WI to MN M915 recovery question

[buck]

I'm looking at picking up a M915 in WI in the near future. As a MN farmer I'm not required to have a CDL for what I use a tractor trailer for, so I haven't gotten one yet. I've spent many years farming in SD within 200 miles of home but never really had to deal with scales or DOT to much as they are easy to avoid on the western border. Coming back from WI will be a different story and it's alittle out of my area of experience.

If I happen to win one, I'ld like to just drive it home after making sure it's road worthy and has insurance of course. Hualing it home would be expensive, and I'ld rather drive it myself than getting someone with a CDL to drive it for me. When I get west of the Twin Cities I'm home free. I'm just a little concerned about getting past the border scales and DOT without having problems.

Any info from someone with some area specific "been there, done that" experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Old Lincoln County Iron]

I drove my first m915a1 from Topeka Kansas, all scales and check points were closed. Of corse I have my class A CDL and all paperwork and insurance in order just in case. Only had to stop for toll roads points. Here in New Mexico and when I run to El Paso Tx, the DOT waves me through the check points, they do know my trucks are my personal trucks not for hire and have all paperwork current. The border patrol check points wave me through also.
I always make sure to do pretrip inspection for safety and anything that would draw attention to the truck, leaks, lights,etc. Good luck.

 

[Old Lincoln County Iron]

I forgot to mention, when i picked up my M915a1 in Topeka, my father followed my back in the pick up we drove out there to get it. In one of the small towns we passed through a local cop pulled him over wanting to know why he was following that military truck so closely. kinda funny.

 

[buck]

That is funny. Hope he didn't get a ticket.

 

[Danl]

Danl M915A1

Your new truck is 21200 pounds full of fuel. C D L starts at 26ooo pounds Insure the truck than go to your DMV and pick up a tranis plate good for ten days cost 18 bucks hold the pounds at 25000 pounds and you are going to be legal to transit this truck, the scales are going to see that you are emtry and as long as you have that trasit plate duct taped to the rear window, you will go all the way home unharmed, I drove from Huntsvill AL. to Maine 1500 miles this way all was ok The toll booths even way me by i did wear a camo hat thay thought i was inlisted LOL, Newyork GW Bridge did hose me for cash, That bridge was not worth the price they charged. You will need to duct the plate for ther is no plate frame on that truck you will have to make on when you get it home,and you will have to rig up a plate light it is a 24 volt system back there good luck in your run home keep right and keep it at 52 mph, and you will be fine, the truck red lights at 57 mph

 

[Old Lincoln County Iron]

No , fortunately he didn't get a ticket, just explained the situation and all was good.

My second M915a1 I bought from andy1234 outside St Louis and drove it home without a single scale open either, stopped in Oklahoma and picked up one of my M871 trailers. 1150 mile trip no problems.

 

[Old Lincoln County Iron]

Oh by the way I have pictures of both recoveries in my albums in my profile here, if you care to take a look.

 

[tie6044]

Not sure about Maine but in most states (including MN) you need a CDL if the vehicle or combination is over 26,000 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, not just what the vehicle weighs. When I drive my 3/4 ton truck with a 21K gooseneck trailer I need a class A license whether I'm empty or loaded. Not to mention DOT'd and that doesn't matter if it's personal or commercial.

 

[DLJ]

Call the Mn DOT,I'm sure they could tell you what to do!

 

[Danl]

Danl M915A1

I beleave it is all in the tranist plate salesmen drive all over with tranist plates there is all kinds of RV way over 26000 pounds and class c drives them, WHY? a transit plate is the same for a RV as it is for a MV . Besides who to say that this truck is not going to be a RV. In a sents a 915 is kind of nothing but a cab and chassie. I know it worked for me, maybe somebody can defined a transit plate and its uses

 

[Danl]

Danl M915A1

Not sure about Maine but in most states (including MN) you need a CDL if the vehicle or combination is over 26,000 Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, not just what the vehicle weighs. When I drive my 3/4 ton truck with a 21K gooseneck trailer I need a class A license whether I'm empty or loaded. Not to mention DOT'd and that doesn't matter if it's personal or commercial.

what if that goose neck was a camper RV?

 

[DLJ]

It would have a RV license on it ,not a trailer license.

 

[buck]

In MN farmers have a CDL exemption within 100 miles of home (used to be 200 miles) as long as it's you own truck and product. I believe the state is currently working hard to close that exemption though. When they started changing the rules I could have been grandfathered in by just taking the writen test, but I didn't, so here I am. I invite everyones input and I'm not trying to start another CDL debate, I've found plenty of that while searching the forum before asking the question. If I'm legal at home I figure there must be a way for me to legally drive the truck from where it is to home, but maybe not. Suppose I could just bite the bullet and get a CDL, but that's kind of an old dog new tricks issue. I hate the state telling me what I have to do.

Any way I appritiate all the info, anything anyone wanting to add is welcome. I will be looking into the transit plate possibility, and will probably check with the state if I don't get the answer I want from them.

