[blucar]

During the late '60's the buying public went crazy buying RV's, a large percentage of which were pickup trucks with campers.
My wife and I had five kids, I had been raised in a family of outdoors people, tent camping was all I ever knew. On the other hand my wife had never camped in her life, roughing it was to have room service be ten minutes late.
Having five kids and not a lot of spare change I suggested that we take the kids camping, our Olds station wagon could do in a pinch for sleeping quarters for the wife and two youngest girls, me and the two boys could sleep in the tent. Our first venture did not go well.
I then proposed that we buy a camper, since we owned a Tile Contracting business a new pickup could be used by the company, the slid-in camper would be stored at the business when not in use as an RV. Took some doing, but my wife finally agreed to the idea.
I started shopping for a new HD 3/4 ton pickup.. I knew that a good self contained camper would weigh in the 2,000# range, adding seven people and gear would add at least 500 + lbs. Doing the math showed that I needed a truck that had a GVW of at least 9,500 lbs, the average GVW of a '65 3/4 ton was/is 7,400 lb's.
Working with truck salesman I was able to get a 3/4 ton pickup up to 9.500 lbs with HD options. We bought a '65 HD 3/4 ton and an 11' self contained camper, fun times ahead.
Following several trips in the RV over 18 + months I noted that the original tires were not holding to well. Prior to heading out for a long trip to several Western States I took the truck w/camper to my tire dealer, I got the shock of my life, I had a truck that was rated to carry 9,500 lbs, however, the 6 ply tires and 15" wheels were only rated to carry 3,000 lb's per axle, a gross of 6,000 lbs which is the GVW of a basic 1/2 ton pickup. (5,700 lb)
I purchased new Firestone 16" split rims and had the tire dealer install 10 ply radial tires which had a load range of 3,000. lbs per wheel, 12,000. lbs gross.
Not long after I up-graded my wheels and tires I received a recall letter from the manufacture of my truck informing me that if I was using my truck for an RV I should have the vehicle weighed by certified scales and bring the truck into the dealer for a valuation. After I drained the holding/water tanks and removed some gear I was under the 9,500, lb's.
The dealer was surprised that I had put HD wheels and 10 ply tires on the truck. In a few months I received a check from the manufacture of the truck, the amount of the check was in excess of what I had paid for the tires and wheels.
Within a few months the media was full of reports concerning tire and wheel failures on RV's. I had told many of my friends that had RV's that they should check into the weight rating for their tires/wheels. I also sent out a letter to all of my employees informing them of the problem, most choose to ignore my warnings.
Sadly, many people find out the hard way that the pretty chrome wheels and raised letter tires they have bought for their outfit are an accident waiting to happen, an example being Ford Motor/Firestone and the Excursion tire mess that cost a lot of people their lives.