attn Jeff Teuton Towing "Again"

[Ed Fernandez]

Just curious,Anybody have a ballpark weight for a Dodge 4500 dually with a 42'LQ 5th wheel setup,one car about 3000K tools,spare motor about 400lbs,trans etc?Curious if it would require a Class A lic.


Ed F.

[Jeff Teuton]

DOT starts @ 10,000 lbs. One way that will probably get you out of a jam is to have at least enough tag to cover the weight of your truck and trailer. CDL starts @ 26k. Your combined GVW of your truck and trailer if over 26k makes you need the cdl. I sell a few trailers and the manufacturer can rate them less than the weight capacity of the axles. GVW is determined by axle capacity and frame. All truck manufactureres make a truck @ 25999 GVW. Quite legal. Maybe I could upgrade my paper I did for National Dragster and get them to print it again. This seems to come and go. Florida needs an overlength over 65 ft. Can get it on the net with a credit card. Cheap. You can't be a "little bit" under DOT. You really need it all. But they don't usually bother with us, thank goodness.

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Jeff Teuton

DOT starts @ 10,000 lbs. One way that will probably get you out of a jam is to have at least enough tag to cover the weight of your truck and trailer. CDL starts @ 26k. Your combined GVW of your truck and trailer if over 26k makes you need the cdl. I sell a few trailers and the manufacturer can rate them less than the weight capacity of the axles. GVW is determined by axle capacity and frame. All truck manufactureres make a truck @ 25999 GVW. Quite legal. Maybe I could upgrade my paper I did for National Dragster and get them to print it again. This seems to come and go. Florida needs an overlength over 65 ft. Can get it on the net with a credit card. Cheap. You can't be a "little bit" under DOT. You really need it all. But they don't usually bother with us, thank goodness.

So if the combined weight rating is over 26K a cdl1 is required?

Ed F.

[Philip Saran]

Jim Mantle,

At least here on the west coast, a truck/camper towing a trailer is 55 mph
in California, in Nevada we can tow at 70 mph.

On the west coast the speed for towing is usually posted along side the hwy.

Personally I try to stay at 60 pmh while towing, I seem to get the best MPG
at that speed. But then I've seen guys towing at 80 MPH too.

[SS Engine Guy]

Deleted. Trying the theory of if I can't say something good then don't say anything. Truely sorry if I offended anyone.

[Tim Kish]

Michigan has its defined on their website:

http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7...1609--,00.html

"Exemptions:

The following people do not need a CDL:

Individuals: Operating motor homes or other vehicles used exclusively to transport personal possessions or family members, for non-business purposes."

Guess I'll keep a copy of that in my motorhome.

[Tom Moock]

Tim, If you deal with DOT people in the state you are driving in, there are different rules for the state and fed`s , I haul cars[semi 9 cars] for a living and the dot man think they are right and you are wrong, If you have company or business name on your registration; pickup , truck ,or toter home, you need a dot number on your truck no matter what you weight, log book, itfa if diesel and if you go out of home state, tri. reflector`s and fire extinguisher, medical card if over 26,000, I got a ticket in my pickup pulling my car dolly yesterday for not posting dot number on side of pickup and i have a dot number, also in Ne. if you are over 65 feet you to have have commerical plates, motor home or toter home, no rv plates.

[Tim Kish]

Thanks Tom - My class A gas motorhome and trailer come in a little under 65' and everything is in my personal name. No logos on trailer, nothing but contingency decals on race car (and less of those all the time). We do carry the safety items (flares, tri-reflector and fire extinguishers).

Was considering a trailer toad but that would take me over 65'