Sorry to be off topic but this is a very confusing concept for a lot of people and I find a different answer almost everywhere I look.

I own a F350 with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs.

I want to buy a trailer that has a GVWR of 16,000 lbs.

CDL requirements state that I must have CGVWR of under 26,001 lbs

I am legal. Correct?

Further on this topic, it is hard finding a 16,000 gvwr trailer with a deckover used for the right price, what are my options on 'dereg' ing a trailer if I want to register with a different GVWR?

Thanks Again,
Devin

 

Different Classes of Licenses

Class A- Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds. (Holders of a Class A license may, with any appropriate endorsements, operate all vehicles within Classes B, C, and D).
Class B- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR. (Holders of a Class B license may, with any appropriate endorsements, operate all vehicles within Classes B, C, and D).
Class C- Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials. (Holders of a Class C license may, with any appropriate endorsements, operate all vehicles within Classes C and D).
Class D- Any single passenger vehicle or combination, except a semi-trailer unit, truck-trailer combination, tractor, or truck with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 26,000 lbs., bus or school bus.
Class M- A motorcycle or any other motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the rider and designed to travel with no more than three wheels in contact with the ground.



Massachusetts RMV - Different Classes of Licenses

 

You'll most likely be well over your F350's GCVWR depending on year and engine/trans/diff specs, so it makes a difference what states you plan to drive in and how strict they are with such things.

 

I don't know much about GCVWR, but I don't think states consider it, so from a legal aspect I am not concerned with it, but if it is something I should consider from a functional point of view I would like to hear more.

On the topic of the truck though, the other calculation I know is 10%-15% of the trailer weight is shifted to the tounge and that is attributed to the trucks GVWR that I cant go over, correct?

So If I have 16,000 lb trailer, and lets say 15% of that weight transfer on the full GVWR of the trailer. That would be 2400 lbs on the truck. I do not know the curb weight of my truck, but the formula would be 10,000 - 2400 = 7,600, this is what my truck must weight before hooking up to the loaded trailer.

If anyone can weight in and shoot holes in my logic please do. I am going based on what I believe is truth and I want to definitively prove this, not just for myself but for others that are confused on the topic.

Thanks Again,
Devin

 

I found this answer on another site and seemed to cover a lot with detail.

Trucking: gcwr, motor carrier safety, motor carrier safety administration

 

You opened a can of worms. My 90 SC 250 with camper shell is about 6800 my gvwr is 8800, so I can have up to 2000 lbs of cargo. Tounge weight is considered cargo. Pin weight on a 5th wheel or gooseneck. CGVWR is a total of everything( truck, cargo,fuel,people and trailer)

The weight that is on your door plate is what Ford rated it at new.

Are you pulling in the pursuit of business (is making money) or for pleasure. Just because you need a Class A or B does not mean you need a CDL. Right now I have a GA non commercial Class B. When I got it I had a motor home that was over 26k. Since Ga has rewritten the law for RV.

This subject comes up a lot on the Rv forums. Sometimes even the folks that issue the license don't know.

If you are using the truck and trailer to make money don't forget about you D.O.T. number

 

I'm going to say... You'll have better luck with a 5th wheel or gooseneck than with a ball-type trailer. If you use a ball-type trailer, you will need a load leveler.
And, typically, you won't be able to find any ball-type hitches rated over 10K lbs or 1K tongue weight.

That all being said, I did it myself. Approximately 12K of hay on top of a 4K double-axle dually trailer, with a ball-type hitch and no load leveler.
We loaded the hay even, then shifted some of it back until the truck looked roughly square; didn't go over 55MPH ever, and usually didn't go over 45, but I made it a good 50 miles or so without issue(aside from leaving the emergency brake on for the first 15....)

As far as what's 'allowed'... it really depends on how strict the cops are and if you expect to get pulled over for something. Typically, the cops aren't going to bother you unless they think you are commercial; that's where they get strict. Plus, most importantly, the GCVWR isn't on the door sticker, so the cops won't know it. As long as you are (trying) to follow the GVWR(and under 26K), you are probably fine. Probably.

 

My cousin used to pull new tractor attachments back from Ohio to Tennessee. Comercial tags, 97 F350 dual rear wheels, 25 foot goose neck with single tires. He had his B license and went through the dot stations. As long as he was under the 26000, all was good. If this even helps.

 

In WA state some DOT will ticket you if you are pulling a empty trailer that is rated higher than the tow vehicle is rated for... 16000 is pintal hitch required.. that would give it away as most trucks are to lite two use a pintal get a bigger truck.. or a smaller tractor or whatever you intend to haul. rating's are there for your safety and that of the other people on the road.

 

A former dot man was explaining that to me and my cousin one day. He went by the sticker in the door.

 

How Come? I don't know much about pintals

Devin

 

TractorData.com J.I. Case 580B Construction King industrial tractor dimensions information

This is the excavator I plan to get some day (11k lbs) or something similar, so my goal of buying the trailer is to eventually pull the excavator on it.

Devin

 

Don't think I can do that and get the payload I am looking for. I assume goosenecks mostly weight more than bumper pulls. I.E. if I want 16k GVWR, trailer weighs more than 5k, I can't tow my excavator.

Devin

 

Is this like a weight distribution hitch?

Devin

 

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