How Big A Load?

loneframer

When I was 17, I had an overload of torn off shingles on a 72 C10. Shocks were gone, coil springs on the front and rear. 60 miles an hour on the highway and a few dips in the road..... I was turning the wheel from the 9 o'clock to the 3 o'clock position to stay between the lines and the truck wasn't responding. I think the front end was aeroplaning. Oh, yes I liked it.

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Paulie

I had to think on this one a bit. There have been so many. I guess the best was hauling a bobcat in a dump trailer to a hitch on a beat Chevy half ton v-6 extended cab. I've got used to the front end in the air thing and totally out of control steering but it was the when it was time to brake when my knuckles really turned white.
www.phbconstruction.com

shanekw1

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shanekw1

Sounds exactly like something I would expect from my wife.

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tgeb

A few years ago, one of our local businessmen was killed in an auto accident. He was the owner of a landscape construction company and had a very good reputation. Had three kids, his wife died a year or so before from cancer and heart issues.

The truck he was driving was hit head on by another truck that was over loaded with pallets of sod. The driver of the overloaded truck, (who should be in jail), fled back south of the border.
The overloaded truck was so light in the front end that it could not stay in its lane on a curve. It crossed over the center of the road and there was no way for "our" guy to avoid the crash.

A good friend of mine adopted the children, and the oldest boy has since started his own company, wanting to follow in his Dad's foot steps.

The vehicles we drive have gross weight ratings for a reason. Now I know that the ratings do have a margin of safety and can be operated safely with greater loads than is indicated on the door sticker.

But please be aware that an overloaded vehicle can become uncontrollable, and when it does it is too late to go back and lighten the load a few hundred pounds.

It is better to make 2 trips sometimes, than it is to push the envelope.

Be safe.

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Tom

www.gebcon.com

shanekw1

Very sobering reminder of the need to be safe and aware of your vehicles limits

And good on your friend.

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tgeb

Thanks Shane.

I didn't mean to bring the thread down, or lay any guilt or anything on any of you guys. I love the stories, and I too am guilty of pushing the limits of all my trucks and equipment.

Just something about this topic, today, made me think of this particular event.

Carry on with the stories. The 17 sq of shingles in an Astro Van I think takes it.

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Tom

www.gebcon.com

shanekw1

I just happen to have an Astro in the driveway.........

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Tinstaafl

How ironic that it was someone in [more or less?] the same trade.

Yes, thanks for the sobering reminder that it's not just fun amusement park rides. Funny as some of the anecdotes may be, my shoulders ache when I even think about driving like that. But I have, and most likely will again. <sigh>

It still blows me away though, how some drivers just totally fail to feel the wrongness when overloaded like that.

WarnerConstInc.

I always had 3/4 and 1 ton vehicle's and always had trailers to haul stuff on/in.

3/4 ton Burban has towed about 14k-16k, maybe more, large bobcat excavator and a bunch of crap for geo loop hook-ups.

If I don't feel like I could stop what I am towing, I wouldn't want to to it. I will pull what ever vehicle is stuck out though (that's fun)

I knew a guy that towed a D3 with a 1 ton dodge dually.

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TempestV

This. Going is optional. Stopping is mandatory.

dougger222

Had a pallet of Landmarks in the back of the F350 a couple years ago, 4k lbs. Most weight across the scales in that truck with dump trailer was 28,600 lbs. Same trailer with Excursion 25,500 lbs. Have towed heavier loads with the F250 but the dump didn't have a scale back then.

One thing for sure, the dually holds weight a lot better than the SRW or SUV. Towing the dump trailers is night and day.