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Seeking a Trailer Manufacturer Recommendation

monster76

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
526
Location
Miami Fl
Occupation
Contractor
honestly a full tilt deck over with a winch in the front is great, makes moving everything from your running equipment to your broken equipment allot easier. no ramps easier on your back etc... only reason i don't own a tilt deck is because my uncle has one i can use as much as i want.
 

ericscher

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
196
Location
Central Ohio
I ended up deciding on a 22' Deck-Over. Thought about going to 24 or even 26, but decided that in terms of what this trailer will ever haul, I could use the extra cargo capacity of the 22 more than the extra length.

By that I mean, I have a 14,600lb limit on trailer GVWR. So, the longer the trailer the more it weighs and the more it weighs the more of the trailer:cargo ration is going to skew towards the trailer.
 

ericscher

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
196
Location
Central Ohio
Business decision.

I want all of my core equipment to be operable and deliverable by people who don't have a CDL; so the combined GVWR of both truck and trailer can't exceed 26,000 pounds.

Nor do I actually NEED anything more than that right now.
 

amscontr

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Messages
136
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Operating Engineer 520
Pintle and Goosenecks both have their advantages. Pintle of course you can pull with almost anything including a dump truck. A gooseneck has it's limits, a pickup. flatbed, or a low sided dump. Some Pintle's will give you "backlash" and Goosenecks will give you a tighter turning radius.
Do your homework on what brand to buy because a lot of trailers are pumped out in quantity and who can sell the most. Cronkhite Trailers are a bit pricy compared to some but they a built pretty decent in my opinion. We had PJ once I thought was kind of flimsy but we pushed it to the limit with what it was rated at. Bwise makes a nice looking pretty durable trailer from what I have seen almost bought one but ended up buying a 21k Load Trail from a dealer that had 400 trailers in stock instead. Bwise had the best warranty, then Load Trail from what we found out as far as new. Since you're in Ohio you might consider freight charges if buying new. Another thing to think about is the quality of the steel used, tires, and the paint.
We were on the fence like you which would be the best investment for the money and priced several new ones but the wait time was going to be 6 plus weeks to have one built. Finding a good used one is not impossible either.
 

monster76

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
526
Location
Miami Fl
Occupation
Contractor
Business decision.

I want all of my core equipment to be operable and deliverable by people who don't have a CDL; so the combined GVWR of both truck and trailer can't exceed 26,000 pounds.

Nor do I actually NEED anything more than that right now.

Makes sense
 

Shimmy1

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2014
Messages
4,261
Location
North Dakota
I want all of my core equipment to be operable and deliverable by people who don't have a CDL; so the combined GVWR of both truck and trailer can't exceed 26,000 pounds.
Just because a truck is rated for or can haul more than 26,000 lbs doesn't mean you HAVE to have a CDL to drive it. It's how much you license the vehicle for that determines if you need a CDL or not. At least here in ND that's how it is. You can license a truck that has axles for 32,000 lbs for 26,000 and anyone can drive it.
 
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Dickjr.

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
1,484
Location
Kentucky
I'm pretty sure , here in KY , which may not matter up there , if you have 4 axles , truck and trailer combined , you have to have a medical card and a class B CDL. The reason being it is being used as a commercial business. They were popping lawn services like crazy a few years ago. They also got a contractor I worked for , pulling a bobcat 743 on a Cronkite trailer behind a 3/4 ton truck. He hires all his moves out now. It may not be that way in Ohio but it wouldn't hurt to check.
 

FSERVICE

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Messages
635
Location
indiana
Just because a truck is rated for or can haul more than 26,000 lbs doesn't mean you HAVE to have a CDL to drive it. It's how much you license the vehicle for that determines if you need a CDL or not. At least here in ND that's how it is. You can license a truck that has axles for 32,000 lbs for 26,000 and anyone can drive it.

that's NOT the way it works here in Indiana!!!! its what the tag in the door says... ( as was explained to me by the man in blue lucky I already had my CDL) don't matter what you put the plate on it for. reason he stopped me was I didn't have DOT #s on the truck yet, I hadn't even put my name on it yet either!!!
 

ericscher

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
196
Location
Central Ohio
Just because a truck is rated for or can haul more than 26,000 lbs doesn't mean you HAVE to have a CDL to drive it. It's how much you license the vehicle for that determines if you need a CDL or not. At least here in ND that's how it is. You can license a truck that has axles for 32,000 lbs for 26,000 and anyone can drive it.

Well yes, I know that. My truck is tagged at 11,400 from the factory and the trailer will be 14,600, for a combined weight of 26,000. I already have it registered at the DMV as 26,000 pounds and have the little "26" sticker on my plate to prove it.

