Thoughts on MX5100...a couple of questions

[Herkypilot]

I haul mine on a 10K - 20 foot with no problem but as you are getting the BH and other various implements, 12K - 24 foot is a good choice.

 

[KeithInSpace]

You know what? My brother actually stalked and spoke to one of the actual Motor Vehicle Weight Police guys...whatever they are called...and talked to him.

THAT guy said...the guy that actually would pull him over, scale him out, and give him a ticket...that if the trailer is rated for more than 10k#, he would require a CDL. He said some guys are nice and would let him on his way as long as it is for personal use, but there are others that wouldn'd.

My brother's problem is it is a HUGE tractor WITH a backhoe on a long trailer being pulled by a contractor-ish looking white F350 XLT dually.

Point being, he's taking his CDL test on Friday to get a Class A CDL.

Once he passes it, he's getting the 14k dovetail.

This has been a pretty stupid adventure.

 

[Martian]

You know what? My brother actually stalked and spoke to one of the actual Motor Vehicle Weight Police guys...whatever they are called...and talked to him.

THAT guy said...the guy that actually would pull him over, scale him out, and give him a ticket...that if the trailer is rated for more than 10k#, he would require a CDL. He said some guys are nice and would let him on his way as long as it is for personal use, but there are others that wouldn'd.

My brother's problem is it is a HUGE tractor WITH a backhoe on a long trailer being pulled by a contractor-ish looking white F350 XLT dually.

Point being, he's taking his CDL test on Friday to get a Class A CDL.

Once he passes it, he's getting the 14k dovetail.

This has been a pretty stupid adventure.

Not one of those cops will tell you the same thing twice. You'll hear a different story every time. If/when I start hauling more I will take the time to take the test. No reason for the he said she said game between the cops.

With an F350, tell your brother he needs a gooseneck. We safer to trailer, don't need to worry as much about tongue wait and all the other stuff. Trailer much better as well. If I didn't do a lot of trailering with a Yukon I would have a gooseneck. Unfortunately, it's not an option.

A nice 24' 14k gooseneck would be an amazing trailer. If he ever loads pallets, goosenecks are a lot easier to load and unload as well because the tires are under the trailer instead of on the sides.

 

[KeithInSpace]

Gooseneck would be cool if it weren't $2k more expensive. And it would require him to remove his clamshell every time he wanted to hook up the trailer.

I tow travel trailers and can certainly attest to the superiority of a gooseneck/5th wheel arrangement. In some situations it can be darn inconvenient, though.

This whole thing has been VERY frustrating. By the letter of the law, I should have a CDL to drive my Ford Expedition with trailer rated at 10,500# on the tongue. WHEN EMPTY!!! INSANE!!! (this is something I will never do, by the way...)

And I agree...never the same story twice.

A CDL certainly clears up any and all question, though.

 

[Verticaltrx]

You know what? My brother actually stalked and spoke to one of the actual Motor Vehicle Weight Police guys...whatever they are called...and talked to him.

THAT guy said...the guy that actually would pull him over, scale him out, and give him a ticket...that if the trailer is rated for more than 10k#, he would require a CDL. He said some guys are nice and would let him on his way as long as it is for personal use, but there are others that wouldn'd.

My brother's problem is it is a HUGE tractor WITH a backhoe on a long trailer being pulled by a contractor-ish looking white F350 XLT dually.

Point being, he's taking his CDL test on Friday to get a Class A CDL.

Once he passes it, he's getting the 14k dovetail.

This has been a pretty stupid adventure.

Here is the law, directly from the VA DMV website. Read it carefully especially the wording in the class A section, they make it tricky on purpose.

http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/citizen/drivers/cdl_class.asp

A 1-ton dually (10-11K GVWR) pulling a 14K trailer is perfectly legal in VA without a CDL. I would fight it in court if I were pulled over and ticketed with that setup.

 

[KeithInSpace]

A 1-ton dually (10-11K GVWR) pulling a 14K trailer is perfectly legal in VA without a CDL. I would fight it in court if I were pulled over and ticketed with that setup.

Dude, I am TOTALLY on-board with you. Totally agree. 100%.

BUT!!! The story he got is that the lawyer-types have broken the statement into two sentences, making the "vehicle being towed has a BVWR of more than 10,000 pounds" statement ITS OWN STAND ALONE SENTENCE.

So...when you get pulled over by a butthead trooper or weight-police guy, he can FORCE you to leave your trailer at the side of the road if you can't produce a CDL-bearing friend. If you can't, they'll impound your rig. In the case of my brother, this is a $45k widget that he'd rather not part with.

The alternative is to get a CDL. That protects you even from buttheads.

 

[Duffster]

This whole thing has been VERY frustrating. By the letter of the law, I should have a CDL to drive my Ford Expedition with trailer rated at 10,500# on the tongue. WHEN EMPTY!!! INSANE!!!.

By the letter of what law?

 

[Verticaltrx]

Dude, I am TOTALLY on-board with you. Totally agree. 100%.

BUT!!! The story he got is that the lawyer-types have broken the statement into two sentences, making the "vehicle being towed has a BVWR of more than 10,000 pounds" statement ITS OWN STAND ALONE SENTENCE.

So...when you get pulled over by a butthead trooper or weight-police guy, he can FORCE you to leave your trailer at the side of the road if you can't produce a CDL-bearing friend. If you can't, they'll impound your rig. In the case of my brother, this is a $45k widget that he'd rather not part with.

The alternative is to get a CDL. That protects you even from buttheads.

10-4


I avoid the subject all together by using a 3/4 or 1-ton truck and an 8,000lb trailer for my construction business (plenty to haul my B3200 or maybe a small skid steer one day.) If I had a MX5100 I guess I'd be in a different boat.

If he doesn't mind getting the CDL and all the related regulation, paperwork, etc then that's probably the best way to avoid trouble, regardless of the law.

Be sure to post plenty of pics when he gets it. :thumbsup: