Montana Truck speed limit

[TRLRTRSH]

In another thread a member brought up a situation where his friend was stopped for exceeding the posted speed limit. He was driving a 3500 (empty) and doing the AUTO speed limit. I was also stopped and given a verbal warning last summer. Check this out for you folks planning on vacationing in Montana this summer.



http://www.doj.state.mt.us/driving/drivingsafety.asp#speedlimits



Bill

 

[nps]

Sounds like even a 2500 would qualify as a heavy truck. I never go over 65 when towing anyway.

 

[R C Cola]

" Over One Ton " Rated Capacity ?

3/4 ton = 2500 ... ... 1 Ton = 3500 Factory designations

the truck weighs over 3 tons empty so that is not what we are talking about.

Any trailer hooked on is not included in the trucks capacity, it has to carry its own factory rating. What am I missing here. Is not the key word above

" Over " ? R C

 

[nps]

My 01. 5 4x4 QC/LB with a 6 speed and 3. 54 gears has a manufacturers stated payload of 2,010 lbs. That's over 1 ton last time I looked. 3500 has a payload of 2 tons.



3/4 ton = 2500 from what chart did you get this?

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Sigh... . I remember the "no speed limit" MT days, then the "55 speed limit", the the "no speed limit" MT days, and then the "65 speed limit" MT days.



My dad once bet my sister's boyfriend that he could pass 100 cars between BZ and Helena... . and did it. Must have been a busy weekend. Sweet '64 black Impala SS 396 with red interior.



PS: hated riding with my dad

 

[TRLRTRSH]

The days of calling a 1/2 ton truck a half ton etc etc etc, is over.

A Dodge 3500 which we used to call a one ton is really, as you can see by the payload listed a two ton truck and a bit! :-laf







2006 RAM 3500SLT, Quad Cab, 4x2, 8 Ft, 5. 9-Liter HO Cummins Turbo Diesel Engine, 6-Speed Manual Transmission



With 3. 73 Axle Ratio You Can Tow 15600 lbs Gross Vehicle Weight Rating(GVWR)=11500

Payload=4239 Curb Weight=7261

Curb WeightFront/Rear=4099/3162

GAWRFront/Rear=4750/9350

Gross Combination Weight Rating(GCWR)=23000

Look for the Equipment Identification Sticker to identify your vehicle's Axle Ratio. If you are unable to determine your vehicles axle ratio, assume you have the numerically lower ratio and can tow the lesser of these ratings.

 

[DaveK98]

Ol'TrailDog, If you had been riding with MY dad the bet would have been that 100 cars could have passed you! About 2 years ago he bought a vette. Hasn't burnt the tires once, even before going to get new tires Sigh.....



In Texas we have a dual speed limit 70 or 75 Regular and 65 for Trucks, I always assumed that this was for "Semi Truck ie 18 wheelers".

 

[AMink]

I know in CA that speed limit is 65. Trucks or Autos pulling trailers is 55. I figure that trucks means semis and Autos means cars, so I go 65 empty and about 60 when towing. I tow slower because I have a friend who's been cited twice for towing (with his CTD) a gooseneck at 65. What is so stupid about splitting the limit is when it's a two lane road and trucks are at the 55 limit in front of the line. That's when stupid passing and aggressive driving take over and people get dead.

 

[blacksheep4x4]

In another thread a member brought up a situation where his friend was stopped for exceeding the posted speed limit. He was driving a 3500 (empty) and doing the AUTO speed limit. I was also stopped and given a verbal warning last summer. Check this out for you folks planning on vacationing in Montana this summer.



http://www.doj.state.mt.us/driving/drivingsafety.asp#speedlimits



Bill

I was the one who brought this up in another thread and I think the law is B. S!!! Just as others have stated truck to me means A F-650 or bigger.

I do think the two different speed limits are a good thing as long as the truck drivers follow them ( which they don't). It makes it easier for the other motorist to get around them. I do not agree that a half ton pickup is allowed to travel at a faster speed than a one ton. If you think this law is goofy then look at montanas GVW laws. A one-ton truck can go down the road legally with a heavier load than a two-ton. I think the farmers and ranchers got this passed so they could haul thier hay and cattle short distances without any hassels and without worry of being overloaded.

