peety3 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Even if you get stopped by a LEO your attitude has a lot to do with what he's gonna do. If you treat them like crap they will treat you like crap. In an unrelated story one night I was traveling down the highway with the cruise control set on 120 (75 mph) kilometres per hour about 12 miles an hour over the speed limit. This was in a northern community where hardly any vehicles were on the road and I passed a vehicle the lights came on he turned around and pulled me over. He came up to the window and said do you know how fast you were going? I said I was doing 120 on cruise control and he had a surprised look on his face and says thanks for being honest. He had a look at my driver's license and registration said have a good night and slow down. I'm sure if I wanted that ticket I could have gotten it with a little different attitude. Or, on a totally different slant, but drives home the point of attitude: several people have mentioned that they've assembled a binder to keep near the driver seat. The binder contains all of the relevant reference material for their vehicle and the states they have set out to travel in/through. I suspect if you prepare a line diagram showing your rig's size, a loose history of scale tickets to show predictable weights, a chart showing the various fluid tanks and their potential weight ranges, and printouts of each state's relevant size/weight regs for non-commercial and commercial (with dates to show when you retrieved that information, and notations to show when you last checked for updates), you could easily convince the officer that you've made EVERY effort possible to show intent of compliance. If you show intent to comply, I suspect the LEO will not only provide you with a warning at most, they may further pause to re-read the statutes carefully to make sure they're even standing on solid legal ground for a warning (or citation) rather than going on habit or heresay. In the end, that's my biggest point in all of this: in almost every case, the regulations are available online, so it's relatively easy to access them and read them. Do your homework, and try to be compliant. Don't go into it blindly and hope you'll squeak through...or at most, demonstrate that you made a good-faith effort to plan for your intended travels, but special circumstances (hurricane blowing in so you just hit the road, death in the family so you want to pass through a state you never thought you'd visit, whatever) dictate that you're in a pickle and you'd prefer the fork be used to lift you out of the green juice and back onto dry land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Or, on a totally different slant, but drives home the point of attitude: several people have mentioned that they've assembled a binder to keep near the driver seat. The binder contains all of the relevant reference material for their vehicle and the states they have set out to travel in/through. I suspect if you prepare a line diagram showing your rig's size, a loose history of scale tickets to show predictable weights, a chart showing the various fluid tanks and their potential weight ranges, and printouts of each state's relevant size/weight regs for non-commercial and commercial (with dates to show when you retrieved that information, and notations to show when you last checked for updates), you could easily convince the officer that you've made EVERY effort possible to show intent of compliance. If you show intent to comply, I suspect the LEO will not only provide you with a warning at most, they may further pause to re-read the statutes carefully to make sure they're even standing on solid legal ground for a warning (or citation) rather than going on habit or heresay. In the end, that's my biggest point in all of this: in almost every case, the regulations are available online, so it's relatively easy to access them and read them. Do your homework, and try to be compliant. Don't go into it blindly and hope you'll squeak through...or at most, demonstrate that you made a good-faith effort to plan for your intended travels, but special circumstances (hurricane blowing in so you just hit the road, death in the family so you want to pass through a state you never thought you'd visit, whatever) dictate that you're in a pickle and you'd prefer the fork be used to lift you out of the green juice and back onto dry land. We have a "Dollytrolley binder" and LEO's on our "entry into California want to look at it mostly to inspect Dolly-the-paint-horse latest vet papers and to make sure she is not being hauled by so low-life horse-rustlers.......I have a couple of drawings of our two different truck combinations (one with the 20 ft box and one with the 10 ft bed) however I have never had one of the LEO's even take a passing glance at the drawings.......I get the feeling that IF length were to be the "issue-of-the-moment" they would just want to measure the rig with their "official tape..........so far so good..... One day just out of Parker AZ on our way to Pahrump we pulled int the CA / Inspection station and the inspector ask for the horse papers so I passed our binder out of the window then started to get out of the truck......the inspector said oh just stay in the truck he would be right back .......a couple of minutes a lady in uniform came trotting over and started flagging us to pull out of the inspection station......I pulled up past her and out on to the Needles Highway and then onto the shoulder and then hit the flashers and set the brake and then walked back to the inspection station ......the lady in uniform gave me one of those "ex-spouse-glares" and said that I needed to go back to my rig........I said that I would but first I needed my binder with the Dolly - vet paperwork.......with a more intense-glare, she pointed at the open door of the inspection office and said "your paper work" is on the counter" and pointed at the doorway......... All of the inspectors were standing outside the office and it was pretty hot........as I walked into the office I knew what the problem was........The Dollytrolley's weed burner exhaust position was by chance exactly in the correct position to feed right into the wall mounted air conditioner intake.......good intentions meet bad design......I grabbed my binder and briskly walked past some pretty grim-faced inspectors........ Some days even being "organized" just does not seem to help....... Drive on.........(Don't make eye-contact with grumpy.......LEO's) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 If we were to follow this rig........ we would all look short....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwWPxOX3knM Drive on.........