legal weight

strokin_early99 said:
trailer length, combined length, Axle weight and combined weight is what matters.

For example; California allows 80K gross. Any axle less than 10' apart can only be 34.5k. Run a 10'2" split axle and you can have a true 40k on the trailer. If the individual axle rating is more than that it does not matter.

Now, back to pickups. TheGVW posted on you door tag is the max your truck can weigh, legally...Period
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Ok then how is it that my 4x4 550 has a gvw of 17,500 but they base my gvw on axle ratings? I'm allowed 19,500 on the truck, 6,000 front and 13,500 on the rear. EDIT: My 18' bumper pull trailer has a gvw of 12,500 but axle ratings of 7,000 each they allow 14,000 for this as well. This combo is inspected annually by the D.O.T. I have a class A CDL and a CDL is required to to operate this vehicle.
 
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That is your state. In California, your truck could have up to the max the axle is rated on it but never exceed the GVW. Same for trailer. I too have class A but you are correct, it is not needed.

My trailer has GVW of 9999lb. The axles are rated for 7K each and coupler rated for 2,500lb. But those don't matter. Only the GVW ratings matter state to state because states have their own little variations.
 
Wow, all the different opinions, it seems that every state is different. If you want the law for trailers over 10K look at the CDL book first, then go to the states you will be hauling in. The GVWR of any vehicle can be affected by a few different things (axel rating, brakes, tires) That probably explains the 2 7k axles but only 12,500 GVW. We have a trailer that has 3 7K axles but the total of the tires is like 9k so it does not require a Class A.

Any time you are pulling a trailer that is rated at over 10k you are "suppose" to have a CDL class A, and would fall under the federal CDL laws as well as any state laws.(unless its a farm or rec vehicle).

The GCVWR of your truck is suppose to be the most you can haul, but you can put better tires, airbags, brakes and get it approved for more. For stock truck the owners manual usually has all the weights listed (ie GVW:Truck only, and GCVWR:Weight of total rig.). Also, the GCVWR has to do with will the engine pull that much weight. Just look at a F250 with a 5.4 vs a 6.0.

If you ever get fully checked at the scales there gonna look at it all. The weight on each axle, the whole rig, and if they wanna be a ***** they'll get into the bridge law which has to do with the distance from the King pin to the first axle. You can be legal at ever axle and still be over on the GCVWR or it can go the other way too.
 
Yeah, I took a 3 month long class to get my CDL Class A. They went over everything for the class. Then some dude comes in and gets his class A in a f350 with an empty gooseneck.

I have heard a lot of different ways of arguements on it but I got a ticket in a semi that had 8 axles cause 1 set of airbag screwed up and that axle was to heavy. I had permits for 125k but they checked everything and got me for that one axle.
 
How in the world do you get a Class A with a dang pick-up truck and trailer?
 
Burner said:
How in the world do you get a Class A with a dang pick-up truck and trailer?
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The rules read along the lines of your suppose to get the license in the same kind of vehicle you will be driving but theres no way on the license to list what you took the test in so any vehicle that is rated to pull a trailer 10,001 or greater can hook to said trailer and take the test.

A Class A license is for any vehicle that has a "combined weight" of over 26k or pulls a trailer that is rated for over 10K. As it was explained to me if your trailer doesnt have a toilet (travel trailer) and is not a farm use, your suppose to have a Class A. *bdh*
 
I guess you'd get no Air-Brake cert? So really it'd be a waste of time?
 
If it is a waste of time then don't get one. Tow a big load, get caught and post back how things turn out for you. It may seem a waste of time but it will keep you from getting your butt handed to you by a commercial cop.

I had a class A without air brakes for about two years until I had the opportunity to get my air endorsement. Which worked out to my advantage for employment purposes.
 
Ya got me all wrong there 99'. What I ment by 'a waste of time' was .......to get your Class A licence is great but if youdon't have air you are very limited. However, if you do want to get your Class A with air-brakes you will need take the whole written, pre-trip and drivers test again. So, in point, what i'm saying is don't waste your time with a non-air-brake Class A. Find a truck with air-brakes and trailer that'll combo over 26k...
 
Burner said:
Ya got me all wrong there 99'. What I ment by 'a waste of time' was .......to get your Class A licence is great but if youdon't have air you are very limited. However, if you do want to get your Class A with air-brakes you will need take the whole written, pre-trip and drivers test again. So, in point, what i'm saying is don't waste your time with a non-air-brake Class A. Find a truck with air-brakes and trailer that'll combo over 26k...
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gottcha. Waste of time and money.
 
All you need for a Class A .........

The written test "with" air-brakes, pass these tests.
A truck and trailer that will gross over 26k and uses air-brakes on at least one axel.
The ability to pas the pre-trip inspection, outside and inside.
Enough talent to please the tester and enough luck not to make a mistake.

......You'll have your Class A Drivers. ;)

School is needed if you can't drive, will be driving for someoen else or just have the time.
 
The school is mainly needed if you wanna haul over the road for a company as almost every one requires either a year of experience or the class within the last 2 years. They will give you a week or two long class but it cost from $3000-5000.

The guy that got his license at our school did the test in his F350, and then brought a Class B dump truck up to pretrip to get his airbrake endorsement.
 
Never heard of that? How would you do a roadside emergency stop without the air-brakes during an air-brake drive???
 
A local guy has his trucks stickered at 45k GCWR and hauls 40 foot quad axle trailers with 95-98 GMC 3500 dually trucks with 4.54s/5sp/4.10 gears.. The trailers have hydraulic brakes.
I'm pretty sure he didn't take the truck into the DOT to "have it approved" to haul over the trucks tow rating..

If you're licensed for it, what can they say?
 
Bobcat698 said:
If you're licensed for it, what can they say?
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license, registration & if you are from out of state, some will tell you to bring your check book, & the truck is put out of service until it is made legal. how do I know this because I have had to go to the scales with a forklift, partially unload a customers truck just to get it legal. BUT it all depends on the state.
 
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