 

[LanceRobson]

At the risk of preaching to the choir, and as food for thought, the M915 brakes were designed for stopping 120,00 pounds and are not ABS. When driving bob tail (no trailer) the brakes can lock up in a hurry especially on wet or otherwise slick roads so leave yourself a lot of cushion between yourself and whatever is ahead of you as best you can and be easy on the brake pedal. Also, if the truck has been sitting for any length of time use the brakes gently and often at the start of the trip to get rid of any surface rust on the drums. That rust is pretty grabby, too.

The transmission has active braking when your foot is fully off the throttle and the Jacobs engine brake (AKA Jake Brake) can be set for 2, 4 or 6 cylinders and can be used anytime you are over 1200 RPMs (and your foot is fully off the throttle). Using the Jake brake with too many cylinders while bob tail can also get things squirrely fast but in my very limited experience with mine not as fast as a quick stab at the brake pedal.

If you are not sure the truck has a correct key you should take an ignition switch with you. Most switches have four terminals and the M915 series trucks have five as one is used for the fuel shut-off solinoid. The Airtex brand 1S6152 is the correct commercial ignition switch. It has the fifth contact for the fuel shut off. The trade off is that you won' t have the standard GI coded key but unless you are managing a big fleet of these critters it won't likely matter.

Good luck and keep it between the ditches...

Lance

 

[buck]

At the risk of preaching to the choir, and as food for thought, the M915 brakes were designed for stopping 120,00 pounds and are not ABS. When driving bob tail (no trailer) the brakes can lock up in a hurry especially on wet or otherwise slick roads so leave yourself a lot of cushion between yourself and whatever is ahead of you as best you can and be easy on the brake pedal. Also, if the truck has been sitting for any length of time use the brakes gently and often at the start of the trip to get rid of any surface rust on the drums. That rust is pretty grabby, too.

The transmission has active braking when your foot is fully off the throttle and the Jacobs engine brake (AKA Jake Brake) can be set for 2, 4 or 6 cylinders and can be used anytime you are over 1200 RPMs (and your foot is fully off the throttle). Using the Jake brake with too many cylinders while bob tail can also get things squirrely fast but in my very limited experience with mine not as fast as a quick stab at the brake pedal.

If you are not sure the truck has a correct key you should take an ignition switch with you. Most switches have four terminals and the M915 series trucks have five as one is used for the fuel shut-off solinoid. The Airtex brand 1S6152 is the correct commercial ignition switch. It has the fifth contact for the fuel shut off. The trade off is that you won' t have the standard GI coded key but unless you are managing a big fleet of these critters it won't likely matter.

Good luck and keep it between the ditches...

Lance

Great heads up info, thanks. I'll be previewing this week and be sure to check on the key situation.

 

[wreckerman893]

We convoyed from New Jersey to Nebraske and never stopped at the first weigh station....we did pay tolls.

I drove Bighurt's M915 from Alabama to Nebraska and never stopped at any weigh station.

Just roll on by the stations and act like you know what you're doing.

If a DOT guy runs you down explain that you are not commercial and didn't think you had to stop.

 

[Danl]

Danl M915A1

It would have a RV license on it ,not a trailer license.

I see thankyou. In maine a trailer is a trailer plate. Big RV have a Motor home plate. We can haul a Large fift wheel camper on a class C I don't feel that it is right but it is and civi can drive the biggest motor home and get in the way all day long and thats Ok with the law and that is not right eather.

 

[tie6044]

I agree with the laws not being fair, you can be a 90 year old senile old man and go buy a $300k motor home and as long as you have a valid class D license you can go drive it with no special training or license. Doesn't make much sense. Personally I think if you are using a truck for non-commercial use it should be considered recreational! What's the difference if you can sleep in it or not? You're still driving it on the same roads with everyone else.

Getting back on topic however, I don't think MN offers a temp or travel tag, at least that's what the DMV told me when I checked on it.

 

[buck]

I agree with the laws not being fair, you can be a 90 year old senile old man and go buy a $300k motor home and as long as you have a valid class D license you can go drive it with no special training or license. Doesn't make much sense. Personally I think if you are using a truck for non-commercial use it should be considered recreational! What's the difference if you can sleep in it or not? You're still driving it on the same roads with everyone else.

Getting back on topic however, I don't think MN offers a temp or travel tag, at least that's what the DMV told me when I checked on it.

I've never heard of a MN "in transit" tag in MN either, not to say there isn't one. The auto dealers here have dealer plates supplied by the state for moving vehicles around. Normally you have a thirty day grace period from the date of purchace in a private party sale. If purchaced from a dealer, state requires the dealer to complete the title transfer and give a teporary permit. Ive puchaced old squad cars in the past that have never been titled, and the police dept. is real funny about giving over the certificate of origin on the vehicle, but I've always gotten them in the end.

I've always tried to follow the spirit, if not the letter of the law, and I know bobtailing a tractor home from WI may be stretching it, but I think I should actually be legal by weight an use standards. It's just not as much fun arguing my point with the hiway patrols and DOT officers any more. Anyway, we'll see what happens. Thanks to everyone for the input so far.

 

[NEIOWA]

Stay on secondary roads. No weigh stations to worry about and you can poke along/stop as appropriate.

Likely you'll want to cross the big river at LaCrosse on I90. If you take US16 out of Sparta to On Alaska easy onto I90.

WI weigh stations http://www.coopsareopen.com/wisconsin-weigh-stations.html