Can't make heads or tails of what's legal and what's not
 

I've read a thousand threads people trying to figure out if their combination is in compliance. About all that's sank in is you don't want to be over twenty six thousand pounds. Some people say you'll get stopped and weighed.....others say you won't.....special licenses....placards.......:-blah. Or they use a 250 so they can legally tow bigger stuff than they could with a 350....or you should or should not stop at a weigh station....its mind boggling

I have worked all my life as a mechanic..

I can tell you stories of how some are cobbled together to be able to drive to a repair shop..

being 3k over weight is nothing.. as far a DANGER.

as the old saying goes... no one can FIX STUPID...

You really need to check the laws of each state as they vary. The newer F250 & F350 (not counting the 2017) are basically the same truck however the F350 is rated to tow more than the F250. I think you typed what you meant the wrong way :)
Generally speaking the police don't stop recreational towers any more than some one driving a car. If you are towing your camper, boat, toy hauler for yourself you don't need to stop at way stations in most states. If you are towing an enclosed trailer like a car hauler you will probably get pulled over at some point just because it's hard to tell if you are towing commercial.
The trucks today are capable of handling more than the manufacturers limits. Towing or hauling over these limits can be a liability issue if you get into an accident. It's safest to stay under the ratings of the trucks.

Laws vary by state.

There are many variables. The big three: are you doing this as a business (are you being paid)? Are you doings this as part of an agricultural operation? Are you doing this for you own personal non business use?

Once you clarify that, then on to the next set of regulations.

All three, no matter what, make sure your tires are in good shape, make sure all your lights works, make sure your trailer brakes, if equipped, work. Make sure what ever you're carrying doesn't fall off, blow out or leave the trailer while going down the road.

If you are in a crash, all those factors come in to play. If you injure or kill anyone while pulling and you neglected lights, tires, brakes etc. can you say lawsuit. It would be real easy to prove negligence.

It would be easier to say if we knew what the setup is?
Are you registered commercial?
Or do you use the vehicle for a business?

Actually, there was a thread on FTE a month or so ago about a commercial pickup driver who was adamant he could legally tow more with an F250 than with a SRW F350 due to what sounded more or less like a legal loop hole. It kind of made sense at the time but don't ask me to explain it. It had something to do with GCWR.

Federally we do not enforce GCWR. Also, there's nothing in my state statutes about GCWR.

Not sure why you mention Federal. I agree it is a state by state issue. Here's the link to the situation I mentioned earlier. I also copied the posting below that highlights the special case that I mentioned earlier where F250's can sometimes tow more than SRW F350's. In a nutshell, it's kind of a legal loophole that this particular commercial pickup driver is able to benefit by using 3/4 ton truck over a SRW 1 ton. Again, it's a state by state issue and the particular case I mention only applies to commercial pickup drivers.


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...clb-psd-2.html


Okay, one more time.

For me, for what I do, the 2500 works best.

The 10K GVWR on a 2500 RAM, or my old F250, is an arbitrary number used by the manufacturers to keep the trucks below the commercial weight rating classification of 10,001 pounds.

When, or if, my truck gets weighed by a roadside scale, they weigh the truck by the axle, or group of axles for tandem/tridem such as the two or three axles on the trailer. And so long as the axle weights aren't exceeded then there is no violation of the regs. The 2500 RAM has axle weight ratings of 5500 front and 6500 rear, and when hooked to the heaviest rated trailers I am allowed to haul and stay under the 26K GVW, which is a 16K GVWR trailer, my axle weights don't exceed the limits. When pulling a trailer they only consider the combination, not the individual truck weight. Also, when I register my truck and get my license plates for it, I register it for a GROSS weight of 26K.

Now, if I had a 3500, or F350 SRW with a GVWR of 11.5K or a dually with a GVWR of 14K, then I wouldn't be able to pull trailers with a GVWR above 14.5K or 12K GVWR, so I would be missing out on many of the trailers we haul. So, the 2500 allows me to make more money while staying legal.

I don't know any way to explain it any better than this. I've been doing this for a while now and it all works out just fine.

'65 ford is correct.


Axle ratings, registration, tire ratings and then your individual license class play a part of it.


The door cert, GVW or GCWVR is just a stick in that regard.

I had a 30 minute dissertation all wrote out. I will simplify it for you.

What the manufacturer puts as GCWR on the door sticker is between you and manufacturer. I laugh when people get wrapped around the axle on that argument.

I will look at the stickers for both the power unit and trailers being pulled by that power unit for a regulatory purposes.

The poster in the quoted thread is using a 2500 pickup with a lower rating to stay under CDL requirements, IRP (vehicle registration) and fuel tax requirements.

Sorry guys should have gotten back to you thanks for the responses.....no I don't even tow heavy at all. I have a 24 ft pontoon boat, a small 8 ft trailer and had a sixteen ft tandem axle lowboy (had to put new boards in that one the boards that came in it quickly rotted out). I used oak that I stained with used motor oil.

So no I don't even tow heavy but I still read all these long threads and get really confused. I wouldn't mind making some extra money on my days off towing delivering or getting something from somewhere and bringing it to them is commercial hot shot I guess that would be a big can of worms and money. I'd probably watch you tube for that info all about what I would have to do.

Okay. Pulling a boat or hauling your own car as a hobby. Make sure lights works, tires are good. Any trailer over 3,000 pounds needs working trailer brakes.

If you are going to haul for hire you are now regulated. The 10,001 pounds or more, single unit or combination all the federal regulations come in to play. Whether the state you're operating in adopts the federal rules may vary.

If you're running interstate count on federal rules applying. This is the readers digest version of the rules:

If your combination is under 26,000, not hauling haz mat or carrying 16 or more passengers you do not need a CDL. CDL is based on ratings, not the fact that you're carrying any weight.

A bobtail semi generally weighs 18,000 pounds empty, it has a GVWR of 46,000 to 52,000 pounds.

If you stay within 150 air miles of your home terminal in a non CDL vehicle, no logbook is required. If you run a CDL qualified vehicle then it is 100 air miles.

You will need a DOT physical, or medical card from a FMCSA certified examiner.

Also, you need a DOT number and MC number (operating authority) if you are hauling for hire. Also, a drug testing program is required.

The paperwork is obnoxious. If you want to do it for hire as a side/weekend job find someone you can lease to. All the above mentioned stuff applies, the lessor handles the bulk of the administrative headaches. You use their DOT number, their operating authority.

The vehicles need to be inspected every year.

If you have none of this stuff and are stopped roadside, it can go very bad for you.

If you want help, I am willing to lend you a hand. This is a big part of my job.

Thanks 1979 Ford and also everyone else.

Right on! Any time.