20,000 lb. behind a pickup safe?

[Airedale]

I have a 3/4 ton GMC Duramax diesel 2002 model I haul a lot of hay and equipment on a 25 foot goose neck. I wanted to find out how much I could legally haul with it so I called the North Dakota DOT (Department of Transportation).

It is interesting how they figure that out. The first thing they ask you is to identify the tire ratings there is a letter on the side wall of each tire. Next they have you measure the distance between the axles, front to back on the pickup, then from the pickup back axle to the trailer front axle then from the trailer front axle to the back trailer axle. All of these measurements are from the center of the axle. Then they added up the inches and go by a chart. This is what I could legally haul.

Front axil 9,990lbs
Rear axil 9,990lbs
Trailer 34,000lbs
Total legal weight 53,980lbs.

They were quick to point out that the pickup could not survive hauling that much weight.

The next important thing to know is that you have to register your trucks Gross Viehicle Combined Weight which is the truck and trailer weight combined with the load you want to carry. In my case I registered it for 30,0000 pounds because my GVCW loaded with hay is between 26,000 and 28,000lbs. It pulls it fine at about 65mph on the interstate, I am very carefull and scared to death most of the time!

The pounds you register will determine the cost you pay each year for your viehicle registration. This is very important because if you get caught pulling 20,000lbs with a truck registered for 10,000lbs you will get a very,very,very big fine. I called the Highway Patrole to ask what the fine would be. All they would say was. You don't even want to find out!

So none of this has anything to do with what the manufacturer rates the truck at. I suppose you could void the warranty.

In North Dakota I fall under farm use so I don't need the CDL if I stay with in 125 miles of my home base.

Airedale

 

[tuney443]

I think that DOT guy you talked to was smoking some bad weed or something.54K lbs. as legal but not recommended? And ignoring manufacturer's ratings? Something isn't right here.

 

[Speedpup]

I think that DOT guy you talked to was smoking some bad weed or something.54K lbs. as legal but not recommended? And ignoring manufacturer's ratings? Something isn't right here.

I agree, In NY you cannot register the truck over it's limit and you pay on the trailer plates by GWR. So if I was paying the total on the truck and trailer then paying again on the trailer I think that would be crazy. I am not a expert by any means on this.ointhead

I also would not go by what someone told me in a phone call. I would have to listen and then understand the law myself as I read it. I would not want to on the side of the road telling DOT the guy in the office said this or that.

 

[2stickbill]

I agree, In NY you cannot register the truck over it's limit and you pay on the trailer plates by GWR. So if I was paying the total on the truck and trailer then paying again on the trailer I think that would be crazy. I am not a expert by any means on this.ointhead

I also would not go by what someone told me in a phone call. I would have to listen and then understand the law myself as I read it. I would not want to on the side of the road telling DOT the guy in the office said this or that.

I told my boss what it said on the DOT web site and his answer was.The web site is wrong because a guy on the phone told me different.

 

[Airedale]

I told my boss what it said on the DOT web site and his answer was.The web site is wrong because a guy on the phone told me different.

tuney443, Speedpup, 2stickbill, The reason I called the North Dakota DOT was because I could not get an answer to my question which was how much weight can I legally tow/haul with my pickup trailer combo from anyone including the truck dealer and the trailer dealer. As it turns out the law is the law. The information the DOT gave me over the phone was / is correct. Should I haul / tow any where near 53,000lbs with my rig, no. Is it leagal yes. If you want to read the law/regulations for North Dakota go to www.dot.nd.gov/manual/mv/registration pages 1-44 through 1-46 and you will see that I am correct. You will notice manufactures recomendations are never mentioned.

 

[2stickbill]

tuney443, Speedpup, 2stickbill, The reason I called the North Dakota DOT was because I could not get an answer to my question which was how much weight can I legally tow/haul with my pickup trailer combo from anyone including the truck dealer and the trailer dealer. As it turns out the law is the law. The information the DOT gave me over the phone was / is correct. Should I haul / tow any where near 53,000lbs with my rig, no. Is it legal yes. If you want to read the law/regulations for North Dakota go to www.dot.nd.gov/manual/mv/registration pages 1-44 through 1-46 and you will see that I am correct. You will notice manufactures recommendations are never mentioned.

I did not say you was incorrect.I know how people on the phone will tell you one thing, but you need to see it in writing to make sure.I was told on the phone by a DOT officer that farm tags on a truck registered for 80,000lbs meant you was exempt from DOT regs.The written law is 48,000lbs,Anything over puts you in DOT regs and rules.But that has a 150 mile radius.

 

[Diggedirt]

Originally posted by JDOFMEMI

Here you can't get an air brake endorsement if you don't show up at the test with an air brake equipped vehicle.

That is true, however I had applied for and tested for a Class A as well as a combination vehicle endorsement but I did not apply for the air brake endorsement. I had no need for the air brake endorsement because my truck/trailer do not have them. I did not show up without the correct equipment and expect to get an endorsement for air brakes.
I guess I was not very clear in my post. The point I was trying to make was that even though I was not testing for the separate air brake endorsement the combination tests (written and skills) included questions about air brakes.
It just goes to show that there are inconsistencies in the requirements even at the testing stage.

