Definition of Pickup - heads-up

[Reg]

I like it in some ways, though I don't know WHERE the GVW cutoff point should be.
Geriatrics with dough driving bus sized RVs should need more than a regular car license - and I'm not convinced that the 17,500 or even 12,500 Kodiaks should be hauling big trailers around on a car license either.
I think some states define pick-ups as having fewer than 5 wheels, which might be some of the rationale for the fairly recent oddity known as the "SRW one ton"
(-:

 

[Harold_J]

I like it in some ways, though I don't know WHERE the GVW cutoff point should be.
Geriatrics with dough driving bus sized RVs should need more than a regular car license - and I'm not convinced that the 17,500 or even 12,500 Kodiaks should be hauling big trailers around on a car license either.
I think some states define pick-ups as having fewer than 5 wheels, which might be some of the rationale for the fairly recent oddity known as the "SRW one ton"
(-:

It might be the reason for the popularity of SRW's in some states, but I don't think they have ever been an oddity. SRW 1-tons have been around forever, that's what the milk man used back in the 1950's. My grandfather owned a 1945 International SRW 1-ton. Duallys on 1-tons actually came along later, when I don't know but I recall GM made a big deal of the introduction calling the pickup a "Big Dually" or something like that, maybe in the 70's or 80's. I think they had duallys on pickups before Ford did the same with the F350.

My GM dealer told me they always order a SRW for stock inventory in 1-ton instead of 3/4 because the 1-ton had full floating axles. Actually 3/4 tons used to have full floating axles also, even GM suburbans, until they cheapened them up some time in the 1980's. I bought my SRW 3500 4X4 in 2000.

My feeling about the regs is that the states should all conform to the federal CDL specs, no more and no less; this would end a lot of confusion and interstate problems. I think that is what NY is trying to by allowing trailers over 10,000# and recently doing away with the special license for trucks with GVW between 18,000 and 26,000. CA is just jerking chains with this definition of a pickup body stuff, probably to collect more fees.

 

[DavesTractor]

If anyone has a 2006 or newer Ford or Chevy one ton dually, could you check your GVWR sticker on the door and report what it says? The 2006 Dodge is 12,400. Is the Chevy 11,400? That would put it under the magical California 11,500 number and might just tempt me to trade my Dodge on a Chevy.

Just for an update, 5 emails to Dodge over a three week period, no response to my questions regarding my "pickup" that isn't a pickup. That is poor service no matter how you cut it. My local dealer has left messages for the Dodge rep, but he has not called them back either. Scary.

 

[DavesTractor]

To reply to myself (I talk to myself sometimes also...), I stopped by a Chevy place today and looked at a 2007 3500 HD 4x4 dually crewcab pickup. 11,400 GVWR. So it is legally a pickup in California. Any input from you Ford guys?

By the way, I said in the post above that 2006 Dodge dually was 12,400 GVWR. That was a typo, it is 12,200.

 

[TexasSD]

Tried to copy/paste here, but it didn't like the table, so here is a link to the Ford specs for 07:

2007 Ford Super Duty F250 F350 Technical Specifications

 

[Z-Michigan]

Nothing useful to add, except that California is so weird that if I hadn't been there in person a few times I would think all the stories about it were fiction.

I've met a number of decent people FROM Kalifornia... 99.9% of them never want to live there ever again. Laws and politics seem to be the main reasons cited.

I will agree with this much any way. I have always thought of California as a big granola bar (what ain't fruits or nuts is flakes).

I have to second this!

 

[DavesTractor]

The laws and regs are a little out of hand. When you have just under 40 million people in one state, you tend to get more regulation I think. We are up in NorCal, very rural, lightly populated, nice weather most of the year....just don't go telling everyone or it will get crowded too!

I should add that my near perfect 2006 Cummins 4x4 dually goes up for sale tomorrow. I'm in the market for a 2006 or 2007 Chevy Duramax 4x4 dually. I'll sure miss the Dodge, but I am not going to continue to go through a bunch of hoops because of the GVWR. Cheaper than moving I think.

 

[Harold_J]

Has Dodge changed anything for the 2007 models versus 06? I looked at the 07 specs and they do seem to have a lot of duallies that are at or under 11,500 MGVW.

All of the Mega Cabs and any of the 4x2's look to be OK. Only the 4x4 versions of the Regular Cab and Quad Cab have the 12,200 rating. It's like they added another 700 lbs onto the 4x2 to keep the same payload rating for the 4x4.

If this continues to be a problem in CA I'm sure Dodge will have to offer ratings on all of the 3500's that meet the pickup definition, especially since the Quad Cab 4x4 is a big seller.

 

[DavesTractor]

Has Dodge changed anything for the 2007 models versus 06? I looked at the 07 specs and they do seem to have a lot of duallies that are at or under 11,500 MGVW.

All of the Mega Cabs and any of the 4x2's look to be OK. Only the 4x4 versions of the Regular Cab and Quad Cab have the 12,200 rating. It's like they added another 700 lbs onto the 4x2 to keep the same payload rating for the 4x4.

If this continues to be a problem in CA I'm sure Dodge will have to offer ratings on all of the 3500's that meet the pickup definition, especially since the Quad Cab 4x4 is a big seller.

My local dealer has been very cooperative, but 1-800-4ADODGE and the Daimler Chrysler number that I was referred to from there resulted in a very bad experience. Very poor attitude, very unhelpful. I hate to say it, but this experience with their customer service department was so distasteful that I will be selling both my Dodge Cummins trucks and I'll never buy a Dodge again. Obviously my small gesture won't hurt Dodge any, but I just won't spend money where I don't get friendly service.

I don't see them caring about California law. It would take a class action lawsuit to get their attention, and it is easier to just change truck brands.

 

[KICK]

If I remember right you need a CDL to drive certain vehicles if they are for hire or business. but individuals don't necessarily have to have one to operate a rather large vehicle.

you can rent a large truck from Penske or Ryder , you dont need a CDL but if your business owned and operated the same type of vehicle, you would need that license.

the license covers the driver, not the vehicle

deciding which is a commercial vehicle is where the question is, your one ton may be considerd commercial when you register it but that doesn't mean you need a l
CDL.

exceptions abound..