Truck question for pellet loads

tiger said:

Interesting topic and my first post (got my Harmon Accentra 2 days ago). We intend to use a trailer and indeed just got a new one... alas, only rated for 1500LB! (and towed behind a passenger car). The two-trips solution seems ideal -- IF the location is near, like the HD two miles from home. If it's, say, 30-40 miles round trip, not so much. I have not started shopping around for pellets but presume that delivery fees drive up the cost per bag quite a bit.

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Yeah, I'd never load more than 25 bags or so in the back of that little trucky - good rig but it's only a 1/2 ton truck with 3k lb towing capacity . . . It is what it is.

OP hasn't said what model truck he has. Unless I blew past it. Just google your truck. I'm assuming by 1/2 ton you mean 99-06 tundra. Configuration has a lot to do with payload. My 98 Tacoma 4x4 reg cab was rated close to 1800lb while my newer 03 tundra 4x4 ext cab is only rated to 1500lb.

I just have friend or wife go to store with me Throw 12-15 bags off pallet to their ride and have them load pallet in tundra.

Would truck take the extra load? Sure but not safely. At max load there is still some suspension travel. 400lbs over and it is on the bump stops.....

There are people here who would have you believe that if you were to overload your vehicle by ONE POUND, and only a person who had performed a self lobotomy with an ash vac and icepick would be that stupid, that the world will end. Overload your vehicle and your dog will get syphilis, your spouse will leave you, herds of babies will cross the road and you might not be able to stop, the LAW will find out, and worst of all the Geico lizard will blow a big raspberry in your general direction while tearing up your policy. etc. etc. Poppycock. There is an entire industry devoted to making pickup trucks handle their payloads better. There are literally millions of pickups on the roads every day at or over their rated capacity. Where are all the problems, accidents, etc?? There is overloading and there is OVERLOADING. Depends on how much, how far, etc. A prudent person with a "slightly improved" vehicle hauling a load that is a bit overloaded in a cautious manner is a far better prospect than some fool with an unsecured, top heavy load in an ill maintained vehicle with excess capacity operating in a reckless manner.

if it hasn't been said enough here or on other forums...
ford say my truck will pull a train load of pellets, but forget about loading that in the truck.....
like what was stated...your payload is what holds you back..mine is 1700lbs- minus accesories and you/passangers in the truck..so i'm left with 1400lbs me and acc...so thats 35 bags in the bed....or use a good trailer with brakes and haul 11000lbs..just watch the tonque weight...doh! always something.....

rwthomas1 said:

There are people here who would have you believe that if you were to overload your vehicle by ONE POUND, and only a person who had performed a self lobotomy with an ash vac and icepick would be that stupid, that the world will end. Overload your vehicle and your dog will get syphilis, your spouse will leave you, herds of babies will cross the road and you might not be able to stop, the LAW will find out, and worst of all the Geico lizard will blow a big raspberry in your general direction while tearing up your policy. etc. etc. Poppycock. There is an entire industry devoted to making pickup trucks handle their payloads better. There are literally millions of pickups on the roads every day at or over their rated capacity. Where are all the problems, accidents, etc?? There is overloading and there is OVERLOADING. Depends on how much, how far, etc. A prudent person with a "slightly improved" vehicle hauling a load that is a bit overloaded in a cautious manner is a far better prospect than some fool with an unsecured, top heavy load in an ill maintained vehicle with excess capacity operating in a reckless manner.

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One month pregnant is still PREGNANT!

I use my Chevy Impala Pick Up. 10 bags in the trunk, 10 bags in the back seat and 5 bags in the front seat. I compare it to a couple of bodies in the trunk and four full size peoples in the vehicle.

rwthomas1 said:

Depends on how much, how far, etc. A prudent person with a "slightly improved" vehicle hauling a load that is a bit overloaded in a cautious manner is a far better prospect than some fool with an unsecured, top heavy load in an ill maintained vehicle with excess capacity operating in a reckless manner.

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captain obvious has checked in... I want to thank you.. . The actual problem is not all PU drivers are "prudent" Also I'm here to tell you ANYBODY who modifies his truck to...." "slightly improved" vehicle hauling a load " does so at his own peril. NOTHING a truck owner does to his truck can increase the rating of the trucks capacity ...only a certified shop can do that

tjnamtiw said:

One month pregnant is still PREGNANT!

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Man you got that right I wish they would start a section for just talking about trucks and capacities...so I can avoid it easier. To the original poster...this was NOT the place to ask that question. There are hundreds of forums on trucks ..with hundreds of members who work in the industry...actual knowledge of trucks.. Although I have little or no knowledge of the legal end of it, I do know being over loaded and being involved in an accident will most likely make your life un comfortable if the team of lawyers hired to sue you get a "wiff " of it.

iceguy4 said:

...I wish they would start a section for just talking about trucks and capacities...so I can avoid it easier.