Also, the weight limits are a bit more complex...


I had a long conversation with one of the Highway Patrol guys at a weigh station near here and at the risk of oversimplification it comes down to this:

  1. When I pull onto a scale the total weight of truck, trailer & cargo better not exceed 26,000 pounds; although he did mention that violations under 100 pounds are often ignored. It's like speeding... You get a little grace but the exact amount is variable.
  2. I can actually load the trailer to more than 14,600 pounds because part of the weight is carried by the rear axle of my truck. The exact amount varies based on trailer design, load and placement of load.
  3. Other than the overall weight limit, the other weight limit that matters is "per axle" weight. My axles, from front to rear are 4,400, 7,000, 8,000 & 8,000. That actually ads up to 27,400 pounds, but the point is that exceeding axle limits is just as illegal as exceeding total limits.
  4. All in all, this means that I can safely and legally carry approximately an extra ton on my trailer than the papers would seem to indicate.


There's actually a complicated formula that is layed out in a chart that shows permissible limits based on the number of axles and their distance from each other.

The formula is:

W = 500[L(N)/N-1) + 12(N) +36]

Where:
W = Max weight in pounds that can be carried on a group of two or more axles to the nearest 500lbs.
L = Spacing in feet between the outer axles of any two or more consecutive axles.
N = Number of axles being considered.

In THEORY I could carry up to 40,000lbs on just my truck and something in excess of 55,000lbs on my truck and trailer. EXCEPT of course for the actual load limits of my axles and that pesky 26,000 pound thing.

I think they should at least bump that to 30,000, which would make life much easier for equipment operators hauling around the smaller stuff (equipment 15,000 pounds or lighter) without making a significant difference in the loads the drive has to deal with. Maybe require the trailer to have Hydraulic brakes above 26k, but other than that it's no big PRACTICAL difference but WOULD make life easier for contractors.
 

mitch504

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
that's NOT the way it works here in Indiana!!!! its what the tag in the door says... ( as was explained to me by the man in blue lucky I already had my CDL) don't matter what you put the plate on it for. reason he stopped me was I didn't have DOT #s on the truck yet, I hadn't even put my name on it yet either!!!

Yep, it's that way in SC too, also, if you look in the definitions section of the federal interstate rules, it clearly shows GVWR as whatever the manufacturer says it is.
 

Dickjr.

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
1,484
Location
Kentucky
I don't know what part of Ohio your in , just going to mention I have a trailer that may suit your needs if your still looking. I would have mentioned this earlier but I thought it might be heavier than you would want. I'm probably going to take a bath on it when I sell it. PM me if your interested.
 

ericscher

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
196
Location
Central Ohio
I appreciate it but I've already ordered my new trailer. I also spec'd it out so it would do things I needed the trailer to do and most trailers are not spec'd out the way mine is. For instance I have power everything so I don't have to worry about uneven ground I don't have to worry about broken down equipment because there's a winch and I even have hydraulic landing gear.

I don't know anything about your trailer but you won't necessarily take as big a bath on it as you think. The reason used trailers are so expensive, and everyone notices that they are, is because the new trailers are even more expensive. If yours is in good shape… You know?

I would actually be interested in knowing what the specs are on your trailer, even though I am theoretically not in the market for one at the moment.
 

Dickjr.

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
1,484
Location
Kentucky
ericscher . if you look at the Betterbuilttrailers.com , it has all the specs , lighting , paint process etc. Its a decent trailer , about like any other 10 ton pintle. I have it on craigslist in 5 different areas and have had little interest.
 

Shimmy1

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2014
Messages
4,261
Location
North Dakota
Yep, it's that way in SC too, also, if you look in the definitions section of the federal interstate rules, it clearly shows GVWR as whatever the manufacturer says it is.

So a truck with a 12,000 lb front and 20,000 lb rear, if you don't have a CDL, you're not driving it. It seems to me that if the state chooses to assume the GVWR is what it says on the cab card, then everybody is happy. That's the way it is here in ND. What it sounds like to me is your guy's communist states think they need to be a bunch of jerks. I would rather see people driving around with trucks that are built heavier than you really need than people trying to make do with one-tons and the like. Fact is, it really doesn't affect the state at all if someone is driving around hauling 25,900 lbs with a truck that can haul 32,000. If the non-commercial truck is loaded to 32,000 lbs, and the driver doesn't have a CDL, the fine would be the same as someone who had a one ton and trailer that was RATED for 20,000 lbs, but had 26,000 on. The difference being, now the state can MILK THE CASH COW and force a guy to put commercial tags on a light duty truck, AND have a CDL too. What a crock.


