GCWR- Law vs. Manufacturer

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by nighthawk87

Happens to folks heading to glamis all the time. CHP carries individual tire scales and passes out tickets or worse, tows you.

CHP also likes to check overall lengths too . This was our friends from WA and the officer gave him a stern warning for being 6” over length but then proceeded to tell him that if he wants to drive his motorhome in CA again that he has to get a CA drivers license with a CDL endorsement....

[RAurand]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

CHP also likes to check overall lengths too . This was our friends from WA and the officer gave him a stern warning for being 6” over length but then proceeded to tell him that if he wants to drive his motorhome in CA again that he has to get a CA drivers license with a CDL endorsement....

But, what if I already have a PA class A CDL (tractor trailer) with double triple trailer Endorsements?

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by RAurand

But, what if I already have a PA class A CDL (tractor trailer) with double triple trailer Endorsements?

According to THIS officer, you would not be legal. I told my friend he should have asked him how to get a CA drivers license if you are not a resident.

[goducks]

Originally Posted by RAurand

No, I didn't see that one.

Well they're fairly common with the ATV crowd.

[Johnny Lightning]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

According to THIS officer, you would not be legal. I told my friend he should have asked him how to get a CA drivers license if you are not a resident.

Pretty much the cop was full of you-know-what. However, certain states require a different driver's license if you drive something over 10,000 lbs. but it's not a CDL in California unless you're over 45 ft. and I do believe that is for the coach only not a toad. See this link for California:


https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...dl648/dl648pt2

[PistonSlap]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

CHP also likes to check overall lengths too . This was our friends from WA and the officer gave him a stern warning for being 6” over length but then proceeded to tell him that if he wants to drive his motorhome in CA again that he has to get a CA drivers license with a CDL endorsement....

Not to sure on the laws for different states. I would guess that there is some sort of common courtesy that extends from the state you live in when it comes to needing a CDL. I am currently studying for my CDL here in Idaho and in the very beginning of the manual, it says RV for personal us is Exempt. the beginning of CDL being that it is for Commercial. So that would imply you are doing some sort of business with the vehicle. So in your RV for personal use (here in Idaho) you are exempt. Again every state has different laws regarding weights and what is required.

[Loboclone]

California last year pulled us over in Glamis, 45' Toy hauler with my F450. Yep they weighed the thing. Then proceeded to ask for Lic, Registration and Insurance. They had the ticket book out and then saw my New Mexico Class A CDL and current Medical card. Ticket book went back in pocket. They sit around Glamis and Salton Sea area a lot.
Recently traveled over to Texas with my rodeo buddy, coming back thru El Paso we had to pull into the NM port of Entry. Scaled the horse trailer and F350 and were told to pull in back and come in. Questions were where you going what are you doing. Rodeo and going home, Oh did win any prize money? Yep, OK where is your CDL, prize money means Commercial... he got a big fine!

[RMartin]

I drive I90 between Butte and Bozeman MT quite regularly and DOT has rvs on the portable scales a lot. I don't notice this all around the state so it could just be a particularly nasty agent.

[Cincinnati Kid]

Originally Posted by RMartin

I drive I90 between Butte and Bozeman MT quite regularly and DOT has rvs on the portable scales a lot. I don't notice this all around the state so it could just be a particularly nasty agent.

I'm fine if they weigh me, I intend to stay in limits set by Ford and Jayco. But if the cop just looks at the GVWR stickers on the Truck and Trailer and adds them together without weighing, my goose is cooked.

[poohbear]

Originally Posted by Cincinnati Kid

I'm fine if they weigh me, I intend to stay in limits set by Ford and Jayco. But if the cop just looks at the GVWR stickers on the Truck and Trailer and adds them together without weighing, my goose is cooked.

Just throwing this out there. Does the state you live in require any upgrade to DL when towing/driving the larger RV's ? It doesn't matter if your actual weight is lower than the stickers, it's the total combined GVWR that could get you. Example , my state , Tx , requires if your GVWR exceeds 26000 you upgrade to either a Class A or B NON-CDL which my rig does go over sticker wise so I have the A. I am good DL wise in any state BUT you still must conform to rules such as length Or no doubles etc.

