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how to determin what size truck to pull a trailer?

cat320

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Messages
913
Location
Stoneham,MA
If you buy a used machine like a bobcat S185 and have a pickup would you be better off to upgrade the truck ?Or would it be ok to to use your pickup? This is just a a question in gerenal I do not have a bobcat.Then you have to get a trailer better to get a beefed up on that will carry more than just that machine if you upgrade truck later?

So probably what i'm trying to say and doing a bad job at it is do you buy everything piecemail one by one to fit your needs now or do you just go out and get the heavier truck and trailer for like an upgrade to a mine exc. like a 341 for example?
 

paulsoccodato

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2003
Messages
53
Location
yonkers, new york
Occupation
contractor
thats a good question, with a number of different answers.

it depends on a number of different factors, like budget, and neccesity.

but let me say what happend to me.

i first bought my skid-loader, and payed to have it moved, but that was always a pain, so i bought a 5 ton trailer to pull behind my 1 ton pickup, then i bought a backhoe for the skid, then tracks.

with everything on the skid, i figure it weighs close to 9000 pounds. never had any problems with the set-up (besides always having underpowered trucks).

this summer, i bought a volvo ec55 excavator, it weighs around 11,000 lbs.too heavy for my trailer now, so i ordered a new 7 ton trailer, and will be trading in the 5 ton.

i guess the best thing to do is just to upgrade your equipment as you grow.
 

Steve Frazier

Founder
Staff member
Joined
Oct 30, 2003
Messages
6,599
Location
LaGrangeville, N.Y.
The larger truck will tow the set up much safer. I move my machine with both my F-350 SRW and my F-550, the 550 is much more stabile during towing. There are GCVW specs from your truck manufacturer that will dictate your needs.
 

Dusty

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2003
Messages
178
Location
S.E PA
it is best to have at least a dually pickup or bigger if u are trying to tow around 10,000lb and balance the load 4 best handeling oh and good brakes on the trailer if u over do what u think u can tow u will find out what jackknife is
 

Dirt Diggler

Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2004
Messages
17
Location
Mississippi
Occupation
Superintendent
The Truck weight- #8840 (both tanks full of fuel) (F-350)
Trailer- #5800
Dozer- #21800
I can haul this legally in Mississippi
 

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John Banks

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2004
Messages
113
Location
Newtown, CT
Nice setup. Here in CT, you would need a Class A CDL. I passed a guy the other day with an F-350 pulling a trailer with a Bobcat mini excavator and a Bobcat skid steer. I don't remember the machine model #s, but he was easily over 10k lbs. on the trailer. I wondered if he had a Class A...

Another contractor we have worked with has an F-650 and pulls a JD 310. He has NO Class A. His attitude is that he doesn't really care since he moves the machine usually at night or on the weekends, mainly to try and avoid DOT.

I told him that if he gets caught, not only will they shut him down, but I believe it's a $5,000.00 fine for driving without the proper class license.
 

Electra_Glide

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2004
Messages
273
Location
Western Pennsylvania
John,

I too have often wondered how many of the guys you see going down the road towing skid-steers and mini excavators are legal. I don't know about CT., but here in PA, it's not just the DOT you have to be worried about. Get pulled over for any reason (speeding, running a stop sign, broken tail light, etc.), by any law-enforcement agency and you're still in the same boat.

Funny this thread popped back up to the top, as I'm currently contemplating the same dilema that cat320 first asked about. Do I go out and get a 10000lb trailer and a medium-sized skid-steer that I can pull behind my existing truck (Dodge Ram 2500), or do I upgrade my truck for the future and get a bigger trailer and skid-steer.

Of course, if I go to a bigger truck/trailer/skidsteer combo then a class A CDL will be required, which I currently don't have.

I'm currently leaning towards the 10000lb trailer and a smaller skidsteer (Bobcat S175/185 or a Cat 232), but every time I look at the price of that package compared to a larger one I start to have second thoughts. There's just not that much of a price difference!

