Weight question?

[landowner]

Good Day Folks.

Just found this site and had a couple of ?'s about weights, towing?

Had a couple people say I'm ok and some say not.Dont want to be busted.The dealer I bought the trailer from says I'm ok to load up to 19600#'s on the trailer,and my truck should be legal,seems a lot to me but thats why I'm here to talk to the experts.

Heres my situation.

2005 Chevy 2500 HD crewcab GVWR 9200(fr.GAWR 4670#)(rear GAWR 6084#)
( Book says Max. trailer weight 12000# and GCWR 22000#)
(King Pin weight should be 15 to 25% of trailer weight up to 3000#)

Trailer= 30' (3x7000#) Axle GooseNeck weighs(5400#)
Machine,Attachments,Tidy Tank. Misc.Gear (14000#)

1. How much weight can I load on the above trailer and tow with my truck legally?

2. How much weight can the trailer tow?

3. Would i need to go to a GMC 4500/5500?

Any help would be greatly app.
Thanks Dave.

 

[john_bud]

Hi Dave.

You can get your truck cerified to tow that weight. You have to pay for it at the DMV and usually get a DOT inspection.

One issue with the situation is you will about 99% likely have to get a class A CDL. Truck weight is about 7500# when fueled, with you and buddy. Add the 19400# of trailer and you are over the 26,000 commercial drivers license limit. That will also require USDOT numbers, commercial insurance (may vary by state), yearly DOT inspection of the truck and trailer, logs, etc.

If you FARM, most states let trucks with FARM or dual purpose FARM plates out of the USDOT number requirements and some give a max over 26000 without the requirement of CDL. You will have to dive into your state's statutes. Don't expect it to be fast, easy or pleasant! It took me 2 months and many wrong, contradictory answers before I got the statues that apply. The DMV even told me that farm plates need DOT numbers and CDL at 10,000# when the statutes explicity exempt farm trucks! So, don't take any one source as correct until you are holding the statutes in your greasy mitts. I did get some good answers eventually by a personal visit to the highway patrol headquarters. IT took them over 3 hours to get the answer by the way...

jb

 

[Bird]

Dave, unfortunately, john bud is right. First, it depends at least partially on what state you are in. Second, it probably depends partially on whether or not it's a "farm" trailer. Third, it may depend on whether you're hauling for personal use, or business. Fourth . . ., well, you'll find very few police officers who know those particular laws. In many cases, only a few officers within a department are trained in those matters, and only those officers are authorized by their department to enforce those laws. So, unless you are involved in an accident, most officers would probably never stop you or question the weight. However, if you happen to encounter one of those officers who does enforce such laws, it could be expensive.

 

[landowner]

Thanks guys for the info.Forgot to say I live in Alberta and I do have a Class 1 from my old trucking days.I guess that would be a class A in the States.

Guess i should load up and hit the scale and see if they can help.Didn't want to get there and be parked...lol.

Thanks again.
Dave

 

[john_bud]

Well, if you have a class 1, you're nearly there!

The rest is just throwing money at the government so they will get the heck out of the way. At least that's how it works here, you may have it easier or harder, but it sounds like you're on the right track.

Good luck!

 

[Bird]

Well, Dave, if you're in Alberta, I really don't know anything about your laws. I've only passed through Alberta a few times enroute to and from Alaska.

And welcome to Tractorbynet.

 

[LoneCowboy]

In the states (dunno about Canada), your weight is what it's rated at.

Meaning, your truck can't weigh over 9200lbs (and the fronts and the rears have to be correct)

Your trailer can't weigh over 21,000lbs (the trailer axles)

they will weigh by axles.
You do need a class A (combination vehicle, whatever it's called in Canada) CDL, you are over 26,000lbs combined. In all states that's true. (26,000 + 9200), EVEN IF IT DOESN'T WEIGH OVER 26,000. it's rated over 26,000.

There are exceptions for farm trucks/vehicles and it involves not using it commercially (your own property is fine) and not going more than 150 miles.

But this is all in the states, Canada is probably stricter.

 

[john_bud]

In the states (dunno about Canada), your weight is what it's rated at.

Meaning, your truck can't weigh over 9200lbs (and the fronts and the rears have to be correct)

Your trailer can't weigh over 21,000lbs (the trailer axles)

they will weigh by axles.
You do need a class A (combination vehicle, whatever it's called in Canada) CDL, you are over 26,000lbs combined. In all states that's true. (26,000 + 9200), EVEN IF IT DOESN'T WEIGH OVER 26,000. it's rated over 26,000.

