What is the base vehicle for a Four Wheel Camper Flatbed?

[billiebob]

It’s spelled Cummins.
Sorry for the pedantry, but after ~35-40 years this still bothers me for some reason.

spell check....

 

[rruff]

You get the same ticket as a commercial truck if you are over weight.
A buddy got one in his Ford Ranger with a box full of firewood. Obviously and excessively over weight.

Did the cop look at his door sticker and put him on a scale, or was it because he was on the bumpstops? If it was the later, then isn't that exactly my point... the door sticker being irrelevant?

 

[FAW3]

Yes indeed a rear view camera and about 400 below placard with 40 gallons of water and full fuel. That includes ny wife and I and 2 bikes. That load out varies some trip to trip. If I delete the pedal bikes and add my Kim 500 the gap to max GVWR gets pretty small.

Nice. I really like your secure outside storage with both the under bed and the compartment behind the cab and the short wheelbase.

In the context of this thread...I'm willing to bet that both of us were surprised on how fast the weight goes up when your loaded for real life travel. Over in the classified/for sale ads you often get details on every do-dad, nut and bolt on a rig...but frequently never a mention of GVWR and actual weight.

Safe travels!

 

[wfv56]

Your not kidding about weight. My rig holds 40 gallons of water alone. i realize many don’t care about being overweight but it does affect how the vehicles handle. A one ton truck is built for the weight from the factory and handles fine.

 

[billiebob]

Did the cop look at his door sticker and put him on a scale, or was it because he was on the bumpstops? If it was the later, then isn't that exactly my point... the door sticker being irrelevant?

when you get the ticket... they scale you and check the sticker.... bump stops being irrelevant. The guys who write over weight tickets for a living add it up in their head before scaling you. Agreed, 10% seems tiny but most of us who overland overweight, just from the confessions about being overweight on these forums are much more than 10% .... 100 or 200 pounds over weight and I love those in complete denial saying I upgraded my tires and springs..... typical grade 8 shop class response.

 

[rruff]

Really, the cop takes you to a scale and tickets you based on that? Never heard of someone getting a ticket for a weight sticker. I've heard of people getting tickets for obviously being overloaded, but that's a visual assessment of safety. If the sticker is law then why is it never enforced? They could hang out on the freeway and ticket every 1/2 ton with a camper... or just make everyone get weighed at the weigh stations that are already there.

 

[stevo_pct]

I think I recall from other threads that BillieBob is in Canada (please correct me if I’m mistaken). So their laws may be different. Here in the states it is not illegal for a non-commercial vehicle to be over GVWR per the sticker in the door.

 

[rruff]

I think I recall from other threads that BillieBob is in Canada (please correct me if I’m mistaken). So their laws may be different. Here in the states it is not illegal for a non-commercial vehicle to be over GVWR per the sticker in the door.

Thanks... I have read of tickets based on the GVWR in BC.

 

[RoyJ]

Maybe because in BC the Motor Vehicle Act definition of a commercial vehicle includes, "a motor vehicle having permanently attached to it a truck or delivery body," I'm in BC and every personal use pick up I've owned had "commercial" for the vehicle type listed on the vehicle registration.

Not to say a pick up is entirely governed by the BC Commercial Transport Act. But I wouldn't want to be over Licensed or axle weights (to circle back to Tundra).

In BC I have seen road side checks set up - pretty sure by CVSE (Commercial DOT Enforcement) - pulling over RVs and travel trailers. At least once I saw a portable scale being used. And then there are always the seasonal, mandatory watercraft inspection stations, usually at weigh scales. Don't know if those personnel are affiliated to CVSE but that location might be too close for comfort...

Of course that's in BC, and I don't expect outsiders to care much.

Agreed. Thing is, many threads on, "I'd be overweight, can the truck take it" wrap up with a reassuring indemnity declared for legal and insurance coverage concerns - if you have an accident while overloaded. Seemingly, that's the end of any concern.

BC is an absolute MESS, and most cops outside of CVSEs are confused themselves.

If they wanted, CVSE can enforce both GVWR (only applies to light trucks), AND registered GVW (think GCWR). But if you have an RV, boat, horse, or "car trailer", it does not count towards registered GVW. I can have a Ram 1500, tow a 20,000 lbs boat trailer, and perfectly legal in CVSE's view, as long as I dangerously load the boat so it only has 5% tongue weight. So much for "safety" huh?

But, if you have a tandem flat deck, load up a few ATVs, now the trailer is "commercial", and do count towards GVW. A stock F350 dually towing that would be illegal, unless you know to upgrade your GVW at time of registration.

