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Light Duty Trucks & Gooseneck Trailers

cgraham1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
76
Location
Redding, California
I know with my 6 horse trailer and the 2000 F-350 dually the scale ticket was 27,975 Lbs combined. I was way over on the gross but under on all the axles (BARELY). Truck would pull that combo up to 95 Mph+ with no problem, usually ran about 70 ish and had plenty of brakes

Never got hassled with that setup crossing the country 10-15 times.

27,975 Lbs combined. 95 Mph+ Never got hassled? In Ca speed limit is 55(while towing).... Last time I pulled a car trailer up I-5, I got a ticket for doing 65 MPH.

the 2000 F-350 dually.... had plenty of brakes
My '02 F-250 could hardly stop itself without a load.... your trailer must have good brakes.
 

Dualie

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2007
Messages
1,371
Location
Nor Cal
The min you cross the Colorado river into Arizona its the wild west. Posted speed limits were 75mph but you could pass AZ DPS troopers doing 85 and not get looked at twice. My truck IS a 2WD DRW with stainless flex lines and hawk pads.

Most states that segregate speeds do so for commercial tractor trailers, pickups and trailers get to run with the cars.

California is just a gestapo state where 55 is unsafe most of the time. especially out on I-5, I-15, I-40, I-10.

i wasn't pulling @ 95 mph all the time, it was something that i COULD do if i felt the need.

The only time i ran CA was to head for the border states. I wouldn't even fathom doing this in a single rear wheel truck.
 

hougie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Messages
153
Location
Alberta, Canada
Occupation
municipal worker
I'm having a delema with this exact situation right now, i have a 04 f350 srw and a tandem dually 30ft gooseneck that i plan to haul a backhoe on. The trailer is fine but I don't know if the truck will be heavy enough. Alot of commercial companies around here pull the same setup with 1 ton dually's. Should i go for a dualy or will the ol ford cut it?
 

Scarlett_Red

New Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2010
Messages
4
Location
Colorado
I have a '95 dodge one ton dually. GVWR of 11,000 lbs. Pulls an Elite gooseneck rated at 14,000 lbs. This gives a max GVWR of 25,000 lbs (Well under the 26,000# CDL requirement). The truck is listed as weighing close to 6000#, and the trailer is listed at 4650#, for a combined weight of 10,650#. So this means I can haul 14,350#(25,000-10,650)????Is this correct. I was wondering what the max weight of a mini excavator I can buy to put on my trailer. .Thanks
 

Orchard Ex

Super Moderator
Joined
Jul 6, 2005
Messages
1,051
Location
Southern MD
Looks like Colorado and other states will let you drive on a regular license as long as the combination doesn't go over 26,000 lbs no matter what the trailer weight is. Not sure about California though.
MD is the same way, it doesn't make much sense to me, but that's how it is written.
link
 

JDOFMEMI

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
3,074
Location
SoCal
Like Dualie says, in California, as soon as the trailer hits 10,000#, you need a class A to drive it.
I have a bumper pull 14K Econoline trailer, and with it behind an F-250, even empty, needs a class A.

We just have to do things different here. Aren't we special??
 

Stevenbrla

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
175
Location
Louisiana
Scarlett,

Similar setup in Louisiana here, and it was explained to me that I "should probably get a Chauffer's Lic, but CDL definately not needed." Chauffer's also called a Class D license here.

I needed it anyway as I also drive an International with a GVRW of 25500.

Seems like you gotta be a lawyer to figure out what license you need in any given state, huh?
 

Xplorer99

New Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
3
Location
nw PA
does it go by the manufactures ratings or what the truck and/or trailer are Registered for? for example could you register a 14k trailer for only 10k and get away with not needing a cdl? or say a little International 4900 that is rated for 26000lbs, could you register it for 16k? there you would have a 16k truck with 10k trailer putting you right at the 26k mark thanks for the info, this is a really good thread
 

Cretebaby

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
284
Location
E. Iowa
does it go by the manufactures ratings or what the truck and/or trailer are Registered for? for example could you register a 14k trailer for only 10k and get away with not needing a cdl? or say a little International 4900 that is rated for 26000lbs, could you register it for 16k? there you would have a 16k truck with 10k trailer putting you right at the 26k mark thanks for the info, this is a really good thread

It goes by the GVWR.

If the truck is rated at 26k you can pull a 10k trailer and not need a CDL.
 

Xplorer99

New Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
3
Location
nw PA
It goes by the GVWR.

If the truck is rated at 26k you can pull a 10k trailer and not need a CDL.


ok thanks, the combination together would be 36k so i thought a cdl would be needed.

what about air brakes? if the truck is at 26k or less and HAS air brakes it wouldnt be classified at a class A truck so you wouldnt need cdl with air brake endorsement either correct?

thanks alot for the info!
 

PSDF350

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2004
Messages
725
Location
Richmond NH
This was explained to me in another thread (and verified by rereading that section in cdl book more carefully). I always thought any trailer over 10k you needed a cdl, but in fact the way it is written is take my 04 f350 for example has a gvwr of 9900# I can leagaly tow a 16k trailer and still be under 26k so no cdl. But my 01 f550 has a gvwr of 19,500# so all I can tow without a cdl is a 10k trailer because the combined wieght is over 26k but trailer is not over 10k. It really makes no sense why they would want someone to tow more with less truck but thats the way it's written. Heck I had a 01 f150 7700 series that you could tow 18k fubar:pointhead
 

Xplorer99

New Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
3
Location
nw PA
the way its worded in the PA CDL manual (i assume all states are the same) kinda confused me. i have my cdl so i never paid any attn to it since i can drive/ pull what ever i want. im looking into hiring a guy to run hotshot but under cdl. the way i understand it: and truck over 26k, any trailer over 10k, or any combo over 26k. i know around here the DOT Cops just love little trucks with big trailers lol, so i want to make sure i do it right. been searching quite a bit and cant find much info on it
 

Cretebaby

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
284
Location
E. Iowa
ok thanks, the combination together would be 36k so i thought a cdl would be needed.

what about air brakes? if the truck is at 26k or less and HAS air brakes it wouldnt be classified at a class A truck so you wouldnt need cdl with air brake endorsement either correct?

thanks alot for the info!

Straight truck OVER 26k would only require a class B.

Truck under 26k requires no CDL even if it has air brakes.

There is no such thing as an "air brake endorsement".
 
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