Max wood load for a Dodge Caravan

[mecreature]

same as any other issue discussed on the internets... wide range in point of view.

Just use common sense. You are the one driving the van.

Some people have no trouble traveling over loaded, some way overloaded.
Other follow the book to extreme.

I have a ton of travel trailer buddies, some will not tow over limits... period.. the truck or the travel trailer.
Others will have a set of helper springs installed and now thinks he is virtually unlimited on what he can tow.

everybody seems to get there safe, Thank God.

 

[KarlP]

A minivan only has "P" rated tires.

That will support way more weight than the GVWR stamped on the door if you air them up. You can read the max load they will support at the max pressure right on the tire.

You might as well drive with no insurance if you are exceeding the legal/registered weight of the vehicle. That is what I always tell people anyways.

Well then why are you are you spreading misinformation?

 

[hemlock]

A minivan only has "P" rated tires.

That will support way more weight than the GVWR stamped on the door if you air them up. You can read the max load they will support at the max pressure right on the tire.

You might as well drive with no insurance if you are exceeding the legal/registered weight of the vehicle. That is what I always tell people anyways.

Well then why are you are you spreading misinformation?

That's why I said keep in mind the tires are "P" rated. They are not meant for heavy loads - thats kind of why they don't put them on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks.......
And yes - if you are running overloaded, your insurance has a very solid case for walking away from you depending on the circumstances. Commercial vs personal insurance is different. Put one yard of gravel in your Ranger with "P" tires and cause an accident/snap the axle and let me know what happens (thats if you get out of the yard). Insurance does not cover stupidity. Check your policy is all I'm saying - they vary.

The following is from the governement of British Columbia. They have "state" insurance, but private insurers make their own policy.

"...However, if the overweight problem contributed to the accident you could be found partially or totally responsible for the accident. This could result in an increase to your future premiums. If your vehicle's optional coverage has been purchased from a private insurer, you should check to find out the policies of that insurer in terms of coverage...."

From the state of Conneticut -

...Manslaughter. Manslaughter in the first or second degree may be brought against the owner or operator of an overweight truck if the weight of the truck is the proximate cause of a motor vehicle accident that results in death. The law allows for a charge of first-degree manslaughter when anyone “under circumstances evincing an extreme indifference to human life, (a person) recklessly engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of death to another person, and thereby causes the death of another person†(C. G. S. § 53a-55).

David Wilcox, the owner of American Crushing and Recycling, was charged with first-degree manslaughter after the infamous Avon Mountain crash. Four people were killed on July 29, 2005 after one of his truck's brakes failed while descending Avon Mountain. Wilcox was charged with first-degree manslaughter because, according to the prosecution's arrest affidavit, his failure to correct brake defects of which he was aware created a grave risk of death for the traveling public. This is comparable to a situation in which an owner or operator knows that a truck is significantly overweight, but still chooses to drive the vehicle. First-degree manslaughter is a Class B felony punishable by a term of imprisonment up to 20 years, a fine up to $ 15,000, or both (CGS § 53a-55).

The owner or operator of an overweight truck could also be charged with manslaughter in the second degree (CGS § 53a-56)). Under the statute, a person is guilty of manslaughter in the second degree when he recklessly causes the death of another person. The Penal Code defines the term “recklessly†as the “conscious disregard (of) a substantial and unjustifiable risk. . . of such nature and degree that disregarding it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation†(CGS § 53a-3(13)). Second-degree is a Class C felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine up to $ 10,000, or both.

In the case of a fatality stemming from the operation of an overweight truck, the decision to prosecute and ultimate disposition of a case will depend on whether the reasonable person in the owner or operator's situation was aware or should have been aware of the degree of danger the vehicle's weight posed...

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, but you should not give the impression that running overweight with inadequate equipment is without consequence - it is, and it can potentially be severe. Private insurance policies can be very specific, especially commercial - they can even specify what you can carry. We all know that our F-150s' can carry more than the actual specs dictate, but depending upon your policy, you are taking a risk. If overweight is determined to be the cause of an accident, your carrier can discharge their responsibilities.

 

[lukem]

A minivan only has "P" rated tires.