(Long is not all.....bad) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoDirectionHome Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Attractive on the outside, tasteless on the inside. I've know lots of people like that. "There are No Experts, Do the Math!" 2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp 1850ft-lb 18spd 3.31 260"wb SpaceCraft S-470 SKP #131740 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Looks like a mobile gentlemen's club! Alie & Jim + 8 paws 2017 DRV Memphis BART- 1998 Volvo 610 Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WYnWest Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 Same with SD, ND and MT. Or try WY with their 85 ft length, just don't go to OR where they say the max length is 50ft. I know many on here that are over length, one is even pushing 80+ ft. I also know of 2 that have been cited for over length, one in Texas for 68ft. Are our trucks "capable" of towing larger trailers? Sure. Is it legal? No. Will you get stopped and cited? The odds are in your favor that you won't. Is it worth the risk to you? That's the million dollar question, isn't it? So as an educational question only. Earlier it was posted that some of the pickup/stinger trailer combinations were getting tickets for over length in Texas because the trucks are crew cabs and that puts them over length. Wouldn't a properly operating and registered commercial vehicle consider the pickup the same as a tractor? It doesn't carry the load but functions strictly as the tow unit. Then only the trailer length is regulated. Does a TRACTOR have to be a HDT? I know, just adding one more complication to the truck/long trailer issues but I understand that this would be commercially only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickW Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 I think the difference is the pick-up bed. I know I have seen several hot shots who have removed the pick-up bed. I always thought it was maybe a weight issue (trying to shave a few pounds). Maybe it is a licensing issue for the removal of the bed. 2017 Entegra Anthem 44A SOLD - 2004 Volvo 780. 465hp and 10sp Auto Shift (from 2010~2017) SOLD - 2009 Montana 3400RL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted December 21, 2015 Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 So as an educational question only. Earlier it was posted that some of the pickup/stinger trailer combinations were getting tickets for over length in Texas because the trucks are crew cabs and that puts them over length. Wouldn't a properly operating and registered commercial vehicle consider the pickup the same as a tractor? It doesn't carry the load but functions strictly as the tow unit. Then only the trailer length is regulated. No, the question isn't what it is doing, it is what it is capable of doing. Does a TRACTOR have to be a HDT? No I know, just adding one more complication to the truck/long trailer issues but I understand that this would be commercially only. It was covered briefly earlier but the difference between a "truck and a "truck-tractor" is exactly what RickW said, the ability to carry a load. "Truck" means a motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily to transport property. "Truck tractor" means a motor vehicle designed and used primarily to draw another vehicle but not constructed to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the other vehicle Take the bed totally off a pickup and (as long as it is heavy enough ie: 1ton or better, I think) it can be registered as a tractor. Add a flat deck big enough to carry a load (ie: more than a deck to step on) and your tractor is not a tractor anymore. 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 Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldRush Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 In California if you have a pick up bed they want you to skip the scales. Same truck remove the bed and install a flat bed and they want you to stop in the scales whether or not you're towing. Is this the same throughout the country? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted December 23, 2015 Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 It was covered briefly earlier but the difference between a "truck and a "truck-tractor" is exactly what RickW said, the ability to carry a load. "Truck" means a motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily to transport property. "Truck tractor" means a motor vehicle designed and used primarily to draw another vehicle but not constructed to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the other vehicle Take the bed totally off a pickup and (as long as it is heavy enough ie: 1ton or better, I think) it can be registered as a tractor. Add a flat deck big enough to carry a load (ie: more than a deck to step on) and your tractor is not a tractor anymore. In California if you have a pick up bed they want you to skip the scales. Same truck remove the bed and install a flat bed and they want you to stop in the scales whether or not you're towing. Is this the same throughout the country? Years ago we had a winter-home in the Bee Hive Mtns just above Tucson and we hired a famous local Mexican Tile contractor that had a One-Ton-Ford pickup with a TEN Foot long pickup bed.......I commented that I had never seen a TEN Foot pickup bed and the owner said "nether had I .....until my pickup got hit hard in the side of the bed and my crazy-body-shop-owner-older-brother took my pickup in and fixed it up .......BETTER than new with a TWO foot longer pickup bed.......he did a stunning job....so good that Ford Motor sent a stylist and engineer out to look the truck over hard....... Rumor was that some serious consideration that the 10 Ft PU Bed might have some merit but the additional load rating needed might push the truck into the commercial line and then might tend to compete with other established Ford models........ It was a cool rig.....very well done..... Drive on..........(Loooong Bed PU's are ......kool) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Yokum Posted December 26, 2015 Report Share Posted December 26, 2015 In California if you have a pick up bed they want you to skip the scales. Same truck remove the bed and install a flat bed and they want you to stop in the scales whether or not you're towing. Is this the same throughout the country? "Pickup" information may be a non-starter on the HDT forums (as most are registered as Motor Homes), but......... "Usually" you can google the state abbreviation and - "Who must stop at weigh station scales" Example for CA - : http://dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/weigh-stations/stopping.htm BTW - (and FYI) - in addition to the CA reg's you posted.... For *pickups* - a GVWR of 11,500 lbs or more, an unladen weight of 8,001 lbs - no longer meets the definition of *pickup* - and must stop at scales In the CA link above, scroll down to the discussion, "Do These Vehicles Have To Stop At Scales" - - in re signage of - "No Pickups" Will the CHP (in CA the CHP runs the scales) chase down one of the new "Heavy Duty" *pickups*? Probably not - unless they think it's a "hot-shot" 5th wheel transorter making a delivery to a dealer. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grinder Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Hope to be over 65'. Better to be registered to an individual rather than an LLC when they do a database check? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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