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Maybe so, but it's fun to read the different, and dramatically opposed opinions...
I have no problem avoiding threads I have no interest in, it's not that hard..

Dan

Two trips. Do it all the time with my Ranger.

Pete Zahria said:

I have no problem avoiding threads I have no interest in, it's not that hard..

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LOL and your right...maybe its that part of me that I hate...the need to "rubber neck" at an accident scene.. Point taken...

iceguy4 said:

captain obvious has checked in... I want to thank you.. . The actual problem is not all PU drivers are "prudent" Also I'm here to tell you ANYBODY who modifies his truck to...." "slightly improved" vehicle hauling a load " does so at his own peril. NOTHING a truck owner does to his truck can increase the rating of the trucks capacity ...only a certified shop can do that

Man you got that right I wish they would start a section for just talking about trucks and capacities...so I can avoid it easier. To the original poster...this was NOT the place to ask that question. There are hundreds of forums on trucks ..with hundreds of members who work in the industry...actual knowledge of trucks.. Although I have little or no knowledge of the legal end of it, I do know being over loaded and being involved in an accident will most likely make your life un comfortable if the team of lawyers hired to sue you get a "wiff " of it.

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Well,if you're gonna call me Captain Obvious, does that make you Sargent Overblown or Lieutenant Tool? Maybe the Grand Poobah of Pellet Safety....? And NOTHING can be done to increase capacity? You are full of it. Whatever dude, get over yourself.

The only thing you can add to a half ton truck to carry a full ton is a "for sale" sign.

rwthomas1 said:

And NOTHING can be done to increase capacity?

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Yep your 100% right...NOTHING a backyard mechanic can do. 100% right...
Only a certified shop (body company.ect) THEN they make a new door plate(sticker now) that includes their company name. Original door stickers are law and can only be modified by a certified shop. (actually the original sticker stays ...new sticker very near..... DOT Rules have changed...vehicles are now only rated to the weakest link

I think this could haul a couple of tons easy.

hoverwheel said:

I think this could haul a couple of tons easy.

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Nice looking classic Not many of them around! Keep it pretty! Can't believe you hid a 454 under that hood!

fordf150 said:

if it hasn't been said enough here or on other forums...
ford say my truck will pull a train load of pellets, but forget about loading that in the truck.....
like what was stated...your payload is what holds you back..mine is 1700lbs- minus accesories and you/passangers in the truck..so i'm left with 1400lbs me and acc...so thats 35 bags in the bed....or use a good trailer with brakes and haul 11000lbs..just watch the tonque weight...doh! always something.....

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Your looking at being legal that way...BUT the general "rule of thumb" ball hitch = 12 to 15% trailer load on ball..25+-% with 5th wheel 15% of 11000 = 1650 lbs. so its close. I'm here to tell you its not at all comfortable towing something heaver then the tow vehicle. It can get scary VERY fast. and wet pavement ...times 2...snow...times 4... And trailer brakes means hooked up to a controller (empty trailer skids tires with ease)

tjnamtiw said:

One month pregnant is still PREGNANT!

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An exceptionally poor comparison, and you know it. 1lb over is quite differe from 1000lds over.

iceguy4 said:

Yep your 100% right...NOTHING a backyard mechanic can do. 100% right...
Only a certified shop (body company.ect) THEN they make a new door plate(sticker now) that includes their company name. Original door stickers are law and can only be modified by a certified shop. (actually the original sticker stays ...new sticker very near..... DOT Rules have changed...vehicles are now only rated to the weakest link

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You seem to have forgotten the rest of it.... "you're full of it". Yes I, and everyone else understand that the law, dot, etc. may take exception to vehicles being overloaded. That's their job. Now back to the real world where its very, very, very rare for anyone that has even a modicum of sense operating a heavily laden vehicle to get themselves in trouble from the actual operation of said vehicle to the actual law getting involved.

You may have seen the special on TV a few weeks back where there was a big deal about improperly hitched trailers getting loose and causing accidents. The hubub was about @350accidents last year. 10.8 MILLION mva's each year and 350 isn't statistically relevant in any way.

I've looked at the usdot and census data and cannot find anywhere how these dangerously overloaded vehicles are causing problems that one could actually measure. So you point about overloaded vehicles not being legal is valid however there appears to also be no effect from said vehicles eitherway. I'm not going to worry too much about the @150lbs my truck is overweight when there's a ton in the bed, and I don't fear the dot either. They ain't looking for pickups.