There are exceptions for farm trucks/vehicles and it involves not using it commercially (your own property is fine) and not going more than 150 miles.

But this is all in the states, Canada is probably stricter.

I USED to agree with you 100%, but have seen the documentation that proved me wrong. You can weigh what ever you want to pay for in many if not all states. It's all about throwing money at them. There is a lot of info on this topic posted by "hotshot" truckers that use 3/4 or 1 ton trucks and haul way over the sticker and do it legally. It's wierd, but when you realize it has to do with government getting more money, well that makes it make sense!

In a crazy way...

jb

 

[firedog]

True enough.
The 26K limit is for licensing, just like Lonecowboy says.
Vehicle weight limitations, well like John said. I've seen some crazy things as well. I quit trying to make sense out it.

In a nutshell your limited to your vehicles titled or registered weight rating,
which at manufacture is the 9200 lbs (in your case.)
But you can "reregister" your truck to a higher weight rating. I would never have thought that possible, but I've talked to too many people that have done it.
So now someone can take a 3/4 ton truck and get it rated same as a 1 ton.
go figure. I guess you're legal as far as a scale is concerned.
Liability might be a different issue, I think. If the trucks suspension is still the same and you were involved in a fatality accident, they could probably hammer you in court. (But then with enough money, you might get out of that too.)

 

[JIGBUILDER]

not all states have a uprate GVWR system so the GVWR is what the vehicle manufactor says in those states. Some states have a uprate GVWR system for commercial or non commercial use. My state allows 2500/3500 trucks to register up to 15000 max for commercial use only. BUT what ever the trucks GVWR is registerd at we cannot go ovewr RAWR/FAWR/tire caps. Thats why DOT or LEO looks at GAWR/tire caps not GVWR when weighing for max load on the axle/vehicle. The trucks GVWR and the trailer GVWR gives us a combined weight. If that weight is over 26001 then you will be required to buy a combined plate for your combo/commercial license.
The OP mentions he can load 19,600 on a tripple 7k axle trailer. Something not right. With three 7k axles the tripple will have a 21000 GVWR. Most trailer that size will weigh around (guessing) 6-7k which leaves a 14-15k load capacity for the tripple GN trailer. If the tripple has a 21000 GVWR which is added to the trucks 9200 GVWR , that means he will have to buy a 30200 lb combined plates. A trailer that size is in 3500 DRW arena. The Ford and the Dodge have a 9350 RAWR compared to the little 2500 6064 RAWR. GM for some reason dropped their RAWR to 8200 lbs. Something that GM commercial haulers are grumbling about. Check out some of the hotshot/LTL/commercial type webs for more input on what is legal in your state/country.

 

[Crash101]

Dave
A good bit of advice has already been mentioned regarding legal trailering limits and licensing. But, the trailer (and truck) has limitations based on those axles, wheels, tires, and hitch. You have three 7k axles, which by itself may carry up to 21,000 pounds. The trailer weighs 5400 pounds, but you don't mention how much of that weight is on those axles and how much is on the pin.
In theory you could carry weight of which totals the 21,000 pounds plus the weight that takes your truck to it's rear axle weight limit (GAWR rear), perhaps another 3,000 pounds. minus the trailer weight. (24,000 - 5400 = 18,600) if it were properly balanced. You probably could, but then again what will the truck safely and reliably pull? What weights would you feel safe on the road? If asked, I'd suggest a never exceed of 15,000 or under, properly balanced, thus ensuring you won't overload those trailer or truck wheels. Those kind of weights could easily tend to risk overloading the truck's rear GAWR.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I tow heavy loads all the time like most of the guys who are chiming in hear. I run a SRW 2006 F-350 Power Stroke 4x4. My trucks GCWR is 23,000#, GVWR 11,400#(front 6,000# rear 7,280#), and a tow rating of 15,400#. I don't condone it but with this rig I have towed 25,000# and it handled it fine but the simple fact is with the auto makers being in such trouble they will find any way to get out of a warranty claim and like stated before insurance will find any way to deny a claim if need.

My biggest concern would be the rear axle rating of your 2500. I have a 2004 F-250 with the same setup as my F-350 and it will sag a foot with my 15,600# trailer in tow when my F-350 will only sag maybe 3 inches. The axles have 1000# plus different rating which amounts to much better handling.

Chris

 

[landowner]

Thanks guys for all the info...stopped at the scale and gave the guys my numbers and they said i'm ok with the weight of 14 k on the trailer...loaded right of course. Got the trailer marked where the machine and attachments should be.Even have a little room on the GAWR which is good...lol.