Truck & Trailer ideas to tow 14,000 and be under 26,000 pounds

[sd455dan]

I'm really enjoying this thread and everyones advice. Thank you!!!

Since I'm just in the looking stage of things, and trying to learn as much as I can before I commit to anything, everything is on the table.

I just saw this truck on FB. 2009 Chevy Silverado 3500 2 door, 4 wheel drive, flat bed, Duramax engine with 112,000 miles for $26,000. If I was ready to buy, I think this is just about exactly what I'm wanting.

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Once I buy a truck, I'll become more serious about the trailer. I'm still liking that 22foot Tiger farm trailer the best, but since I don't have any experience with anything, I'm also sure that it's more of an emotional attachment then a knowledgeable one.

Here in my area of Texas, and I'm guessing it's common all over the state, are people hauling hay in hay trailers that are two rows wide. The guy I'm buying 20 bales from next week for my brothers place hauls with one of them. Ten bales lined up side by side that he pulls with a Chevy 3500 truck. Five foot bales put him at least 120 inches wide. The guy that I buy my hay from for my place hauls 18 round bales in two rows. I've bought 6 foot bales from him, which was at least 144 inches wide. He feels that's pushing things, so now he only delivers 5 1/2 foot bales, which is 132 inches wide. He's been doing this for years, and I see so many other people doing this, I have to think that it's something that they are not getting pulled over for. I also have to wonder how the hay trailer companies can sell these things if they are illegal?

I forget if these bales are 6 foot or 5 1/2 feet, but this is him delivering hay to my place.


View attachment 778179

The thing that unnerves me with towing wide trailers or equipment in the past was narrow 2 lane, bridges, roads with no pull off space with on coming traffic and single lane road "work" areas.
Otherwise not a huge deal, but reminds me of the saying Hours of boredom punctuated by moments of pure terror...

 

[RandyT]

Glad I don’t live in IL. Seems like a lot of bureaucracy since almost all 3/4 ton and up trucks are over 8001 GVWR. It would surprise me if every 2500 truck was registered commercial. But seems like a great way to charge/tax people without them knowing.

A lot of people use B truck plates on 2500 which are 8000# plates, and consider the weight of the empty truck. Could be overweight with little to no cargo. My nephew's 08 F250 with him and me scales 7200# empty. Has D truck 12000# plates and required biannual safety inspections. He and I both have to inspections on our trailers twice yearly. Him and I with our C trailer plated 8000# trailers and his E 14K plated trailer. I would also need to have my B truck plated Ram 1500 inspected to tow his 14K trailer, since towing over 8001 required inspection of the tow vehicles regardless of rating

 

[LD1]

I'm really enjoying this thread and everyones advice. Thank you!!!

Since I'm just in the looking stage of things, and trying to learn as much as I can before I commit to anything, everything is on the table.

I just saw this truck on FB. 2009 Chevy Silverado 3500 2 door, 4 wheel drive, flat bed, Duramax engine with 112,000 miles for $26,000. If I was ready to buy, I think this is just about exactly what I'm wanting.

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

Once I buy a truck, I'll become more serious about the trailer. I'm still liking that 22foot Tiger farm trailer the best, but since I don't have any experience with anything, I'm also sure that it's more of an emotional attachment then a knowledgeable one.

Here in my area of Texas, and I'm guessing it's common all over the state, are people hauling hay in hay trailers that are two rows wide. The guy I'm buying 20 bales from next week for my brothers place hauls with one of them. Ten bales lined up side by side that he pulls with a Chevy 3500 truck. Five foot bales put him at least 120 inches wide. The guy that I buy my hay from for my place hauls 18 round bales in two rows. I've bought 6 foot bales from him, which was at least 144 inches wide. He feels that's pushing things, so now he only delivers 5 1/2 foot bales, which is 132 inches wide. He's been doing this for years, and I see so many other people doing this, I have to think that it's something that they are not getting pulled over for. I also have to wonder how the hay trailer companies can sell these things if they are illegal?

I forget if these bales are 6 foot or 5 1/2 feet, but this is him delivering hay to my place.


View attachment 778179

They are not "illegal"

Far use gets all kinds of exemptions.

Those trailers and 2-bales side by side are still ALOT narrower than alot of the farm equipment you see going down the road. Some of these big combines with duals have to be 14-15' wide with no header. And some of the articulating tractors with duals and some of the equipment they pull....

 

[stumblinhorse]

A lot of people use B truck plates on 2500 which are 8000# plates, and consider the weight of the empty truck. Could be overweight with little to no cargo. My nephew's 08 F250 with him and me scales 7200# empty. Has D truck 12000# plates and required biannual safety inspections. He and I both have to inspections on our trailers twice yearly. Him and I with our C trailer plated 8000# trailers and his E 14K plated trailer. I would also need to have my B truck plated Ram 1500 inspected to tow his 14K trailer, since towing over 8001 required inspection of the tow vehicles regardless of rating

Then I assume you both have CDLs?

 

[RandyT]

Then I assume you both have CDLs?

No because we are under 26,001. Would need at least a F350/3500 with 5th wheel trailer to take the road test for the CDL, And that combo would be questionable due to that would be CDL A which included tractor trailers

 

[stumblinhorse]

No because we are under 26,001. Would need at least a F350/3500 with 5th wheel trailer to take the road test for the CDL, And that combo would be questionable due to that would be CDL A which included tractor trailers

That is interesting. Because depending on your vehicle and trailer specs you might be over 26k. But your state is registering you at exactly 26k…. Pretty much every DRW 3500 towing a trailer with duals 7Ks is combo rated over 26k total rating. Which is what everyone here is saying would require a CDL.

 

[RandyT]

That is interesting. Because depending on your vehicle and trailer specs you might be over 26k. But your state is registering you at exactly 26k…. Pretty much every DRW 3500 towing a trailer with duals 7Ks is combo rated over 26k total rating. Which is what everyone here is saying would require a CDL.

Exactly. You could take your CDL A driving test in a 1 ton pickup and be qualified to drive 80K minus the air brake endorsement

 

[WM75Guy]

Hay haulers can get an annual permit to haul up to 12' wide. Cost is $10.

Annual Hay Permits | TxDMV.gov

www.txdmv.gov

 

[Gee Ray]

Exactly. You could take your CDL A driving test in a 1 ton pickup and be qualified to drive 80K minus the air brake endorsement

You need to reread the requirements for taking a CDL test in Illinois. There is no way to take a CDL test with a pick up and trailer and receive a class A with air brake endorsement. They also distinguish between a CDL with an automatic transmission or a manual transmission. There is also a distinction between having an air brake endorsement which would be a class a license, and a non-airbrake endorsement, which would be a semi truck with out airbrakes. A class B license.

Please reread your information before giving more advice.

 

[4570Man]

Exactly. You could take your CDL A driving test in a 1 ton pickup and be qualified to drive 80K minus the air brake endorsement

Not exactly true. The air brake endorsement already disqualified you from a semi. You’re probably going to get a 5th wheel restriction as well. I have a 5th wheel restriction on mine since I used my dump truck for the test.