On Edit: I'm not trying to hijack this thread, or go off-topic, but just expressing an opinion on the overstepping going on in the transportation industry, in regards to vehicle weight ratings.
 
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Dickjr.

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
1,484
Location
Kentucky
Shimmy , if I'm following you right , your saying a lay person with a dually and tandem GN , if he hauls 32000 and is over his weight then he should be ticketed , which I guess is right. Here in KY I know if a farm guy is running farm tags which are good up to 38000 , they can roll on until they get caught doing some type of commercial work , like a farm guy owns a skid steer , and does custom work on the side gets pulled over , to get commercial tags. We have had guys hauling grain with semis using these farm tags , which are 15$ but the DOT has stopped a lot of that. They have to use farm limited now or commercial. It sure seems to be a lot of grey areas here as well. My single axle dump has a cab card that says 32000 GVW. But the state will allow you to haul up to 44000 as long as you have a 44000 tag. It confuses me what's right or wrong , so I shoot down the middle , my SA dump is tagged at 38000. 6 over or 6 less how ever you or the DOT wants to interpret it.
 

mitch504

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Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
In SC, whether you need a CDL or not is determined by the manufacturers rating. You can tag an f150 for 80k if you want to give them the money.

There are 3 ways to get a weight ticket in a vocational truck, (one of those listed as exempt from federal bridge law).

Being over your tagged weight. $200
Being over 20,000 lbs on any one axle. $small fine
Being over the gross allowed by your number of axles $$$big fine

SCDOT doesn't care what you do with a pickup and trailer, basicly. One of my best friends had an employee driving an F250, pulling a dual tandem gooseneck, with 20,500 lbs of material on it, so a about 26,000 lbs of trailer and load. When he got to a construction zone, the flagger stopped the car in front of him. He clipped the back bumper of the car with the trailer, and centered the F250's grill on the flagger, killing him.

At my friends request, I observed and assisted the DOT and insurance investigators on seperate days in going over the truck and trailer with a fine tooth comb. They found the equipment to be in good shape, except that 2 of the electric trailer brakes were not connected, and one was badly out of adjustment!

The driver got a warning for having no medical card or CDL, and a $160 ticket for too fast for conditions.

The Owner got a long list of warnings for basic equipment and paperwork, a $200 ticket for having no license tag on the trailer.

I have never seen SCDOT do a roadside inspection on anything smaller than an F600, and very rarely on anything smaller than a tandem, though tandems and up can plan on being stopped once every couple of months. I have never heard of SC giving a ticket to anyone for not having a CDL for pulling over 10,000 with a pickup, though NC burns them up. I once had to take my drivers to NC to rescue 5 of my cousins F550s pulling big welder trailers, NC wouldn't let them move without class A drivers.
 

Shimmy1

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2014
Messages
4,261
Location
North Dakota
I don't want to get into this much deeper, here in ND, a 7-axle farm truck with harvest permit can be loaded to 105,500, and the farmer's 16 year old kid can get behind the wheel. Make of that whatever you wish. About the GVWR rating, I think that the DOT forcing you to license YOUR truck for what it says on the door is a ridiculous, asinine, chicken$#!+ bit of policy. Now, if you can license for more than what the tag says, that is up to you. There are some guys that have been whacked by some new, hotshot officer feeling his oats. If you are running oversize/overweight, you can permit up to 45,000 on a set of tandems. Most trucks have 40,000 rears. They get their permit pulled, a ticket for whatever they're over the axle rating, and they must find another truck to pick up the trailer.
 

ericscher

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
196
Location
Central Ohio
I think what a lot of you are overlooking in your talk about the weight breaks for CDL is that what the TAG says and what the actual capacities are; are two different things.

I think were the confusion is coming from is that some words mean more than one thing.

"tag" for instance...
That can mean the manufacturers sticker in the door of your truck that defines the GVWR, OR it can mean the sticker you put on your license plate that shows what weight you are declaring for. (You might have a 25,999# truck but only buy a 22,000# sticker. You wont need a CDL to drive it, but you better not weigh in over 22k either.)

On the trailer I ordered, the factory is going to put 14,500 on the GVWR tag, but the trailer itself is built heavier-duty than that; mainly because I believe it is unwise to use equipment at or very near it's operational limits on a continual basis.

So, the trailer will have an ACTUAL weight capacity of 17,500# GVWR (some of the weight is carried by the truck's rear axle or course) but it will be factory declared at a lower weight. And THAT is legal.
 
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