Payload

[Harvey]

In Arizona which provides the valid/legal payload: The sticker inside left door or the a piece of paper in glove box titled: Consumer Information: Truck Camper Loading.

The difference between the cargo weights shown in these 2 are immense.

Thanks

[David]

Legal for what purpose?

For registration, you typically register the vehicle for whatever weight you want to pay for. It does not have to match either the placard on the door frame or the “Consumer information.”

The “Consumer Information” sheet is just information. You don’t have to have a truck camper as heavy as the sheet permits; the camper listed is chosen to allow you ample cushion for an unspecified number of passengers and miscellaneous “stuff.” You are free to make other compromises if you wish.

For driving down the road, you can load your truck as heavy or as light as you wish. Doesn’t matter if it’s a truck camper in your box or a load of gravel. You may get fined if you’re exceeding what you paid for on your registration, but usually not for exceeding the placard weight.

Many trucks are not even titled with the actual weight, the title for mine when I bought it stated a GVWR that was less than the empty curb weight of the truck!

Additionally, on my truck, the placard weight is stated conditionally, i.e., “with this particular tire combination, the GVWR is X.”

[Harvey]

Thanks for reply.

Legal meaning cargo/payload and GVWR actual weights do not exceed the ratings for the vehicle ratings which may or may not be what the door sticker shows.

Legal meaning so I can safely drive the thing (I am not talking about safely drive as in correct speed limits, proper turning, tire pressure! – Have driven 18 wheelers HAZMAT for 20 years).

Legal meaning so I can not be held negligent for exceeding the limits. I am not talking about 100 lbs over but with the Consumer Info sheet limit I would be 800 or more over cargo weight with the TC on and loaded weight!

I had done lots of research and calculation and weighing of items before purchasing truck knowing that I planned on a Laredo SC and knowing that its dry weight plus camping load came well within the trucks capacity, until I saw this crazy Consumer (maybe DIS)Information.

Several people have already said the Consumer sheet shows what max the TC can weigh. But that is incorrect.

The sheet states
TOTAL CARGO LOAD =
Mfr Camper Weight +
Addl Camper Equip (solar panel, propane bottles, etc) +
Camper Cargo (food, water, clothing……..) +
Passengers

AND

The TOTAL CARGO LOAD should not exceed the CARGO WEIGHT RATING (CWR) , and the CWR is what the Consumer Sheet shows as way under sticker rating.

I’ve read on other forums about this now and folks with exact same situation of picking up new truck only to find this absurd paper which makes people feel got screwed with their purchase. This has gone on for years apparently and there is no will from the 3 truck manufacturers and their dealers, RV dealers or NHTSA to correct/explain the sheet and why it deviates immensely from the manufacturers label.

[Mello Mike]

The payload certification form found in your glovebox in the manufacturer’s way of CYA. Stay below the GVWR of your truck and you’ll be fine.

[Harvey]

Thanks Mike. A Ford engineer has basically solved discussion and answer is what I figured. Deduct passenger weight (Ford uses a standard 150lbs per person) from Cargo Load on sticker, remainder is for your cargo – hogs, feathers or truck campers with their supplies.

The problem that nobody it seems wants to deal with, maybe because I think the form that caused my doubts is a standard gov’t form has a very incorrect text about Total Cargo Load and Cargo Weight Rating. IF you do the math the text suggests for my truck about 1000 lbs of payload vanishes into thin air, but only when you put a TC on the truck!

THE END.

[John Powell]

In some states the trucks can be registered as a car if they have a camper, so no weight fees. When my camper is off I put my shell back on. The weight sticker inside the door post is for commercial use as a hauler with a commercial license on the outside of the truck. Like a car your passengers may overload the vehicle based on the sticker inside the door. I don’t know of very many people who weigh their passengers and their car.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t weigh your loaded pickup and install tires, wheels and suspension that can carry the weight safely, including air pressure, which is most critical. Then you must drive accordingly for your vehicle and load which you would have to do even if all your numbers coincided with the door sticker. While the door sticker has a lot of nice info it doesn’t mention rollover height limitations, this like all other factors on upon the driver.

Aircommuter

[ardvark]

When addressing what is legal it is seldom the case that weight enters into tickets, etc. Think of the last time or the ever time when you heard of someone hauling non-commercially being stopped for a weight violation. In a discussion I had personally with a leo, he said they do not even more note of weight or weight ratings here in Tennessee. I think there are plenty of reason not to become overly concerned about being ticketed although there are good reasons not to run over your ratings.

Here is Tennessee I drive up to our county clerk to register my F350. She asks if I am hauling commercial. I say no maam, I use my truck to haul my RV and that is that. Registering non-commercial use is the same as a car. Truck campers here are also not registered as they are regarded as cargo, not titled.

Motto here is there is a lot of variance between states.

Steve and Andra
2012 F350 6.2 gasser SRW LB
Fab Fours front and rear in case we run into a rhino
2019 Northstar Laredo SC

[John Powell]

That is true, here in crooked and over regulated CA the DMV comes out to look and see if you have camper or shell attached, then the plates issued are coinciding with car number sequences, if the cops see a miss match, another words your truck with car plates and no camper they pull you over and start writing. If you hsve a purchase agreement with you to go get a camper you are OK. They don’t want you escaping those weight fees as you are cutting in to the funds that make there way into their pocket, either with pay raises or their 90% retirement at age 50.

Aircommuter

[Harvey]

Thanks for replies. The topic can be closed at least I’ve got the answers and also the truck and TC is on its way and all is fine.

[Author]

Posts