Illegal or just confused...

[Diamondback]

OK, I just went throught several pages of a related thread and am still confused. Hope this in not a dead horse subject. I'm relatively new to towing heavier equipment.

Situation...I had a trailer with (2) 5k axles, brakes on both. Says plainly on the tongue not to exeed 8000lbs of cargo. Recently bought a used machine that specs say weighs slightly over 8000lbs with thumb. I just used the trailer approximately 3-4 times a years to have machine serviced so most folks I talked to said not to worry about it. Well... I did.

Not wanting to take the chance of something breaking at 55-60mph with a $30,000 machine aboard (not to mention the potential liability issues in the event of an accident) I decided to play it safe and trade the trailer for a better grade trailer with (2) 6k axles, brakes and more bells/whistles. Seller made no mention of any special license to use it.

Now, I'm getting conflicting info as to me being legal to tow it with my 2500 Dodge diesel. NC Trooper I spoke to about it says I'm OK if combined weight(truck, trailer and machine) is not over 26k. Called the weigh station...he says if the trailer is rated over 10k I must have a Classified Class A license to pull it. NC Driver license Examiner in my town says I must be over 26k to even get a Classified Class A.

All I wanted to do was be safer...now I don't even know If I'm legal. If anyone out there can shed some light on the situation...PLEASE HELP!

 

[mytoys]

OK, so without a cdl license you can tow a 10,000 trailer. That's 10k total load with trailer and tractor combined. I have a 10k trailer and it weighs around 1800 lbs. That means that i can tow a tractor that weighs no more than 8200 lbs. 1800 + 8200 = 10,000lbs.

If the tag (little plate from the manufacturer) says the trailer is 10,000 pound gross weight you're ok. If it says 12,000lbs you aren't.

My tractor with all the implements (loader and backhoe) weighs 6900. I took it to the local truck stop and weighed it. I'm ok and legal.

The other piece about the 26000 lbs goes like this. You cannot exceed the combined weight of truck and trailer of 26000lbs. So if you have a 10000lb trailer, the largest truck you can tow it with would be say an f-450. The f-450 has a gvw of 15000. So 15000 (truck) + 10000 (trailer) = 25000lbs combined.

You could drive a truck with a gvw as high as 26000lbs without a cdl but you couldn't legally pull a trailer with that truck withot a cdl.

Thanks for allowing me to confuse you more.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

OK, I just went throught several pages of a related thread and am still confused. Hope this in not a dead horse subject. I'm relatively new to towing heavier equipment.

Situation...I had a trailer with (2) 5k axles, brakes on both. Says plainly on the tongue not to exeed 8000lbs of cargo. Recently bought a used machine that specs say weighs slightly over 8000lbs with thumb. I just used the trailer approximately 3-4 times a years to have machine serviced so most folks I talked to said not to worry about it. Well... I did.

Not wanting to take the chance of something breaking at 55-60mph with a $30,000 machine aboard (not to mention the potential liability issues in the event of an accident) I decided to play it safe and trade the trailer for a better grade trailer with (2) 6k axles, brakes and more bells/whistles. Seller made no mention of any special license to use it.

Now, I'm getting conflicting info as to me being legal to tow it with my 2500 Dodge diesel. NC Trooper I spoke to about it says I'm OK if combined weight(truck, trailer and machine) is not over 26k. Called the weigh station...he says if the trailer is rated over 10k I must have a Classified Class A license to pull it. NC Driver license Examiner in my town says I must be over 26k to even get a Classified Class A.

All I wanted to do was be safer...now I don't even know If I'm legal. If anyone out there can shed some light on the situation...PLEASE HELP!

It is very confusing. But I ran into the same thing. Each state seems to have a different interpretation.

I was basically told the same thing. When I went to the License/ DMV office in my county the told me I needed a Classified Class A license but not a CDL if I bought a trailer with a GVWR over 10,000 lb. I was looking at a 12-14,000lb trailer. Stopped a DMV officer, he said Class A, Highway Patrol said he was not sure but do what the DMV officer said .

So I decided to call the NC DMV in Raleigh. They told me, over 10,000lb, Classified A license.

I do know a couple of people that have been stopped and ticketed for pulling a 14k trailer but it was a gooseneck. They don't seem to pull the bumper pull trailers as much.

This has been a hotly debated issue on TBN. But if I were you I would go with what the DMV in your county said or call the state office.

 

[Bird]

The only thing I can tell you for sure is that they've now made it complicated enough that no one can tell you anything for sure.

