We have all seen the truck commercials with bold claims andflashing graphics but what are they all getting at. What is all this towing ofhuge boats up hills and pulling stumps out of the ground? Well this is not toshow the diesel fuel pump or diesel injectors are working, no this is togive an idea of what the truck can haul. Most commercials show a “Do Not Attempt”warning to keep people from destroying the truck once they buy it. The fact ofthe matter is that trucks can really only haul a specific kind of weight atvery specific speeds.
Most trucks have a towing rating that can handle towing acar or truck behind it but what are the dangers of going over the tow rating?First off is the danger of extended braking distance, while some trailers havetheir own braking system most use free spinning wheels. The added weight of thetrailer means more work for the brake system to handle and that translates togreater stopping distance. This means that the driver must think differentlythen he normally would. Also it means that the brakes will heat up and begin to“fade” faster. Brake fade is when the heat cannot be dissipated and the padsbecome molten. When this happens the braking ability drops to almost zero.
The next huge issue for towing capacity is what the frame ofthe truck can handle the added weight. Now must trucks are built with a verysturdy frame that can handle a good 10,000lbs more than the trucks weight. Whenthis weight is increased the stress on the “back bone” of the vehicle can bepushed past its rating. Exceeding the rating can cause the frame of the vehicleto bend or even break. The ratings given by the manufacturer are there for a reasonand they do give a bit of flexibility but should never be exceeded. There aremany other issues that can arise when the tow rating is exceeded which can notonly be dangerous but also kill your gas mileage!
