Hauling toad over hang? Over the 65' wall to wall.

[Deezl Smoke]

Say you have a pickup instead of a smart or other short rig you wish to use, and your rv is a semi trailer. Say the combo length is right at the 65' limit of the state, but when you put the pickup up on the rear of the trailer, there is a couple feet of over hang. Both axles of the pickup are on the trailer bed and the over hang is only about 2.5'. Is this allowed as the pickup is not part of the permanent rv structure?

 

I have the Oregon laws that pertain to the commercial side of things and that is how I understand it. As long as the over hang is the load and with in the legal limit, 5' I believe, it is legal. Might this also extend to the rv side of things?

[GoldRush]

Good Question!

[Jack Mayer]

My guess is it would vary by state....but it is a guess.

[Dennis M]

My guess is it would vary by state....but it is a guess.

Not only by state, but by the LEO doing the measuring!

[Phil D]

Several of the western states are very generous about overhang, but typically, I believe, most states measure rigs from/to its most distant points -- including loaded/attached cargo.

 

Back in the late 70s and early 80s, when Volkswagen was still producing Rabbits in New Stanton, PA, and prior to the "National Network" preemption of state length laws for commercial trucks, the Pennsylvania State Police from time to time used to set up on VW Drive -- the only reasonable way into and out of the plant -- to measure every truck leaving the New Stanton Assembly Plant. Ordinary van tractor trailers bringing parts and supplies to the plant fared pretty well, but the outbound auto transports, with their cargo overhanging the tractor and trailer at both ends, did not.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Back in the days of boat hauling, anything more than 3 foot off the trailer had to have side flags and have an oversize banner across it. That was the NC rules though.

[Deezl Smoke]

I sent ODOT a message with the question. So hopefully soon I will have an answer and let you know what it says.

[Chad Heiser]

In CA, the load/cargo is not calculated in the vehicle length. The vehicle length is from the front of the tow vehicle to the rear of the rear most trailer. If there is cargo that extends beyond that, it is not counted in overall length. I suspect this is a state by state issue though. Each state probably has its own rules on this, just as they have their own rules on overall length allowed.

[Big5er]

Hope this helps, but will probably just muddy the waters more.

Texas Size and Weight Limits

Texas has established size and weight limits for vehicles and loads moving with or without an oversize and/or overweight permit on Texas roadways and bridges.

• Width is measured from the outside points of the widest extremities, excluding safety devices.
• Height is measured from the roadbed to the highest point of the load.
• Length is measured from the foremost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further, to the rearmost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further.

 

Say you have a pickup instead of a smart or other short rig you wish to use, and your rv is a semi trailer.

Deezl, I assume that you mean your trailer is a flatbed of some sort? I have never seen any commercially manufactured RV that was a "full trailer". Any trailer that does not have an axle at the front, ie: it places part of it's weight on the tow vehicle, is a "semi trailer".

 

[Deezl Smoke]

Hope this helps, but will probably just muddy the waters more.

Texas Size and Weight Limits

Texas has established size and weight limits for vehicles and loads moving with or without an oversize and/or overweight permit on Texas roadways and bridges.

• Width is measured from the outside points of the widest extremities, excluding safety devices.
• Height is measured from the roadbed to the highest point of the load.
• Length is measured from the foremost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further, to the rearmost point of the vehicle or load, whichever extends further.

 

Deezl, I assume that you mean your trailer is a flatbed of some sort? I have never seen any commercially manufactured RV that was a "full trailer". Any trailer that does not have an axle at the front, ie: it places part of it's weight on the tow vehicle, is a "semi trailer".

 

 

Yes, it would be a semi trailer. I was looking at a possibility of using a flatbed with my hitch hiker permanently mounted to the front to allow the Oregon rv plating, then the rear section open bed to haul the pickup.

 

Still no reply from ODOT yet.

[Deezl Smoke]

Ask ODOT has failed me. I'm surprised as I have always had great luck with using the service in the past.

[Big5er]

Deezl, I found this document that says "Length of Truck Combinations, Including Load" is 60 ft. It also says Truck Tractor combinations are 65 ft but once you are registered as a private truck or a motorhome you are no longer a "truck tractor".