That will support way more weight than the GVWR stamped on the door if you air them up. You can read the max load they will support at the max pressure right on the tire.

You might as well drive with no insurance if you are exceeding the legal/registered weight of the vehicle. That is what I always tell people anyways.

Well then why are you are you spreading misinformation?

That's why I said keep in mind the tires are "P" rated. They are not meant for heavy loads - thats kind of why they don't put them on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks.......
And yes - if you are running overloaded, your insurance has a very solid case for walking away from you depending on the circumstances. Put one yard of gravel in your Ranger with "P" tires and cause an accident and let me know what happens (thats if you get out of the yard). Insurance does not cover stupidity. Check your policy.

Never had a yard of gravel on my ranger, but once had 2 yards of soil. It was a little on the heavy side....Drove fine unless I wanted to stop, go, or turn...but the P tires held up fine.

 

[hemlock]

A minivan only has "P" rated tires.

That will support way more weight than the GVWR stamped on the door if you air them up. You can read the max load they will support at the max pressure right on the tire.

You might as well drive with no insurance if you are exceeding the legal/registered weight of the vehicle. That is what I always tell people anyways.

Well then why are you are you spreading misinformation?

That's why I said keep in mind the tires are "P" rated. They are not meant for heavy loads - thats kind of why they don't put them on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks.......
And yes - if you are running overloaded, your insurance has a very solid case for walking away from you depending on the circumstances. Put one yard of gravel in your Ranger with "P" tires and cause an accident and let me know what happens (thats if you get out of the yard). Insurance does not cover stupidity. Check your policy.

Never had a yard of gravel on my ranger, but once had 2 yards of soil. It was a little on the heavy side....Drove fine unless I wanted to stop, go, or turn...but the P tires held up fine.

I've had heavy loads on my "P" tires as well. The thing about them is that they hold up until they don't.

 

[hemlock]

A minivan only has "P" rated tires.

That will support way more weight than the GVWR stamped on the door if you air them up. You can read the max load they will support at the max pressure right on the tire.

You might as well drive with no insurance if you are exceeding the legal/registered weight of the vehicle. That is what I always tell people anyways.

Well then why are you are you spreading misinformation?

That's why I said keep in mind the tires are "P" rated. They are not meant for heavy loads - thats kind of why they don't put them on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks.......
And yes - if you are running overloaded, your insurance has a very solid case for walking away from you depending on the circumstances. Put one yard of gravel in your Ranger with "P" tires and cause an accident and let me know what happens (thats if you get out of the yard). Insurance does not cover stupidity. Check your policy.

Never had a yard of gravel on my ranger, but once had 2 yards of soil. It was a little on the heavy side....Drove fine unless I wanted to stop, go, or turn...but the P tires held up fine.

I've had heavy loads on my "P" tires as well. The thing about them is that they hold up until they don't. Occasional use you're probably fine. If you consistently load it up, some 6 or 8 ply may be a good investment.

 

[lukem]

The ranger is long gone, but she is missed.

 

[hemlock]

The ranger is long gone, but she is missed.

They are great little trucks.

 

[mecreature]

A minivan only has "P" rated tires.

That will support way more weight than the GVWR stamped on the door if you air them up. You can read the max load they will support at the max pressure right on the tire.

You might as well drive with no insurance if you are exceeding the legal/registered weight of the vehicle. That is what I always tell people anyways.

Well then why are you are you spreading misinformation?

That's why I said keep in mind the tires are "P" rated. They are not meant for heavy loads - thats kind of why they don't put them on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks.......
And yes - if you are running overloaded, your insurance has a very solid case for walking away from you depending on the circumstances. Put one yard of gravel in your Ranger with "P" tires and cause an accident and let me know what happens (thats if you get out of the yard). Insurance does not cover stupidity. Check your policy.

Never had a yard of gravel on my ranger, but once had 2 yards of soil. It was a little on the heavy side....Drove fine unless I wanted to stop, go, or turn...but the P tires held up fine.

I had 2 yards of mulch in a 94 Toyota 4wd. it sank low. It was a beefy little truck. only drove it that loaded for 3 miles or so.

