JB4310
Super Member
An update...
This has all been very educational. But from you guys and from other discussions my brother and I have had.
My brother called a state weigh station, the state police, and the VDMV. They all said the same thing. They don't really care about the 'derated' number when they pull you over, they go straight to the axle ratings, which are generally shown correct. Even if the tag is pulled, they'll just look at the lugs and rim diameter and get the axle rating lickity split.
They then look in the door jam of the truck and find the GVWR. Then they add them together. They are looking for that magical 26k# number.
The BIGGEST wrinkle is that my brother's F350 is rated for 13k#. If he got this trailer or any other trailer with two 7k# axles, he would be in trouble at some point.
SOOOOOOOO, he has decided to pass on the good deal. It thought us a valuable lesson, though, because he had a new Leonard 24' 14k# dovetail all tee'd up...a trailer that would have also been 'illegal' for him to tow.
In reality, this trailer weighed ~4,600#. The 12k# 24' dovetail (with fenders...not deckover) he is NOW looking at purchasing weighs closer to 3,000#. So for getting much less trailer, he is only costing himself at most 500# in cargo carrying capacity. 28 feet would have been nice, but I am sure he will be able to make 24 feet work.
And he is, without a doubt, legal.
With that, I thank the brain trust with much appreciation for your collective insight. Where else could I have learned so much and gotten so many opinions in such a short amount of time? You guys are great.
Very sincerely,
Keith
You can go but we will stay and argue more :laughing:
I know we've had this crazy 10K trailer - 26K CGVW discussion before,
But I can't remember, do you go by the tag ratings or the actual weights.
Like with your brother's 13K truck and 14K trailer. If his actual weight was under 26,000K would that be legal???
JB