 

[JDOFMEMI]

Once the discussion turns to the rules, it is pure chaos. There are 50 states, and I bet there are 50 different answers for each question.

Make that 51, for the Fedeeral rules are different as well.

 

[Orchard Ex]

Once the discussion turns to the rules, it is pure chaos. There are 50 states, and I bet there are 50 different answers for each question.

Make that 51, for the Fedeeral rules are different as well.

Absolutely! :iagree

 

[Speedpup]

looked at my door plate today on my 1984 28,000 GVW C-7000 GMC. Two speed 5 speed 366 gasser. It said "CG 70". Is that the combines gross weight rating? Seems to high? I can photo graph it. It also has the Frt & rear Axle capacities but they are written with XX,000 not just two digits :beatsme

I have pulled 63,000 back in the day with it. Vacuum over hydraulic brakes.

 

[OCR]

Once the discussion turns to the rules, it is pure chaos. There are 50 states, and I bet there are 50 different answers for each question.

Make that 51, for the Fedeeral rules are different as well.

Dang Wikipedia... lol

"Federal Bridge Gross Weight Formula"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Bridge_Gross_Weight_Formula

And a "Bridge Formula Weights Calculator"

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/sw/brdgcalc/calc_page.htm

And "Commercial Driver's License (CDL) rules".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_driver's_license





OCR

 

[xcmark]

my GMC is a 2500hd crew cab single rear wheel 4X4 , I pull a 20' deck over that has a 8" I beam frame (its around 3800lbs empty). My skidsteer is 10400 lbs with just a bucket , some times I load the grapple and forks on the trailer also (grapple 980 lbs, forks 480 lbs , spare tire chains 200 lbs). the truck with a cap and some tools in the bed is running right at 24,000 lbs gross combine weight or a little over that. I have no problems pulling it at 70 mph (even up hills), you just have to use your head . Go easy in traffic , lock out 6th gear and dont feed it your right foot . My truck is running a aftermarket ECM program and has right around 700 ft lbs at the tires (stock would be around 525 at the tires) and I have a weight distrobution hitch to load the whole truck not just the rear axel.

 

[watglen]

I have been wondering about width lately. I'm looking for a small dozer lately. Do i have to keep it under the 8'6" transport width? What happens if i go wider. I ask cuz almost all dozers are wider than 102" with the blade angled.


thanks

 

[LORDDiESEL]

This thread is pretty crazy. I used to move houses for a living. We would pull some HUGE ones too. I've done some crazy moves before, but i wouldn't bother pulling 20K with an f350.

 

[du5tyl]

This thread is very informative. One thing people are not considering is that if your TRUCK (forget trailer at this point) is rated GCVWR from the manufacturer states something like this:

2010 3500 GM Duramax (Crew Cab Long Box 4WD, single rear wheels)
GVWR: 11400
GM MAX TRAILER load (Gooseneck): 14800

GCVWR: 26200

IF you exceed the manufacturers' GVWR or GCVWR then you will void your insurance if you get in a wreck and are caught.

towing specs and capacities were taken from: http://www.gmc.com/sierra/3500/specsCapabilities.jsp

 

[Cretebaby]

This thread is very informative. One thing people are not considering is that if your TRUCK (forget trailer at this point) is rated GCVWR from the manufacturer states something like this:

2010 3500 GM Duramax (Crew Cab Long Box 4WD, single rear wheels)
GVWR: 11400
GM MAX TRAILER load (Gooseneck): 14800

GCVWR: 26200

IF you exceed the manufacturers' GVWR or GCVWR then you will void your insurance if you get in a wreck and are caught.

towing specs and capacities were taken from: http://www.gmc.com/sierra/3500/specsCapabilities.jsp

Has this ever been documented?

 

[du5tyl]

Has this ever been documented?

You will have to check with your insurance company. My rep told me when I first started towing................ He basically said, if I overloaded a trailer and that caused the accident, it would be considered negligence on my part.

 

[Speedpup]

You will have to check with your insurance company. My rep told me when I first started towing................ He basically said, if I overloaded a trailer and that caused the accident, it would be considered negligence on my part.

yes but the insurance company will still be on the hook. You could get crimminal charges filed against you if people are injured.

 

[V16CatMetKanick]

I have a 2011 F-350 and I tow my D-4 on my gooseneck with no problems at all. I wouldn't want to try it on a hitch but with it on top of the frame it steers and brakes just fine. And that new 6.7 Powerstroke walks over anything else in the towing department. I put about 3,000 lbs on the tounge and the truck still sits normal. I have a 3 axle electric DISK brake 30K trailer by Kauffman.

 

[Dozerboy]

The new 2011 GM will have a higher load rating then Ford. I know a guy pulling JD 550s with 2500 GM, Lots of guys around here pull equipment that size with 1 tons we do even, but I much rather use the Lowboy.