Towing a full size pick up truck

[suenmike]

Woof woof, I take it your Thor is the V 10 Triton, not a diesel? If so that is exactly what my setup will be. Thank you

[gmc]

Originally Posted by Woofwoof

Not to disparage anyone here, but on every forum and every site the weight police are deputized and in full force. I have been towing a 2017 Ram 1500 4WD Crew Cab Laramie for about a year with absolutely no problems. I have Blue Ox Avail tow bars, Brake Buddy Vantage Select, 10k lbs safety cables, and I always use the breakaway cable. I have a 2014 coach with the older 5000lbs hitch and I know for a fact I’m a few hundred pounds over that with my set up. I inspect the hitch, where it attaches to the frame, and my equipment before and after every trip and I have no issues. I was towing a 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara prior to this truck and my Ram actually tows much better. I hardly know it’s back there. With the Jeep I hardly used the tow/haul mode, but with the heavier truck I use the mode in traffic and hilly areas. With the tow/haul mode my Brake Buddy actually activates less with the truck than it did with the Jeep. I do most of my traveling in the hilly and rough roads of the Northeast with no problems at all. With the right equipment you will have no issues towing a full sized pick up within your coach.

Tow what you want... You of course don't mention anything about your combined weight... And can make quite a difference how loaded the rig is when towing which was the point of at least my post.

When asked for advice, I will not suggest someone exceed the stated capacities - and will provide info on how to determine if within those limits... but they are of course free to do as they wish and I won't be the one 'policing' it...

Of course if something breaks being over limits, the pieces, tickets, and liability are also theirs to keep.

[Laco]

The big risk, if you are over GCVW, if there is any kind of accident, your insurance will disavow liability, since you were not legal. That leaves you completely exposed for any and all liabilities that may occur. Not a risk I would even consider taking. Any police agency. involved, will cite the fact that you were out of compliance with the legal published limits of your vehicle. Having said that, go ahead and tow what you want, but if you are over GCVW please stay at least a hundred miles from wherever I am.

[Woofwoof]

Originally Posted by suenmike

Woof woof, I take it your Thor is the V 10 Triton, not a diesel? If so that is exactly what my setup will be. Thank you

Yes Suenmike, I have the V10 gas. I also have the 5Star tuner, it takes the annoyingly loud and constant downshifts away. Good luck; my combo tows like a dream.

[Woofwoof]

Originally Posted by Laco

The big risk, if you are over GCVW, if there is any kind of accident, your insurance will disavow liability, since you were not legal. That leaves you completely exposed for any and all liabilities that may occur. Not a risk I would even consider taking. Any police agency. involved, will cite the fact that you were out of compliance with the legal published limits of your vehicle. Having said that, go ahead and tow what you want, but if you are over GCVW please stay at least a hundred miles from wherever I am.

Sorry, but this is not true. Insurance companies cannot absolve themselves out of paying claim for improper or illegal acts of their insured, or because your over a little sticker stuck to the side of the motorhome. If so they would never pay a claim for any incident. If you are struck by a drunk driver does that mean you’re not entitled to payment for damage or injury? The answer is no. They still have to pay no matter what. If this was the case they would have investigators on every claim and they would never pay a dime to anyone. If someone runs a stop sign and strikes you, that is an improper and illegal (citeable offense) so the insurance company doesn’t have to pay you to repair your car? Yes the police may cite you, but not every incident on the road gets a citation. I’m not advocating that anyone go out wild west style and tow a 45’ double stacker race trailer with 2 cars and tools in the back. But in the same breath if you have the right equipment, drive safely, and inspect your rig your are not going to kill everyone on the road that comes within a few hundred miles of you, and you are not going to blow up your motor if you slightly go over a little yellow sticker with a number that is printed on it that has a built in safety factor.

[suenmike]

Thanks Woofwoof

[Laco]

Don't really want to argue about this, but before I bow out of the thread, even if you manage to convince the insurance company they are liable, how smart is it, really to intentionally overload the manufactures specifications? If you want to tow a heaver load, get a bigger, heaver tow vehicle, its just a poor and unsafe practice to drive an overloaded vehicle.

[16ACE27]

Glad you chimed in woof woof. I don't know where people come up with these old wives tales. Insurance protects you even if you do stupid or illegal things, otherwise they would never pay when you were at fault in an accident or if someone without a license stole your vehicle and caused an accident.

[Bob Denman]

With over 39 years in the insurance business; I can safely state that there is no exclusion for "Stupidity", in any insurance policy sold in the United States.

We come across this falsehood all of the time in the motorcycle forums, when someone wants to move to the "Dark Side"

(Relax: that's just when you decide to put an automotive tire on your motorcycle. )

[gmc]

Originally Posted by Tfryman

Glad you chimed in woof woof. I don't know where people come up with these old wives tales. Insurance protects you even if you do stupid or illegal things, otherwise they would never pay when you were at fault in an accident or if someone without a license stole your vehicle and caused an accident.

Agree insurance doesn't have exclusions for 'stupid or illegal' for liability coverage... but liability can exceed policy limits... And chargeable accidents/violations usually result in higher rates at renewal... Or cancelled policies.

[Bob Denman]

Yup...

[Allan Cooper]

Just jumping in the discussion now. Did you weigh your RV? What was the number? Did you decide to go ahead with your plans after all? Thanks

[Dan-sr@perra-us.net]

Originally Posted by Allan Cooper

Just jumping in the discussion now. Did you weigh your RV? What was the number? Did you decide to go ahead with your plans after all? Thanks

This thread is 6-years old at this point. It is unlikely you will get a response from the OP.

With that in mind my 2018 Thro ACE 30.3 has an 8,000 # hitch. The GVWR is 18,000 # and the CVWR is 23,000. So, the math says that if my coach were fully loaded to 18,000 # and I put an 8,000 TOAD that would result in a GCVW of 26,000 #, 3,000 # over the GCVWR. In order to tow 8,000 # I would have to keep the motorhome at or below 15,000#. In my case my Loaded coach weighs in at 17,250 # and my Jeep Gladiator Rubicon TOAD weighs in at 5,200 # which results in a combined weight of 22,450 #, 550# under the 23,000# GCVWR. As for towing I have not done the mountains in Colorado yet, but I have gone through New Mexico and Arizona on I-40 with no troubles towing. In fact, there is a a night and day difference comparing the 2018 ACE with the F53 chassis and the V10 to my 1996 Allegro on a Chevy P30 chassis with a Fuel injected 454 Chevy big block. Where the 454 struggled pulling sustained hills like what I encountered in NM, and AZ this last winter the V10 was able to pull the hills with no problems. Where the Chevy 454 pulling a 6,000 # lighter motorhome with a 3800 # TOAD could not keep up with trucks, the V10 not only kept pace but often maintained 65 - 70 MPH going uphill where trucks would slow down to 45 - 50 on the same hill.