2012 F450 Hauling 32,000 lbs. (5 TON)GVWR=44,500

[gimpyrobb]

Here ya go...

 

[tie6044]

Hey R Racing, what is that trailer rated for? Just from the pic it looks like the main beam is rather thin. I have a 34' PJ trailer and it has 12" beams with bridging underneath.

 

[Bighurt]

Thanks for all the info,
I uped my reg Gcwr at the MVA from 33000 to 44500. When i stop by the DOT for info, they tell me they are concerned with the tire ratings, Modifaction to the truck (air bags etc) truck and trailer ratings. With 20k I was fine. I have loaded the trailer with 20,000lbs at the most for now. goose neck weight was around 5k. I parked the 5 ton on the trailer for a photo shoot and stir up some battering back and forth, which has happened. Its a good source for info. I will take the 5 ton to the Cat scales which is close by, put it on the trailer and see what the the scales say. They I will stop by the Local DOT with my weight on each axel print out and see what they say, but without the loaded trailer. Will keep you guys posted with the results.
kevin..
ps, i met a guy at the rest stop with a 2002 F350 with my same mods pulling a 4 car trailer. His GCWR was 44,500 also. He had tires and bags. runs up and down the east coast all the time. Stops by each DOT, never a problem. Remember they weigh your truck and trailer, if its off or dosent look right , they pull ya. Never been pulled yet..! 7K of hauling as to date.

That's funny I was not aware you could legally change your GCVW as set by the manufacture.

I was more worried about the trailer...but it seams you've firgured out how to change the GCWR of the truck in the registration so that neither manufactures ratings no longer matter. Maybe you should raise it a bit more so you can haul a M936 or a M920. Or I know save a few pennies and trade that money bucket in for a 01' w/7.3, sure it has a lower rating but you can change that. You can offset the power issue with new injectors and a few tweaks. Might as well add a few airbags while you at it. **** you could dial it in for less than 10k...after all as businessmen we have to save money somewhere.

If you want to play with the big boys, might as well get a big boy rig.

 

[R Racing]

Hey R Racing, what is that trailer rated for? Just from the pic it looks like the main beam is rather thin. I have a 34' PJ trailer and it has 12" beams with bridging underneath.

25900 but you have to subtract the trailer weight which is 7500.

 

[Stalwart]

Mine is like R Racing's trailer, 25900 but mine is much shorter in length. It was rated as such to avoid the 17% FET that starts at 26,000 lbs gross rated trailer weight. I had my I beams upgraded to 22 lb/ft, extra heavy torque tube, extra heavy deck supports (both size and spacing), all steel deck and 12,000 lb axles with disc brakes and "G" rated tires. In short, I had them build it the heaviest and strongest they could make. With the factory installed brake controller, my truck has to stop itself with it's pin weight and the trailer stops itself and it's load with it's 4 large disc brakes. This is why I opted to get disc brakes, no fade and superior stopping. I've stood on the brakes with the Scorpion and ATV (17k) loaded and my truck and load stopped VERY quickly, almost like I had no trailer behind at all!

The bad news is my trailer is HEAVY, all those upgrades took a toll, plus the fact that I have a 11' hydralic beaver tail ramp, I only have 29' of deck and the trailer weighs just about the same as my truck, just over 9000 lbs. My truck is rated for GCVW of 34,000 from Ford and I have felt very safe at 36,000 with the trailer doing it's own stopping. I've driven it on a 1700 mile trip, with grades you East and Central US owners would never dream of, and hills on the downgrade were very manageable, even at 34,500 CGVW. It isn't the uphill that makes the rig safe, it's how it handles and stops itself on the downgrade that REALLY matters.

 

[NEIOWA]

To the orginal post. $3/mi for a pickup w/gooseneck???

 

[bearboley]

I read the post about plz don't haul a wrecker I had to laugh. I picked mine up at Redstone and axle weighted it on the scale when you leave the gate where the trucks where parked and was 1700 pound over on the trailer axles, with 500 miles to go I thought Id better adjust, and had a heck of a time getting it legal. I have a heavy truck and landoll empty. Your tires wont take a wrecker for sure.

