massspike

For Ontario F150 owners: this topic has been brought up in a few older threads but I thought it was worthwhile starting a new thread dedicated to it. Especially with the improved GVWR ratings of newer model F150's it is more applicable.

Ontario has a messed up vehicle registration system (no surprise given the incompetence of our government and the MTO e.g. our faulty license plates). I'll only discuss the implications for personal use trucks (GVWR under 6000kg, no commercial use). The MTO licenses your truck based on its Registered Gross Weight (RGW) which is in effect your GVWR if your trailer transmits less than 2800kg to the ground (the TT's GVWR less the tongue weight). If you tow a heavier trailer it is your combined weights (up to your GCWR). A standard truck license is based on a 3000kg RGW and this shows up on you permit (in addition to the dry weight of your truck).

The problem is your dealer probably only registered the truck with an RGW of 3000kg (check your permit). They may have saved you money on the registration but you are now running the risk of a ticket because you are almost assuredly too heavy for your permit. Given a late-model F150 has a GVWR of over 3175kg even if you aren't towing you could be over. Even if you are towing a small 5000-6000lb TT you are probably over your 3000kg RGW thanks to its tongue weight.

The MTO standards probably need to be brought up to date as 3000kg isn't a heavy truck nowadays. But the dealers are really at fault here. Not only are they ignoring the GVWR of the trucks they are selling but I've never heard of one asking what you will be towing (i.e. they need to use the GCWR). I challenged my dealer's staff (who advertises itself as the #1 Ford truck dealer in Ontario and barely sells cars anymore) and of the 5 sales people in the conversation only 1 knew what I was talking about and he got it wrong about what they actually did (he thought they registered the GCWR).

I have heard that the MTO is ignoring this because given the number of full sized personal use pickups on our roads it would be a nightmare to fix. But I have heard that the OPP is ticketing if they have reason to pull you over when towing (i.e. you look heavy).

I guess I should re-register my truck but if caught in the meantime I'll blame it on my dealer.

PlasmaJab

The Highway Traffic Act considers all pickup trucks to be commercial motor vehicles, but a pickup truck only needs a Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration (CVOR) certificate if it has an actual or registered gross weight of more than 4,500 kg.


A personal-use pickup truck means a pickup truck that:

• is being used for personal purposes without compensation
• has a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 kg (13,227 lb) or less, and is fitted with either:
  • the original box that was installed by the manufacturer, which has not been modified, or
  • a replacement box that duplicates the one that was installed by the manufacturer and has not been modified
• is not carrying or towing a trailer carrying commercial cargo or tools or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes

If the trailer weighs more than 2,800 kg (6,171 lb.):

• register the truck for at least the combined weight of the truck and trailer, weights A and B

If the trailer weighs 2,800 kg (6,171 lb.) or less:

• register the truck for at least the weight of the truck (weight A), which includes trailer tongue weight
• weight transmitted directly to the ground by the trailer is not included in the RGW

Source: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/tru...-faq.shtml#a15


For all those couch lawyers.

PlasmaJab

(Corrected)

acdii

Quite a few states follow the same guidelines. If you plate your pickup with RV plates, and tow a commercial "type" trailer, you can get fined. Doesn't matter if its for personal use or not either. Some states plate by GVWR, which is why there are weight options on the F250 and F350 trucks, regardless of their suspension. My Dually was plated as a B truck, but if I were to haul a gooseneck flatbed that weighed 12K, I would need D plates. But if I hauled a 12K 5th wheel RV, b truck is all I need.

massspike

Ontario gives you commercial plates and then requires you to get an exemption if you are towing heavy (e.g. a dually with a big 5th wheel trailer) for recreational purposes.

Plating off the GVWRs of the TV and TT makes a lot more sense since an enforcement officer can simply read the mandatory stickers. Ontario has created their own metric that then requires the use of scales to enforce -- our motto should be "Ontario where there's no shortage of stupid"