1/2 ton towing? Reflection 29rs or 295rl 5th Wheel?

**Jennifer1** · 07-14-2019, 12:10 PM

Happy travels to you, too. We have been to the CAT scales as I mentioned in my very first post and all is good

**Skiddy** · 07-14-2019, 03:09 PM

Jennifer1 - not trying to be an idiot here, but the CAT scale will tell you GCWR (based on front axle, rear axle and trailer axles), great that you checked. It would be interesting to know what the rear axle weight was) If I understand what you've posted, you have sticker "legal" payload of 1996 pounds. With 605 pounds in the truck being hitch plus personal load, your pin weight cannot exceed 1391 pounds. Unless I have misunderstood the data, a 295RL will be over 1450 pounds with just propane and a battery. Your set up before you pack anything is illegal, albeit right on the edge.
That being said, you have taken the responsible steps to increase the truck's payload and that is good, however it does not make it legal.

**Jennifer1** · 07-14-2019, 06:52 PM

Skiddy, thanks for your analysis. Enjoy your travels.

**Banshee94** · 07-14-2019, 09:09 PM

Have to love the weight police, i'm tens pounds over I need a new truck. lol
I know if I had any issues pulling my 295rl I would have purchased a new truck or a class A but we are satisfied and totally safe.
You can't compare a diesel to a 1/2 ton, of course it will pull better with trice the toque, not all of us need that to feel safe. I take my time, it is a vacation after all not a race. I see more 1 ton trucks going way over the speed we should be traveling with a camper (65 mph), is that considered safe, no not at all but since they forget they have a camper behind them they hall ****** weaving thru traffic . Also a lot of them drive in the v formation as there bed is dragging on the ground, front end way high. Hey its a 1 ton so it must be ok. Wish someone would break there balls.
As long as you load your stuff properly and take your time there should be no issue, not saying to overload but 200 pounds of extra hitch will not break the bank especially if you made mods to to adapt for it.
Unless you are the weight police, watch out them.

**Skiddy** · 07-14-2019, 10:35 PM

Banshee94 - actually you are saying to overload, assuming we are talking about using a Tow vehicle with a not to exceed legal load of 1996 pounds and you are loading more than 1996 pounds. It is not horse shoes or hand grenades where close counts. If it was, our laws might allow certified professionals to make changes and update a payload sticker. To my knowledge, that doesn’t exist. The law certainly doesn’t allow an owner to ignore limits because they have added or tweaked their equipment. Operator comfort is huge, you have to feel confident and at ease with what you have. Use rubber bands if you want, up to you. You are absolutely right, we all see lots of folks with really bad setups including those who might make DIY mods or Be talked into mods by a dealer to sell a unit by making something the customer needs out of the not up to spec something the customer has, Maybe that’s the issue here, there are no weight police, just other RVers trading comments. It is all good.

**Chiefblueman** · 07-14-2019, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by Skiddy

Jennifer1 - not trying to be an idiot here, but the CAT scale will tell you GCWR (based on front axle, rear axle and trailer axles), great that you checked. It would be interesting to know what the rear axle weight was) If I understand what you've posted, you have sticker "legal" payload of 1996 pounds. With 605 pounds in the truck being hitch plus personal load, your pin weight cannot exceed 1391 pounds. Unless I have misunderstood the data, a 295RL will be over 1450 pounds with just propane and a battery. Your set up before you pack anything is illegal, albeit right on the edge.
That being said, you have taken the responsible steps to increase the truck's payload and that is good, however it does not make it legal.

Exceeding the payload rating posted on the yellow sticker of a non commercial vehicle is not illegal.

**Banshee94** · 07-15-2019, 07:44 AM

Skiddy, actually for the record I even said not to overload.

**Skiddy** · 07-15-2019, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Chiefblueman

Exceeding the payload rating posted on the yellow sticker of a non commercial vehicle is not illegal.

As usual, thanks for the information and education, much appreciated. Perhaps the more correct statement would be ill-advised rather than illegal. Respecting manufacturer’s load figures is advisable, IMO.

**saguido** · 07-15-2019, 07:11 PM

So, if the dealer would say.."before I can sell you this trailer, please weigh your truck and bring the receipt". If the dealer were to purchase a scale (less than $300) they could determine the actual pin weight of your possible purchase, give a "standard" allowance for gear and passengers, then give the customer a pretty good idea if they will be exceeding any limits. How can the dealer escape all responsibility for this? If I go to a bar and drink too much, sure I have some blame, but the bar has responsibility to stop serving when a person appears to have hit their limit, and they can be liable.

**Chiefblueman** · 07-15-2019, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Skiddy

As usual, thanks for the information and education, much appreciated. Perhaps the more correct statement would be ill-advised rather than illegal. Respecting manufacturer’s load figures is advisable, IMO.

I don't disagree with you, Skiddy. I would never advise someone to exceed their payload sticker. It's an individual decision. I would ask where do you draw the line? If I'm 100 lbs over payload do I need to get a new truck? 200 lbs? Is that 3/4 ton truck that has a 2500lb payload but has tires and axles rated equally to the 1 ton version unsafe at a couple hundred lbs over payload? There are those that would say yes, others no. But it isn't illegal.

BTW, I was at a park a couple of weeks ago where I saw a gentleman with a 2003 Chevy 2500 towing an enormous 41 ft 5th wheel. Asked him how she towed, he said he hardly knew it was back there.