Went to a truck show today....semi's on display mostly.
While there, I stopped by the CHP booth. I asked the officer what determines max load rating for vehicles towing RV's in CA. The answer was tire ratings. He told me if he thinks a vehicle towing and RV is overloaded, and he pulls it over, he will look at the tire ratings and will weigh the rear axle. He said as long as the axle weight is under the combined load rating of the rear tires, then the vehicle is not considered overloaded.
I told him if that was the case, then if a TV was loaded right up to the GAWR, then it would exceed the mfg's GVWR. He said yes it would, but that the GVWR is a mfg's rating only, and is not considered by the CHP when determining if a vehicle, such as one towing an RV, is overloaded.
I think he got curious why I was asking the question about max weight, because he asked me if I had a trailer, and I told him I had a 5er. He then asked what the GVWR was for the 5er, because there are DL requirements based on trailer GVWR. I told him I was up on the requirements, and took my license out to show him my restriction 41. I got an "Atta Boy" and a CHP sticker for being aware of the DL law.
'07 Chevy 2500HD Silverado "Classic" CC D/A 4x4
'07 Komfort Trailblazer T252FS fifth wheel
Reese Signature 18K Slider and other stuff.....some useful.....some not
Did you point out the kinds of rigs that most likely might be overweight based on his system?
Serious it it good to hear they deal with the practical and provable. Did he say if he checked the PSI to insure the max load rating applied? Did he say they just do not stop MH's over weight issues if they are not towing?
Quote: be careful harleymedic.i got bumped for saying (wow)
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The CHP sure has changed since I retired in 2003. Rarely, if ever does a beat cop stop somebody for suspecting its overweight. And unless he has portable scales with him, by law he can only take you to a scales within five miles.
Commercial officers, the guys driving pickups are different. They have much more training in that arena and MIGHT take an RV to the scales if his portables are broken, but the chances of getting hit by lightening while holding the winning powerball ticket in your hand is much more likely. There are far too many truckers running amuck to screw around with RVs.
They might stop you if they want a closer look at your rig or have RVing questions.
As a footnote, the commercial guys that worked for me in the San Joaquin Valley would usually weigh your rig if their scales worked and they had them out. They weigh about 60-70 pounds each and are in for repairs most of the time.
Doug and Cassi Glass wrote: Commercial officers, the guys driving pickups are different. They have much more training in that arena and MIGHT take an RV to the scales if his portables are broken, but the chances of getting hit by lightening while holding the winning powerball ticket in your hand is much more likely. There are far too many truckers running amuck to screw around with RVs.
The fellow I spoke with was a commercial officer. And yes, I got the impression that RV's were the least of their concerns when enforcing weight regs. He did say he carries scales with him.
I, up until today, thought that in CA max load was determined by the GVWR, but apparently I have was wrong.
The Calif DMV Handbook has all the needed information. They go by the max limit of 18,000 per axel. After that they go by the weight rating of the tires. The Manufacturer GVWR could be changed up or down just by which radiator they put in the pickup.
I gottta tell you that in 12 years of being an owner operator running in CA I have yet to see a CHP pull a big rig over and weigh it on their portable scale! I am not saying they don't just saying I have never seen it nor do I know a trucker who has. As far as overweight RV's they can't even begin to properly police the trucking industry let alone the RV's on the road.
As long as you are not doing something stupid no self-respecting CHP/HWP officer is going to mess with you. All I have talked to say they look at tires and as long they look inflated and you are not squatting in the rear you won’t get a second look.
With that said the OSHP are all trained in commercial enforcement and can tell if you are over weight just by looking at your rig. And yes here in Ohio they will pull an RV over if they think you’re over weight and call for the scales to come and weight your set-up.
Don
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