Well it will be happening with the new GM DMAX diesel rated for 20,000 lb towing capacity! That is a lot of weight to be dragging with the rubber & weight of a pickup IMHO.
hell, i don't like towing 8,000#. too much, in my humble opinion.
I do tow ten in my Dodge dooley and it is fine but 20 is double! Ihave a tag trailer that is 6000 + pounds empty and 12 tons loaded I don't think I would want it behind me with a 14,000 lb load on the 6,000 lb trailer. 7,000 lb truck and 20,000 lb tow and now you need a CDL!
I tow a little over 14,000 lbs (trailer included) using a Chevy 3500HD with the larger brakes and tires and feel that is getting towards the upper end of my comfort level. I'm with you Speedpup. It seems that 20 will be asking alot of pickup.
towing 10 tons with my 6 wheel CDL dump truck can be scary sometimes, I would never ever attempt it with a pick up truck. And yeah as someone else pointed out, you would need a class A CDL to tow that.
We have several F450s, and 550s that we are legal to pull 42,000lbs with. Not that I would want to try it. We routinely pull a tri axle single tire interstate 9 ton trailer with a bobcat t200, and 430 mini ex. Those rides get pretty hairy. Front end is way to light. If for some reason you lose a trailer brake, or anything else goes wrong, you better hold on and hope it ends alright. Just love it when the office says "were legal for 42,000lbs with those, your weight is X, its alright"
I guess it is safe IF you have it all set up perfectly....
Yeah I totally dont understand how they rate those things like that, 42,000lbs is crazy, there is no way a 550 can stop that much weight on its own god forbid you lose the trailer brakes, ESPECIALLY considering you are using electric brakes as opposed to air.
Yeah I saw that ford spec... thats way too much weight... thats operating weight of a cat D6N, 953D, and a 315c. A load that should be on a tandem truck and a tandem trailer, w/ a jake and air brakes. There is no way you can do that safely.
I guess in the name of competition more is better so I guess ratings are up to the manufacturer. If so that may be like letting the fox guard the chicken coup! I would like to see what the testing is based on. I do know some on other forums like a Dodge forum have hopped up dualies pulling 30K
thats way too much for a pickup. Towing the backhoes or excavator with the single axle dump can be a workout for the truck when it comes to the hills. Downshift, downshift, put on hazards, ugh
I think it has the power @ 765 ft lb not sure on the rest of the truck and handling it. They have it on line with no pricing yet. Few tweaks and your over 800 ft lb Last Updated: March 11. 2010 1:00AM 2011 Sierra Denali HD GM unveils most powerful diesel pickup Scott Burgess / The Detroit News Diesel power has reached a new mark for heavy-duty pickup trucks. The all-new 6.6-liter Duramax diesel engine will deliver 397 horsepower and 765 pound-feet of torque, GMC officials said Wednesday when they took the wraps off of the 2011 Sierra Denali HD pickup at the National Truck Equipment Association Convention in St. Louis. The pickup sibling of the heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado, which was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show, will include the strongest diesel engine being offered by any major automaker. Advertisement Ford Motor Co. recently announced its all-new 6.7-liter V-8 diesel engine, which produces 385 horsepower and 735 pound-feet of torque. The 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy-Duty offers a 6.7-liter I-6 Cummins diesel engine that creates 350 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. "The new Sierra Denali HD is the latest expression of GMC's Denali philosophy of blending capability with premium features and styling," said Lisa Hutchinson, GMC product marketing director, in a statement. GMC will also offer a 6-liter V-8 gas engine that produces 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. The new GMC heavy-duty trucks will provide up to 20,000 pounds towing capacity and up to 6,335 pounds payload capacity. The new Duramax engine, which is mated to an Allison six-speed automatic transmission, will also get an 11 percent fuel economy improvement, as well as 63 percent lower emissions. EPA regulations do not require automakers to provide mileage figures. As the U.S. economy begins to show signs of a recovery, carmakers hope to see pickup sales increase. Through February, GMC has sold 13,478 full-size pickups, according to Autodata Corp. Sales remain sluggish and are down 6.4 percent in 2010 for GMC. The new diesel will be B20 capable, meaning it can burn diesel mixed with 20 percent bio-diesel. The overhaul of GM's heavy-duty pickups also includes a stronger fully boxed frame as well as improvements throughout the vehicle. With Ford and GM both pushing out all-new heavy-duty trucks for the 2011 model year and Chrysler Group LLC offering its new heavy-duty truck now, the pickup wars should only get more interesting. The 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD will arrive in dealerships in the early summer. [email protected] (313) 223-3217 From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz0htWNcQYz
If you can drive you can tow anything just have to be a wheelman shutup and drive
Weather it's safe or not, I see it done all the time around here. Pretty common to see a 580 size hoe behind a 3/4 or 1 ton with a goose. Theirs one contractor around here that pulls a kubota excavator behind a 1 ton Duramax on a gooseneck. A friend of mine that use to work for him said the machine and trailer are 27,500lb. Also where I live it's no where near flat, lots of steep hills
Heck we got some dry weather log haulers doing that now and what is trailer brake.Brand new diesel pick up pulling a junky trailer with no brakes and loaded to the gills.Some you could change the front tires with no jack.
What do you define as safe Weather?
God Bless when a lawyer gets them after an accident
That 20,000 lb. figure is a lot of weight granted and I'm not sure if I'd want to pull that weight but these new 2011's are a complete new breed from the ground up.All new hydroformed box frame,larger brakes,heavier suspension front and rear,heavier wheels,higher tire weight ratings,etc.I'm quite sure that rating would be on a dualie 3500 with a gooseneck 5'th wheel trailer.Power wise,there is no issue here,my 2006LBZ with 360HP ,650lbs. ft. torque can pull that weight so I know this new Dmax breed[I think it's a LM1] can handle it.Creating quite a stir over at the Diesel Place.
Yes and if they hit me a Lawyer is their least troubles.
Well they might be rated to haul and tow that much.Thats still a lot of weight to have to make a panic stop.And electric brakes are not that good.Some of the Goosenecks are rated for 26,000lbs.But they will not tell you to do it with a 3/4 ton truck.