 

[decodeme2]

Yes, no wreckers!..maybe a small one!..hehe..
Yes $3.00 a loaded mile, nothing north of PA Please in the winter. I like to head south.
Kevin.
I like to do Ft-meade pickups basicly.
decodeme@verizon.net

 

[doghead]

Would you do a FT Mead to Syracuse NY trip, in the good weather? It's about 400 miles.

Think you can haul an M817?

 

[Stalwart]

Hmmm . . . M817, 23,761 lbs.

opcorn:

50¢ a mile for fuel and $2.50 a mile to pay for commercial weight fee tickets

I never run mine commercial, but if you're charging, you can't help it. Just too many rules and regs once you go commercial for my tastes. From all the required placarding, commercial insurance, log books (OK minor inconvenience) and all the other BS, I'm not surprised you're charging $3 a mile.

 

[porkysplace]

Hmmm . . . M817, 23,761 lbs.

opcorn:

50¢ a mile for fuel and $2.50 a mile to pay for commercial weight fee tickets

I never run mine commercial, but if you're charging, you can't help it. Just too many rules and regs once you go commercial for my tastes. From all the required placarding, commercial insurance, log books (OK minor inconvenience) and all the other BS, I'm not surprised you're charging $3 a mile.

The lack of company name and D.O.T. numbers on the F-450 is a indication he is not registered as a commercial hauler or playing by their rules.

 

[Bighurt]

The lack of company name and D.O.T. numbers on the F-450 is a indication he is not registered as a commercial hauler or playing by their rules.

Which maybe why he wants to stick to Ft Meade recoveries...some states don't need D.O.T. numbers if you don't leave the state. IFTA is another ball of wax...

 

[Stalwart]

The lack of company name and D.O.T. numbers on the F-450 is a indication he is not registered as a commercial hauler or playing by their rules.

Perhaps, but he WILL BE before too long. They don't play nice with people who bend the rules. That's why I never charge, and RARELY haul anyone elses stuff. I hauled a CCKW last week but that was for a friend, and he bought me lunch.

 

[NDT]

The lack of company name and D.O.T. numbers on the F-450 is a indication he is not registered as a commercial hauler or playing by their rules.

Maryland is one of the 29 states that requires USDOT registration for intrastate operation as well as interstate operation.

This is all so clearly spelled out on the FMCSA website.

Texas does as well, which is why you will see TXDOT and USDOT numbers painted on the sides of my M915, 916 and now 931.

Compliance is cheap. Nightmares on the side of the road with Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers are not.

 

[porkysplace]

It's one thing to deliver a truck you sold as a individual , but as a dealer all the regs apply . He will pay dearly in the long run . And to go out of state he not only will need IFTA , but I.C.C. authority also.

EDIT: NDT , michigan also requires it , if you have a commercial pick-up with any trailer D.O.T. numbers are required. They are making a killing in fines on landscapers around here .

 

[quickfarms]

The commercial rules are to complex and the enforcement and rules vary by state and can vary within a state.

I know of several states that go by the tires and do not care what the manufactures sticker says. I think that this policy is more about revenue and less about safety. I have also seen some commercial truck that are overpaying there weight fees.

 

[m16ty]

That's funny I was not aware you could legally change your GCVW as set by the manufacture.

You can on some trucks. I've seen several 2-ton trucks that were modified by companies to increase GCVW. They will have the original weight tag in the door removed and replaced with the new ratings. They will also have the company's name on the tag that did the modifications. Most of the time when they up the ratings the axle has been replaced or another axle is added (live or dead) though. Sometimes they even beef up the frame. I'm not sure if just adding air bags or upgrading the springs is enough to legally boost the GCVW if you don't also upgrade the axle itself.

I have three commercial trucks on the road. It is a mountain of paperwork and fees to pay to run legally if you want to haul for hire. I know a few local haulers that don't do all the correct paperwork and bend the rules and to tell the truth, they don't normally have any trouble with the DOT. Let it be known though if you ever have a wreck and god forbid kill somebody, they will throw you in jail for a long, long time if you are not 100% correct on everything.

