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

[jjeff]

The best tool i have bought for hauling is a tongue scale. No guessing.

Or airbags and hope your frame doesn't crack lol

 

[Furu]

My understanding is that no matter if you're commercial or not >26k combined gross weight requires a CDL per the Feds. Certain states have farm exemptions with limitations on range/load/etc.

I've heard that some law enforcement will cite for this if the summed gvw of the truck + trailer>26k even if you're empty. (Which imo is a gross misapplication of the law)

I agree with everything you wrote except the gross misapplication of the law statement. I will state that I disagree with the law but the law is what it says even if it is "wrong" in my opinion.

If you have a truck GVWR of 10K (1 ton truck up until revently) and a GVWR trailer of 21K you have a GCWR (Gross combined) of 31K. With a CDL A you can weigh out at 31K. However if you are empty you still have a GCWR of 31K even though you only weigh 7000 +8500 for 15.5K. Because of the law you are controlled by either what you weigh or how you are rated/qualified to weigh. GVW versus GVWR (actual versus rated weight)
Not fair IMO but that is clearly the law and it CAN be enforced, but not always is. Unfortunately is is not a gross misapplication of the law. I wish it was.

 

[Furu]

Not really just farmers. Don’t haul for money and stay under your door tag and there is nothing illegal in any state. There is so much internet talk about this I see why there is so much confusion. There is the liability in an accident talk that comes up a lot. I agree that you are in trouble if you exceed your door tag…. But about 70% of drivers do that without a trailer. My Jeep payload after Jeep and gas is about 400 pounds. I exceed that as soon as I have 3 other adults in the jeep.
But back on topic, I am not commercial and those limits don’t apply.

Good luck, believe what you want but your beliefs do not make it factual.
RV exemptions, farm exemptions if you meet certain criteria, but over 26K is over 26 K everywhere for either commercial or not commercial does not matter.
You are playing roulette which is fine for yourself but don't spin the wheel for others.

 

[Torvy]

Yes the Feds exempt farmers within 150 air miles of their farm from CDLs, States for the most part don't. My point is you have to check with your home State (even non-nanny states) to see if you are legal.

Well, thank goodness Eddie is here in Texas. We use the 150 mile rule and since if you cross state lines, you are not subject to the new state's requirements, just federal (see Interstate Commerce clause, Article I, Section 8 of the constitution). Since it is less than 150 miles from East Texas to Louisiana, Eddie could drive to Shreveport to pick up hay, or equipment, or other supplies and ignore LA law (if it differs from TX). License requirements go by the state of issue unless it falls under interstate commerce. Then it is the feds. (This is reinforced by Article IV, section 1).

For example, where I grew up, driving permits were (still are) issued to 14 year olds for unsupervised driving effectively during daylight hours (used to be 7a-7p). If I drove the 10 miles to Minnesota, I still had the constitutional right to drive because Minnesota was forced by Article IV, Section 1 " Full faith and credit" to accept SD licenses. This is also why, despite California making their own rules, they only apply to residents of that state.

 

[jjeff]

So if you have a class A lic but no med card can you legally drive a private non commercial vehicle weighing over 26k across state lines around the country?

 

[stumblinhorse]

Good luck, believe what you want but your beliefs do not make it factual.
RV exemptions, farm exemptions if you meet certain criteria, but over 26K is over 26 K everywhere for either commercial or not commercial does not matter.
You are playing roulette which is fine for yourself but don't spin the wheel for others.

In 31 pages of posts we all have learned a lot… that is where I started, now I know just like so many on the road, I am required to have a CDL. But it is cheaper to get fined than to get a CDL. That is where I landed…. And I will never buy another 1 ton truck. I will get the exact same equipped 10k 3/4 ton and just load it to the max GVWR. Because our government does want us to be safely under capacity, they want to push out the small guy because that is what lobbyist tell them.

 

[Torvy]

So if you have a class A lic but no med card can you legally drive a private non commercial vehicle weighing over 26k across state lines around the country?

I would need more info. Possession of a CDL puts you under stricter scrutiny. If A) the state in which you hold the CDL allows you to drive over 26k for private non-commercial use AND B)There is no federal regulation which puts limits on your CDL, then at least Constitutionally, the new state must accept your states licensing.

Based on the way Texas CDL language is written, you would not. The specifics of the CDL that permits waiving the med card also restricts you to intrastate driving.

 

[jjeff]

I would need more info. Possession of a CDL puts you under stricter scrutiny. If A) the state in which you hold the CDL allows you to drive over 26k for private non-commercial use AND B)There is no federal regulation which puts limits on your CDL, then at least Constitutionally, the new state must accept your states licensing.

Based on the way Texas CDL language is written, you would not. The specifics of the CDL that permits waiving the med card also restricts you to intrastate driving.

Interesting no plans to test state laws, debating weather it pays to keep it mostly symbolically at this point. Thanks

 

[Furu]

But first and foremost......the C in CDL is for COMMERCIAL. IF you are NOT commercial, then it doesnt apply right off the bat.
Now whether your state has different classes of non-commercial licenses.....that varies for each state.

You could not be more wrong. Unless you fit one of the category exceptions/exemptions, if you are over 26K you must have a CDL.
No need to be making a profit or doing it for business, or if just because you think it is fun, if you are doing it over 26K, unless you fit one of the category exceptions/exemptions a CDL is required. Do what you want but don't convince others to hang themsleves out for a ticket that can exceed $5K. Not saying that it is fair or that it makes sense or anything else, just what can happen.

 

[Furu]

But it is cheaper to get fined than to get a CDL.

Maybe, maybe not. Depends upon your state and your luck that day with the DOT officer.
I got my CDL as I found the potential ticket cost exceeded the licensing cost.
Overweight is one ticket, driving without a license is another ticket (yes if it requires a CDL and you don't have it you don't have a license to drive).
Potential vehicle impound until you get a licensed driver to move your vehicle with the correct weight tags.
And there are more tickets that they can pile on top if they want to. The ones I listed above are the minimum you are looking at.