What should I register it at ?

[TRCM]

So, I have a 97 3500 ctd extended cab dually, 5 spd, 4. 10 gears. My trailer is a flatbed gooseneck, 20 ft w/4 ft dove, dual axles, brakes on both axles.



My trucks gvwr is 11,000 lbs (funny, dana rates the rear axle alone at 10 k), and the gvwr of my 24 ft gn trailer is 14,000 lbs. Combined that is 25,000 lbs GCWR. The owners manual says I can pull 18,000 lbs GCWR.



Loaded, I am at about 17,000 lbs (truck - ~7500, trailer - ~4400, load - ~5200). I am safely within the limits of the truck & trailer.



Now, should I add weight to the gvwr of the truck as a safety factor for potential weight stops ?? Here, it seems the dot doesn't even know their own rules, and they told me, even tho it is for pleasure use, that I had to have a cdl.



I was thinking that instead of the gvwr of 11 k on the door post, I should register it at something between 12 & 15 k. but if I register it at 15, then I am at 29,000 GCWR, which is CDL territory.



What do yall think ?? And do you see any problems with this. I do not expect to ever tow anything larger than 6k on the trailer. Notice, I said EXPECT.

 

[HeavyHauler]

Perhaps the laws are significantly different in Virginia, but in Tennessee you don't have to have a full Class A CDL unless you are hauling commerically and if your GCWR is more than 26,000. In fact, here you can even drive an all-out semi with trailer if it is for personal use. You don't have to have a CDL even if the truck is registered with the DOT. That's how I got by hauling our race cars before I got my CDL. There are a lot of loop-holes and provisions in Tennessee's regulations, and I would suspect so in Virginia as well.



You need to double check on that because I wouldn't think that they would require you to have a CDL if you weren't hauling commercially.



As far as your tag goes, if you're really worried about it, just get a 26,000 tag and be done with it, although you probably wouldn't need that much. That will keep you from having to stop at weigh stations and should keep DOT cops off your back.



Looking closer at your post, it sounds like you're saying the tags in Virginia just reflect legal trailer weight. In Tennessee, it includes your whole vehicle, i. e. GVWR. Nobody really cares around here so I'm running a 16,000 joint-tag. Technically, the combined weight of my truck and trailer could not legally exceed 16,000 pounds.



Make any sense?

 

[TRCM]

from what I have been able to figure out, in VA , they add the gvwr for thr truck & trailer, and if the total of those two (GCWR) is over 26,001 lbs, you need a cdl.



here is a cut & paste from the Size, Weight & Equipment Requirements manual for VA



Operators of vehicles having a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight

rating (GVWR) or a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001

lbs. or more are required to hold a valid CDL. Operators of vehicles

designed to carry 16 or more persons including the driver and operators of

vehicles hauling hazardous materials which are required by federal law to

be placarded must have a valid CDL.

The following situations exempt the operators of certain vehicles from

the CDL requirements.

1. Operation of a vehicle for personal use only, such as a

recreational vehicle or truck to move your personal belongings.

2. Operation of a fire truck or other emergency vehicle.

3. Operation of a farm vehicle that meets all of the following

conditions:

a. Controlled and operated by a farmer.

b. Used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery or

farm supplies to and from a farm.

c. Strictly for farm use and not used in the operation of a

common or contract carrier.

d. Used within 150 miles of the vehicle owner’s farm.

4. Operation of a vehicle for military purposes while the operator

is on active duty.





based on this, it seems I don't need one, but I will have to pull across the scales cuz Iam over 7500 lb truck weight.

 

[GAmes]

It appears to me that in VA you would register it for the manufacturers GVWR, 11,000 lbs. I have never pulled across a scale in VA with or without a trailer attached, and my RV weighs 13,000. They are for commercial trucks!!! Do not get wrapped around the axle on this (the scale part). It may be that you have to register it for GCWR (18000), but it is purely a revenue thing... and you know how VA likes to drag in money. Every state is different, so I can't be more specific, but I do know that you are not required a CDL if you are not for hire and you do not have to cross scales just because your truck is over 7500. Think about this. 2500s have a GVWR of 8800 and all duellies are over that. Have you ever seen any on the scales other than commercial trucks?

 

[TRCM]

I know... and that is why the dot guy said they are cracking down on it and issuing fines & tickets.



