[Dale Wiley]

It is the COMBINED GVW that matters. This is why a lot of trucks are now rated at 25,500 GVW by the manufactuers.

The major car manufactuers did this back in the 70's, rating the Cameros and Mustangs at under 300hp for insuranc ratings, but if you dynaoed them they still spun 325 BHP or better.

I know this for a fact, and that is that most commercial vehiucls and turf equipement are routinely rated at least 20% and up to 30% under the actual safe GVW capability of the unit.

This is so the mensas at the golf courses etc, who will always overload a piece of equipment, can over load it and still manage to operate it in a some what safe manner.

Our F 350 Super Duty 4x4 is 12, 000 GVW and the deck over trailer is 14,000 for a combined total of 26,000. That means the driver needs a CDL even if he never gets the weight up close there. So be it. He makes $ 16.00 per hour right now .

We have went to heavier vehicle and trailers so we can get our pay loads up there. It involves moving to a new and different level of employee, and type of operation, but one that will make you mor emoney any way.