Pickups and Legal Trailer Weight Limits

[rswyan]

Now let me explain a gotcha moment. My nephew has a F250 with a 9,200 GVWR. In IL you have two options for plates on a pickup one is a Class B truck plate with a 8,000 pound limit, but take into account that the truck with driver and passenger weighs around 7,200 which only allows for a payload of 800 pounds.

You're confusing GVWR with unladen weight. They aren't the same thing.

For non-commercial trucks, Illinois does not reference GVWR in in it's plating/registration schedule, just the weight (likely the unladen weight) of the truck ... similar to Ohio:

B-Truck License Plates

The other option is the Class D truck plate which is a 12,000 limit plate. Now the gotcha is in IL the 12,000 plate is a commercial plate. So by putting the D plate on the truck you are now licensed for commerce, and per the court ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Don't even need to get this far, see my answer above.

 

[rswyan]

Your plated weight has nothing to do with the door sticker. I have in the past plated my Dodge CTD for 26,000#. It's currently plated for 18,000# because that's all I need. Plated weight is all about revenue.

Correct :thumbsup:

My van - which has a GVWR of 8,550 lbs from the manufacturer - is plated for 10,001 lbs.

Reason: In Ohio, commercial vehicles which have a declared GVWR of 10,000+ don't have to be E-Checked ...

I'll never exceed the manufacturer's GVWR tho' ... wouldn't be prudent.

 

[Rock knocker]

You'd be fine with your rig. You need to look at your GVWR on your rig and trailer. The CGWR is only coming into play on a trailer at 10k or more GVWR if the combined GVWR of the tow rig and trailer is over 26,001lbs. Example; my 86 F350 has a GVWR of 11,000lbs and my trailer has a GVWR of 13,800lbs giving me a CGWR of 24,800lbs, no CDL. If my truck had a GVWR of 12,500lbs pulling same trailer I'd be at 26,300lbs CGWR, Class A CDL required. Hope that helps

One step further, you could have a truck with a GVWR of 20,000lbs pulling a trailer with a GVWR 9,999lbs and no CDL required.

Happy Gilmore is right, and here is a flow chart that may help. Anointed for the vehicle combination above

 

[ModMech]

Just remember that INTER-state and INTRA-state regulations are not the same in most cases; Inter being Federal and Intra being state regulation.

 

[JIGBUILDER]

Does anybody know what is considered when the enforcing authorities look at how a truck is loaded? In other words, each truck has a GVWR - and a published tow rating (somewhere).

Dot doesn't use the truck makers GVWR to determine how much load the truck is carrying. Truck makers may choose any GVWR number they want up to the sum of the vehicles GAWRs on the trucks certification placard. GAWRs determine tire/wheel and suspension capacities. Dot isn't concerned with the axle mfg numbers as they have no idea what they are.
Tow rating are not a enforceable number as its not placarded on the truck any where.

So what happens when you upgrade a truck and increase it's capacity? Using my prior Suburban example, If I put a diesel drivetrain in it , upgrade the rear axle - and put a 14,000 pound rated hitch on the back - the only piece of the puzzle that keeps the truck from having the capability of a 3500 series Silverado - is potentially the frame. And it's my understanding that the frame in the 2500 and 3500 series Chevy Silverados - is the same frame. The 2500 Suburban has a GVWR of 8600 pounds , the 2500 Silverado has a GVWR of 9200 pounds - and my understanding is that the difference comes from the fact that the Suburban is just a heavier vehicle - so it loses some weight carrying capacity. A 3500 series Silverado has a GVWR of 11,400 if I remember correctly.

Nothing .... if you have done the work. The truck simply has more capabilities. Read this Frequently Asked Questions on the Exemptions to the Make Inoperative Prohibition.
Its rare a certified vehicle alterer will raise a trucks certified GAWR/GVWR. Doing so puts all the liability on him.

If your setting up to haul commercially I would advise you to talk with your state size and weight folks. They can tell you what you need for hauling commercially or non commercial.

My state has no plates or tonnage or GVW or any weights when we register a non commercial truck (any size). We simply carry weight up the the trucks certified RAWR/FAWR/tire load ratings.

A non commercial truck with a registered weight/plate/etc means nothing except the state its registered in.

 

[Rock knocker]

Just remember that INTER-state and INTRA-state regulations are not the same in most cases; Inter being Federal and Intra being state regulation.

Actually the are the same. More stringent than the Feds, and the states risk interfering with interstate commerce (just because the truck has a Texas license plate doesn't mean it's not hauling stuff from the port to the rail yards - hence interstate commerce). Less stringent than the Feds, and the states can lose funding.

 

[Rock knocker]

Dot doesn't use the truck makers GVWR to determine how much load the truck is carrying

I don't understand what you're trying to say

 

[yelbike]

Correct. My company has about 300 vehicles on the road. We have 3 full time guys who just maintain records, drivers info, ect.

I had dinner last Thursday with the department head. I asked him detailed questions. Long story short is if it's not for hire, IE: personal stuff with no pay involved you need nothing.

Chris

Couple years ago I had to retrieve my dads retirement rig from Arizona back into Canada. He was incapable of doing it himself because of impending brain surgery. I had to upgrade my license to a class 3 commercial drivers license before leaving. I was not hired. Truck was 2011 2500 duramax, the issue though was the trailer weight (12000-13000 lbs). I understand different countries, different rules but i don't believe its whether a driver is hired or not, its the weight rating of the equipment.

The system isn't perfect either, the province here keeps on giving my dad a hard time over his class 3 license. He has no long term effects of his surgery. If he loses him class 3, he'd still keep his class 5 (which is a normal driver's license around here). He'd be forced to sell his fifth wheel trailer, and buy a 40000# bus type motorhome which he could put a car hauler behind it to car their car with no problems.

 

[Rock knocker]

Correct. My company has about 300 vehicles on the road. We have 3 full time guys who just maintain records, drivers info, ect.

I had dinner last Thursday with the department head. I asked him detailed questions.

I had a similar job for a number of years.

 

[ModMech]

Actually the are the same.

Actually they are not. There are a TON of "gotcha"s in the STATE laws, so it is very complex.

More stringent than the Feds, and the states risk interfering with interstate commerce (just because the truck has a Texas license plate doesn't mean it's not hauling stuff from the port to the rail yards - hence interstate commerce). Less stringent than the Feds, and the states can lose funding.

Um, no.