Hauling 20,000 lbs behind a pickup is risky at the least. I have done it with my F-450 hauling round bales and stopping it is where the problem is. I also have vacuum over hydraulic brakes on the trailer which are way better than the electrics, but there is just not much surface area of the brake shoes on a gooseneck like that. I would not think about hauling 42,000 with a pickup. That would be like putting my D6D behind my pickup. Todays pickups have more power than the older ones, but they dont have near the power of haul truck with a 3406 Cat or 855 Cummins under the hood, much less the stopping power also.
Granted, today's 1/2 ton trucks are rated for what 1 ton trucks were 15 years ago. But, allowable stopping distance and optimal stopping distance are not the same. Questions I'd be trying to have answered are: How many miles can you get out of a set of brakes if you're towing that heavy with the dmax? Will an exhaust brake on the dmax be effective enough with that kind of weight? How much can you use the brakes before they overheat and fade? :beatsme For what a 2011 Duramax duallie costs, there are plenty of medium duty trucks to choose from that will perform better and be safer. Power is not the issue, nor is frame strength. Inertia is what would be on my mind. 20,000lbs is more than double the weight of the truck. What vehicle would you want to put in front of 20,000 lbs if you're coming back from a job and there's was a half inch of snow on the roads that just started to stick and there are a few more hills to descend before you get out onto the main road? Will the tail end up wagging the dog? :usa
Yeah, I don't understand why so many guys waste their money on heavy trucks when all you need to tow anything heavy is a light duty pickup. ointhead If you can follow the laws of the road, you're exempt from the laws of physics.
i do it almost everyday. i have a dodge 3500 duallie with firestone air bags and tow a load max dual tandem gooseneck with a cat 304ccr... trailer weighs 7,9xx and machine weighs 12,000..... i know people that tow 450 and 650 Deere's behind there ford 350's, 1 of them has a single rear wheel....
You may think its okay because you have never towed anything with a CDL truck, or maybe you have, I dont know. But Im sure it stops eventually and it pulls okay. Power is not the issue at all, but I wouldnt feel safe towing something like that unless I am able to slam on my brakes and stop as fast if not faster than your average car, which sometimes I am amazed how much braking power is in a single axle dump truck towing an air brake tandem trailer.
If you get in an accident what do you think will happen? In NY if DOT got you it was be big trouble and huge fines. Your truck would not be moving after that inspection.
I have several bigger trucks, one that i race motorcycles out of that is a Freightliner toter which is 32' long with a 48' stacker trailer which is air brakes... and actually, i towed that excavator recently 1,000 miles with no trailer brakes, with a little common sense and not driving like your in a ferrari it can be safely done... especially with good brakes... i wouldnt haul a 20,000 lb machine behind it, but its VERY COMMON to see 20,000 lb backhoes and bulldozers behind duallies with 10 ton goosenecks... you talk about a single axle dump, yeah that stops stuff good... but you can always do better... this could be an ongoing thread because it will never end.
Why spend $40,000 or more for a pick up when you can buy a real truck for the same and sometimes cheaper.You still look cool to your friends.Maybe even cooler.Plus you would be a lot safer.
I would rather have 4 air brake axles underneath me pulling 20K than 2 juice brakes and 2 electric. That's just experience.... Rating pickups to tow 20K lbs that anyone can walk off the street and purchase is a recipe for disaster. A guy or gal can trade in the Family Truckster on one of these pickups, load it to the gills and set off on the road. Scares the crap out of me, like when I see a Uhaul on the interstate running 70MPH with a car in tow.:Banghead It's the non-experienced, walking off the street that's the real problem. A CDL is not required for "recreational use", like those Greyhound bus motor homes rolling down the highway.
And a Volkswagon at that.
I don't see a problem with that rating. I have hauled a 17,800lb machine on a 10 ton gooseneck for the past few years and have had no problems from my 03 dodge 3500 or my 02 chevy 3500. The chevy def outperforms especially when it comes to stopping distance. I personally think the problem is the operator, you can give a sorry driver a moped and he can go out and kill somone it doesnt neccesarily take a 1ton loaded to the gills. The government just needs apply the cdl restrictions to these trucks and say if you have a cdl you can haul full capacity if not your weight must stay under 26,000 lbs whether it is recreational or not. As far as why not buy a mid sized truck? When you buy a truck like this you get a haul truck and a daily driver and you only have to pay insurance, tag fees, and other owner related costs once. The benefits are obvious for a small owner operator business or a farm. BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU NEED ONE DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN DRIVE ONE SAFELY
I think a lot can be done by someone who drives safely and has the experience, but its the fact that anyone off the street with a drivers license can buy a truck rated to pull a lot of weight. Even though a class A is required, I dont think most people even know that. And I think the single axle dump stops with the trailer better than anything else, I was pulling the same trailer/backhoe with a tri axle and I had the tires lock up on the tri axle when I was coming to a hard stop. Anyway, Im not questioning your level of skill, but like I said its the fact that anyone off the street can buy something rated to pull lots of weight.
There are CDL restrictions, and most people dont know this (which is the big problem), to tow anything over 10,000lbs you require a Class A CDL, regardless of the vehicle or class of vehicle.
it ain't about the go, it's about the whoa! my 3/4 ton gasser can pull a d8. can't stop worth beans. do it safe or live with your conscience when it goes wrong.
My concern would be the life of the truck,Rated at 20,000 lbs is fine but continuous use at that weight rating will cause a lot of early wear and tear.I would also hope that a mechanic would be looking at it often. Same truck pulling 10,000 will last a lot longer and be much safer.Its always a worry for me when things are used to their extreme limits.
Not true BuckO. :cool2
I pulled out of Jolly Gardener's plant in Poland ME about 6? years ago with my '98 2500 6.5 diesel and 23' Moritz gooseneck loaded with pallets of mulch for my brothers store. Grossed at 27,000 +. Nothing I want to try again. Unit handled it fine, but when I hit the steeper hills near home it was working pretty hard. Not sure that rating a 3500 for that kind of weight is a very good idea.
When I started out(which is longer ago than I care to remember) I used to haul an old 530 case with a dodge 1 ton , not a good combo , I don't question the power plant , I guess if the weight is dist. on the trailer properly and the brakes spec. out it's fine ,just doesn't sound right though
I bet the 20,000 is with a 5th wheel.
Maybe it's different in other places, in comi-fornia you need a non-commercial class A. I don't know anyone one that has one, or what the difference is, but it's listed in the book.
