Howard,

I read your latest blog post and have a question about weighing RV's and their tow vehicles.

Basically, what do you do when a customized truck wants to be weighed.  Our Dodge which has been heavily modified beyond factory standards is quite capable of towing our CarriLite, but there are no factory numbers to compare to. 

I would be more than happy to share the modifications with you thru a PM for further evaluation.

Thanks, Jim

Hi Jim,

That is certainly an issue for us.  Through education about weight safety, we know of several people that have made modifications to their trucks and/or RVs.  Unfortunately, only the manufacturers can change the federal label ratings and that rarely happens.

We have to report information based on the federal labels.  However, it is very important for the individuals to retain documentation of all modifications and proof of the upgrades and, if possible, documentation of the expanded capabilities as a result of the modifications.

That's really all we can do.  Our official reports show the actual numbers as compared to the original federal labels.  We can't include any modifications in the reports, but we can take those modifications into consideration when discussing the safety aspects on a case-by-case basis.

The RV Safety & Education Foundation uses strict standards in weighing RVs and reporting the results so the summary information reported to the RV industry is consistent and, therefore, reliable.  It does create a problem for the relative few, like you and us, that have made significant modifications to increase capabilities and safety, but the important thing to know is that we've demonstrated and can document our individual commitment to safety.