How concerned are you about your trucks payload

[KCurtis]

I owned a Chevy Silverado High Country that was over the payload with my 2020 25 Foot Airstream for a couple of years. Once I ordered my new 30 Foot Classic I upgraded so I wouldn't have to think about payload weight any longer. Here is an image showing the numbers on my current truck using my VIN#:

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by field & stream

At the risk of further exciting passions, it seems there are two ways to not be concerned about payload:

1) respect the published payload numbers, buy a tow vehicle that meets or exceeds that number for your use, and relax without concern.

2) disrespect the published payload numbers, push or exceed them in your use, and spend a lot of effort trying to convince others (and yourself?) that there is no need for concern.

Or number 3) Open your eyes as you travel down the road and see the many many many half ton trucks pulling large double axle trailers. And then look closely at the shoulders and median, and notice,, there aren’t any crashes, there aren’t any breakdowns, and realize you were worrying about nothing.

I personally am not trying to convince anyone. In fact, it seems the other way around. I’ve seen all dire messages, it’s like drunk driving, you don’t love your family, you’re in for financial ruin, now it’s jail time, or like driving on bald tires. I think the proof is on the road.

[GettinAway]

On a bit more serious note. If we used our AS more, I would have a one ton diesel. I’m sure it would be easier. However, we go twice a year. Big trips with thousands of miles and a week or three, but just two trips. I don’t want a big truck the rest of the time. I don’t want to stay in a smaller trailer. We’ve had a 19 and a 23, they just got too uncomfortable for us. I want a more comfortable truck that fits in my garage. If we sold our home and farm and moved into our AS full time, we’d have a big truck.
I’m not against big trucks. I only push back when I see the “danger danger danger” posts. I see where people have bought a big truck to use twice a year, or worse settled for a smaller trailer because of the door sticker. I just think half tons work well. At least my modified Tundra works really well. There’s a challenge to make camping enjoyable. Making someone buy a big truck they don’t need, or buy a smaller trailer than they want doesn’t help.
Ok, rant over.

[ROBERT CROSS]

We got our 2500 Burb 17yrs ago and we have never worried about payload.
The CAT scales are great for eliminating the worry.

If your serious about Streaming, its best to put the cart before the horse.

Try not to fudge the numbers to match the horse that's already in the barn.

Bob
🇺🇸

Still kick'n after all these years...

[Boxite]

Best Solution: SLOW DOWN! When towing…Quit trying to run 80 mph!

Sixty-five in the right-lane and Everybody Lives.

[hikingcamera]

Originally Posted by Boxite

Best Solution: SLOW DOWN! When towing…Quit trying to run 80 mph!

Sixty-five in the right-lane and Everybody Lives.

Ding ding ding ding ding, we have a winner!

100%. It’s one of the strangest arguments I see on here for why I should get a bigger truck than I need for our trailer: so that I can go 80 down the freeway. There are many situations where thinking you are well prepared causes over confidence. Big trucks might well be one of them.

65 is our limit while towing, and even that only on freeways. We’ve talked about whether we should lower that still.

[OrangeCrush]

So bigger trucks are more dangerous because they go faster? That's awesome!

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

First of all you used the term "overload". How did you determine you were overloaded? By the payload sticker? You've fallen into the trap already.
I'm not recommending any solution other than common sense. If you feel better driving around with nothing in the truck bed because you think being 1,000 pounds UNDER payload makes you safer, be my guest.
I'm just saying for me, common sense prevailed. If you can explain why leather seats reduce payload from an engineering standpoint, I'd like to hear it.

Hi

As mentioned in an earlier post overloaded = over compared to the specified max axle loading.

Bob

[hikingcamera]

One other thing that is harder to measure with towing safety is drag. Airstreams are far less of a sail than traditional trailers. Ford has started trying to address this by referring to frontal area in their tow guides, but even then, a box behaves differently than round.

To be clear, I’m not saying that means you should exceed your ratings. We don’t. But I wonder how that plays into things. Certainly we have never felt our trailer was pushing our truck around or seen any sway, not up the steep mountain passes of the Pacific Northwest, not on windy coastal drives, not passing giant 18-wheelers. I wonder if a similar size and weight in a boxier form would feel different.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

So bigger trucks are more dangerous because they go faster? That's awesome!

Um, the point is ALL vehicles are more dangerous the faster they go.
IMO and experience, no trailering rig should be driven above 65.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

So bigger trucks are more dangerous because they go faster? That's awesome!

No, you miss it….It’s Bigger HEADS that SuperSize Everything and believe they’re BulletProof and more important than anyone/everyone else on the road.

[hikingcamera]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Um, the point is ALL vehicles are more dangerous the faster they go.
IMO and experience, no trailering rig should be driven above 65.

This is why many states have separate truck speed limits on freeways. And some states, like mine, have max speed limits for all trailers.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by hikingcamera

This is why many states have separate truck speed limits on freeways. And some states, like mine, have max speed limits for all trailers.

Correct.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by hikingcamera

One other thing that is harder to measure with towing safety is drag. Airstreams are far less of a sail than traditional trailers. Ford has started trying to address this by referring to frontal area in their tow guides, but even then, a box behaves differently than round.

To be clear, I’m not saying that means you should exceed your ratings. We don’t. But I wonder how that plays into things. Certainly we have never felt our trailer was pushing our truck around or seen any sway, not up the steep mountain passes of the Pacific Northwest, not on windy coastal drives, not passing giant 18-wheelers. I wonder if a similar size and weight in a boxier form would feel different.

So, although not commonly published for retail consumption, frontal area has been, for many, many decades been a calculation in truck spec'ing....particularly in medium and heavy duty segments. I only performed this calculation on PUs in the commercial segment when a customer had an unusually tall specialty trailer or box (on a cab chassis) truck.

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by Boxite

No, you miss it….It’s Bigger HEADS that SuperSize Everything and believe they’re BulletProof and more important than anyone/everyone else on the road.

Relax guys and no need to get ugly. I was just poking fun at the developing logic. I 100% agree with slowing down and keeping speed at a safe limit.

[Gibson3798]

I didn't vote, but if I had it would have been "never worry". That's because I have my 28' International hitched to a 2500 Ram Diesel.

[KCurtis]

I tow at 65 mph too. The issue nobody seems to understand is when you are faced with having to go from 60 mph to stopping in a very short distance to avoid hitting something in the road.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Um, the point is ALL vehicles are more dangerous the faster they go.
IMO and experience, no trailering rig should be driven above 65.

This Bob agree’s, (with a 4mph + or minus.)

Bob

[gypsydad]

Seems like we go thru this discussion (or many discussions) like this a lot, with the same folks telling us it's "ok" to not follow recommendations from the manufacturers, right?

[hikingcamera]

I need to go digging for it, but when I taught backpacking courses, I often referred to an article that talked about where the majority of backcountry rescues occur. There was a grid on one side was expertise and the other terrain, and the vast vast majority of rescues involved highly experienced individuals on advanced terrain.

I have no studies to reference when it comes to driving, however, anecdotally, it was a big of a running joke in Colorado, that it was always the big trucks and SUVs that you’d see zoom by in the fast lane on snowy mountain passes, and it was the same cars you’d see in snowy ditches on the side of the road later on.