Im almost positive it says it right in the CDL book, unless for some reason the laws are different in NY, but I think CDL laws are the same across the country "Class A CDL: Vehicle Weight (lbs.): 26,000+, Towing Weight: 10,001+ , Passenger Requirement: N/A" I just checked online and if the total GVWR is over 26,000lbs you need a Class A, Im not sure of anything that you can tow 10000lbs with and not be over 26,000lb GVWR
I might be wrong but I think that designation is for people pulling huge travel trailers and fifth wheel RVs. Might even apply to the larger motorhomes. Honestly I think its a good idea. I live about 90 miles from Yellowstone Park. Nothing like seeing an 80 year old guy pulling 40 foot of fifth wheel with a regular license and I need a CDL to pull any trailer over 10K. Normally the less intrusive the better, but in this case I think its due.
KSSS, The motorhome comment reminds me of someone (may have been here) that was bothered by the fact that the RV crowd can cruise past the DOT checks and scales. He said something about buying an older RV and gutting it out and making the rear a flip down ramp so he could haul his skid inside and bypass all the DOT junk. I thought is was a great idea. I just imagine the look on a customers face when the rear opens and a skid cruises out. Think of the additional advantages; if you did it right you would always have a restroom and a comfy place to have lunch. If anyone does it post some pics!
plenty of pickups my 01 Dodge can tow 11000 lb That is why all the car trailer are sold at 9999 even ones that haul two cars and are 40' long.
i think your getting gross VEHICLE weight rating vs gross COMBINED weight rating is two different things CDL requirements BEGIN at 26,001 lbs but gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) on the trailer will determine whether you need a Class A or Class B CDL. The GVWR of the trailer must be 10,001 lbs or more to fall under Class A CDL. Example 1: Truck GVWR 11,000 lbs. + Trailer GVWR 13,000 lbs. = GCWR 24,000 lbs. - NO CDL required Example 2 : Truck GVWR 11,000 lbs. + Trailer GVWR 15,500 lbs. = GCWR 26,500 lbs. - Class A CDL required Example 3: Straight Truck GVWR 28,000 lbs. = GCWR 28,000 lbs. - Class B CDL required or Example 1: (truck)GVWR 11,000 lbs. + (trailer)GVWR 9,800 lbs. = GCWR 20,800 lbs. NO CDL required {11,000 + 9,800 = 20,800 lbs} Example 2 : (truck) GVWR 11,000 lbs. + (trailer) GVWR 15,001 lbs. = GCWR 26,001 lbs. Class A CDL required {11,000 + 15,001 = 26,001 lbs.} Example 3 truck) GVWR 17,000 lbs. + (trailer) GVWR 10,000 lbs. = GCWR 27,000 lbs. NO CDL required {17,000 + 10,000 = 27,000 lbs} (The GCWR is over 26,000 lbs., but the trailer is under 10,001 lbs.) Important number to watch is the number 1 at the end 10,001 lbs & 26,001 lbs. That 1 lb makes all the difference. GCWR : Gross Combination Weight Rating (truck + trailer) hope that clears things up
Yeah that part I wasnt sure about, but so then I am right about the fact that you cannot tow anything over 10,000lbs without a class A CDL.
Alright that somewhat clears things up but its really confusing lol Also since you seem you know a lot about the GVWR and GCWR's, does towing a tandem trailer on a single axle dump add to the rating of the dump truck? Like I know with a tri axle you cannot load the tri axle and pull a backhoe because that puts you over a 80,000lb GCWR, but if you have a single axle dump rated at 33,000lb, can you load the truck and tow a backhoe since that wouldnt put you over 80,000lb GCWR being that 80k is the max for a truck/trailer combo without some sort of overweight permit?
it basically means it would be hard to tow 20000#s and with a one ton seeing how most weight more then 6000#s .......i think in some states there loop holes you can get around , i think thats how guys like dirtysouth was towing all kinds of stuff with a chevy one ton , if he sees this maybe he could clear a couple things up about hauling with a one ton
its funny u bring that up cause ive done that a few times , like the tri axle i drove had a gvw of 76650 , which was 24 ton of asphalt , then i would haul the trailer to the job with the paver and 5 ton roller on it , or fully loaded with gravel towing the cat 315 (well over 100,000gvw) ..........anyway basically what your asking is what like a 10ton or 20 ton tag behind a single axle ? you'd need a class A cause your GCWR would be over the 26001 #s plus most trailers that heavy have air brakes which is a whole other can of worms in this CDL thing
I dont see any info or specs on the new GMC that is rated to pull 20,000 lbs. on GM's website.They do show a Sierra 3500 HD rated for 16,500 lbs. http://gmc.com/sierra/index.jsp I'm sure if GMC builds a truck and rates it for 20,000 lbs.,then it will handel 20,000 lbs.These new heavy dutys aint little pickups.
2011 see post #12 I pulled the below from article.
not sure but it looks that way.
your right my Excursion is 7,xxx pounds
It is, I should have added that the States can adopt stricter laws but the FMCSA on the Federal level only covers commercial vehicles. The basic guidelines set by FMCSA is the foundation for the State's CDL rules, they can make them tougher just not lessor. In Alabama for instance no CDL for travel trailers, motor homes or other recreational vehicles.
That was my gig Diggedirt,but it wouldn't be a skid steer,I hate those tonka toys,it would be my hoe or dozer.If I had the coin to do it,I would in a heartbeat just to screw with them bad boys.
Exactly,keep in mind GM has always been much more tentative in higher weight ratings across the board vs.Ford and Dodge.This new truck is coming on a completely new build sheet,an all new platform that in many areas is surpassing the others.This isn't a SRW 2500 for this 20K lb. trailering designation as some others have said here.It's for a 3500DRW with the new LML Duramax with a 5th wheel hitch--one serious kick-ass truck.GM would not endorse this if it wasn't tested first and proved completely safe.
I clicked the link and it aint available for viewing.Maybe GMC will put the specs on there website in the near future.
No Aliate,you can not load the dump truck and pull a backhoe at the same time.You would most likely have at least 2 strikes against you if you get the privlige of getting on those scales.Your GVW of the truck might be over your 33K GVW because of the 10-15% tongue weight bearing down on the back of the truck plus your box load and the fact that you will be way over the GCWR on the door placard.I think from memory my Chevy 7500 33K GVW has a GCWR of app.43K lbs. Years ago when I was full of **** and vinegar,I did do this a few times and I would never want to do it again because it was plain stupid.