 

[TRLRTRSH]

Micheal, I don't agree with it either, just pointing out to other members that may visit the state of Montana. Like California the law really sucks when going any distance. 55 when pulling a trailer on I-5?? how asinine



Bill

 

[RDusch]

Well this took a little diggin, but this is how Montana calculates

"manfactures rated capacity" straight from montanas web site.



Manufacturer's maximum GVW capacity can normally be found on a metal plate inside of the door or door post.



Manufacturer's rated capacity is determined as follows:



Manufacturer's Maximum GVW 6,500 lbs.

Shipping Weight of Truck -4,500 lbs.



Manufacturer's Maximum GVW 4,800 lbs.

Shipping Weight of Truck -3,000 lbs.



Rick

 

[BStoecker]

Michigan has the same sort of thing. I always interpretted the law to make the disctinction between commercial and private non-commercial. Nope. If you are towing a trailer that weighs over a certain amount, then you must follow the 55 mph truck speed limit.

 

[RustyJC]

In Texas we have a dual speed limit 70 or 75 Regular and 65 for Trucks, I always assumed that this was for "Semi Truck ie 18 wheelers".

You might want to check again. A couple of years ago the truck and car speed limits were commonized. The only place that trucks have a lower speed limit is where the lower truck limit is specifically posted.



HERE is one source.



Here's something interesting from the Texas DPS website regarding bills that took effect September 1, 2005.

HB 2257 allows the TxDOT commission to establish a daytime speed limit of 80 miles per hour on I-10 or I-20 in Crockett, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Kerr, Kimble, Pecos, Reeves, Sutton or Ward counties. If established, this speed does not apply to truck tractors, trailers, semi trailers, or trucks, other than light trucks and light trucks pulling a trailer. This bill took effect immediately.

Rusty

 

[Nightram]

I am glad Wisconsin is simple, 65 for everything!!

 

[JasonCzerak]

I am glad Wisconsin is simple, 65 for everything!!

yet, I have averaged 80 on trips though that state

 

[MLeppen]

Michigan has the same sort of thing. I always interpretted the law to make the disctinction between commercial and private non-commercial. Nope. If you are towing a trailer that weighs over a certain amount, then you must follow the 55 mph truck speed limit.

It is 10,000 # combined truck and trailer, if under 10k ,70 mph is the limit.

 

[TRCM]

According to that law (montana) almost ANY truck will be breaking the law.



suburbans, excursions, explorers, etc etc.

 

[TKingsbury]

According to that law (montana) almost ANY truck will be breaking the law.



suburbans, excursions, explorers, etc etc.

Suburbans, Excursions, and Exploders aren't trucks, so no law breaking. :-laf

Travis. .

 

[terrywerm]

If you ask me, the split speed limits that some states have are just plain dangerous, not to mention a PIA. When you drive through states that have them, you keep running into 'wads' or 'bunches' of traffic caused when someone pulling a trailer (and observing the speed limit of 55) pulls out to pass Grandpa Joe doing 50 or 52. Once the guy pulling the trailer is out in the left lane, the traffic going 65, 75, or more has to hit the brakes and slow down behind him, and then the traffic starts to stack up behind the guy until he completes his pass. Of course the ones that got bunched up behind him all want to drag race from that point on, too. It's MUCH smoother running (and much safer) in states where the cars and trucks all travel the same speed.



And then there are the situations like a certain trooper in Illinois was famous for about 10 or 12 years back: Clock a car at 65 or 70, then stop a truck for it (was only supposed to be going 55, and maybe was) and give him a ticket. How do you beat that?? He'd offer to show the driver the radar, sure enough, it was way high. Good way to get his quota up is all it was.



Rant off... .

 

[Eric_77]

Well this took a little diggin, but this is how Montana calculates

"manfactures rated capacity" straight from montanas web site.



Manufacturer's maximum GVW capacity can normally be found on a metal plate inside of the door or door post.



Manufacturer's rated capacity is determined as follows:



Manufacturer's Maximum GVW 6,500 lbs.

Shipping Weight of Truck -4,500 lbs.



Manufacturer's Maximum GVW 4,800 lbs.

Shipping Weight of Truck -3,000 lbs.



Rick

Never seen the shipping weight or empty weight or anything other than GVW listed on vehicle; title or registration normally has it.