Max towing

[Masterelec2018]

My mistake

 

[RichLo]

How, is it a 10.5 FF or 9.5 semi? lol

 

[Masterelec2018]

It's a 9.5 I had it messed up

 

[stutaeng]

What ratio do you have on that axle? You said even if you swap gear, "your" CGWR is 15k, and your truck weighs 5180#. That leaves a trailer allowance of 9820#, and you are trying to tow 14k lbs?

You are still looking at swapping engine, transmission (also needs driveshaft shortenend?) and axle regear? Have you priced a junkyard transmission recently? That's a lot of time, money and headaches, and you still would be grossly overloaded by the original specifications (or even if you had a 2500/3500, still overloaded, just not as much). I'm sorry, but I'm trying to follow your logic, but I'm not following you. Is this for a business or personal use?

Perhaps it's a regional thing? Around here RCLB GMT400 2500s are pretty cheap still. I see them as cheap as $2500, just not pretty. Beater GMT800 2500HD are a bit more, but still reasonable. It's amazing to me that those are the same or actually often cheaper than 1500s of the same generation. Everyone and their buddy want to drive a short bed in the city, so I'm assuming that's why 1500 prices are higher (everyone wants $6000 for their beat up 1500s with 250k miles, LOL), for a truck that is less "truck" than a 2500+. Please tell me if you disagree or if I'm crazy.

 

[RichLo]

I agree, this thread has turned into an 'I'm going to do it anyway' thread. You asked for advice and we gave it.

IMO the best advice in here was to get a dually. At least then you have the higher factory rating for the law if you get into an accident. You can play dumb if you slightly overloaded a relatively stock 3500 dually but not so easy if you grossly overloaded a heavily modified 1500.

You can still LS swap the dually if you want but you'll have the better 10.5FF, 4l80, thicker frame, heavy suspension, brakes, etc. You can even get a 15,000lb 3500HD since you dont need 4wd.

You can still keep your current rig for lighter duties but you really need a better base for your needs.

 

[jhornsby3]

This is one of those things where some just don't know. Dad had a guy "borrow" his 2000 ECLB 1500 with the "camper special" options. Pulled a mini ex and was pulled over overweight. Dad had to take care of the whole mess, as he was the owner of the pick up. I have also seen my BIL put a cab over camper on his 1993 2500 and same thing, got an overweight. There was a guy in the diesel club that had a rebuilt running gear get stopped in a 1500 that was all one ton from the frame down and when they ran the VIN, he got an overweight along with a bunch of other tickets.

Having to deal with company vehicle registrations on everything from dump trucks, equipment haulers, water trucks to the 1/2 ton pick ups, it will all come down to the VIN not what you put under the frame. And an overweight ticket can be just a fine to having your driving yanked from you. Pulling a skid will put you in the realm of a commercial operation. So no matter what, you will look like someone that has a CCB or a contractor. And this is where the fines WILL go up.

And lets revisit the wreck issue. Being as you appear to be a commercial contractor, you having a half ton VIN pulling the weight, you will be automatically, at fault.

The choice is yours to make. But when I was looking at and bought a 12,000 pound boat on a trailer, I chose to buy a K3500 diesel pick up. Knowing I would be increasing that weight by about 1000 lbs after all my families "stuff". Yeah, I know a 2500 could pull that safely, I choose to err on the side of safety. I know I can make it home, but I don't want to be the reason little Susie in the back seat of her mommie's car, doesn't make it home when around my rig rolling. 15 years now of heavy haul trucking and I always try to play it safe. Even when I was pulling a removable goose neck (63' long) with a D-11 dozer with only two chains on a Texas oil lease road.

 

[Tomahawk 309]

^^^ exactly right. DOT won't play if they stop you pulling that skid. As soon as they run the tag they know it's a 1500 and you will get a 4 figure ticket after they weigh you.....not worth the risk

 

[Supercharged111]

^^^ exactly right. DOT won't play if they stop you pulling that skid. As soon as they run the tag they know it's a 1500 and you will get a 4 figure ticket after they weigh you.....not worth the risk

Granted there's no question a 1500 would be over, but what does the DOT use to determine if you're overweight? They're not carrying brochures from the 90s around with tow ratings.

 

[Schurkey]

Granted there's no question a 1500 would be over, but what does the DOT use to determine if you're overweight? They're not carrying brochures from the 90s around with tow ratings.

Isn't that cataloged as part of the vehicle registration from new? It may/may not be printed on the registration card, but I bet it's in the state computer along with what the truck sold for originally, etc.

Things may/may not get more complex if the truck has been sold to a variety of owners in different states. I'd kinda expect that every state would be recording all that info from whatever sources they have--perhaps direct from the manufacturer via VIN.

 

[Supercharged111]

Isn't that cataloged as part of the vehicle registration from new? It may/may not be printed on the registration card, but I bet it's in the state computer along with what the truck sold for originally, etc.

Things may/may not get more complex if the truck has been sold to a variety of owners in different states. I'd kinda expect that every state would be recording all that info from whatever sources they have--perhaps direct from the manufacturer via VIN.

Not sure. My MI registration mentions a fee cat or wt 26001, but at face value that sounds more like how they determine what to stick you for every year on reg fees.