Originally posted by Tuney I like the idea for the ingenuity and for sticking it to the DOT. You would need a serious RV for a dozer or hoe, I'll keep my eye out for one big enough.... j/k Some of the toy hauler RV's are getting a large enough garage on them...I wonder what the payload capacity is?
I still don't see how you figure that. When the combination is over 26k GVWR, if the trailer is over 10k GVWR, then you need a Class A. But not solely because the trailer is over 10k GVWR.
My F350 @ 9900 GVWR + 14k GVWR trailer= 23,900 CGVWR is one good example. or pretty much any 3/4 or 1 ton with a 12k trailer.
I have a 84 7000 GMC flatbed (gasser 366) which weights 10,000 unladen. I use to pull a Lull at 23,500 lb. on a trailer that weighed 6800 lb unladen. So I would load the truck to near 28,000 GVWR, then the Lull @ 23,500 & then the trailer at near 7,000. So I had 58,500 going down the road with 6 speed 2 speed. Lucky it's flat here! One day I look at the trailer tires and I see the capacity is not near the 12 ton when I added them up. I thought it was rated for 12 ton carrying capacity. ointheadTurns out the trailer is called 12 ton but that was the GVWR I never knew Glad when I found this out I stopped towing the Lulls and paid to have them moved. All the years I had the trailer (1980) it was registered for 32,000 lbs.:beatsme What a dope and the cops and DOT never said a word. They are a lot stricter now than they were in the early 90's when I quit hauling the Lull.
I was going to ask another question but I saw tuney answered it.
Thanks for answering my question, Ill take a look at the door placard. I have a GMC 7500 as well heh, good truck. Yeah I saw I was corrected in another post
In commi-fornia you need a class A CDL if the trailer is rated for 10k or more (loaded or not) OR the combo is over 26k.
Well,I was a little off from that 43K lb. GCWR--the placard says 60K lbs.I was quite surprised to say the least.I'd do that much weight only if I had an air brake trailer ,which I don't.
Yup, I am aware of that and as far as I know Kalifornia is the only state that swings that way.
This is a great thread, for the first time I get it:Banghead I always thought any trailer over 10,001# needed a class A cdl. But after reading this I again looked at my cdl book and it's funny I can pull a 16,000# trailer behind my 1 ton srw 9,900gvw but would only be able able to pull a 8,500# gvw trailer behind my 550 dump with a 17,500# gvw (actually reg at 19k because thats all that showed in towns book. I could go to state dmv to change but not worth the hassle for just a few bucks), anyway this just seems wrong. Not whats being said it's the law that seems wrong.
Well, technically you could pull up to a 10k trailer with the F550 without a CDL.
How you figuire that? It says anything over 10,001# with a combined over 26,001#. 17,500 plus 10,000 = 27,500#. Not arguing just trying to understand. But either way thats still not much.:beatsme
Class A is for over 26k and 10k simultaneously so even though your example is over 26k it is not over the 10k trailer threshold. Basically a trailer under 10k+ doesn't even come into the equation.
Right :Banghead Thanks!! Side note why is it it seems all the good goosenecks I see on ebay and graigslist seem to be 10 ton or more?
The maximum legal, under CDL requirement weight you could pull would be 36K lbs - 26K GVW truck and 10K GVW trailer. What doesn't make sense is the 550 with a 17.5K GVW pulling a 10.5K trailer (total weight 28K GCWR) would require a Class A CDL, non-air brake endorsement.
No what doesn't make sense is that with my 1 ton I can hual a 16k trailer and my 550 I can only hual a 10k trailer. It seems they have no problem with over 10k as long as your hualing with a smaller truck. ointhead
What is an "air brake endorsement"? :beatsme
Crete I think he means air brake restriction. I have that type of license. I am legal to drive trucks/trailers that do not have air brakes on them. The crazy part was the fact that the combination vehicle tests include air brakes - there is no separate test for the restricted license. So my written and skills tests for combo included air brake info even though my truck/trailer did not have them. That was a little awkward during the walk-around when I had to answer questions about how I would check a system that was not on the vehicle....:beatsme Just pretend I guess.
Here you can't get an air brake endorsement if you don't show up at the test with an air brake equipped vehicle. Too many states have too many different laws. You could go on and on with everyone being both right and wrong, depending on what state you are talking about. As far as the 20K trailer, I have no problem as long as it is a properly equipped pickup. I know several people who regularly pull 20K+ with Dodge dually trucks. They handle the load well. As long as you keep the maintenance up on the brakes, especially the trailer brakes, they stop well. Myself, I rarely use the brakes, so they work good when I need them. Most of pulling heavy trailers comes down to using your head and not getting in a hurry.
:beatsme Here all this time I thought anything over that 26,000 was CDL. To throw a wrench at this, my trailer is rated to carry 10,000 pounds but I don't think the trailer weight is figured in to that.
How is it registered? The GVWR thanks
Every State has different DOT law and every DOT Officer will tell you his version of that law.
I have a 3/4 ton GMC Duramax diesel 2002 model I haul a lot of hay and equipment on a 25 foot goose neck. I wanted to find out how much I could legally haul with it so I called the North Dakota DOT (Department of Transportation). It is interesting how they figure that out. The first thing they ask you is to identify the tire ratings there is a letter on the side wall of each tire. Next they have you measure the distance between the axles, front to back on the pickup, then from the pickup back axle to the trailer front axle then from the trailer front axle to the back trailer axle. All of these measurements are from the center of the axle. Then they added up the inches and go by a chart. This is what I could legally haul. Front axil 9,990lbs Rear axil 9,990lbs Trailer 34,000lbs Total legal weight 53,980lbs. They were quick to point out that the pickup could not survive hauling that much weight. The next important thing to know is that you have to register your trucks Gross Viehicle Combined Weight which is the truck and trailer weight combined with the load you want to carry. In my case I registered it for 30,0000 pounds because my GVCW loaded with hay is between 26,000 and 28,000lbs. It pulls it fine at about 65mph on the interstate, I am very carefull and scared to death most of the time! The pounds you register will determine the cost you pay each year for your viehicle registration. This is very important because if you get caught pulling 20,000lbs with a truck registered for 10,000lbs you will get a very,very,very big fine. I called the Highway Patrole to ask what the fine would be. All they would say was. You don't even want to find out! So none of this has anything to do with what the manufacturer rates the truck at. I suppose you could void the warranty. In North Dakota I fall under farm use so I don't need the CDL if I stay with in 125 miles of my home base. Airedale
I think that DOT guy you talked to was smoking some bad weed or something.54K lbs. as legal but not recommended? And ignoring manufacturer's ratings? Something isn't right here.