I wonder what the dealer would give me on trade for my 2001 Dodge 2500? Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Joe
 

Bob Horrell

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2003
Messages
424
Location
Acton, CA
Occupation
Owner/Operator grading business
I would love to upgrade my hauling setup but just can't justify it financially right now. I tow a 26 ft. gooseneck flatbed trailer that weighs between 15K & 18K depending on what I have loaded. I am towing it with a 96 Dodge 3/4T with a cummins motor. The truck has been extensively modified for the job and does quite well. I have over 400hp and over 900ft/lbs torque, an exhaust brake, 10 speed, special wheels and tires, modified brake system, plus other modifications. I have absolutely no problem pulling the weight but am cautious about stopping it. I keep the brakes on the truck and trailer in top shape.
Although the load is much higher than listed by the manufacturer for the truck, my modifications help a lot and I am not overloaded on any axle or tire combination. I do have a Class A CDL so I don't have to worry about DOT. Since I only haul for my business and not for hire, I don't have a MCP (motor carrier permit) for my truck and this helps keep insurance costs down.
Some day I would like to get a dump truck to haul an equipment trailer but for now I will just get along with what I have.
The good news about my setup is the mileage. Towing all that weight, I get about 12 to 13mpg. around the hilly area where I live. If I travel farther by freeway and don't have hills I can get as high as 15mpg. Empty (which is very seldom), I can get 20mpg if I don't drive over 70mph.
My truck is 4 wheel drive and I use it at least 2 or 3 times a week to get the equipment to some of the job sites (lots of hilly dirt roads). I have had some anxious moments on some of these roads but the setup I have has really come through for me. I have a few instances where the road wasn't anything like it was described to me and I had to disconnect the trailer and turn it around with the tractor or bobcat and then reconnect just to get out. You know the kind of road, it starts getting bad and you hope it is only momentary and will get better up ahead. Only it gets worse and worse and pretty soon not only can't you turn around anywhere, but you can hardly go forward anymore. I can think of some instances where I would have been in pretty bad shape with a dump truck.
 

cat320

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Messages
913
Location
Stoneham,MA
Well sice i first posted this i have gotten a skid loader ,a Gehl 4640 and have a cam 5 ton dump trailer and was towint them with my 3/4 ton chevy but have now upgraded to a 2005 F350 diesel pick up .
 

DKinWA

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2003
Messages
210
Location
Western Washington
Occupation
Biologist and Contractor
:eek: At 36,440 pounds, that would get you soooooo busted in the state of Washington. I've gotten to know our local commercial vehicle enforcement officer and I know he'd drop whatever he was doing to pull over a set up like that. At that weight, it looks to be at a minimum of 12,940 lbs over the manufactures GCVW.

Ford Superduty trucks Just scroll down to the GCVW ratings.

The more I think about it, I think our commercial vehicle enforcement officer would skip the ticket and take me straight to jail :D It sure is amazing how laws vary between the states.
 

Steve Frazier

Founder
Staff member
Joined
Oct 30, 2003
Messages
6,599
Location
LaGrangeville, N.Y.
DKinWA, We'd be in the same trouble here in NY. I wouldn't be surprised if that combination would win you a trip in the back of a patrol car. At the very least, you'd be required to off load to a vehicle rated for that weight with heavy fines involved. In NY I've heard instances where contractors have surrendered their vehicles as some fines can exceed the value of the truck.
 

max diyer

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
5
Location
western PA
Occupation
18-wheeler driver
What it all boils down to is safety. I was a 18-wheeler owner-operator and I hauled machinery & oversized loads coast to coast. I drive for a company & pull a tanker, but I still pull a lowboy, part-time. If you are hauling equipment, law enforcement treats you as a commercial vehicle. That makes it a LOT MORE serious than a pick-up truck & a U-Haul trailer. If you get in a accident, no matter who's at fault, the law will be all over you like flies on "sugar". First, they send you to get drug & alcohol tested. Then they DOT your rig. If they find your rig too small, for what your hauling or if your brakes are bad or some other mechanical reason... your in a heap of trouble. If someone gets killed ... YOUR GOING TO JAIL ! The fines, let alone the law suits, will put you out of business and probably screw-up the majority of, the rest of your life.

