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How Do I get it Home?


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Seller should be able to get you a 10 day transfer permit for next to nothing. You shouldn't need a special license as it is no longer a commercial truck. Purchase insurannce before you go.

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It depends on if the HDT has already been converted yo RV use or if it is still a tractor with commercial 5th wheel hitch and what you current drivers license allows you to drive.

 

If it is still commercial you should have a CDL but some have just taken the chance and drove it home without one.

 

Insurance should be setup ahead of time. Our regular policy allows us to buy a new/used vehicle and have coverage right away but with the HDT I wanted to make sure do we got the VIN # and set up the insurance before leaving to pick it up.

 

For plates the previous owner left his on and we mailed them back to him once we got home. I would not expect everyone to do that.

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Seller should be able to get you a 10 day transfer permit for next to nothing. You shouldn't need a special license as it is no longer a commercial truck. Purchase insurannce before you go.

Texas doesn't have a 10 day transfer permit for RV's. If you are buying from a licensed dealer, then tell them you need a "Buyers Tag" which is good for 60 days. If you are buying from an individual, you may be able to buy a 30 day permit, check with the tax office in the county where you are purchasing. And New York requires an "R" endorsement on your license (according to the Resource Guide) for any RV over 26,000 lbs.

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It will have the commercial 5th and tandems. Maybe I'll drive it down to ET for the hitch swap or just have it removed by the dealer. NY Homeland Security is a pain crossing the bridges to Long Island so I may have to get a friend with a CDL to meet me in NJ for last leg. Thanks to all for the advice. -Steve

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

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I'd want to be sure it will be mechanically reliable enough to drive that far. It would be a real bummer to have a breakdown somewhere along the way. If it will be driven bobtail, I wouldn't expect much of a problem with Homeland Security. You can probably get an EZPass for it ahead of time and be able to drive through the EZPass lanes. If a CDL is needed, either get one before hand or, bring along a CDL driver. Should you be stopped along the way for any reason, you might not be allowed to continue without a CDL. Even if you were allowed to continue, CDL fines are hefty and, would have a negative effect on your insurance.

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Stekay, to build on what Phil (Big5er) said, you may want to check this out carefully with your home state DMV. If you have a NY license that is not a CDL or with an "R" endorsement, you may not be able to drive it legally in ANY state even if it is registered as an RV. As far as I know, reciprocity agreements give you the same driving privileges in other states that you have in your home state with your home state driver's license.

 

NY requires an R endorsement, or Class B CDL, for motorhomes over 26,000 lbs. If you connect a fifth wheel later, keep in mind that NY requires a full blown Class A CDL to pull a trailer a 10,000 lb and heavier trailer. NY has no R endorsement to cover motor homes over 26,000 lbs with a trailer over 10,000 lbs.

 

Again, I suggest you may want to check directly with your home state DMV to be sure your license is good for what you will be driving. It took some effort to dig out this information for NY when I was going through what you are.

 

Good luck!

 

Jim

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It will have the commercial 5th and tandems. Maybe I'll drive it down to ET for the hitch swap or just have it removed by the dealer. NY Homeland Security is a pain crossing the bridges to Long Island so I may have to get a friend with a CDL to meet me in NJ for last leg. Thanks to all for the advice. -Steve

 

Stekay, the ET maker would be glad to help you in your travails, unfortunately he will not be available for the next six weeks as he is traveling to the northern climates for a "visit" and butt freezing (he can't tolerate 60 degree weather anymore).

On a serious note, I and DW "ferried" our HDT from Utah to New Hampshire when we bought it, 3,500 miles. We did have it insured but the "documentation" consisted of a large 30 day transfer permit that the truck broker taped inside the front windshield. Neither one of us has CDL and we were both given 15 minute lessons how to drive it. No hassles in any of the states we crossed.

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Thanks Jim & FlyGuy,

No condition worries and I do have the proper three axle EZ-Pass. The NY DMV bureaucracy is a bit confusing. You have me reconsidering leaving the truck in TX till I establish domicile in FL. That would make life sooo much easier and probably cheaper. Hey, while I have your attention, do you re-register the truck with the lower gross weight once you single it? 32500# vs the original 52500#?

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
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Try 25,995 Lb Registration weight and your "payload' would be your empty wt xx,xxx subtract from your 25,995 Lb. registered weight then IF you were EVER pulled over the scales.... if overweight just pay the fine..........RV'ers have lots of spare $$$$ ( I used to have some spare $$$....I just RV'ed too long.....)

 

Most scales do NOT want any RV's on the scales..... but.... when we have Dolly our paint horse aboard we sometimes have to pull in to have her papers inspected.......but we have never been weighed......Yet......

 

Dolly only weighs 950 lbs so we would likely be ok......

 

Drive on.........(enjoy the ride...)

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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How do you plan to register it in Florida? If I recall correctly you can't register it as a "MH" if it has a 5th wheel hitch in Florida. Going for "truck" registration?

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2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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I'd pull the commercial 5th off and maybe have it singled as well. Add in the porta-potty and microwave. It has a bunk, fridge and APU already.

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
SpaceCraft S-470
SKP #131740

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Stekay, in Florida a "motor home" can not have ANY 5th wheel hitch if I remember correctly, singled or otherwise.

