Can I legally tow a 20,000 lb. trailer with my F-450?

[jmfox]

My CDL doesn't have any Class designation; although it does contain endorsements for "Tank Vehicles" and "Doubles/Triples."

jmf

 

[BigMccorm]

I've got a question for y'all. I was planning on getting my Class A CDL this winter. I will be needing it for work. My question is this. Does a Class A give me a license to drive a truck that falls under either Class B and C too?

 

[Johnagain]

Let me get this straight. After reading all this about weights and trailers you are telling me that I will be illegal to tow my empty 14k dump trailer with my truck that is only rated to towed about 10k. Something seems screwed up about that.

 

[George2615]

BigMccorm,
Yes, a class A lets you do B & C

 

[John White]

In ohio here is how it was explained to me. My truck is a 5500 GMC with a gvw rating of 19000. Unloaded weight is 8700. My trailer is rated at 14000, empty it weights 2500. I have used F350 and simular hd pickups over the years and they just do not provide enough braking abililty, even with bakes on all 4 wheels on trailer. My little dozer weighs 10,000, fully loaded, truck 8700 trailer 2500 dozer 10000. a total of 19,500lbs. I went through a weigh check point (dozer was not on trailer). My combined weight was 95000 across the scale. They pulled me in and give me a tilcket which cost $150. He said my truck was rated at 19000 and my trailer was rated at 14000 which could put me over CDL if fully loaded. My truck would not pull 33000 lbs I tried to explain and would be right back where I started from a truck with not enough braking ability, making it unsafe in a sudden stop. He could care less about safety. I didnt have a cdl so he made me unhook my trailer and leave it. I went home and got my little Ford ranger, and it just fried his but when I showed up to get my trailer. Totaly legal (but not safe) . No wonder truckers hate the puco. You cannot reason with them.

Yes it should be 21200 loaded weight. My mistake in adding.

 

[civesnedfield]

I've got a question for y'all. I was planning on getting my Class A CDL this winter. I will be needing it for work. My question is this. Does a Class A give me a license to drive a truck that falls under either Class B and C too?

Yes it does. You will need seperate endorsements for a school bus if you choose to go that route.

 

[civesnedfield]

I find that it's ridiculous that a class B licence holder CAN drive a truck over 26,000lbs, but can only pull a 10K trailer.

So with a class B licence, you can drive an 80,000lb triaxle filled to the gills with 3/4 stone, but then only pull a 10K lawn equipment trailer behind it.

I'm not suggesting that he be allowed to tow a 40K trailer, but the 10K limit is too low. Anyone knows that there's little to no difference between a 10K and a 14K equipment trailer other than the tire/rim size. The lengths are generally the same. Heck, I can get a 14K trailer that's 30' long and I can get a 20K trailer that's 24' long. Both could have electric brakes and both could be towed behind a 26K hydraulic braked GMC6500. So what's the difference? IMO, the 14K longer trailer is harder to handle than the shorter 20K trailer! Anyone who drives bigger trucks knows that it's LENGTH that makes a trailer harder to handle than WEIGHT (up to a point).


Why is it that a 1-ton pickup being driven by a non-cdl holder can tow a heavier trailer (GCWR up to 26K) than a class B CDL holder can tow behind a 26K F-650? The class B CDL holder can only tow a 10K trailer!

Stupid and very impractical for the average mason or small excavating contractor who needs to tow a mid size backhoe/trackhoe behind his 26K dumptruck !!!! You wouldn't believe how many times I hear this. That's why I got my class A CDL.

The class B licence allows you to drive a truck with certain capacities, it does not allow you to drive an articulated vehicle. That is a truck towing a trailer. A class A CDL is required for articulated vehicles.

I know it is awful screwy but the CDL licence is regulated by the Federal Government. Oh, yea once you have the Class A CDL, hook up your F450 to the trailer that puts you over the 26,000 load capacity, depending on the state you live in you better have a Fuel sticker too. That almost cost another $150.00 for me. Lucky the truck and trailer have farm plates. By the way in some states if you have farm plates on the vehicle, no CDL is required to drive any type of vehicle

 

[jmfox]

Is there anyone with a CDL without a class designation that contains endorsements instead?

jmf

 

[civesnedfield]

Is there anyone with a CDL without a class designation that contains endorsements instead?

jmf

I did not know that that was possible. If yours has endorsements for Tank and Doubles and triples it should be a class A

 

[Builder]

The class B licence allows you to drive a truck with certain capacities, it does not allow you to drive an articulated vehicle. That is a truck towing a trailer. A class A CDL is required for articulated vehicles.

I know it is awful screwy but the CDL licence is regulated by the Federal Government. Oh, yea once you have the Class A CDL, hook up your F450 to the trailer that puts you over the 26,000 load capacity, depending on the state you live in you better have a Fuel sticker too. That almost cost another $150.00 for me. Lucky the truck and trailer have farm plates. By the way in some states if you have farm plates on the vehicle, no CDL is required to drive any type of vehicle

"Articulated vehicles?" An articulated vehicle is like a 4 wheel loader that scoops gravel in a quarry that pivots in the middle.

A class B CDL enables you to lawfully drive any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more or any such vehicle towing a vehicle having a GVWR of not more than 10,000lbs.

Since I have my class A CDL, it doesn't matter. I drive what I want.