And yes, they could roadside weigh you to further enforce GVWR, on top of registered GVW. But usually something has to trigger that - visibly overloaded.

Here's the kicker - RVs do not have GVWs. So if you put a sleeper on an F550 chassis cab, or even a retired Peterbilt, register it as a "motorhome". Now you can legally tow a flatbed with Cat D6 dozer. CVSE may be all over you, but nothing they can do as your GVW would be blank on the registration. So long as it's strictly for pleasure, and not for hire. Messed up rules we have!

 

[billiebob]

someone needs to correct the grammar for the thread title......

 

[billiebob]

If the sticker is law then why is it never enforced?

exactly....
law says fenders must cover the tires lol
no lighting allowed above the factory lights lol
rear lighting and license must not be obscured lol
mud flaps/body must extend to the centerline of the axle lol
maximum overhang past the tail lights is 24" lol

mods which affect pedestrian safety are not allowed lol
remember when Lincoln, Chrysler, Jaguar mounted the hood marque thing on a spring
technically every winch bumper is illegal, the driving factor for factory front bodywork and bumper design is pedestrian safety

why, why is there no enforcement lol

actually the why is simple, the current trend is deregulate but deregulation is kind of like political double edged sword.... so the easy way is don't change the regulation, just pull the enforcement budget, and the regulation becomes meaningless. long term the bean counters might say, this regulation is worthless, no tickets have been issued in 10 years, lets just repeal it and clean up the books

 

[billiebob]

the cop takes you to a scale and tickets you based on that?

actually the scales are mobile, fit in a small suitcase, probably cheaper than a breathalyzer unit
and when requested the "cop" bringing them drives like he's responding to an active shooter

 

[RoyJ]

Yeah, I wasn't familiar with all the trailer or RV nuances but I know the Licensed GVW can be changed at anytime at an autoplan agent - a new updated registration slip will be printed. You can go up or down to suit you situation but GVW needs to be minimum 1.5x the registered Net Weight.

When I had my new chassis completed (camper flatdeck) I made sure the curb wt was such that I'd be under the >5,500kg "report to scale requirement". (which is a whole other can of worms).

Regardless I usually hold my breath when I pass an open scale - and watch the mirrors for that chase vehicle

I wrote to the transport guys in Victoria, and called just about every scale from Lower mainland to Prince George, no straight answer, but consensus is as long as you're registered for pleasure or commuting use, no need to pull into the scales. Case in point: nearly every new dually would exceed 5500 kg using the 1.5x rule.

Scale is usually triggered by the NSC number, which becomes a requirement at Autoplan when "business use" is specific. You'll then need to write the NSC number on your door, and that's when the commercial cops start chasing...

I still feel registering as "motorhome" avoids all this, and cheaper insurances to boot. Fridge, water tank under the flatdeck, portable stove in the cab, diesel cab heater, and now it's an RV with unlimited GVW.

 

[RoyJ]

exactly....
law says fenders must cover the tires lol
no lighting allowed above the factory lights lol
rear lighting and license must not be obscured lol
mud flaps/body must extend to the centerline of the axle lol
maximum overhang past the tail lights is 24" lol

mods which affect pedestrian safety are not allowed lol
remember when Lincoln, Chrysler, Jaguar mounted the hood marque thing on a spring
technically every winch bumper is illegal, the driving factor for factory front bodywork and bumper design is pedestrian safety

why, why is there no enforcement lol

actually the why is simple, the current trend is deregulate but deregulation is kind of like political double edged sword.... so the easy way is don't change the regulation, just pull the enforcement budget, and the regulation becomes meaningless. long term the bean counters might say, this regulation is worthless, no tickets have been issued in 10 years, lets just repeal it and clean up the books

Not to mention, the minute we put lifts, big tires, etc. onto our trucks, all manufacture ratings are technically void.

We always hear the "if you crash, and you're 1 lb over GVWR, your house will be sued away". But no actual court case is ever quoted.

Truth is, when we put on 37s and a 4inch lift, every single component on the truck, including the frame and drivetrain is taxed beyond OEM engineering specs. So if a lawyer REALLY wanted to, even at below GVWR, he could call upon an OEM engineer as expert witness to invalidate all vehicle ratings.

In real life that never happens; there's bigger fish for them to catch than some guy rear ending another car in a lifted Jeep... We chose this hobby, and we take on certain risks, much like riding a motorcycle. Simple as that. We've already exceed every OEM spec on our trucks, this whole "exceeding GVWR will get sued" becomes irrelevant.