Section 818.080 of the Oregon Vehicle Code says the same thing: "Any combination of vehicles including load.....60ft"

 

And I think you missed my point earlier. Every travel trailer I have ever seen is a "semi trailer". All trailers fit into two categories. They are either a "semi" trailer or a "full" trailer. It is not what it can carry or the upper design that makes that determination, it is simply the positioning of the axles and how it carries it's own weight that determines whether it is a "semi" trailer.

 

These are all "semi" trailers:

 

 

 

[RRoger]

Deezl, I found this document that says "Length of Truck Combinations, Including Load" is 60 ft. It also says Truck Tractor combinations are 65 ft but once you are registered as a private truck or a motorhome you are no longer a "truck tractor".

Section 818.080 of the Oregon Vehicle Code says the same thing: "Any combination of vehicles including load.....60ft"

 

And I think you missed my point earlier. Every travel trailer I have ever seen is a "semi trailer". All trailers fit into two categories. They are either a "semi" trailer or a "full" trailer. It is not what it can carry or the upper design that makes that determination, it is simply the positioning of the axles and how it carries it's own weight that determines whether it is a "semi" trailer.

 

These are all "semi" trailers:

 

 

The above is not a semi trailer. Bumper hitches have a tongue weight, but that hangs on the end of the towing vehicle, a semi trailer has a fith wheel connection.

[Deezl Smoke]

Deezl, I found this document that says "Length of Truck Combinations, Including Load" is 60 ft. It also says Truck Tractor combinations are 65 ft but once you are registered as a private truck or a motorhome you are no longer a "truck tractor".

Section 818.080 of the Oregon Vehicle Code says the same thing: "Any combination of vehicles including load.....60ft"

 

And I think you missed my point earlier. Every travel trailer I have ever seen is a "semi trailer". All trailers fit into two categories. They are either a "semi" trailer or a "full" trailer. It is not what it can carry or the upper design that makes that determination, it is simply the positioning of the axles and how it carries it's own weight that determines whether it is a "semi" trailer.

 

These are all "semi" trailers:

 

 

 

 

Thanks Big5er. I may have misunderstood the point, I can not argue that as I do miss things or misinterpret things now and then. But yes, literally, the trailer I refer to for this thread purpose is just like the semi trailer flat bed you post a picture of. It couples to the fith plate over the drive axles etc. I may still be missing something. If so, please be patient with me as I try to learn.

 

This is a link to a truck paper ad of the very trailer I went to look at. Now I also have a spread axle that I need to look at as well.

 

I post the link only for reference to the type I am asking about. I may still not quite understand the codes you refer to as it applies to me, but I want to learn.

 

I do have some Oregon codes that say a travel trailer of any design may not exceed 45' in length or it can not be registered.

[Phil D]

The type of hitch doesn't define the trailer type, and a travel trailer most certainly IS a semi-trailer. What makes a semi-trailer a semi-trailer is that part of its weight is borne by the tow vehicle or some other device, like a converter gear, whether it's pin weight on fifth wheel plate (certainly the most common situation, but not exclusively so), pin weight on the ball of a gooseneck hitch, tongue weight on receiver/hitch bar of a conventional travel trailer hitch, or the weight transferred to any other attachment system that can be contrived. If a trailer isn't self-supporting, it's a semi-trailer.

 

A full trailer, on the other hand, has axles and wheels that are spaced far enough apart that it can support itself and its cargo, independent of the tow vehicle. A farmer's hay wagon is an example of a full trailer, but examples of on-highway full trailers are rare. A semi-trailer on a converter gear functions like a full trailer, but because the converter gear isn't a part of the trailer, it's still a semi-trailer.

[Big5er]

The above is not a semi trailer. Bumper hitches have a tongue weight, but that hangs on the end of the towing vehicle, a semi trailer has a fith wheel connection.

See Phil D's explanation above.

This would be a "full" trailer.

 

This is a picture of my old smart, towing my semi-trailer.

 

Just think of it this way, if you remove the tow vehicle and the trailer (not just the tongue, but the trailer) would fall down without some sort of jacks holding it up, it IS a semi trailer.

