How to regularly move 12,000 of equipment?

[john_bud]

Actually, there is a real silly loophole in the law. IF your trailer is 10,001 or more pounds AND the total is 26,001# or more THEN you need a CDL.

Ok, we all get that.

BUT - here's the loophole - If the trailer is 10,000 or less pounds and the truck is 26,000 or less pounds, you don't need a CDL. Even though the total is up to 36,000 pounds. Goofy, but true.

jb

[JESSE1]

Get a class A CDL then you won't have to worry about what you drive. I've had mine since I was 18 and although I don't need it for my job I have no intention of letting it expire.

[Builder]

Originally Posted by hosejockey2002

In a previous post you stated that any combination of over 26K required a CDL, which I beleive is correct. So, this under 26K rollback, if loaded, were to pull a trailer it would be in CDL territory.

Nope, not true. You must meet ***BOTH*** criteria:

(1)Your combination must weigh 26,001lbs or more
AND
(2) your trailer must be 10,001lbs or more to need a class A CDL.

So if you were to buy a 25,999 truck and a 10,000 trailer, you ARE NOT required to have a CDL.

If the truck was say 26,001 and the trailer was 10,000, then you'd be required to have a class B CDL.

If the truck was 16,000, 25,999 or 59,000 and the trailer was 10,002, then you'd be required to have a class A CDL!!!!!!

Not picking on you, but it's amazing how many guys can't understand these laws.

"If it were me I'd just get the CDL and be done with it. It's really not that big a deal. If you add up the weights of everything you are trying to haul, it's going to be hard to keep it under 26K. If the machine weighs 12K, you add tools, fuel, extra implements and other stuff that could easily add another 2K. A trailer that can comfortably haul 13-14K on a daily basis will weigh at least 4K. Now you're up to 18K. That leaves you just 8K for a tow vehicle, and while a dually pickup is barely under that, you'll really be pushing the limits of both the truck and the law.

Not the law, but close on a light truck. I think a one ton stakebody with good brakes on the truck & trailer and a 5th wheel would be adequate. I see all these hot shotters pulling a 4 car wedge down the highway at 70MPH.

[Harold_J]

Originally Posted by Diamondpilot

John

..The folks at Sikston have the best prices period. I got mine from there and live 6 hours away. They brought it all but the last 75 miles for $75. ...Bought it over the internet and phone and they set up the delivery with only a deposit. I meet the driver at a truck stop and hitched it up to my truck, gave him a Cashiers Check for the balance, and we did the paperwork. Smooth transaction and good people. The trailer was about 40% more back home, same brand and everything, just cut out the middle man buying from the factory.
Chris

What company? They have a website? I know there are a lot of dealers/manufacturers large and small in that area; are any particularly recommended? Thanks.

[Diamondpilot]

I got mine through EBAY but it was a Jerry James Trailer. Not the best welds but a good buy. I had the luxury of looking at the trailer first due to there being a dealer only 3 miles away. Like I said he was 40% higher on price.

Sikeston is the Mid West leading trailer manufacturing area. Here is a link to a site I used.

Sikeston Trailers - Your Source For Competitively Priced Quality Trailers

Chris

[hosejockey2002]

I guess I am mistaken then. I was under the impression that any combo of 26K required a CDL because RV transport companies, even the ones that use pickups require their drivers to have CDLs. Also, the hotshot drivers I have talked to have CDLs, even though they drive pickups. You are definitely correct in that there is a lot of misinformation out there. When I was looking at flatbed trailers, a salesman told me that I needed a CDL to tow a 12,000 GVW trailer, even if it was unloaded.

[Builder]

Originally Posted by hosejockey2002

I guess I am mistaken then. I was under the impression that any combo of 26K required a CDL because RV transport companies, even the ones that use pickups require their drivers to have CDLs. Also, the hotshot drivers I have talked to have CDLs, even though they drive pickups. You are definitely correct in that there is a lot of misinformation out there. When I was looking at flatbed trailers, a salesman told me that I needed a CDL to tow a 12,000 GVW trailer, even if it was unloaded.

