GN Trailer: 3- 7k or 2-10k axels

[Birdhunter1]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( However, most traffic cops are aware of the CDL holder's plight and are a bit more forgiving, too.
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There is some truth to this. Not long after I got my CDL clas B with air brakes I got pulled over in my Ranger pick up and the cop asked who I drove for. I told him I worked on the side for a relative who was a farmer and had the license to drive the grain trucks. He let me off for that simple reason knowing I would be up the creek with a ticket.

That being said I have had two tickets since I got my CDL and I was able to go on court supervision for one of them (brother in law was the states attorney (prosecutor) for that county then) and the other I just paid because it woudl have been to much of a hassle to deal with going back to the county it was in.

 

[Highbeam]

"FEDERAL law requires a Class A CDL for anyone towing a trailer that is 10,001 pounds or more."

BS. Many RV trailers are well over 10,000 lbs. Heck, even the medium sized ones now easily go over 10,000 lbs. The newer half tons are even rated to tow 10,000# trailers.

 

[hutch4472]

Highbeam, your right, it is crazy how many 3/4 ton trucks you see up and down the road that are WAY over loaded with 38 foot 5ers with triple slides and triple axles. BUT SOMEHOW its legal because they are RV's. Must be alot of politicians that have big RV's and they dont want to need a Class A CDL so they just make exceptions to the laws? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Turkeyman]

Thanks for all the answers and more questions. You all have real world experience and not just some sales person trying to make a deal.

Some questions- how important is the torque tube ( looking at a 36 ft model)and does oil bath axels mean that I do not have to repack the bearings? I always have hated repacking boat trailer bearings. I know eqip trailers are rarely submegered in water. I can only imagine the fun involved in a duel tandum set up.

Thanks

 

[dubba]

"FEDERAL law requires a Class A CDL for anyone towing a trailer that is 10,001 pounds or more."

Really close, but not quite..

Federal law requires a Class A CDL license for anyone operating a commercial motor vehicle towing a trailer with a registered or rated weight of more than 10000 lbs involved in interstate commerce.

State law covers intrastate commercial regulations although most states have just adopted federal regs because their respective legislatures don't have that kind of time.

 

[firemanpat2910]

Go with a double axle not a tripple if at all possible. I have a tag along 22' triple axle with 2 brake axles. I got kind of pressured into buying it when a friend passed away. I was in the market for a trailer and the family needed to sell this one. I have regreted it ever since. Its h&ll to turn, I constantly roll the tires and its too narrow to start with.(Tractor 6'4" trailer 6'6")

I dont have a goose neck.I use my truck for work and load a lot of stuff in the bed, but I have driven a few and like them better. I wont comment on the laws.... thats been pretty well covered and in my little hick town we dont care any how.

 

[john_bud]

Really close, but not quite..

Federal law requires a Class A CDL license for anyone operating a commercial motor vehicle towing a trailer with a registered or rated weight of more than 10000 lbs involved in interstate commerce.

State law covers intrastate commercial regulations although most states have just adopted federal regs because their respective legislatures don't have that kind of time.

Ummm, not quite right either.

You need a CDL if your truck is 26,001 or more pounds and you are towing 10,000 or more. An example of what is NOT CDL -> if the truck is 6000# the trailer can be 20,000 # and you won't need a CDL. Not that an 6000 pound truck SHOULD tow a 20,000 pound trailer...but if it did, it would not be a CMV and would not need a CDL.

Google for Wisconsin's commercial drivers manual cdl-vol1.pdf. It has a table that spells out what is what very plainly on page 4.

jb

 

[DavesTractor]

JB, pulling my 20K dually gooseneck flatbed with my 12,200 gvwr 2006 Dodge dually requires a CDL in California. An officer pulled me over for it (with my dually Ford F350) last year and wrote me up. He was sure, so was the judge. I realize from reading here that it is not the same in many states, that is why so many of us are adamant about this CDL thing, yet we differ in our experience.

 

[George2615]

Personally I'd get a double axle, not a triple. You can also get a double axle dual wheel for more weight / load capacity.
In my state (NY) they changed the license requirements in July of 2005. It used to be any vehicle with or without trailer had to be under 18K for using a regular drivers license. They raised that to 26K and not need a CDL. CDL's are required if over 26,001 or when driving for hire as well. There are numerous other changes in NY license classes but I'm sure these vary state to state.
I think they had to raise the limit due to higher capacities of vehicles (trucks, trailers, motorhomes etc.) today. My own 3/4 ton truck weighs over 6k and can tow up to 15.5K that puts me over 21K right away. I do have a CDL but wouldn't need it for what I tow. I am amazed at all the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks I see towing 20K trailers with 14-18k dozers / excavators. Way over weight and they rarely see them pulled over getting a ticket. If using a 20K trailer it should be towed by something much larger than a 1 ton.

 

[meledward23]

Wow that chart for wisconsin is very nice. Trying to find info in TN besides "In general, state law defines a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) as any vehicle or combination of vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds." I just love the In general part.

Or some very useless charts. From the best I can tell in TN a trailer over 10,000# GVW requires a Class A....

http://tennessee.gov/safety/CDLManual.pdf page 2
http://tennessee.gov/safety/05Manual.pdf page 6

Anyway... Guess that makes it easy... If I can't have a trailer over 10000#'s I just need to by a 26000# truck and put a ramp deck on it.

Any one have different info on TN ?