I'm over my GVWR!!! Help!

15177 Views 34 Replies 15 Participants Last post by rgrtitan, Oct 22, 2008

rgrtitan

Discussion Starter · Jan 15, 2008 (Edited)

So my GVWR is 6500lbs,

truck w/ gas: 5500lbs
people: 600lbs (there's 3 of us)
tongue weight: 700lbs (trailer weight: 7000lbs)

That puts me at 6800lbs, 300lbs over!

Would getting helper springs let me have a higher GVWR?

What do I need to do?

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Titan4mde

· #2 · Jan 15, 2008

Your GVWR is dictated by the manufacturer and is mainly due to tires, springs, and axle capacity. Our frames are strong enough, and helper springs might help you handle it a little better, but weight on the axles and tires is still the same.

Now, I can't help but note that if your figures are accurrate, you are ONLY 300lbs over, and that is less than 105% of capacity, and I think you'll be OK!

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redneckpapa1996

· #3 · Jan 15, 2008

I think you will be just fine with only 300 lbs. over GVWR...

Remember to drive the truck like you have a load on it..

Do you have a stabilizer hitch, trailer brakes, brake controller ????

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AZPRO4X

· #4 · Jan 15, 2008

i wouldn't stress over 300#

TitanBlue

· #5 · Jan 15, 2008

Cars (and I suppose many trucks) being over the RGVW, has been in the news lately.

Seems the industry thinks we all weigh 150#, so a car with 5 people should only have 750# payload. Reality is, if 225# a piece, it is 1,125#. So, many vehicles are exceeding their GVW. And then there is the luggage or groceries...

Nissanloyalist

· #6 · Jan 15, 2008 (Edited)

The Firestone air bags are great, but 300 lbs is nothing. If you look at the newer trucks the only difference is the bottom leaf spring is much stouter. The advantage of air bags are a level ride and smoother control and only real concern is tire rating and GCVWR. Do not loose sleep over 300lbs :zzzz: I don't. I am 300 lbs under FAWR and 700 Lbs over RAWR when loaded w/ trailer. My GCVWR is 900 lbs under. Now if your 600+ lbs over your RAWR then I would suggest air bags.

loufish

· #7 · Jan 15, 2008

Although 300 lbs isn't much, I'd load everything I could from the truck to the trailer.
With a 3800 lb rear axle rating, you should still be within that...

Derwud

· #8 · Jan 15, 2008

1. Weigh your trailer, I bet you are heavier than 700lbs.
2. Are you running W/D hitch?
3. consider the air bags
and finally, follow Loufish's comments.

rgrtitan

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 15, 2008

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm looking into buying a hitch, would this one be ok? http://www.etrailer.com/pc-WD~66074.htm , it looks pretty cheap, but it's got a great rating.

Also looking into getting some Goodyear Wrangler AT/S', and maybe some Hellwig Helper Springs.

Is this overkill? It sounds like the Weight Distribution is a must.

Bhudda454

· #10 · Jan 15, 2008

rgrtitan said:
would this one be ok? http://www.etrailer.com/pc-WD~66074.htm , it looks pretty cheap, but it's got a great rating.

Is this overkill? It sounds like the Weight Distribution is a must.

Do Not if you value the safety of your family and your truck buy that hitch. They are useless and lead to flip overs.

http://www.equalizerhitch.com/

This is the only hitch I would ever sell when I sold trailers. You can shop around and get it for about $400 to $ 450. For the love of all things Holy do not buy that other type.

Get some tires that are 10ply, they will ride stiffer, but have less sidewall deflections and are great for towing. With the Equal-I-Zer you will not need springs.

ldizzle_sks

· #11 · Jan 15, 2008

in florida , DOT charges .05 cents for every pound over wieght:gossip:

rgrtitan

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 16, 2008

Bhudda - why is the equalizer better than the reese wd? Which equalizer do you recommend: 4-way or weight distribution? What is bad about the reese version? Thanks to everyone so far for their advice, very helpful.

Idizzle- How do they know you're over your GVWR? When you go to the scales?

Derwud

· #13 · Jan 16, 2008

I run the Equal-I-Zer and love it.. Go to RVwholesalers. c*m for the best price.

