Just a heads up for you guys with duals

[Diesel Nut]

I don't know if this has been covered yet, but I am going to throw it out there anyhow. Anyone who has purchased a 2003 or later dually and lives or operates extensively in CA is on borrowed time. You may notice that Ijust traded in my dually for a single wheel truck. CA DOT is the reason why. The CA Vehicle Code defines a pickup truck as a vehicle with a box type bed with a rear drop gate not longer than 8. 5 feet and a MAX GVW OF NOT MORE LESS THAN 12,000 lbs. Well, looky looky. My 03 was rated for 12,500. Well, I did put on a flat bed which made it easier to single me out, but according to Mr. Commercial CHP inspector, they are all improperly registered. Its only a matter of time before this money grabbing state decides it wants the extra registration money. So, because no matter the use, it is classified as a commercial vehicle, here are the requirements to operate the vehicle -

Must register with CA DOT and post reg # on the side of your truck

Must aquire a Motor Carrier Permit (MCP) either for private or commercial use, which ever you will need for the use of the vehicle.

Must carry at all times a Commercial insurance policy with no less than $750,000 liability.

Must enter open weigh stations wether loaded or empty.

Must carry orange refective safety triangle and flares at all times.

I sold the truck because the commercial policy through Progressive for me was $8300 per year! $700 a month for insurance! I loved my truck but not that much. I just want to warn people that if you tow something big or heavy and you get an inspector that is having a bad day you are technically on the wrong side of the law and they can really rain on your parade. Amazing thing, though. The vehicle code has been like this since 1991, and I have yet to dicuss the matter with a Dodge dealer that is aware of the law. BTW, its not just Dodge. I know Ford and Chevy have been keeping up with the whole "tow more, haul more" competition, so I am sure they will have to deal with it to.

Bummer.

 

[SLangegger]

MAX GVW OF NOT MORE LESS THAN 12,000 lbs.

Im a little confused. I thought GVW stood for "gross vehicle weight"?

Isnt the 12500 rating for towing weight? Im not sure just trying to learn something here... '



thanks

 

[catoiler]

Ya worry to much!You have any idea how many dually's are out their?They are nuts most of the time out here but I think you are wrong on this one. (checked with a friend that is a manager of DMV out here and he said no on the comerical reg. )With a flatbed that changes the whole game though!No longer a pick up but a cab and chassie(sp?). and their for must follow their rules.

 

[TowPro]

Im a little confused. I thought GVW stood for "gross vehicle weight"?

Isnt the 12500 rating for towing weight? Im not sure just trying to learn something here... '



thanks

No, GVW is the max your truck without a trailer can weigh. I just looked up the 06 3500, it has a GVW of 11,000 lbs.



Your GCVW or Gross Combination Vehicle Weight is the true weight of the truck plus the true weight of the trailer MAX

The 06 3500 has a CGVW of 23,000 lbs. Say the truck weighs 7000 lbs you would take 23,000 - 7000 = 16,000 lbs is your max trailer weight.



My 02 I think has a GVW of 11,000 lbs but I titled it as 9900 lbs. I never go over that number, tags cost around $100. 00 less each year plus in PA you have to be under 10K GVW to have custom tags, I have my Amatuer radio call sign on my tags.

 

[KCJackson]

My 03 was rated for 12,500.

All the specs I have for 03 say the following:

3500 DRW regular cab diesel 4x2 - 11,500

3500 DRW regular cab diesel 4x4 - 12,000

3500 DRW Quad cab diesel 4x2 - 11,500

3500 DRW Quad cab diesel 4x4 - 12,000



The 12K was raised to 12,200 in January 04 when the 325/600 engine was introduced. My 05 is this 12,200 rating. There is no 3rd Gen truck rated at 12,500.

 

[SLangegger]

thanks for the correction TowPro.

 

[GCross]

You must have read something wrong. You do not need a CA P. U. C. permit unless the truck has a GVWR of over 26,000#, which would also require a CDL.



All pickup's in CA are required to have a commercial registration unless you register as a housecar (permanent camper) in this case you cannot carry anything in the bed except the camper.



As you mentioned CA is a ripoff state, My last CA registration after the truck was a year old was over $500, I recently moved to Oregon and paid $121 for a 2 year plate and tag.

