Thanks. That is kind of what I thought. As a non-commercial tower, I am much more afraid of my insurance company and lawyers than I am of the law.

Im not trying to pick a fight or keep this going, especially in a negative route, but there are weight stations for a reason, just not to check on weight for overweight vehicles for road damage and bridge weight limit capacities.

I would also bet good money that the max weights and limits established by the vehicle manufacturer are there for good reason, not due to an un-informed salesman.

I personally dont think its a good idea to tow over the manufacturers rated capacities. They are there for a reason. Why chance dealing with DOT, an accident due to something going wrong, resulting in the total loss of what your towing, the tow vehicle, surrounding vehicles, or the possibility of substantial bodily harm or even death of a passenger, yourself or someone else around if something goes wrong.

The police, insurance companies and lawyers would have a field day with someone over the limits or capacities I would bet, and the least important in this type of instance, denying an insurance claim for property damage.

Just dont see the sense in taking the chance. I tow an expensive large load, and use a big truck more than rated to do so legally. I can legally tow 20,000 conventional and over 30,000lbs 5th wheel, without air brakes or DOT certification needed. I like the big truck, big brakes, and dual wheels. I have this not to be a high roller, but because its whats needed to be legal, and for my own piece of mind. Lastly, yea it is a nice truck though.

I get checked by weight stations multiple times a day every day and pass 100% Do I need to post pics of my inspection reports!! LOL! Already posted pics of my loads!

I listed reasons why they are there, and the uniformed salesman lie to make money, could care about the product they sell, and have no clue how to even change their own oil, let alone tow a trailer. They lie about stuff like insurance to sell a more expensive truck. Insurance companys will insure ANYTHING, you just have to pay for it.

commercially speaking if you or I are hauling what we are licensed for and plated for then we are legal.

If you insurance company knows what you have and what you haul then you are covered. No different then if you have a 110mph boat but say its only 75mph. Then yeah they wont cover it. But tell the truth and they will design a policy for your need.

Lawyers, well we all know they can do whatever you want. Living life worried about that is a waste of time. The guy who crosses all his T's and I's can be prosocuted for murder from a stranger if someone feels like doing it. Even is he is 100% innocent, he still has to hire a lawyer to defend himself.

BTW if you were towing commercially over 26,000lbs you WOULD need a Class A CDL with your rig. But since your recreational you can slide by. So how is that safe, that you can tow more then a commercial driver without the testing, training, etc? Just shows how weird the laws are.

Yeah you might think I am taking a chance, and if you don't want to I undestand. But with over a million miles accident free commercially towing, the odds are looking good in my favor!

Not everyone on here has a boat as large or heavy as yours but still are pressured into a DRW when its not needed or safer, sometime even less safe. Your boat isnt even that big IMO, I would tow it with my truck all day 1 finger on the wheel!

BTW, no fight being picked, just enjoying the winter conversation!

If its John P's Black Thunder No Compromise, Then its a sweet trailer! Not only does he own the bravo shop (B-MAX) he also owns a welding shop. Great Guy to deal with.

Endevor, Post some pics of the trailer they just built you! Amazing work! Not a gooseneck but I know they could build you whatever you want!

Tripps - do you have a CDL?

I writing below here not to argue, your remarks got me thinking about many unpleasant memories so I'm writing but not to you, just in general, please no disrespect of you intended just wanting to get something off my chest.

The insurance denial statement comes up alot on here, but I have yet to hear anyone say "I was denied". Insurance covers you for being negligent ie you're speeding and have an accident with your car, you had bald tires and skidded off the road, ran a red light all of which you are covered both for yourself and God forbid innocent people. Negligent is equal to being stupid and as my father always said "can't put you in jail for being stupid".

Weigh stations are money makers but they do serve a fundamental function which is to ensure your axle weights are correct for stopping and bridge laws. How many trucks before a scale adjust the position of the 5th wheel to cross the scales and a few miles down slide it back again to take some weight off the steer and make it ride smoother - many! If they wrecked, cause deaths, etc the insurance still covers and they were breaking a "law" not a manufacturers rating.

Comments about harm and maybe death because something is not right, that is hard to live it and I for one do not advocate balantant overweight running because it does kill people all the time.

I'm not proud but after 500 million miles plus I still remember every accident where a driver, a co-driver, a man driving under an overpass in Atlanta going to work and our truck coming over the gaurd rail and meeting him, to roll overs, running a stop light and t-boning an Ill Trooper all met their end - they all stay in my head to this date some over 30 years ago. I have plenty of blood to go around.

