lo-boy versus over-the-wheel flatbed gooseneck?

[Ryan03]

My neighbor who works for the phone company got his CDL in a Ford E350 van pulling a Generator Cart. He then changed jobs, still with the same phone company, but was required to drive a boom truck with air brakes so he took a test in it to get his air brakes endorsement. Long story short he has never steeped foot in a semi but with his cdl and air brake endorsement he could drive one if a insurance company covered him.

Chris

I would rather share the road with him driving a semi instead of the elderly woman who passed me at 80 mph in a 48 ft diesel pusher Country coach when I was on my way home from work last week:e: .

 

[wushaw]

Texas John; Put farm tags on whatever you get, you don't need a "CDL" you may need a class A liscense if you fall into the right weights which is nothing but a written and a driving test with the trailer, no worse than what you did when you first got your class C as a teenager.
Oh and if I were getting a GN trailer it would be a 25' dove tail deck over either 14k or higher.

 

[Duffster]

If you can get a pickup truck/trailer combo GVWR up over 26k lbs.... (lets just assume GVWR on the truck of 14k and trailer has a GVWR of 14k)... Could you use that setup to take your CDL Driving test?

Yes you can.

i think what chris was saying is that if you are for hire ie hot shot driver or something like that you will need a cdl for lower weights.

Shouldn't make any difference.

 

[Raw Dodge]

I have a 14K dump trailer,my pickups gvwrs are 8800 and 9200.I use it for personal use,as i own 22 acres,and heat with wood,so i dont worry to much,but im under 26000 either way,even though a have a cdl A,ive never been stopped with it in 4 yrs,I tarp my load,all my lights work,and i drive carefully and a few under the speed limit when i got a load in it.
The way it was explained to me the states do not care about your tow vehicle combination at all,they are totally ok with a 5300 GVWR S10 towing an 18000gvwr trailer,so long as no axles are overweight,all tires are correct,and the hitchign device is adequete for the load.That combination would be legal without a cdl A,but any truck capable of towing it safely would put it over the 26000,and cause issues.
True story a friend of mine does underground utility work got stopped in CT with a chevy 4500 dump and a 14K trailer.Heavy Veemer on the trailer,long with a spool,it was right around the limit of 14K.In inspection revealed everything was legal,and ok,except driver didnt have a CDL A,the GCWR was 31000 lbs,so he was ticketed,and the cop asked if he had a pickup,the owner said yes,he said what size is it? he said 3/4t,cop told him go get it,and you can tow the trailer home with it,and bring someone to drive the 4500 .So he proceeded to hook the very tongue heavy 14K to the 9200 gvwr 2500HDs hitch,with the safety chains dragging even after shortening them,the truck looked like it was going to wheelie,the dot cop let him drive away,that was legal,because he wasnt out of class.Safe was the 4500 towing it,legal is the 2500HD,they dont always go hand in hand.

 

[LBrown59]

It is a little different driving a tractor up and down those tall ramps but i'm getting use to it.

Wouldn't a tilt bed solve that problem?

 

[texasjohn]

OK... lots of good thoughts and suggestions... and, since y'all like to spend other's money, I've moved to the following idea for the trailer:

A deckover
2 7K axles (or greater) with elect brakes each axle
25 foot dove tail with fold up ramps, probably 5 foot.
farm tags, clearly, lots of reasons, including less restrictions
sides fitting into stake pockets

Now, to see what Craig's list has at the moment.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Dargo]

OK... lots of good thoughts and suggestions... and, since y'all like to spend other's money, I've moved to the following idea for the trailer:

A deckover
2 7K axles (or greater) with elect brakes each axle
25 foot dove tail with fold up ramps, probably 5 foot.
farm tags, clearly, lots of reasons, including less restrictions
sides fitting into stake pockets

Now, to see what Craig's list has at the moment.

Thanks for your input!

Here is a Kubota 5030HSTC sitting on that exact setup.

 

[texasjohn]

Wow, Dargo, that's an Elite set-up I could really use something like that Thanks for the photo.... convinces me that this is a good way to go...

 

[Dargo]

Wow, Dargo, that's an Elite set-up I could really use something like that Thanks for the photo.... convinces me that this is a good way to go...

LOL, thanks. I have another just like it but it is 5' longer and has dual wheels on each axle and those axles are 10k each where the pictured axles are 7k each. Pictured is the 20' with 5' tail, giving 25' with ramps up. I use it far more often than the larger trailer. It's easier to handle and easier to turn without dual rear wheels. Just thought it may give you a reference for your tractor. The 'bota will fit even with my 7' rotary cutter on the back and FEL on the front of the tractor.

 

[LarryRB]

Then that means you would need a CDL to drive my F-350 to the grocery store. Many 1 Tons have GVWR above 11,500# and the Ford has a GVWR of 13,000#. Does not make since to me??

Chris

This is a major problem in CT also, not just Calif... It is not your 11500 gvw Ford that is the problem, it is trailers, on their own rated at 10,000 gvw or higher, As I have said here numerous times over the years, I have the Union scale on top of me and no way to go around it,. Although, 40 years of class one or now called class A, doesn't matter to me anyway,... Some troopers at the Union scale (INTERPRET) a 10,000 trailer you need a CDL.. Other troopers ( INTERPRET) no CDL until the combination reaches 26K or greater,... and here in lies the problem.. I highly doubt that these states will get together and once and for all, read and interpret the same,, Why should they? They would lose a great deal of overweight tickets whether they were issued right or wrong...