Like you said, Va loves money, and what better way to get some than to start nailing all the unsuspecting people driving these trucks.



again, from the same manual:



Weight Inspection Requirement

Operators of trucks which are defined in part as having a registered

gross weight in excess of 7,500 lbs. are required by law to drive their

vehicles onto scales for weight inspection as directed by either a police

officer or by a regulatory highway sign. A police officer may require the

operator of a truck to drive a distance up to 10 road miles to a motor carrier

service center (weigh station) for weight inspection. Refusal to drive onto

the scales for inspection is a misdemeanor.



This says nothing about commerce or cdl.





I'll probably register it at 12 k for the truck, and 14 k for the trailer. that keeps me below the 26,001 limit, but gives me an extra 1000 lbs on the truck for tongue weight & cargo.

 

[GAmes]

Sounds like an enforcement nightmare, but there will be an easy way to find out. Once you have your registration in hand pull into the first weigh station you see (empty of course) and see what the VDOT's officers reaction is.

 

[TRCM]

that's kinda what i was thinking.

 

[TKingsbury]

In California, there are signs at the truck scales that say "No Pick-ups". I assume in Va you can register a pick-up non-commercial? Sounds like a screwy mess to me. In California all pick-ups are registered commercial. The base weight fee is $80/year. Imagine the money they make, here just about everybody drives a pick-up as a daily vehicle and never use it to haul anything.

Travis. .

 

[TRCM]

Well, here, I have to get truck plates, because the gvwr is above 4000 lbs. that triples the tax you pay per year.



No signs like that here, but I have seen them elsewhere.



And look at the fees here... almost anything but a car will weigh more than that.

 

[wtfd6]

i plated my truck at 22k just to be safe. it will cover the truck and trailer. there was confusion at the license bureau when i asked what i should plate it at. here in ohio any combination vehicle over 10k (commercial or not) has to cross the scales. even if your combination weight is below 26k, they get you by saying this: if your trailer gvw is above 10k you must have a cdl. even to pull it empty. they are really trying to crack down on guys using one tons to haul commercially.



mark

 

[HBarlow]

from what I have been able to figure out, in VA , they add the gvwr for thr truck & trailer, and if the total of those two (GCWR) is over 26,001 lbs, you need a cdl.



here is a cut & paste from the Size, Weight & Equipment Requirements manual for VA



Operators of vehicles having a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight

rating (GVWR) or a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001

lbs. or more are required to hold a valid CDL. Operators of vehicles

designed to carry 16 or more persons including the driver and operators of

vehicles hauling hazardous materials which are required by federal law to

be placarded must have a valid CDL.

The following situations exempt the operators of certain vehicles from

the CDL requirements.

1. Operation of a vehicle for personal use only, such as a

recreational vehicle or truck to move your personal belongings.

2. Operation of a fire truck or other emergency vehicle.

3. Operation of a farm vehicle that meets all of the following

conditions:

a. Controlled and operated by a farmer.

b. Used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery or

farm supplies to and from a farm.

c. Strictly for farm use and not used in the operation of a

common or contract carrier.

d. Used within 150 miles of the vehicle owner’s farm.

4. Operation of a vehicle for military purposes while the operator

is on active duty.





based on this, it seems I don't need one, but I will have to pull across the scales cuz Iam over 7500 lb truck weight.

If you are not engaged in commercial activity the answer to your question is contained in exemption number 1 in the text you cut and pasted above.



If you are driving a truck that is registered to you, pulling a trailer that is registered to you, containing cargo that belongs to you, and if you are not using the truck, trailer, or its cargo for commercial activity, you would not normally be required to have a CDL in any state in the US.



If you are hauling commercially the requirements change. The rules of your home state normally apply. Some states may require a CDL at any gross weight, most do not unless the total of the truck's and trailer's GVWR stickers exceeds 26,000 pounds. I pull RV trailers all over the US without a CDL but stay under 26,000 pounds.



On the question of weigh scales the rules become a little less clear: No state that I am aware of requires a private individual to pull across the scales when pulling his/her RV trailer. Some states make it clear you are not wanted on their scales, others expect you to know that. It may become a little complicated when you pull a trailer that could be used for commercial hauling. It might be easier to simply approach the scales in states where you are uncertain. A DOT office will either wave you off or ignore you as you cross his scale.



Harvey