I've been reading the latest issue of Truck Trend, the January/February 2007 issue. There are two very interesting and important articles in this issue which pertain to weight ratings of trucks, tow capacity and comments on Driver's Licenses and their consequences.

On page 20 is an article titled: Lighten Up! under the banner of "WhaleWatching" by G.R. Whale. In this article the opening paragraphs:

"One day, I snuck into a dealership while a salesman was explaining to a potential customer how his 3/4-ton would pull the trailer he was eyeing. And the customer, apparently unaware of what his truck would pull or what that trailer weighed, couldn't pass up the deal."

"Problem was the trailer, a tri-axle, four-slide, 40 foot fifth wheel, weighed more empty than any 3/4-ton is rated for and fully loaded would be beyond any pickup's capability--- even an F-350 Tow Boss. There was another inconvenience: The customer didn't have a license to drive such a rig."

The rest of the article goes into this subject and other issues of matching the trailer and license to the truck. Good reading for anyone contemplating towing a trailer.

On page 22 is an article titled: The Dirty Secret About Tow Ratings under the banner "DesignatedDriver written by Bruce Smith. The opening paragraphs:

"Vehicle manufacturers use a huge arsenal of advertising angles to woo potential buyers to the showrooms, but the sales games most often used to attract a buyer to today's pickups and SUVs focus on two subjects: horsepower and towing capacity."

"Horsepower is straightforward. New regulations require independent test facilities to verify the numbers so consumers are protected; if Brand X claims its new V-8 pickup makes 380 horsepower, you can rest assured it does."

"Towing capacities are an entirely different animal."

The rest of the article continues on this topic and emphasizing how important this issue is to safety.

On www.trucktrend.com there were several articles listed that all Titan owners should read as they pertain to towing and tires:

http://www.motortrend.com/buyersguid...12_0501_ic_tow
Towing Basics - Motor Trend

http://www.motortrend.com/features/c...ck_tire_basics
Truck Tire Basics - Car Care - Motor Trend

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/t...r_wheel_drive/
Four-Wheel Drive Tire Pressure, Axle Control & Glossary - Truck Trend

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/t...towing_how_to/
Towing Basics, How-To & Accessory Guide - Truck Trend

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/t...action_brakes/
Truck Traction & Brakes Tech - Truck Trend

I hope you find this information useful.

RED

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2005 Titan KC SE, Helwig, True-Track, ARE MX Canopy

What? .... a special license to pull a camper with a pick-up truck? .... when did this become reality?

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'04 SexySilver KC XE ....120k miles....the usual mods.

I'm checking, but I'd hazard a guess that most states have a limit for GVW that a common Driver's License covers.

Red

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2005 Titan KC SE, Helwig, True-Track, ARE MX Canopy

In my state (PA) the following regs are true:

Class C is a non-commercial license. I can't remember, and don't really feel like looking, but I think air brakes are a seperate endorsement here.

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05 KC SE Smoke
01 Suzuki 600 GSF
88 Fiero 2M4

Thanks! Excellent research and post!