Bottom line ... make sure your equipment is MORE THAN adequate to carry what you are hauling. And keep up on your vehicle mantainence.
 

woberlin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2004
Messages
111
Location
malvern, ohio
Occupation
excavating contractor/bodyshop owner
I had a driveshaft break on a fairly steep hill several years ago pulling a bobcat with a 1 ton truck. The brakes on the truck and the electric breaks on the trailer could'nt hold me, and the trailer went over the edge of a 40 foot almost vertical drop. Thank god for the tree that kept the entire rig from going to the bottom. It ripped the hitch right off the truck, and the trailer was straight up and down. Luckily I had the bobcat securely fastened, and it did'nt leave the trailer. Certainly a freak type of accident, but they do happen. I will never pull a trailer with an undersized truck again. Although I don't think I was overloaded in that circumstance. But still something to think about for those that tow equipment with undersize vehicles.
 

DR RPM

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Joined
Feb 21, 2005
Messages
128
Location
Onoway, Alberta
Occupation
Dirt Flinger
The weight limits are much higher up here in the north, we have owned a truck-trailer combo like diggler's, could legally haul way more than it looked. Looking at a new Dodge 1 ton and a 28 foot gooseneck for hauling a new Cat 420D (22000 lbs trailer) , currently have a 12000 lbs trailer for moving a Cat 262 skid steer. :bash
 

gslam88

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Messages
6
Location
Monroe, CT
Occupation
It keeps changing
Guys,

The CDL licence is a federal licence... so what goes in Alabama goes in NY... just because a cop or dot has not pulled you over does not mean it's leagal....

puling a trailer over 9,999lbs still means you need a cdl class a....

pulling 27k with 8k can be done... but you can still get red tagged for doing it...

Pete
 

will_gurt

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
163
Location
southwestern ,PA
Occupation
operator in extended holding pattern
gslam88 said:
Guys,

The CDL licence is a federal licence... so what goes in Alabama goes in NY... just because a cop or dot has not pulled you over does not mean it's leagal....

puling a trailer over 9,999lbs still means you need a cdl class a....

pulling 27k with 8k can be done... but you can still get red tagged for doing it...

Pete
To be exact on this Operating a vehicle greater than 26,000 pounds and/ or towing a trailer greater than 10,000 pounds makes you need a CDL. Using your one ton to pull a 18,000 pound trailer would mean that you need to have a class "A" licence.
 

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CT18fireman

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
250
Location
Brookfield, CT
Occupation
Owner
It is getting old how many times the CDL specs have been posted. They haven't changed and I can't see them changing in the near future.

Just because the truck can pull something, doesn't mean it shold or that you are liscenced to.
 

micah79

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2003
Messages
3
Not many people can agree on towing/payload laws. I argue with people about it all of the time. Especially when leaving the salt supply......
 

DKinWA

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2003
Messages
210
Location
Western Washington
Occupation
Biologist and Contractor
After reading this thread, I went back and read the cdl requirements for Washington state and it's pretty clear. I've never understood the confusion over cdl requirements, but it's obviously not clear to everyone. The other one is the air brake endorsement. I argued with a couple of folks that a truck under 26,001 gvw with air brakes (although not a common setup) doesn't require a cdl. We went back and forth for a couple of days and I finally asked a couple of commercial enforcement officers. From their response it was clear they'd been asked this question a few times before. Both clearly said the cdl requirement is based on weight alone and has nothing to do with brake type.
 
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