The reason I make statements about tire contact pressure or load balance has nothing to do winning a debate on here but there is a science and to dispute some of it becuase of gut emotions of DRW or SRW that in itself is just as negligent as the overwieght truck in my mind but should that mean anything?

What if you're driving a DRW on a wet or snowy road empty and can't stop because you're skidding and hit a car where two people die (it has happened I'm sure) - is that negligent or criminal because you knew the DRW was not as good as a SRW empty but drove it anyway?

Again, thank God we have choices and some of us can afford them more than others - in North Korea you might not have a choice?

PS - we never ever, not even 1 time were held liable for any kind of mechanical failure that ultimately caused a major accident, that I am very proud of, in our fleets maintenance was always first and foremost!

Wow, and we're not even 1/3 through winter yet.

I get the whole PSI across the contact patch aspects.
But there are dozens of other variables! If I was running 12" wide tires on a SRW and 6" wide tires on a DRW, then what??? Tire compounds, braking capability (ABS)(and skill--threshold braking), air pressures, tread design, tread depth, etc, etc.

My SRW truck had wide wheels & tires, and my DRW truck has stock wheel & tires (for now). I honestly feel as though both trucks were equal in rain and snow when empty.

I got the SRW stuck in deep snow empty, in 4WD once. I got the dually stuck in wet grass towing the boat, in RWD, and had to engage the 4WD. If I had had the SRW in in the wet grass, I probably would have sunk in. If I had had the DRW F350, I probably would have sunk through the deep snow and found traction.

All in all, I do prefer my DRW over my former SRW when it comes to an HD truck. However, I'm so confused that I may have to go buy a set of single meats for the back of my Ford just to relieve boredom this winter!!

LOL! You did notice I said a page or two back my next truck will most likely be a DRW!

It all boils down to no matter what you buy, do, trailer etc, etc you can't prevent some accidents and you can't prevent people around you from doing stupid things.

I worry much less about whatever I am driving compared to some crap boxes I ride alongside of and I think we can all agree on that. I think everyone on this forum has some sense of decency and tries to keep their equipment safe and looking good.

The real fact is I would bet everyone on OSO has some type of ego going on otherwise they would care less about a performance boat so with that said come ego boosting trucks, cars, vacation homes, etc, etc and with that comes a better attitude toward maintanance and keeping their investment safe. So I'd stop worring about each other and worry about the people that are towing the Bayliners, SeaRays & sailboats!

The boat and trailer is over 50' long, then add in the truck. In the end, just as long or longer than the avg 18 wheeler. I would consider that pretty big. At 45', There are only a few other boats that are 50' range in the performance boat world, so I would consider the size boat I have to be pretty big, and a big load to pull and stop.

Good to hear your confident in your rig and your abilities, thats important in towing, especially driving with one finger. I always drive towing with a full hand or both hands on the wheel. The fact that you have had no "issues" speaks to your setup and luck.

I wish you the best of luck in your towing endevours. Oh, I would tow distance with a SRW if it was a 650/6500 or 7000 series.

Its good that we can agree to disagree on things and be civil and adult about it. This in one thread that seems be kept on track and remain civil.

Happy Holidays everyone !

As stated before, Im not a professional driver, so I do not have a CDL. I doubt few of us do that tow our boats recreationally.

Im not a DOT expert either, but have heard alot of bad stories from guys that drive professionally, and a few recreationally that have had to deal with them. The point for me is, for my peice of mind, to tow as safely as possible, with a vehicle within the limits of the manufacturers spec and or to have room to spare.

Although there have been no issues with insurance as of yet for most, I would bet that would hinge on the incident. I know my boat insurance specifically asks about the tow vehicle and its legal capacity to tow the boat and trailer. I would bet if I was out of spec, if they wanted, they could deny a claim. Not going to test them. Again, better to be safe than sorry. Bigger is better IMHO, atleast for me.

On the wet or snowy road driving, I dont drive my tow vehicle or boat or tow in the rain or snow period. If the forecast calls for either, it doesnt move, period. My choice, and yes it does suck sometimes. My tow vehicle for me is a specific tool for the job in my circumstance, so It rarely comes out of its indoor warehouse unless it time to tow, or if I want to drive it on a nice day. Its not a everyday driver for me. I have several other vehicles to choose from to drive in different conditions.

Again Happy Holidays, and Im not attempting to be beligerent or a smart azz with my responses.