You can actually drive a 25,999 dump truck pulling a 10K trailer with an ordinary drivers license. The combo would be 35,999.

[Willis Fecon Bushhogging]

Originally Posted by Builder

12K probably falls above the realistic GCWR of a 3/4 ton, but not by much.

I'm guessing you think you need a bigger truck because you need bed space for tolls, debris from clean-up, etc. The way I started was with a 1979 IH S-1700 4x4 dump with a gas engine. I bought a trailer and towed my Ford 555 backhoe with it. That worked great because I could get the truck across wet pasture & across trails to me barn building projects.

Start out with old equipment and see if you can make a go of it with your business. If thigs work out, you'll be in newer equipment within a few years.

You can get a very serviceable used dump for $7,000, a used trailer for $2,500. I don't know what piece of land clearing equipment you're looking for.

This is my 2 cents worth and Im not getting into the CDL thing, about the quote for the right piece of equipment. I just bought a Fecon FTX90L (Rayco87L) and its a great machine, for what its made for, up to 4" anything bigger than that, its hard on the machine. This is a steel track machine, and has low ground pressure. If I were to buy another machine, I would buy the same machine or the new FTX100 version. This was made for forestry work, all the safety guards, winch, extra cooling, pressurized cab, a/c,heat, etc.
I just bought a 96 International 4700, LoPro Hauler, class 5 truck, (has a place for my extra fuel tank and air compressor to keep the filters clean)10 ton 28ft tilt gooseneck trailer. As of this quote I havent pulled the Fecon machine, I was using the dump truck, with the tag along trailer. I bought this unit, so it can be a dedicated truck and trailer for the Fecon. I will keep you posted on the results. The reason I bought this unit was a friend of mine, has a similar unit, that he pulls a gooseneck horse trailer and he is real happy. Good price for a low hour machine like this, $70,000 (new $95,000) trailer $12,000.00, truck $15,000.00, so if youve added it all up, Im around $100,000.00 and hoping my purchase is going to be worth while. Just my 2 cents worth

[Builder]

Originally Posted by Willis Fecon Bushhogging

This is my 2 cents worth and Im not getting into the CDL thing, about the quote for the right piece of equipment. I just bought a Fecon FTX90L (Rayco87L) and its a great machine, for what its made for, up to 4" anything bigger than that, its hard on the machine. This is a steel track machine, and has low ground pressure. If I were to buy another machine, I would buy the same machine or the new FTX100 version. This was made for forestry work, all the safety guards, winch, extra cooling, pressurized cab, a/c,heat, etc.
I just bought a 96 International 4700, LoPro Hauler, class 5 truck, (has a place for my extra fuel tank and air compressor to keep the filters clean)10 ton 28ft tilt gooseneck trailer. As of this quote I havent pulled the Fecon machine, I was using the dump truck, with the tag along trailer. I bought this unit, so it can be a dedicated truck and trailer for the Fecon. I will keep you posted on the results. The reason I bought this unit was a friend of mine, has a similar unit, that he pulls a gooseneck horse trailer and he is real happy. Good price for a low hour machine like this, $70,000 (new $95,000) trailer $12,000.00, truck $15,000.00, so if youve added it all up, Im around $100,000.00 and hoping my purchase is going to be worth while. Just my 2 cents worth

Ain't it funny listening to these lawyers & doctors whine like a piglet without a teet because they have 100-150K in loans to payback with a 200K salary?

Then guys like us have 100-150K in equipment debt, at higher interest, I might add, but have to pay it back with 1/3-1/2 the salary.

[hosejockey2002]

Originally Posted by Builder

You can actually drive a 25,999 dump truck pulling a 10K trailer with an ordinary drivers license. The combo would be 35,999.

Not only are you one of the few who can actually make sense of the CDL regs, you're good at math too!! (just yankin' your chain)