There was a trucker driving through Nashville a few years back. He struck and killed a police officer that was in the road. They ruled that it was the officer's fault but because of a minor log book violation, the trucker got 15 years in jail.

 

[Bighurt]

You can on some trucks. I've seen several 2-ton trucks that were modified by companies to increase GCVW. They will have the original weight tag in the door removed and replaced with the new ratings. They will also have the company's name on the tag that did the modifications. Most of the time when they up the ratings the axle has been replaced or another axle is added (live or dead) though. Sometimes they even beef up the frame. I'm not sure if just adding air bags or upgrading the springs is enough to legally boost the GCVW if you don't also upgrade the axle itself.

I have three commercial trucks on the road. It is a mountain of paperwork and fees to pay to run legally if you want to haul for hire. I know a few local haulers that don't do all the correct paperwork and bend the rules and to tell the truth, they don't normally have any trouble with the DOT. Let it be known though if you ever have a wreck and god forbid kill somebody, they will throw you in jail for a long, long time if you are not 100% correct on everything.

There was a trucker driving through Nashville a few years back. He struck and killed a police officer that was in the road. They ruled that it was the officer's fault but because of a minor log book violation, the trucker got 15 years in jail.

My comment was half way facetious. My Father in Law runs the truck shop at a local fabricator. Oil outfits by T800's or the like and they are delivered to the shop as is. The shop then retrofits them, heavily, for oil-field work. The latest runs weren't very extensive. However some of his jobs where brilliant pieces of work, along the same lines as Soni's truck IMO. The companies name is associated with the mods, the workers maintain particular certifications and some mods are so extensive they are no longer legally road able.

The OP made it seem that he had a service shop install airbags and he walked into the DMV and changed the registration. The point is there is a lot more to it, and frankly if they are willing to go that route why wouldn't they pay the $500 to get a DOT number, or whatever the cost is in Maryland.

I agree the paperwork is a nightmare. I originally planned to use my M915 to make some pocket cash. Before she even arrived home I started the paperwork. One page led to another and I found myself in a big mess. There is a reason owner operators are disappearing. Before I even finished I realized I was in over my head for a part-time gig and settled for instate haul for hire only...that didn't change much. So I made a call and she is now registered under my business name for it's use. However I only use the truck for personal use customers loads don't even touch the deck of the trailer.

It's one thing to be able to do it, its another to not and be sane when I tuck myself in at night.

Like I said if you want to play with the big boys you have to have a big boy rig, and with that comes big boy problems. Including big boy registration...

 

[decodeme2]

Hey Guys,
I have DOT numbers, company name, commercial insurance, log books, etc...I have been doing this for a few years with an older truck... never had a problem, hopefully never will. I know my limits, im just testing uncharted terriority to see what will fly. I have a friend that been hauling for 30 years. Also have a friend that uses farm tags on his tractor and hauls (his) equipment all over the US. Also No IFTA sticker and no authority needed with Farm tags in MAryland. There is alot of infomation they dont want you to know, they just want their Cut $$..Just know your states laws and you will be fine. You cant know everything about all states. They are ALL different.
Kevin

 

[spicergear]

Perhaps, but he WILL BE before too long. They don't play nice with people who bend the rules. That's why I never charge, and RARELY haul anyone elses stuff. I hauled a CCKW last week but that was for a friend, and he bought me lunch.

So seriously...you just admitted to accepting compensation for the haul. You cannot accept ANYTHING in return. My buddy was one of the PA State Police guys that looked for these loads for a living and LOVED, LOVED, LOVED some guy with a commercial load claiming no compensation. His best was a guy with like 15,000lbs of apples claiming it was a private load. The guy finally said the wrong thing in his chain of BS something to the effect that they were being sold at a carnival (or something) and the proceeds were being donated. Proceeds = BUSTED. It took $7,000 to get his truck on the road again. How about them apples?

If you're (anyone) going to play this game without documentation; the load is YOURS or you're doing it for FREE. Not a favor, not a lunch, not $ .38, not just for fuel...nothing. Not whatsoever. Best is it's yours as a hobby. Do you sell them? Nope, just an expensive hobby.