you think you need chains and a second spare, odds are, you'll come nearer needing the chains than you will that second spare (or really even the first spare, if you're willing to repair a puncture).

 

[eyemgh]

If you're going where you expect to need chains, carry them. If you anticipate needing a second spare, carry it, but I have to ask, how often have you needed your first spare? How many times have you had a non-repairable tire failure? If you think you need chains and a second spare, odds are, you'll come nearer needing the chains than you will that second spare (or really even the first spare, if you're willing to repair a puncture).

I think the odds of needing two spares is pretty remote. In isolated places like the north entrance into DVNP for example though, where there’s no cell service, it gives me piece of mind. We do carry a compressor (which we use regularly) and a patch kit (I can’t say I have high confidence in my skills), so it could be gross overkill. I don’t want to be the one who pulls the PLB though because we were underprepared. That does lead me to carry more junk than I’ll probably ever need though. I haven’t changed a tire in the field/on the road in years.

Chains are a bit of a different story. As a former ski race family, we have many snow miles under our belts. Chaining is very rare because we run snows. When we’ve needed them though, we’ve been one of the few vehicles still moving.

You know what they say, “just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean there isn’t somebody out to get you.”

 

[Ducstrom]

I've only ever out and needed two spares once. Put holes in two tires in one day.
Luckily there were two of us and we had an ATV. Had to ride 2 up on the quad sitting on a flat tire to get to the highway, then hitch a ride to the closest town, get it repaired and hitch a ride back again.
Killed an entire day.

Don't buy crappy tires.

 

[eyemgh]

I've only ever out and needed two spares once. Put holes in two tires in one day.
Luckily there were two of us and we had an ATV. Had to ride 2 up on the quad sitting on a flat tire to get to the highway, then hitch a ride to the closest town, get it repaired and hitch a ride back again.
Killed an entire day.

Don't buy crappy tires.

Killed an entire day, but didn't kill an entire family. No quads, no dirt bikes. Therein lies my paranoia.

 

[UHAULER]

What about a small trailer ? You could get some weight off your truck and carry a mini bike to get you out if needed .

 

[eyemgh]

What about a small trailer ? You could get some weight off your truck and carry a mini bike to get you out if needed .
View attachment 675594

Probably a good idea if we really felt at risk. There's really only one place that I sort of feel the potential for that, entering the park out of Zurich. The tough thing is that we would only go into the park in the winter and I wouldn't want to trailer in the snow.

 

[jbaucom]

Probably a good idea if we really felt at risk. There's really only one place that I sort of feel the potential for that, entering the park out of Zurich. The tough thing is that we would only go into the park in the winter and I wouldn't want to trailer in the snow.

You can easily "what if" yourself into carrying a few hundred extra pounds that you really don't need. I'd leave something home before I'd even think about pulling a trailer that I wasn't sleeping in/on. Beyond that, if you really feel at risk, an InReach is light and pretty cheap. It's more than an SOS button too; you can use it to contact a friend or family member with a location so that they can arrange local assistance.

 

[eyemgh]

You can easily "what if" yourself into carrying a few hundred extra pounds that you really don't need. I'd leave something home before I'd even think about pulling a trailer that I wasn't sleeping in/on. Beyond that, if you really feel at risk, an InReach is light and pretty cheap. It's more than an SOS button too; you can use it to contact a friend or family member with a location so that they can arrange local assistance.

So true!