I agree, In NY you cannot register the truck over it's limit and you pay on the trailer plates by GWR. So if I was paying the total on the truck and trailer then paying again on the trailer I think that would be crazy. I am not a expert by any means on this. ointhead I also would not go by what someone told me in a phone call. I would have to listen and then understand the law myself as I read it. I would not want to on the side of the road telling DOT the guy in the office said this or that.
I told my boss what it said on the DOT web site and his answer was.The web site is wrong because a guy on the phone told me different.
tuney443, Speedpup, 2stickbill, The reason I called the North Dakota DOT was because I could not get an answer to my question which was how much weight can I legally tow/haul with my pickup trailer combo from anyone including the truck dealer and the trailer dealer. As it turns out the law is the law. The information the DOT gave me over the phone was / is correct. Should I haul / tow any where near 53,000lbs with my rig, no. Is it leagal yes. If you want to read the law/regulations for North Dakota go to www.dot.nd.gov/manual/mv/registration pages 1-44 through 1-46 and you will see that I am correct. You will notice manufactures recomendations are never mentioned.
I did not say you was incorrect.I know how people on the phone will tell you one thing, but you need to see it in writing to make sure.I was told on the phone by a DOT officer that farm tags on a truck registered for 80,000lbs meant you was exempt from DOT regs.The written law is 48,000lbs,Anything over puts you in DOT regs and rules.But that has a 150 mile radius.
Originally posted by JDOFMEMI That is true, however I had applied for and tested for a Class A as well as a combination vehicle endorsement but I did not apply for the air brake endorsement. I had no need for the air brake endorsement because my truck/trailer do not have them. I did not show up without the correct equipment and expect to get an endorsement for air brakes. I guess I was not very clear in my post. The point I was trying to make was that even though I was not testing for the separate air brake endorsement the combination tests (written and skills) included questions about air brakes. It just goes to show that there are inconsistencies in the requirements even at the testing stage.
Once the discussion turns to the rules, it is pure chaos. There are 50 states, and I bet there are 50 different answers for each question. Make that 51, for the Fedeeral rules are different as well.
Absolutely! :iagree
looked at my door plate today on my 1984 28,000 GVW C-7000 GMC. Two speed 5 speed 366 gasser. It said "CG 70". Is that the combines gross weight rating? Seems to high? I can photo graph it. It also has the Frt & rear Axle capacities but they are written with XX,000 not just two digits :beatsme I have pulled 63,000 back in the day with it. Vacuum over hydraulic brakes.
Dang Wikipedia... lol "Federal Bridge Gross Weight Formula" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Bridge_Gross_Weight_Formula And a "Bridge Formula Weights Calculator" http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/sw/brdgcalc/calc_page.htm And "Commercial Driver's License (CDL) rules". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_driver's_license OCR
my GMC is a 2500hd crew cab single rear wheel 4X4 , I pull a 20' deck over that has a 8" I beam frame (its around 3800lbs empty). My skidsteer is 10400 lbs with just a bucket , some times I load the grapple and forks on the trailer also (grapple 980 lbs, forks 480 lbs , spare tire chains 200 lbs). the truck with a cap and some tools in the bed is running right at 24,000 lbs gross combine weight or a little over that. I have no problems pulling it at 70 mph (even up hills), you just have to use your head . Go easy in traffic , lock out 6th gear and dont feed it your right foot . My truck is running a aftermarket ECM program and has right around 700 ft lbs at the tires (stock would be around 525 at the tires) and I have a weight distrobution hitch to load the whole truck not just the rear axel.
I have been wondering about width lately. I'm looking for a small dozer lately. Do i have to keep it under the 8'6" transport width? What happens if i go wider. I ask cuz almost all dozers are wider than 102" with the blade angled. thanks
This thread is pretty crazy. I used to move houses for a living. We would pull some HUGE ones too. I've done some crazy moves before, but i wouldn't bother pulling 20K with an f350.
This thread is very informative. One thing people are not considering is that if your TRUCK (forget trailer at this point) is rated GCVWR from the manufacturer states something like this: 2010 3500 GM Duramax (Crew Cab Long Box 4WD, single rear wheels) GVWR: 11400 GM MAX TRAILER load (Gooseneck): 14800 GCVWR: 26200 IF you exceed the manufacturers' GVWR or GCVWR then you will void your insurance if you get in a wreck and are caught. towing specs and capacities were taken from: http://www.gmc.com/sierra/3500/specsCapabilities.jsp
Has this ever been documented?
You will have to check with your insurance company. My rep told me when I first started towing................ He basically said, if I overloaded a trailer and that caused the accident, it would be considered negligence on my part.
yes but the insurance company will still be on the hook. You could get crimminal charges filed against you if people are injured.
I have a 2011 F-350 and I tow my D-4 on my gooseneck with no problems at all. I wouldn't want to try it on a hitch but with it on top of the frame it steers and brakes just fine. And that new 6.7 Powerstroke walks over anything else in the towing department. I put about 3,000 lbs on the tounge and the truck still sits normal. I have a 3 axle electric DISK brake 30K trailer by Kauffman.
The new 2011 GM will have a higher load rating then Ford. I know a guy pulling JD 550s with 2500 GM, Lots of guys around here pull equipment that size with 1 tons we do even, but I much rather use the Lowboy.
If it is not legal then they are crazy.
20,000 lbs. IMO 20,000lbs. behind a pick-up would be a white knuckle experience if you ever had to brake suddenly or make any sort of evasive manuever.I've towed 20,000 lbs. behind a Ford 800 and a tag-a-long float(rated at twenty tons) with air brakes, that's the only way to tow that sort of weight. Dominion:canada
I had a '97 dodge 3500 that was registered for 16'000 kg, roughly 35'000 lb. I regularly pulled at maximum weight. (21'000) payload. I don't see the big deal. with operating trailer brakes it was fine. To say a pickup can't stop a 35'000 load is true. BUT the truck AND trailer are doing the stopping. A semi truck can't stop 80'000 either. Consider this. 1.My truck weighed roughly 1/4 of the total gvwr. 2.A semi truck weighs roughly 1/4 of 80'000 lbs. The proportions are the same. If the trailer can support and stop it's own load I don't see the problem. In Alberta it is extremely common to see semi trucks registered at 141'000 lbs. They are called super b's Truck +triaxle trailer+double axle trailer.
