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Old 02-10-2011, 03:59 PM   #71
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

BTW - I forgot to mention that Tire Ratings are an enforceable legal weight limit in most states (inc. OR), and this is one limit that SMB owners are likely to encounter when fully loaded.

FWIW - here is an Oregon publication regarding max weights and dimensions. This encompasses numerous laws, and also includes RVs, and also light trucks towing non-RV trailers.

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/MCT/docs/size_weight.pdf

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Old 02-10-2011, 05:54 PM   #72
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

Both links pertaining to commercial vehicles cb.
Not seeing the light duty/passenger vehicle GVWR upgrades.

I am not understanding your persistence to compare a light duty vehicle (pick-up truck & van) to commercial vehicles, other than since your weight isn't checked by DOT... build it up, load it up, never mind the GVWR.

I hope more sensible minds prevail.

Sorry to bother people with commercial regulation and using your own common sense on a 'how much does your van weigh' thread.
I'll get to a scale sometime soon with mine. Probably stock weight plus apprx an additional 1500 lbs 4wd gear.

daveb, I would guess SMB wouldn't build spring packs to hold 12,500, knowing their potential liability on setting up a customer to run farther over GVWR than they already are (sometimes).
Overloading is probably DIY.

Kind of like how some 4x4 shops won't put a suspension lift and a body lift on your vehicle.
Obviously people do it, but you are pushing c o g there...
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Old 02-10-2011, 06:53 PM   #73
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

I'm not sure about the ins and outs of weight as far as the DOT goes. The DOT isn't going to come to court to testify about the regs.

My post has nothing to do with the DOT regs. It's about court and civil suits. That is where the liability lies. It may be that the bus loaded with the school's girls soccer team shouldn't have stopped where they did. But they did and you hit them. Oops! 40 kids, 80 parents and 100 lawyers go after your highly modified vehicle. How much more clear can I say it. Don't tell anyone publicly your vehicle is technically overweight, if it is.
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Old 02-10-2011, 07:05 PM   #74
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

Quote:
Originally Posted by maxacceleration
Kind of like how some 4x4 shops won't put a suspension lift and a body lift on your vehicle.
Obviously people do it, but you are pushing c o g there...
Body lift keeps your COG down. There are enough other reasons not to do them, but I don't think COG is one of them.
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Old 02-10-2011, 07:11 PM   #75
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jage
Body lift keeps your COG down.
As opposed to a suspension lift.
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Old 02-10-2011, 08:11 PM   #76
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

If I wreck, I'm sure my van will yard sale enough items into the trees and bushes that it will be under GVWR when scooped onto a flatbed.
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Old 02-10-2011, 08:24 PM   #77
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

I really don’t know $#it about modifications or converted vehicles but have been told by sources that it’s not a problem in my case. Definitely could be wrong and I don’t know what other states require or if it’s even in their jurisdiction.

If I'm not mistaken, here in good ole Ca, light duty pickups are commercial rated. I pay commercial rates on my van and pickup. If you rebuild a light duty truck and turn it into a heavy duty truck are you in violation? It sure is done all the time by many industries...at least in Ca. The problem is anybody can sue anybody for anything and most of these idiots go after deep pockets. A buddy of mine was parked legally off the road when a guy lost control in his vehicle and hit his truck. My buddy was 20% at fault because he was parked there (in a legal parking spot)...no law was broken except by the driver who hit him that was cited for driving too fast for the conditions.

As far as SMB, I can't really say or speak for them. Because they are a manufacture, they might be under different laws than me, but my van came off the line so overweight when it was new, that any equipment would have taken it over the limit and I had them add a leaf to compensate for the extra weight. That was before they added the roof rack, glass solar panels and a second 4-D battery. I think you have a case if all that equipment was loaded to a stock van that has a substandard undercarriage. Same with wheels...if you add load so the wheels are over their rated rate and you get into a wreck because of a broken wheel, you might be at fault. So you put on wheels that are rated correctly or above OME. Anybody can state that "anything changed from stock is illegal". I had to switch to a properly rated wheel other than the stock wheels my van came with because of how heavy the build became. I was just at the tire limit and switched to E rated tires ASAP. At that time there weren’t too many wheels to choose from, but SMB (and Blackstone tire) switched from stock. There are vehicles all over the place that have changed from OME stuff.

As long as you stay at or above the OME, I would think you have an ace in the hand when it comes to a court issue…err, I hope, but like I said, anybody can sue for any reason and I’m far from a law expert. If CHP doesn’t require me to hit the scales, I’m not worried…my van has equipment that is above what OME supplies so I feel fairly safe. I’m gonna have to ask the fleet manager to see if they can legally change those plates on our fleet trucks.

I just don’t know for sure
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Old 02-10-2011, 08:59 PM   #78
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

Quote:
Originally Posted by maxacceleration
Both links pertaining to commercial vehicles cb.
Not seeing the light duty/passenger vehicle GVWR upgrades.
The regulations pertaining to weight applies to ALL vehicles. It does not matter whether commercial or not. The law makes no differentiation. There is no law pertaining to OEM GVWR. Feel free to prove me wrong on that one.
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Old 02-11-2011, 12:44 AM   #79
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

Well I lost a reply that I worked on for 45 minutes lol.

Please use good judgement when you overload your vans (oxymoron?).
And let common sense prevail.
As carringb himself said, 'Vehicle dynamics is a complicated topic, and small changes can have adverse affects'.
Think about that when you have your kids loaded up in your vehicle.

I'm running mine under GVWR and GCWR.

I will not pursue the argument (conversation) further.

Cheers and no hard feelings.

Hit the road Jack

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Old 02-15-2011, 10:54 AM   #80
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Re: How much does your van weigh?

I enjoy the spirited discussion.

All other arguements aside, operating your SMB over the GVWR (or any other weight specification) puts you in danger of receiving a notice of denial of coverage letter from your insurance carrier. This will be important to you if someone is seeking a large amount of money from you. Even if you don't tell someone, I suspect weight of a modified van is one of the first 3 things your insurance carrier will check when they are faced with a $10 million lawsuit to pay for someone's lifetime medical care. Remember, they are businesses looking for valid reasons to deny your claim.

Tom

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