Slang causes words to be shortened quite frequently. You have a semi-trailer and a semi-truck (tractor) which slang shortened to "a semi". Semi in that usage doesn't mean "truck", it means "half". Just as a "semi" circle is a "half" circle, the tractor and trailer are each halves of a semi tractor trailer combination. A semi tractor can't carry its own load because it is only half of a combination and needs a trailer to haul the load, and a semi trailer can not move its load and need a truck to hold it up and drag it down the road.

 

That is why, once we add a load bearing bed of any sort (smart hauler or any other flatbed) that is capable of carrying a load we are no longer a "semi truck", we become a "truck", capable of towing AND hauling a load.

[Deezl Smoke]

Then yes, I did mistake your point. I did not make the connection as I tend to use the loose slang of semi trailer to only refer to the commercial size class 8. But I do know you are better versed in these sort of things than I. My truck so far, does not have a mounted bed on it. I looked at that one I posted a link a while back, but it does not fit my current truck, so I am still a stock class 8 "semi" tractor.

 

In Oregon, the codes seem to use the term "travel trailer" to include any trailing axle frame with a permanent camper. So I was wondering it I used a class 8 semi mounted flat bed and permanently installed my Hitch Hiker, then use the remaining bed space for my pickup that make stick out over the edge of the bed just a bit. But it sounds like I best figure a way to not have any part hanging over.

[Big5er]

Deezl, one other question. How tall would that make your hitchhiker when mounted on a commercial type flatbed?

[dascom]

Yup, he is going to need a lowboy, the axles that far back will make turning in the Corp of Engineers parks great entertainment.

[Deezl Smoke]

I took some very accurate measurements of the Hitch Hiker and how I would attach it. I would remove the jacks and axles. Lowering it to the tanks on the flat deck, would make the total package, on the trailers I am looking at, about 13' 7" when air is in the trailer bags. I can remove the deck material from the trailer frame and go even lower should I wish to.. But my Hitch Hiker is quite low profile for some reason. I would prefer to use the spread axle I am looking at in Portland, and remove the rear most axle. That would shorten my turning radius. But I have pulled double 32' flats behind a long wb tractor into some mighty tight barn lots before.

 

Main reason for even considering the flat bed is to be able to use the whole length of the bed. A goose neck PJ trailer would also work for this, and the wb would be a lot shorter, but the neck is about useless and I would for sure have to buy and insure a smart or equal short and small car. Not saying I am completely against that notion, just that I already have a spare pickup that I have a lot of history with and know it's quirks.

 

I know my ideas are strange, but I just cant force myself to do everything the way every one thinks I should. I have to make things myself to enjoy using them. Just one of my quirks.

[GoldRush]

Now what is the difference between a Pick-Up Truck and a Truck in Legaleze?

 

For example, in California if you have a stock F350 with a standard bed no trips through the scales. If you replace that load bearing bed with a flat bed you are required to go into the scales even with nothing on the bed. In my personal flatbed I just play dumb and blow by them but...!

[Deezl Smoke]

Here's a picture I saved some time back of a very clean toy hauler that some one made. I would have my living trailer on the back, but try to do something similar as to closing the wheel wells and boxing the hitch to make it look like it is supposed to be there.

[Deezl Smoke]

Now what is the difference between a Pick-Up Truck and a Truck in Legaleze?

 

For example, in California if you have a stock F350 with a standard bed no trips through the scales. If you replace that load bearing bed with a flat bed you are required to go into the scales even with nothing on the bed. In my personal flatbed I just play dumb and blow by them but...!

 

Yet another reason not to live in cali.

[Big5er]

Here's a picture I saved some time back of a very clean toy hauler that some one made. I would have my living trailer on the back, but try to do something similar as to closing the wheel wells and boxing the hitch to make it look like it is supposed to be there.

 

That is a clean looking rig, and not a bad idea to accomplish what you want. Good luck with it.

[rickeieio]

Deezl,

 

I was thinking perhaps a drop deck would work for you, and that picture is just about what I was picturing in my mind. Go for it.