As far as the Reese Dual Cam, I know a few people that use it and have no problem...

Get the LT tires and air bags and enjoy the your trailer!!!

loufish

· #14 · Jan 16, 2008

in florida , DOT charges .05 cents for every pound over wieght

When?...Where?...What are you talking about?...

TallTexan

· #15 · Jan 16, 2008

The equalizer hitch is a great hitch. The reese hitch is also a good hitch and is rated highly by those folks that tow daily, as is the equalizer. All costs the same, I would probably go with the Equalizer.;

Bhudda454

· #16 · Jan 16, 2008

The Equal-I-Zer combines the weight distribution bars into the sway control part. Thereby eliminating the need for add on parts. The reese and similar styles require an add on sway control, preferably two for this. The reese style also requires you to use a cheater pipe to "Break Over" the clamp putting the tension on the chain. Broken arm anyone?

All in all I sold a bunch of the Equalizer brand, and few of the others. I even had one guy buy a competitors trailer for the $200 difference of the hitch. Horror story, first trip out he got past by 18wheeler and lost control due to sway. Flipped new trailer, suburban, and with all his family in it. This could have been avoided if his sales person had instructed him in how to correct it, but if they sold him that hitch just to beat my price they didn't teach him that.

As to the fine of being overweight in say FL for example. You have to be in a running gun battle or something equally as stupid for any police to mess with a family RV'ing trip. Simple fix, never pull into scale houses. You can verify your axle weights at any Loves, Flying J, TA, Petro, etc... They all have CAT scales or likewise for a fee.

Hope this helps.

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ldizzle_sks

· #17 · Jan 16, 2008

rgrtitan said:
Bhudda - why is the equalizer better than the reese wd? Which equalizer do you recommend: 4-way or weight distribution? What is bad about the reese version? Thanks to everyone so far for their advice, very helpful.

Idizzle- How do they know you're over your GVWR? When you go to the scales?

DOT can calculate a vehicles gvw by number of axels and there length between each axel, DOT usually only pulls over like duallys or semis , rarely smaller trucks, They also have portable scales in there trunks.

Exocet

· #18 · Jan 17, 2008

Both the Equal-i-zer and the Reese Straight Line combine weight distribution and sway control in one package. The Equal-i-zer reduces sway by lateral friction between the spring bars and the brackets mounted to the trailer. There is also rotation friction with the spring bar sockets in the hitch head. The Reese Straight Line uses a cam mechanism to acheive the same thing. I've never heard anything bad about either one, as long as they are set up properly. I've been happy with my Equal-i-zer hitch. They do creak and groan when turning, but that's normal.

If you do get the Equal-i-zer, make sure you also have an electric tongue jack. You ned to raise the trailer tongue quite a bit to get the spring bars on and off the trailer brackets.

rgrtitan

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 17, 2008 (Edited)

Exocet said:
Both the Equal-i-zer and the Reese Straight Line combine weight distribution and sway control in one package. The Equal-i-zer reduces sway by lateral friction between the spring bars and the brackets mounted to the trailer. There is also rotation friction with the spring bar sockets in the hitch head. The Reese Straight Line uses a cam mechanism to acheive the same thing. I've never heard anything bad about either one, as long as they are set up properly. I've been happy with my Equal-i-zer hitch. They do creak and groan when turning, but that's normal.

If you do get the Equal-i-zer, make sure you also have an electric tongue jack. You ned to raise the trailer tongue quite a bit to get the spring bars on and off the trailer brackets.

Electric Tongue Jack? Not criticizing - Is it that much harder to manually raise it with the crank on the trailer jack that came with it?

I think I'm gonna buy the Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor - lots of good reviews and sounds like it's a lot better for towing than the stock ones. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...e&partnum=77R8WSAOWL&fromCompare1=yes&place=7

And I think I'm gonna buy the Equalizer 1200/12000 (I'm assuming more is better - I mean, it can't hurt any can it?)

BuckyBadger

· #20 · Jan 17, 2008

rgrtitan said:
Electric Tongue Jack? Not criticizing - Is it that much harder to manually raise it with the crank on the trailer jack that came with it?

I bought an electric tounge jack for my TT and it's well worth it for the spring bars, when you are camping in 90degrees and 100%humidity!!!

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