How did/do we get non commercial plates on our trucks in NY. My '00 F250 Supercab 4x4 weighs too much to do it legitamately. I suppose I have to ''say'' that it has a cap and has been converted to an RV? Anybody have any problems with the law? I'm downstate so NYC and parkways are an issue.

 

Steve- not sure in your case because you may have some local laws in effect that do not effect me. Maybe Frank (tewferford) or Art (krewat) who live down in your area are in the know.

On my '01 F150 I have a set of Volunteer Firefighter plates that are non-commercial. They were on my car before I bought the truck and I was told that as long as I did not 'hire' out my truck I could leave it with these plates, but I could re-register it and get commercial plates.

 

F150 you can get either plate. you only need commercial if it is used for bussines.

an F250 and above has to have a "permanent cap and living space" from what i understand.

years ago, the taconic parkway didn't allow pickups with commercial plates, but from what i understand, that was changed.

 

OK, as I understand it:

Less than 5500lbs EMPTY (shipping) weight on the title, you can register as a passenger car.

Otherwise, you need a cap or "camper shell" is the way to say it - be sure to say "CAMPER" shell.

The problem? You need to be weighed with the cap and everything so DMV can put an empty (curb) weight on the passenger-car registration.

Go down to the local DMV, explain your situation, they will probably tell you you need to get it weighed, ask them where to do it. Get that done, go back, and you should be able to change the registration class to "SUBN" (suburban). The trick is you NEED to weigh it after the cap is installed (or appropriate load of bricks is placed in the bed) and because it will change the unladen weight.

With my '01, I put a deposit on a brand-new ARE Z-series before I even picked up the truck from the dealer. The dealer wanted a receipt for the cap deposit before they would register it as a passenger-car (which is exactly what they should do). Some around here were selling new pickups with SUBN registrations and no cap and over the 5500lbs. They got fined

Now, registering an '00 Superduty in NYS as a passenger-car is going to create problems when you get inspected. The OBD-II computer doesn't pass certain monitors for O2 and cat efficiency, so they will say it fails. They need to change the weight code to over 8500 lbs, and do an idle-sniffer test. If it's registered commercially, the GVWR is on the reg, and it's over 8500 lbs, so they will automatically do an idle sniffer.

 

Art I figured that you would know what was going on with this stuff.

 

One thing I forgot to mention.

If you DO get passenger plates, better be sure to have the cap on it when you are traveling on the parkways.

The NYS troopers a few years back made a statement to the effect that they would make sure pickups were sticking to the rules.

So if they see an F250 without a cap driving down the road, they KNOW it probably isn't less than 5500 lbs, so they'll pull you over to see what your reg says. If it's over 5500, and you have an open bed, you're SOL. "Operating out of class" or somesuch.

I've driven around without the cap on, but I'd NEVER take it on the parkways that way.

But that's just me - some people get away with it forever.

 

I took my 86 SC F250 (8600 GVW) to get weighed with spare out, tailgate off, both tanks about empty and me out. Weighed in at 4780. That was in Nov 1994. Classed as "subn"

 

That's an interesting way to get below 5500 lbs too...

My '01 SD weighs under 5700 lbs according to the title.

It weighs 6800 lbs with me in it and about a half a tank of gas.

Without the seats, tailgate, spare, etc, there's no way I'm getting that thing below 5500 lbs

It's a 4x4, so a 4x2 MIGHT have a chance.

 

What about a tonneau cover on the bed, but not a cap? I've seen SDs on the parkways here in Westchester like that with pass plates.

 

I have no idea - I always got conflicting information from whoever I talked to at DMV.

One said "open bed is a pickup" - no open bed? Eligible for passenger plates.

Another said "must be a camper" - which also means "camper shell" like a cap/topper.

I guess it all depends on who you talk to at DMV.

 

''Now, registering an '00 Superduty in NYS as a passenger-car is going to create problems when you get inspected. The OBD-II computer doesn't pass certain monitors for O2 and cat efficiency, so they will say it fails. They need to change the weight code to over 8500 lbs, and do an idle-sniffer test. If it's registered commercially, the GVWR is on the reg, and it's over 8500 lbs, so they will automatically do an idle sniffer.''
KREWAT

This could be a problem for me. The knucklehead dealer registered it commercial with a MGW of 5691, nit its rated 8800. I guess I should give up on the pass plates and get it registered at the proper MGW so I don't have inspection problems.

 

I guess I should just stay with the commercial plates. I don't need the parkways that badly, and I'll only bring the truck into NYC once or twice a year.




This could be a problem for me. The knucklehead dealer I bought the truck from registered it with a MGW of 5691, not 8800. I guess I should get it registered and titled at 8800 before I try to get it inspected. Besides, with a full gas tank, I'm technically be overloaded!

 

I can let you guys know soon, registration on my 2000 F350 7.3 dually going back to NYS, reg says 6724lbs w/ passenger plates, but need to get my inspection done in the next few days...fingers crossed she passes

 

I moved from NY To Nevada 6 years ago, but as I recall, NY requires only safety and not emissions inspections on vehicles more than 10 model years old. You may be fine as long as all the lights work.

 

This is vehicle #42 for me in NY, and they have been from '62 Mercury to '05 Land Rover, and the mix inbetween, and its a roll of the dice sometimes...my 7.3 was exempt from emissions in CT last year, and CT has no safety at all, but she's solid with no issues so NY shouldn't be a problem.