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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Stekay,

 

There are transport companies that will deliver your truck for you. That's how I got mine from North Carolina. Saves a lot of hassle.

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So then no such thing as an HDT hauler registered as an RV? Would I be better off using TX from a registration / insurance perspective?

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
SpaceCraft S-470
SKP #131740

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Stekay,

 

There are transport companies that will deliver your truck for you. That's how I got mine from North Carolina. Saves a lot of hassle.

Yeah, but what fun is that? I need to "bond" with that baby. (and learn a lot)

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
SpaceCraft S-470
SKP #131740

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So then no such thing as an HDT hauler registered as an RV? Would I be better off using TX from a registration / insurance perspective?

 

If you want to be completely legal with your HDT Motor Home, then yes, Texas is a much better choice. With the proper modifications, a former truck tractor can be titled and registered as a motor home, have a fifth wheel installed, and tow a recreational trailer in Texas, while Florida bans any type of fifth wheel installation on a vehicle titled and registered as a motor home. Insurance is also readily available here.

 

Keep in mind that Texas does require an upgraded Drivers License (Exempt Class A), but that's not difficult to obtain. You would, however, have to plan to return to Texas every six years to renew your license in person.

 

 

Phil

 

2002 Teton Royal Aspen

2003 Kenworth T2000 - Cat C12 380/430 1450/1650, FreedomLine, 3.36 - TOTO . . . he's not in Kansas anymore.

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Stekay, in Florida a "motor home" can not have ANY 5th wheel hitch if I remember correctly, singled or otherwise.

 

I think I read on here (don't remember the thread), that a person registered their out-of-state HDT as a motorhomne in Fla. It was registered as a motorhome in the previous state. If my memory is correct, the poster said no one looked at the truck. It had been singled and had the hitch.

 

Does that mean a cop wouldn't cite the person if stopped? I don't know. I'll have to research Fla registration and insurance costs now that I may not be able to register as a motorhome.

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If you want to be completely legal with your HDT Motor Home, then yes, Texas is a much better choice. With the proper modifications, a former truck tractor can be titled and registered as a motor home, have a fifth wheel installed, and tow a recreational trailer in Texas, while Florida bans any type of fifth wheel installation on a vehicle titled and registered as a motor home. Insurance is also readily available here.

 

Keep in mind that Texas does require an upgraded Drivers License (Exempt Class A), but that's not difficult to obtain. You would, however, have to plan to return to Texas every six years to renew your license in person.

 

 

This is correct as far as registration. IF you have a 5th plate of any type on the "truck" in FL and title as a motorhome you are illegal. There is no way around this. However, many people ignore it. Are you going to get "caught"? Probably unlikely. But I sure would not do it.

 

Phil, on my Class A Exempt I did a one time mail renewal (can NOT do it online).The next time I had to go in person. So you can actually do12 years....unless they recently changed it.

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If it has a wheel(s) and is less than 45 ft. long the state of Oregon will likely register it as a RV.........AND you can drive it with a std class C drivers lic...........EXCEPT.......You HAVE to PROVE that you RESIDE in Oregon......

 

Oregon charges by the foot for RV registration and you have to renew every two years

 

Example: Our Feightliner Century with our BIG 20 ft box registered as a motor home costs about $270 for a two-year tag.

 

A Oregon Class C Drivers License is $46 for a EIGHT year term.

 

RV's in Oregon are NOT classed by weight so you only have to comply with secondary road and bridge weight limits that apply to ALL vehicles.

 

Texas has the Class A Drivers Lic requrement

 

NY has the Class R Drivers Lic

 

FL has a hang-up on NO 5th on a MH

 

Oregon REQUIRES that you reside in Oregon (and have a Oregon Drivers Lic)....... and you have to PROVE it.....

 

Montana has fairly lax RV rules that you might look into.......

 

At the end of the day many states require that you actually reside IN the state......some you might get by with a mail / office address in the state.

 

We own too much real estate in Oregon so it is easy to take advantage of the favorable RV laws of Oregon........BUT do NOT try to skirt the residency requirement as the OR DOT seems to sniff out the "offenders" then things get pretty ugly....

 

Lot of things to ponder......

 

Drive on........( happy RVing.....)

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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As usual a thread on this subject rifts into what states will register. The OP's question is how to get it home.

 

Until a commercial truck is registered as something else, it is still a commercial truck. It doesn't matter what modifications are done, until the registration is done, the truck is still commercial. Remember commercial rules are uniform across the 50 states and DC.

 

And as a commercial truck, you need a CDL to drive it.

 

So the answer is either have a CDL, either yours or a hired driver, or to have the registration process done before you travel home.

 

The process for registration out state can run from simple (South Dakota, have your mail service handle it), to complex (State Police have to inspect it).

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If your buying thru a dealer, make part of the deal removing the commercial hitch. Then with a stop at Walmart you could buy enough supplies to make the transformation to a motor home. Usually a mini-fridge, inverter for 110 power, small microwave, and a small cassette style port-a-potty fill the needs of a "Motorhome".Whatever you do, when or if you go to Texas to drive it out, make sure you have a few bottles of Dr.Pepper with you, especially if you go thru Houston... :lol::ph34r:

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