I guess we will have to agree to disagree.20,000 behind a pickup is pushing it in my view. Have I done it, yes.Would I want one of my kids to do it ...NO!!
:bash:bash
Well if you want top see very brave are very crazy people just come here.I see dry weather log haulers hauling with tongue and goose neck trailers way more than they should.DOT is out they stay hid makes you wonder what wrecking yard they bought their equipment from.Some might have a few lights that work but brakes well your guess is as good as mine.And the bob tails are just as bad.I have seen them cross the scales at the mill with 70,000 or more.
I can post pics of all kind of accidents, Does this mean tractor trailers are dangerous too?
As a matter of fact they are ,Untrained,uneducated people at the wheel of anything will get people killed.At the risk of wasting more time on a dead subject and on you. 20,000 lbs behind a pickup is dangerous Period.I have been driving trailered loads for 30+ years and sooner or later that gambling is going to catch up with with you. You can disagree all you want,Go ahead.Keep baiting that trap.
2011 Silverado HD Here's the bad boy that started the thread.Pretty impressive specs http://www.chevrolet.com/pages/open/default/future/silveradohd.do
We agree on this. The driver is what kills. Where I live, it's not uncommon to see 20k behind a 1 ton. I've never seen one in an accident. Just because you feel that it's unsafe does not make it true. If feel it's unsafe don't do it. I have done it for over 100'000 miles in a past life, and I feel it's safe. DOT locally agree with me too.. Period. What's with the condecending attitude?
Hes a teamster, you should understand now.
Opinions are like...you know - everyone has one. Let's keep this thread on the technical discussion of pulling 20K lbs behind a pickup. On second thought this thread may have run it's course...:cool2
Dont mind me, just yanking tinys chain, and he knows it. We all know us operators would be up a creek without a paddle if it wernt for our truck drivers. One thing is for sure, we wouldnt have to relocate stakes if we did away with them :drinkup Bottom line, 20,000lbs behind a pick up is not safe. My current work truck is a Ford f450, and in Mi, depending on the trailer i pull with it, im legal to 42,000lbs. Would I do it, HELL NO. Do I have some project mangers that think I can and should, Yes sir!
In the link that td25c gave it said the truck is capable of towing 21,700 pounds.
2011 Silverado HD Okay....now that the small talk is out of the way Let's take a good look at the Silverado HD.Make sure to click on the 70 second tour on Chevy's web site.This is not a "pickup truck" in the sense.This is a medium duty,or ton and a half truck with a pickup cab & bed on it.This reminds me of the old Chevy C-40 truck.It's not a big truck but it's not a small truck.Some of our older well seasoned members( and I hate to mention names like Atco,OCR,Tiny,digger242j) might remember the C- 40 Chevy mid range truck.It was pretty rare to see a C-40,most of them had a Uhaul box mounted on them.Now days with all this mini type equipment the Silverado HD might just fit the bill for alot of contractors.I would have liked it better if Chevy offered it with a silver 6V-92 Detriot engine
Grrrrrrrrrr! LMAO! :lmao And yes, I do remember the C40 25c. http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?ohid=2186641
HEE HEE never mentioned me so I must have lose my place in the old duffers club.... Over here we are allowed 1.5 times design gross vehicle weight to a max of 3.5 ton,on a car class licence provided the trailer is braked on all axles,unbraked gross weight of 750kg. I be thinking that 9ton is a bit much behind a pick up........
I remember the C40, C50 and C60. The first "big" truck I learned to drive was a '68 C60 with a 366 gasser (reman added after purchase) and 5sp. It was an old City truck my Father bought to pull the bobcat with. Hell of an experience working summers and vacations from school. There were holes in the floor board, so it sorta self cleaned itself.. No radio, no dashboard to speak of, there was a spring in the seat on the passenger side that you had to make sure you had a couple of layers of cardboard stuffed in the vinyl to keep from poking you in the ass and if you shut if off hot, you had to get underneath and hold a wet rag on the starter to get it to start. Good times! No Stock, you are the founder of the old folks club around here....
I guess 25c figured the list of antiques here would be so long it would take up his whole post, so he abbriviated it. :tong Glad you's kind enough to join in with us though. And hope it didn't backfire while you was under there. :lmao
I learned on an old '75 louisville 534 ci gasser (I think) with juice brakes and a 5+4. After shutting it off when it finally decided to stop dieseling Half the time it would backfire. It was LOUD like a 12 gauge. You want to talk about sketchy stopping.
I think it all comes down to the braking ablility of the truck and trailer, how the brakes are maintained and finally how it is driven. Pulling a legal load on a trailer can be safer than pulling the same trailer empty. With weight on the tires the brakes will be effective, rather than just locking up. I pull a Super B-Train and regularly gross 130,000lbs. The unit has lots of brakes- 8 axles- and is very safe if you are thinking ahead.
Ditto. 20k is not nearly as big a deal as it is made out to be here.
20k is a big deal if you are pulling it with something that has 4 tires
Trailer for the Chevy HD Yep,Pulling 20,000 plus lbs should be a cake walk with the new Chevy Silverado HD matched with the right trailer .I'd go with a CornPro trailer.I have a CornPro goose neck now and love it.The factory is about 45 miles northwest of us,I've toured it.Pretty wild,you start getting into flat farm ground passing corn & soybean fields then all the sudden outa nowhere here's this trailer factory.They employ alot of amish and are a top notch operation.And them amish fellers are dang good welders www.cornprotrailers.com/FlatbedLowProfile9.html
Not really. Have done it hundreds of times.
I have watched a pickup pulling a very large boat on a tandem trailer. He tried to stop for a yellow light and the trailer pushed the pickup sideways through the intersection on a red light. Obviously the trailer brakes were not working well enough. Stay within the legal limits and keep the brakes setup and you should be good to go. Also check the nut behind the wheel!!
Well, first off, we are talking about 6 tires, but 4 or 6, if you have a trailer rated for the load, with the load properly placed for weight distribution between the truck and trailer, with proper brakes, and maintained, then it is not a problem for an experienced driver. I hate seeing people with a ratty trailer, not well kept, hauling huge loads. Really makes you wonder. Worse yet is the ones with all brand new gear, and no experience driving or loading it. The worst offenders want to load up the trailer to the max then drive it like it is a sports car, or like they drive the empty pick up. I pull 16K behing a 3/4 ton with a pintle hitch, and 24K with a goosneck and a 3500 truck. Have done it for years with no drama. I am not reccomending it to everyone, but if you go about it in the proper manner, and use some common sense, it can be done safely.
The new Silverado is nice, but it's no S-10 when it comes to hauling.
I agree joispoi. The Blazer pulls my office trailer pretty good but is a little light on the front.What the heak,It drives like a wrecker on a rear hookup on a loaded tri-axil.If I ever get ahead I might go with the Silverado HD,But then I'd just get a bigger trailer:drinkup
I like the piece of wood with the little wooden peg either turned down or fastened to it and stuck through the bolt hole. If that peg breaks the gate goes down and off. I have seen a friend of mine three times pull a large single wide house trailer with an F250 with blocks of wood between the axle and frame and no trailer brakes. The extreme stupidity of this is it was other people's trailers for free just to show his truck off. I have also seen another man everyday pull 3 or 4 cars at a time to the scrap yard with a homemade wrecker rig on a 1/2 ton shortbed C10 using only the brake on a 1000 lb capacity chinese chainfall. He had an engineblock mounted to the front bumper and still couldn't steer in 2wd. And, I have seen a big farmer customer of mine put a 550 JD on a dual tandem trailer and pull it 60 mph behind a 1500 Chevy on a pintle hitch. He said he did it frequently which I thought was stupid because he owned about ten trucks above 30,000 gvw. You couldn't pay me to do any of this stuff and I probably wouldn't pull 20,000 with a 3500 pickup because a truck handles it as a non event and everything has to be right to do it with a pickup. I have pulled 25,000 behind a single axle Mack tractor on a pintle hitch and no trailer brakes and it is a total ho-hum. A 36000 lb g V wr truck that ways 12,000 lbs and is pulling 25000 is only 2.77% above it's brake rating when the trailer brake wire gets pinched off. A 10000 lb gvwr truck pulling 20000lbs is 200% above it's capacity when that happens. Personally I like that first margin better.:beatsme
I'm sorry I didn't see the dog chain attached to the S-hooks stuck in the holes drilled in the corners of the gate.
But do you think them hooks and chains are up to the job of holding all that up by themselves? Haha!
I'm confident this was professionally engineered
This has to be a joke for a photo op I wouldnt pull a 4 place sled trailer behind my old blazer never mind anything close to this moronic idea
I have to say, it's a little upsetting to have wasted so much money on trucks when all I really needed was to re-examine my assets, re-assess the virtues of wood for towing applications and make a trip to the hardware store with $15 in my wallet. If only I'd thought of this myself....
Maybe not safe..... We use an F 250 4x4 to haul wood. We usually haul 16-18 tons on the trailer. The trailer weighs 6,000#. A lot of times we get two loads a day if we don't have to drive too far to the sawmill. Yesterday I drove over a hundred miles with 34,000 pounds of sawmill cut timbers on a three axle gooseneck trailer. Our log trailers have tandem dual axles. The one I used to haul the lumber was someone else's, and had three single trac axles and no brakes. I have been close to 50,000 gross before, but never over. I am not advising anyone to do this, but these trucks will do a lot more that it says they will. I would say it depends on what you are comfortable with, but I really was not comfortable yesterday.
Chevy huh well the transmission is proven. The motor and the rest of the truck not so much if v8 diesels are so great why dont they put them in semis i wouldnt want to keep that truck any longer then i had too oh the parts you would wear out hows the dot in new york are they nonexistent cuz in wisconsin at those weights there gonna get the portables out and you better have everything where it needs to be. overweight tickets get spendy quick
There are several Duramaxs out there with over with over 700K with untouched engines. There are tons more without much more the basic maintenance in the 300K+ range in the oil field towing heavy every day. I'm not saying V8s are better but the biggest reason there not in semis is probably the initial cost, size, and power band. But the DOT is going to be a fun one.
I had 16,800 on the trailer last weekend and it did not seem bad at all. When I got out on the road the truck leveled out and sat real level.
My dad grosses 30,000 in his dodge 2500 pulling a telehandler on a gooseneck
illegal and suicide IMHO What type of telehandler?
I may be more of what a contractors lawyer is comfortable with.
One of my tri-axle trailers has the heaviest single wheel axles on the market and I run 12-ply lowboy tires on it ( I can't change it to a dual tandem because of it's design). (Relax speedpup, I pull it with a CH Mack.) It would not handle 40,000 pounds on it's six tires. I also have trouble believing that an f-250 would pull 42,000 lbs. day in-day out. I think your repair bills would be astronomical. Now speedpup, here's my problem with what you said: A lawyer would LOVE this. The only thing better than being the defendant's lawyer is being the plaintiff's lawyer. The insurance company would complain but then just raise all our rates to get their money back plus some. The only people who'd really be upset are the injured people and their families.
I still say if you killed someone over loaded like at 30,000 lb with a 2500 it is gross negligence and you may find yourself doing time in jail if you injured or killed someone. Forget about lawyer fees.
I agree totally speedpup; I was just being a smart aleck saying the lawyers would love it. I got scared today by an f-350 sliding through a red light with his brakes locked up and about 20,000 lbs of gravel on an equipment trailer with 2x12 sides. I had a ch mack carrying a 953 and almost couldn't stop for him to slide by so close my bulldog ran to the back of the hood.
this thread is ridiculous lol...
pulled a 655 ford hoe about 65 miles on good road. 2k ford dually with tweaked engine. 3 axle goose neck with brakes on 3 axles. didnt think about weight till i got home. rough gross was about 32k aint knocking the ford diesel but it had all it wanted. stopping was safe enough at the speeds it would pull.
"my bulldog ran to the back of the hood" rofl hahahahaha Thanks, i needed that.
2008 Ford F550 w/ gooseneck. I pull my 03' D5G XL on it. Have to be smart no doubt, but I will say that the brakes on the ford are pretty damn good. Would I want to pull anything heavier, probably not. Not everyone should be allowed in a big rig...same goes for these applications.
common sense rules, if it don't sound right it aint.
Well lets see there was Mack trucks with a V8,Cat.Detriot and Cummins all had V8s in Semis Until Al Gores EPA took over the USA.
For towing, true........ For stopping, you need to be a "Brakeman". Big Grin...
so close my bulldog ran to the back of the hood. I haven't seen this thread for a while.That is funny right there.I've got to go move my D9 now with my Dmax and see if that's true. Hey---new format formulating guys--where did the little smiley icons go????
I pull my boat with an F350 and it grosses out at 10,k. It has trailer brakes and I can stop it when needed with little effort.I pull my equipment with a semi, It all comes down to this... Why would you want to pull such a heavy load with a pickup? Buy a bigger truck !
To look COOL? Give me a Big Rig any day much safer and it will last longer with less repairs.
Ree & 2stickbill, I couldn't agree more, big rig cheaper to maintain safer....
Has anybody had any success pulling a small mini-excavator like a Bobcat 323 or 1.5tonne machine behind a 1/4 ton like a Chevy Colorado?
Please tell me you're kidding... That thing is made to haul your groceries home, maybe garbage to the dump. But no minis exs allowed!
20,000 behind a pickup can be safe and it can be mighty dangerous too. I did a cross country run with a 30' deckover GN trailer at 19,000 towed by an F250 4.9 gas. Electric brakes and truck brakes in top shape, it'd stop just fine ( I did stop and adjust the truck and trailer brakes at Cheyanne just to be safe) but overall it would pull it but would max out at 52mph on the flat. If you never ever forget you've got 10+ tons to stop, you should be fine. Extra space is your friend. A proper hitch is your friend too. GN or 5th over a bumper pull lets you get some load on your steer tires.
Look at what Bobcat is showing in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_Hum0XxQj8&playnext=1&list=PLB060C4EE7D4F06A2&index=3
Where did they put the breaker, trencher, auger, flamethrower and pallet forks? In the back of the nissan? I'm sure the guy with the dump truck will be thrilled let alone boosting a pallet of brick from the neighbors.
Lol, flame thrower sounds like a good attachment.
Keeps the inspectors off your back!
Wow he done one job and had to service it.Looks like he changed air filters and the oil too.Did you see the many hats he wore?
How the axles don't bend in a bad way, let alone how the transmission survives intact without issues, and how the frame of the truck doesn't sustain stress fractures pulling that much, and making turns with that weight, not accounting for potential rough terrain, hills, etc. I can't imagine a truck living that long.
What they aren't saying, is the jackhammer attatchment weighs 115lbs. The drill bit set up weights 94lbs.... You need at least two people to set up the attachments to be put on... Ask me how I know.... It's insane. but once they are on though, it's easy as pie until you have to change attachments again.
Lol, sounds like a municipal job.
i've tried to do it myself and failed! it's a 2 man job
I've only done it once, when I was helping a contractor out. Yes, it is impossible to do with just one man. The attachments make ANY job fast. (when you can just switch it out, do that job for that piece, switch to the next needed thing based on the job, etc.) But if you don't have two people to unhook/hook up the parts. It can't be done. Takes anywhere from 5-25 minutes to switch out the part, too. Depending on what it is. Doing the jackhammer bit took almost an hour, because we had to figure out (he had just gotten it) how it hooks on after we unhooked the bucket. Other than that, once it was on, we demoed a 20'X30'X10'' Concrete/rebar reinforced slab in 30-35 minutes. Then took another 15 minutes to hook up the bucket again. and with a sledgehammer everynow and then to break up the bigger chunks. Clean up was a breeze. And then to re-level the ground, just scraped it, filled it up as-needed. And repoured a new slab reusing the rebar. But what the advertisement isn't showing, is it takes MORE than one person to work the attatchments.
I have hauled my euclid wheel loader that weighs 20000 pounds and it wasnt to bad with a new gmc 3500
That's flat ground where you are at. How would you feel if you had to go down a 28 mile freeway that is all down hill?(grapevine) I don't like it in my semi! You sure need good brakes to be on all axles working! You do make a good point though.
One of my favorite clips: "She's running a bit rich" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B11BLWDRFTI
Ummm, it's never taken more than one person to quickly change attachments on any Bobcat I've ever run. I think perhaps you might have been doing something wrong.
Sure,on a nice warm day and probably flat where you are,I can believe that.Turn that though into a hilly area,and/or on a wet day,and/or with 1 broken/shorted wire on your electric brakes and it can turn into a disaster.Simply not enough azz weight on a pickup to do this safely or legally.
no....NO... thats why there is rules, like drinking and driving. . dont spoil it for the rest of us
I've got a Dodge 4500 4x4 and a Big Tex 25GN 28+5 trailer with electric over hydraulic disc brakes and 15k axles, the truck and trailer are both riding on 19.5 rubber. I haul my 650J John Deere dozer everywhere with this rig. The dozer weighs just under 20K and the truck and trailer combo weighs around 17.8K. It pulls it good and stops great but this is as heavy as I want to haul because it can be unnerving on uneven roads sometimes. A lot cheaper than using my peterbilt 379 and RGN lowboy! And you can go in residential neighborhoods without pissing everyone off!
We were in a pinch once and I hauled a Caterpillar 308C CR (17,730 lb.) on a 36 foot Delta tandem 5th wheel with duals behind a 2006 Chevy 3500 with a duramax. It wasn't bad at all, and it didn't feel bad at all either. Trailer brakes worked fine, and the Allison downshifts in tow haul which helps
My buddy that Hotshots picked up a load near Chattanooga the other day, he thought it felt heavy and stopped at the scales at the truck wash. it grossed at 38,620 pounds, truck, trailer and load he took it back and made them unload it. it was a 3500 Dodge.
You are using the wrong pickup truck! http://www.386motorsports.com/index.htm
And There's the The Guy Who posts a pic like THIS ! …….. My Dream P/U Truck !!! …… the only thing missing for me is it's not a 4X4 (minor add-on) …. LOL Welcome to the Forum rockaglock !!! ……..
Thanks! They do have a great 4x4 package available!
Good thread, One thing I have not seen discussed here is insurance requirements. We insure our trucks for a higher gross weight than anything we haul. In MN if you are licensed and insured at whatever weight and are caught overweight, not only will you pay a fine for being overweight, but you will also get another citation for being under insured. Your policy must state the insured weight or they will go by the registered weight. One of our contract drivers just paid a $1,700.00 fine a few weeks ago.