Overwidth trailers

[bdog]

May or may not be a concern for most on this forum. Low profile between the fender style trailers are typically 81-82 between the fenders. A lot of equipment like my skid steer is 84 wide leaving your only option as a deck over to haul it which means steep ramps. Legal load width is 102” A couple manufacturers are making low profile trailers that are 106 inches wide and give you 86 between the fenders to load this type of stuff. Technically they are illegal without overwidth permits but a lot of guys run them under the radar. What are the odds the DOT is going to think a trailer is 4 overwidth or even think to measure it or notice it just by looking? Curious everyoneç—´ thoughts on this. I have no idea what the overwidth finds are but have been thinking of buying one.

 

[4570Man]

I have no advice on the question but the unload angle on my big tex trailer isn’t nearly as steep as my previous trailer or others I’ve seen.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Eh, I'd run it. But I'd take the name off the trailer just in case the dot has gotten wise. They do make drive over fenders although I don't know how it would work with a heavy skidsteer. Maybe one of those with some 4x4 dunnage secured down would be a good option?

 

[terryknight]

try it and see, i do like th eidea of removing the name/model from the trailer.

there are local guys with boats that are 9 or 9.5 ft wide who run up and down the road without permits, i have no idea how often/far they go. i know some only go from the ramp to where they keep the boat. i'm sure other run to the inlets to go fishing.

 

[s219]

I remember getting pulled over when I was working in my Dad's construction business as a teenager -- we had loaded a large pallet of wall panels slightly off-center on a trailer in order to get it strapped down better, but in the process the net width of the trailer+cargo was slightly over 8'6". We had good intentions, but were not even thinking about being over-width. State police pulled us over and measured, and made us park the trailer on the side of the highway until we could fix the problem. We had to hand-unload and then re-load that pallet to correct the problem. I think that mistake cost my dad at least a day's labor for several workers because of the lost time, never mind the ticket/fine, plus some damage to the wall panels that had to be fixed.

Around here, state troopers really scrutinize trailers. I don't take any chances.

I am not sure what the deal is with boats. My fishing boat is 8' beam, plus a few inches each side for the trailer guide posts, so I am right at 8'6". Plenty of similar fishing boats have an 8'6" beam or 9' beam, plus trailer guide posts, so they are definitely over 8'6" overall width. And I know I have seen even larger boats being towed routinely. Are the regulations different for boats?

 

[terryknight]

not that i know of anything over 102 requires an over width permit... the only thing i can think of is DOT is looking at boats like they look at equipment, landscapers, or contractor trailers

 

[CincyFlyer]

Bear in mind that the 102" is the federal limit for interstate highways. In other words, you can travel anywhere with that 8-1/2 foot wide thing, if you stay on (and likely near) the interstate. But as soon as you are off of the federal highway, you may be in for a surprise—twenty minutes south of me, across the Kentucky border, 96" is the law, except on federal highways. It's that way in several states. I know we picked up a car in KY with a trailer that was a full 102". Nobody looked at us. So it's likely not used as a primary offense. But YMMV.

 

[TMGT]

What manufacturers are making the trailers, any links to them?
Curious to see if there's some way they are getting around the 102" limit.

I know I've seen some 84"+ between fender trailers that still met the 102" max width.

 

[Jcoon]

DOT truck inspector here in NY, here an inch is an inch. Your parked until u fix it.

 

[PILOON]

What manufacturers are making the trailers, any links to them?
Curious to see if there's some way they are getting around the 102" limit.

I know I've seen some 84"+ between fender trailers that still met the 102" max width.

They probably list them as 'highway trailers' and quote 'meeting all federal regulations'.