Towing Question??

[gilbertmsg]

I'm going to try and move the truck forward a little. I would like to strap tires down and also strap the front down thru the skid plate and use two chains on the rear from the bump stops on top of the rear end. Is there anything wrong with strapping front and rear and using straps on the tires. (safety first) I will take some more pictures and post for comments.

Eddie

 

[orezok]

Just a thought on those who say move it forward and get more tongue weight. The A frame on a 7,000# trailer isn't the strongest. I would put a straight edge on the A frame where it meets the front of the deck after loading and if there is significant bowing (and that's subjective), I would back off a little.

 

[Don87]

There is a scale on 301, just north of the bridge. At the state line(Maryland side).

 

[Don87]

I read this thread with great interest and thought I would share an experience. I pull a 30 ft. gooseneck with three 6000 lb axles and 10 ply tires with a Ford 350 dually. I recently had a blowout hauling 5000 lbs. No apparant reason, good highway and new tires properly inflated. The next week blew another tire on the same trailer with no load. The tires were inflated properly, the manufacture date was 2010 and was travelling at the speed limit on both occassions. Can't figure out why. Any ideas?

Heat.
Heat and the weight will also be the OP's enemy, if it were me I would travel at night. By 9 am the roadway will be hot.

 

[gilbertmsg]

Plan is to leave at 4am, it's a 4 hour drive. Hope to be there between 8-9am. How far from Richmond is the scales? I have never stopped at scales while pulling my tractor, what is the difference between tractor and truck on same trailer? I will do some research on the VA Department of Transportation website concerning scales and types of vehicles that need to stop.

Eddie

 

[Don87]

Plan is to leave at 4am, it's a 4 hour drive. Hope to be there between 8-9am. How far from Richmond is the scales? I have never stopped at scales while pulling my tractor, what is the difference between tractor and truck on same trailer? I will do some research on the VA Department of Transportation website concerning scales and types of vehicles that need to stop.

Eddie

I edited my previous post, but you posted before it came thru.
Scale is on the Maryland side of the state line if I remember correctly, just past the bridge going north.

 

[Don87]

Truck Scales Weigh Stations DOT Rules

http://coopsareopen.com/virginia-weigh-stations.html

I was incorrect, scales are on the Virginia side on 301.........second link.

 

[Don87]

Plan is to leave at 4am, it's a 4 hour drive. Hope to be there between 8-9am. How far from Richmond is the scales? I have never stopped at scales while pulling my tractor, what is the difference between tractor and truck on same trailer? I will do some research on the VA Department of Transportation website concerning scales and types of vehicles that need to stop.

Eddie

Normally anything over 5 tons must stop at weigh stations, but I've seen some bypass the scales and get away with it............I've also seen others pulled over less than a mile after running a weigh station.

 

[Ford tractor]

Normally anything over 5 tons must stop at weigh stations, but I've seen some bypass the scales and get away with it............I've also seen others pulled over less than a mile after running a weigh station.

Yeah, but the "truck" in this case is well under 10,000 actual weight. Plus, his state may not have the same rules as Maryland. Most don't.

Total Weigh Stations & Truck Scales: 23

Maryland weigh stations require all trucks over 5 tons to weigh.

You'll note that it's "trucks over 5 tons" not gross combined vehicle weight.

 

[Don87]

Yeah, but the "truck" in this case is well under 10,000 actual weight. Plus, his state may not have the same rules as Maryland. Most don't.



You'll note that it's "trucks over 5 tons" not gross combined vehicle weight.

But it's apparent that you don't drive truck for a living like I do, and is even more apparent that you don't know Maryland, and Virginia DOT as well as I do.
I didn't want to say this earlier, but now I will.

If anything happens 'enroute' to his destination.........HE is at fault automatically because he is overweight. The trucks, and trailer combo is illegal on the highways.

The only thing I was doing was trying to inform him of the weigh stations.........BUT..........If'n ya ain't never drove in Maryland, or Virginia don't question me.

I've been pulled over on numerous occasions by the Maryland DOT(and Maryland is like PA) Every state police officer is DOT certified. Maryland pulls trucks over at random, just like North Carolina.

And if he drives by the scale, while it is open, he stands a 50% chance of being pulled over, while that chance is ok for some..........I wouldn't do it.

If it were me, I would do what was suggested earlier.........attach a stiff hitch to the towed vehicle................but at 6:30 pm on a Saturday...........what does one do?

And further............it don't make a bit of difference what his state requires...........when traveling in another state.........you gotta be compliant with their laws(not your home state).

EDIT: Illinois at one time had a weight limit on tractor trailers of 73,280lbs, they raised it to 80,000 just like all the other states..........but now they are talking about lowering it to 73,280 again. If they do, and 47 other contiguous states allow 80,000lbs, do you think I'm gonna drive my truck across that line weighing more?