I have Load Range E Michelin LTX MS on my 1500 chevy.
Its very much overkill for normal use but the rear end don't seem to squirm as much when pulling the travel trailer on rolling, winding roads

 

[hemlock]

A minivan only has "P" rated tires.

That will support way more weight than the GVWR stamped on the door if you air them up. You can read the max load they will support at the max pressure right on the tire.

You might as well drive with no insurance if you are exceeding the legal/registered weight of the vehicle. That is what I always tell people anyways.

Well then why are you are you spreading misinformation?

That's why I said keep in mind the tires are "P" rated. They are not meant for heavy loads - thats kind of why they don't put them on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks.......
And yes - if you are running overloaded, your insurance has a very solid case for walking away from you depending on the circumstances. Put one yard of gravel in your Ranger with "P" tires and cause an accident and let me know what happens (thats if you get out of the yard). Insurance does not cover stupidity. Check your policy.

Never had a yard of gravel on my ranger, but once had 2 yards of soil. It was a little on the heavy side....Drove fine unless I wanted to stop, go, or turn...but the P tires held up fine.

I had 2 yards of mulch in a 94 Toyota 4wd. it sank low. It was a beefy little truck. only drove it that loaded for 3 miles or so.

I have Load Range E Michelin LTX MS on my 1500 chevy.
Its very much overkill for normal use but the rear end don't seem to squirm as much when pulling the travel trailer on rolling, winding roads

I had 6 ply ("C" range I think) on my F-150. Makes for a bumpy ride sometimes, but it did seem to handle the heavier loads much better. Not as much "drag" or "squirm" as you say. Load rated tires are a good investment for anyone who "works" their truck.

 

[KarlP]

That's why I said keep in mind the tires are "P" rated. They are not meant for heavy loads - thats kind of why they don't put them on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks.......

And its pretty easy to find 17" P rated tires for a Grand Caravan that are rated to support over 1874lbs each. That is WAY more more than GVWR on "P" rated tires, so what is the need for load range E tires to haul a little firewood?

And yes - if you are running overloaded, your insurance has a very solid case for walking away from you depending on the circumstances. ... Insurance does not cover stupidity.

If insurance companies don't cover stupidity then what is the point of insurance? More than half of crashes are a result of stupidity. Do you believe they do not cover someone texting while driving, driving drunk, driving asleep, etc?

"...However, if the overweight problem contributed to the accident you could be found partially or totally responsible for the accident. This could result in an increase to your future premiums. If your vehicle's optional coverage has been purchased from a private insurer, you should check to find out the policies of that insurer in terms of coverage...."

In English - "If the accident is your fault, you can be found responsible for the "accident". (Being under/overweight doesn't change that.) If you are responsible for a crash you will probably pay more for insurance for several years. (Being under/overweight doesn't change that.) If you didn't buy comprehensive coverage and you are responsible for the accident, your insurer won't cover the damage to your vehicle. (Being under/overweight doesn't change that.)" Read your policy. Encourage others to do the same. Stop telling them their insurance provider will deny coverage when you have no knowledge of their insurance policy (and I suspect your own either).

you should not give the impression that running overweight with inadequate equipment is without consequence - it is, and it can potentially be severe.

Crashing? Maybe. Having a strut punch through their mount? Maybe. "P" tires failing within the load they are rated to carry? Nope. Not being covered by your insurance company? Nope.

If overweight is determined to be the cause of an accident, your carrier can discharge their responsibilities.

Please cite at least one non-commercial insurance policy that will not cover your liability if being overweight by less than a ton over your door sticker. You only have to find one and I'll happily learn and update all the threads I've ever posted on the subject to say Canadian insurance might not be valid if your are overweight. In the mean time, I stand by my position that you are spreading misinformation.

 

[hemlock]

That's why I said keep in mind the tires are "P" rated. They are not meant for heavy loads - thats kind of why they don't put them on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks.......

And its pretty easy to find 17" P rated tires for a Grand Caravan that are rated to support over 1874lbs each. That is WAY far more more than GVWR on "P" rated tires, so what is the need for load range E tires to haul a little firewood?

And yes - if you are running overloaded, your insurance has a very solid case for walking away from you depending on the circumstances. ... Insurance does not cover stupidity.

If insurance companies don't cover stupidity then what is the point of insurance? More than half of crashes are a result of stupidity. Do you believe they do not cover someone texting while driving, driving drunk, driving asleep, etc?

"...However, if the overweight problem contributed to the accident you could be found partially or totally responsible for the accident. This could result in an increase to your future premiums. If your vehicle's optional coverage has been purchased from a private insurer, you should check to find out the policies of that insurer in terms of coverage...."

In English - "If the accident is your fault, you can be found responsible for the "accident". (Being under/overweight doesn't change that.) If you are responsible for a crash you will probably pay more for insurance for several years. (Being under/overweight doesn't change that.) If you didn't buy comprehensive coverage and you are responsible for the accident, your insurer won't cover the damage to your vehicle. (Being under/overweight doesn't change that.)" Read your policy. Encourage others to do the same. Stop telling them their insurance provider will deny coverage when you have no knowledge of their insurance policy (and I suspect your own either).

you should not give the impression that running overweight with inadequate equipment is without consequence - it is, and it can potentially be severe.

Crashing? Maybe. Having a strut punch through their mount? Maybe. "P" tires failing within the load they are rated to carry? Nope. Not being covered by your insurance company? Nope.

If overweight is determined to be the cause of an accident, your carrier can discharge their responsibilities.

Please cite at least one non-commercial insurance policy that will not cover your liability if being overweight by less than a ton over your door sticker. You only have to find one and I'll happily learn and update all the threads I've ever posted on the subject to say Canadian insurance might not be valid if your are overweight. In the mean time, I stand by my position that you are spreading misinformation.

Regarding the whole Dodge Caravan thing, you are correct. Little harm done.
As far as the rest - you're changing your story a bit. You now admit crashing with an overweight vehicle may come with ramifications (it can), and giving stipulations (now it's less than a ton). My one point was to check your policy - I did not say "will certainly deny you coverage", I said it may - there are dozens upon dozens of different policies out there. My second point was that being overloaded can be dangerous (it can). Relax a little buddy.
If you put 3/4 cord of wood in a half ton and kill somebody in an accident, and the cause is determined to be the weight of the vehicle - you can bet you've not heard the end of it. If you think otherwise, well..... not my problem.
Don't tell people there's nothing wrong with operating an overweight vehicle - that's bad advice.

 

[KarlP]

As far as the rest - you're changing your story a bit. You now admit crashing with an overweight vehicle may come with ramifications (it can)

No. I admitted crashing a vehicle may come with ramifications. I never denied that. If you drive a brand new completely stock empty vehicle down the road and kill somebody - you can bet you've not heard the end of it.

I added the non-commercial and a ton clauses only because this thread is discussing hauling wood in a minivan and I don't want to get off track. In the past discussions I've had people bring up criminal cases against a commercial trucking company where an improperly licensed driver was sent out 20(?) tons overweight in a truck with known faulty brakes and the company renewed their expired insurance AFTER the crash. That insurance company got out of paying because the policy was not in effect at the time of the crash, not because they were overweight. There were criminal charges brought against the truck company for gross negligence, not violation of weight laws. A 1/4 cord more firewood more than Dodge suggests in a properly insured minivan is a completely different situation.

Whatever. I'm done. I suggest everyone understand their insurance policy and not crash.

 

[hemlock]

Whatever. I'm done. I suggest everyone understand their insurance policy and not crash.

Sounds good.
I'll conced that in the context of the OP there is no trouble (and that I took it a bit off topic - sorry about that). I was speaking in broader terms of overweight vehicles - especially when you get into 3/4 and 1 ton territory, and the lines between commerial and personal can get blurred with regards to weights, insurance, etc.....

 

[nate379]

All depends on what. For a truck or trailer they are quite cheap.

Just remember that a broken spring is considerably more expensive to replace than many gallons of heating oil.....so don't shoot yourself in the foot....and take it very easy when loading up.

I'd look into the trailer idea....same thing applies there though as well.