 

[Dieselnerd]

All 3500 pickups, SRW or DRW require commercial plates in my home state of Minnesota but CDL and weigh stations only apply for commercial use, private use is same rules as lighter pickups. I think this is pretty common practice around the country. I checked this out with DMV to be sure. Funny thing is, commercial plate is cheaper than private plate on a new truck.

 

[WyattEarp]

hmmm wow!!! im glad i live on the other side, my tags are 20. 00 per year for farm and only like 29. 00 if i had regular plates

 

[macdaddy]

Just looked at the 05 door (12,200) whats up with all the different ratings?.



So much for the "sky is falling scenario" . Even if it were law, it will never be enforced. Every Ca driver with a trailer tows over 70 MPH out in these parts (55 MPH max three axels or more) with out ever being hassled, point being, there are just to many other things to keep the chippies busy out here. The drunks and dopers are a full time enforcement problem by themselves.



Mac

 

[Tilesetter Too]

Not sure why Kalifornia would be so diifferent but I carry $1,000,000 commercial policy with progrssive in Florida and I'm only at $$2600/year. I live in the second most expensive (for insurance) zipcode in the state.

Shawn

 

[Allnew2Me]

In California the style of the body determines the type of vehicle. For example, my truck is a commercial vehicle because it has an open bed, and would be licensed as such. Any truck is required to have a commercial plate and will pay a weight fee based upon the GVW. However, if I put a shell or a camper on my truck, which I do have, it becomes in the words of the DMV, "human habitable" and as such is not a commercial vehicle anymore due to the change from an open-bed to an enclosed bed. I have had three trucks over the years and have had shells on all of them and have regular passenger car plates on my truck, saving the weight fee every year. on my current truck it is well over $150 a year I save, it goes down with the age. I assume that because you are a flat bed you are considered commercial and hence the troubles.

 

[wtfd6]

all this is why you probably wont ever see me in california. lol. a buddy of mine got nailed for not having an apportioned trailer plate out there. at that time i think cali was the only state that required it. at least according to my buddy anyway. he was hauling a three car wedge with his dodge. here in ohio any combination vehicle over five tons, whether commercial or not, need to hit the weight stations. dot is getting more strict all the time.


mark

 

[Diesel Nut]

With the flatbed the requirement drops from 12k to 10k lbs. With the stock bed the way the vehicle code is written is still a commercial vehicle. No, you don't need a CDL to operate it, but it is required to be registered as such.



471. A "pickup truck" is a motor truck with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of less than 11,500 pounds, an unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, and which is equipped with an open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length. "Pickup truck" does not include a motor vehicle otherwise meeting the above definition, that is equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly called a "utility body. "



http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d01/vc471.htm



I was wrong on the GVW. For some reason 12k was what I remembered. either way, I was over the limit.

 

[blacksheep4x4]

I don't know if this has been covered yet, but I am going to throw it out there anyhow. Anyone who has purchased a 2003 or later dually and lives or operates extensively in CA is on borrowed time. You may notice that Ijust traded in my dually for a single wheel truck. CA DOT is the reason why. The CA Vehicle Code defines a pickup truck as a vehicle with a box type bed with a rear drop gate not longer than 8. 5 feet and a MAX GVW OF NOT MORE LESS THAN 12,000 lbs. Well, looky looky. My 03 was rated for 12,500. Well, I did put on a flat bed which made it easier to single me out, but according to Mr. Commercial CHP inspector, they are all improperly registered. Its only a matter of time before this money grabbing state decides it wants the extra registration money. So, because no matter the use, it is classified as a commercial vehicle, here are the requirements to operate the vehicle -

Must register with CA DOT and post reg # on the side of your truck

Must aquire a Motor Carrier Permit (MCP) either for private or commercial use, which ever you will need for the use of the vehicle.

Must carry at all times a Commercial insurance policy with no less than $750,000 liability.

Must enter open weigh stations wether loaded or empty.

Must carry orange refective safety triangle and flares at all times.

I sold the truck because the commercial policy through Progressive for me was $8300 per year! $700 a month for insurance! I loved my truck but not that much. I just want to warn people that if you tow something big or heavy and you get an inspector that is having a bad day you are technically on the wrong side of the law and they can really rain on your parade. Amazing thing, though. The vehicle code has been like this since 1991, and I have yet to dicuss the matter with a Dodge dealer that is aware of the law. BTW, its not just Dodge. I know Ford and Chevy have been keeping up with the whole "tow more, haul more" competition, so I am sure they will have to deal with it to.