 

[SnowRidge]

The only thing I can tell you for sure is that they've now made it complicated enough that no one can tell you anything for sure.

Did someone put the IRS in charge of towing?

 

[Diamondback]

Thanks for the replies folks. Yup, a little confusing, but the prevailing wind says a Classified Class A is in order.

Hunterridgefarm, I live in Sylva, NC. The Drivers License Examiner here tells me I must still have a larger truck and/or trailer to get a CCA license not CDL. Plain and simple. He even went as far as to tell me to "borrow someones dually" that would bring the weight to over 26k...then he could let me test for the CCA. I see you are from WNC. Might I ask where you got the Classified Class A?

I'm not a pro and don't do work for hire. I just use the equipment to work on my personal property and just want to get it to and from the dealer without fear of a blue light in my mirror.

Now that I've bought the larger trailer it sounds I'm illegal to tow my smaller TLB due to the trailer's stated capacity. Maybe I shoulda just stayed with the smaller trailer. Life was simpler then

 

[wushaw]

Here it is written in large letters. I don't know where they get their "Classified" part since it just says regular Liscense Class A, B or C then on to CDL Class A, B or C
http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/driver_services/drivershandbook/download/NCDL_English.pdf

 

[Rara Avis]

OK, I just went throught several pages of a related thread and am still confused. Hope this in not a dead horse subject. I'm relatively new to towing heavier equipment.

Situation...I had a trailer with (2) 5k axles, brakes on both. Says plainly on the tongue not to exeed 8000lbs of cargo. Recently bought a used machine that specs say weighs slightly over 8000lbs with thumb. I just used the trailer approximately 3-4 times a years to have machine serviced so most folks I talked to said not to worry about it. Well... I did.

Not wanting to take the chance of something breaking at 55-60mph with a $30,000 machine aboard (not to mention the potential liability issues in the event of an accident) I decided to play it safe and trade the trailer for a better grade trailer with (2) 6k axles, brakes and more bells/whistles. Seller made no mention of any special license to use it.

Now, I'm getting conflicting info as to me being legal to tow it with my 2500 Dodge diesel. NC Trooper I spoke to about it says I'm OK if combined weight(truck, trailer and machine) is not over 26k. Called the weigh station...he says if the trailer is rated over 10k I must have a Classified Class A license to pull it. NC Driver license Examiner in my town says I must be over 26k to even get a Classified Class A.

All I wanted to do was be safer...now I don't even know If I'm legal. If anyone out there can shed some light on the situation...PLEASE HELP!

This is right out of your North Carolina DMV regs...

Types of North Carolina Driver Licenses
Commercial Class A: Vehicle or combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, if the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is more than 10,000 pounds.

Commercial Class B: Single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, and any such vehicle towing a vehicle that does not weigh more than 10,000 pounds.

Commercial Class C: Any vehicle not described in Class A or B that is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or is used to transport hazardous materials that require the vehicle to be placarded.

Regular Class A: Any vehicle or combination of vehicles exempt from commercial driver license (CDL) requirements with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more. You would also require this type of license to operate any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds, if the vehicle being towed has a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds.

Regular Class B: Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more that is exempt from CDL requirements, and any such vehicle while towing another vehicle with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or less.

Regular Class C: Needed to operate any vehicle with a GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds that is exempt from CDL requirements and is not towing a vehicle with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds. Most drivers need only a Regular Class C license to operate personal automobiles and small trucks. To operate a motorcycle, you will need a motorcycle endorsement.

 

[shaley]

Holy Cow man. I'd be scared to drive in Carolina.

 

[DavesTractor]

California is similar. A pickup truck with a trailer rated at 10,001 of more requires a CDL. And since it does, you can take your test in one. You will be restricted to driving a truck without airbrakes as your test vehicle doesn't have air brakes. I took my test in a dually with a gooseneck, but my 3/4t with my 14K bumper pull also requires a CDL and I could have taken the test with that also.

It seems that if your particular rig requires a certain license, then the same rig should suffice for the test, with restrictions of course for air brakes, etc.

Of course, it does not matter what California requires, NC rules are all that matter for you.

Getting a CDL is no big deal though, I'd just do it. Then come the issues of DOT numbers, or in California CA numbers and motor carrier permits. That is another can of worms! All because you want to be safe, you have pushed yourself up into additional regulation. Too bad they couldn't raise the trailer gvwr to 15K.