Bummer.

Correct me if I am wrong ,but two years ago when I was transporting trailers in CA they didn't allow pickups to enter the scales. Has this changed? This is not just happening in Ca. I was told the other day that my buddy got pulled over in Mt for doing the automobile speed limit not the truck speed limit (the one ment for tractor trailers). He was driving a empty one-ton dually. This is totally B. S. !!!

 

[rwitt]

3 years ago I checked with the CHP because I started driving an F450 with a large/high utility bed for my company truck. Per the commercial cop I spoke with anything with a modified bed(anything other than a pickup bed)is no longer a pickup(dual tires or not) and is required to enter truck scales. He told me at that time if my F450 had a pickup bed that then I would not be required to stop at the scales. I know of one guy in my company that has been pulled over and cited for not stopping at the truck scales and he was driving a SRW F350(9900 GVWR) with a utility bed on it. As I sit in line at the truck scales I'm seeing more SRW pickups with modified beds in line. Maybe they are starting to enforce more but at the same time I see vehicles similar to mine going right by the scales and not being stopped. California is requiring GVW stickers on the doors of all of our pickups with modified beds but not on the ones with regular pickup beds.

 

[Spooled-up]

TowPro,

No, GVW is the max your truck without a trailer can weigh.

Isn't it also true that you can't exceed this weight with a trailer? In other words, if your truck actually weighs 8000 lbs with people, fuel, gear, etc. , and you load a 2500 lb pin weight 5th wheel on your 2500, you've now exceeded the GVW of 9900 or so.



I think this is where people get in trouble with thinking they're within weights because they meet the GCWR, but they are actually over the GVWR. I know, the truck will tow fine, handle great, and stop fine, but when you get cut off by some idiot and get in an accident, and his insurance company finds out that you exceeded the GVWR, won't the lawyers start salivating then!! And will your insurance company stand behind you when they find out you were overweight?

 

[TowPro]

I believe that you can not go over your GVW of the truck including hitch weight. In fact you also have to check your hitch weight against the max payload weight because the hitch weight of a 5er is all on the back wheels.



I also believe you can not go over your GCVW by using the GVW amount on the sticker on the side of the camper. My camper is 11,000 lb GVW, even if its only 9000 lbs loaded and I never go over 9000 lbs, you have to use the 11,000 number when figuring out your GCVW.



There is a thread floating around here where someone was towing an 8000 lb (true weight) trailer with his 2500 (I think it was a ford). The GVW of the trailer was something like 12,000 lbs. He had an accident and the driver of the other vehicle died. He lost his home and everything he ever had over the deal because the GVW of the trailer was to heavy for his truck, even though the trailer only weighed 8000 lbs. (wish I could find the thread to link to it for you)

TowPro,



Isn't it also true that you can't exceed this weight with a trailer? In other words, if your truck actually weighs 8000 lbs with people, fuel, gear, etc. , and you load a 2500 lb pin weight 5th wheel on your 2500, you've now exceeded the GVW of 9900 or so.

 

[GCross]

Correct me if I am wrong ,but two years ago when I was transporting trailers in CA they didn't allow pickups to enter the scales. Has this changed? This is not just happening in Ca. I was told the other day that my buddy got pulled over in Mt for doing the automobile speed limit not the truck speed limit (the one ment for tractor trailers). He was driving a empty one-ton dually. This is totally B. S. !!!

In most states "Truck" refers to a commercial vehicle with a GVWR over 26000#. In CA (my former state) truck scales specifically say "No Pickups", the speed signs read "55 trucks and autos towing trailers" regardless of weight. Here in Oregon I can tow at the posted speed limit, which for the most part is 55 or 65.



-George-

 

[TRLRTRSH]

Guys with duals

Correct me if I am wrong ,but two years ago when I was transporting trailers in CA they didn't allow pickups to enter the scales. Has this changed? This is not just happening in Ca. I was told the other day that my buddy got pulled over in Mt for doing the automobile speed limit not the truck speed limit (the one ment for tractor trailers). He was driving a empty one-ton dually. This is totally B. S. !!!

M. Murray, I believe your statement about "pickups" and scales is correct.

In Montana any "pickup truck" from a 3500/350 and above is/are required to drive at the posted truck speed limit. We summer over in Montana for a few months and have had this requirement "brought to our attention also" no ticket, luckily.



Bill