[bono]

OK, anybody knows what the ticket would be for? As far as I know, there is no law even in California that would penalize towing above mfg specs for recreational purposes.

I read about those CHP controls, but NOBODY was able to refer to any law...

Originally Posted by nighthawk87

Happens to folks heading to glamis all the time. CHP carries individual tire scales and passes out tickets or worse, tows you.

[DocBrown]

This stuff is all online. In most states towing laws are pretty liberal. I'm thinking that in CA they are using GCWR as an excuse to look for drugs.
Anyway, the facts are all easily accessible.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...dl648/dl648pt2

States with special licensing requirements

[nighthawk87]

This thread should be stickied. It has the most concrete evidence of exceeding weights out of any I’ve read in a any boards in a long time.

[Johnny Lightning]

You might want to check this out:


https://www.quora.com/How-did-we-get...ivers-licenses


Also: aamva.org although the information you can get there is limited without an account.


The long and the short of it is that only Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Tennessee and Wisconsin aren't members of the Driver's License Compact. That said, being pretty much a life-long resident of Michigan I haven't heard of anyone getting a ticket for having a out-of-state drivers license.



As to the weight issues, since they are for the protection of the roads I'm pretty sure they apply to every kind of vehicle, not just commercial vehicles. If you'd like to test it be my guest, but as I said earlier in Michigan the fine is $2.00 for every pound.

[bono]

You are pretty sure, but you do not know any legislation in this regards, correct?

In relation to the fine in Michigan - I believe this is related to violation when you register the car for certain tow rating paying lower tax and then you tow more.

Originally Posted by Johnny Lightning

(...)


As to the weight issues, since they are for the protection of the roads I'm pretty sure they apply to every kind of vehicle, not just commercial vehicles. If you'd like to test it be my guest, but as I said earlier in Michigan the fine is $2.00 for every pound.

[Midnightmoon]

Just to add to this discussion. Here is PA's regulation on combinations. This is actually a change in the language and new to PA as of 10/24/18. I believe that this was posted before on the forum, but it is worth a repeat. Please note the item in bold.



§ 4942. Registered gross weight.

* * *

(c) Combination.--No combination containing a trailer having a gross weight or registered gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds shall be operated with a gross weight in excess of the registered gross weight of the truck or truck tractor for a combination. This subsection shall not apply to a combination of vehicles consisting of a motor vehicle towing a recreational trailer or recreational cargo trailer, registered as such, as long as the combination weight does not exceed the sum of the manufacturer's rated axle capacities or the gross combination weight rating, whichever is less.


You can read the full language here.

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs...sInd=0&act=138

[DIRTFT]

To the OP, you may be 505 lbs under CGVWR but I'll bet you are over on RAWR on your F250. Your 10995 lb trailer's pin weight will be the key. If you are at 2000 lbs of pin weight then your 8000 lb loaded truck can handle the 2000 lb pin weight and be at its 10000 lb GVWR. if you use 20% pin load (common) then you get 10995x20%=~2200 lbs. Not serious but definitely over. Shifting 100 lbs front to back in the trailer approximately solves the problem.

[Cincinnati Kid]

Originally Posted by DIRTFT

To the OP, you may be 505 lbs under CGVWR but I'll bet you are over on RAWR on your F250. Your 10995 lb trailer's pin weight will be the key. If you are at 2000 lbs of pin weight then your 8000 lb loaded truck can handle the 2000 lb pin weight and be at its 10000 lb GVWR. if you use 20% pin load (common) then you get 10995x20%=~2200 lbs. Not serious but definitely over. Shifting 100 lbs front to back in the trailer approximately solves the problem.

Thank you. I don't have the 5th wheel yet, but am close on my payload, as you said. I will be weighing it as soon as it comes in, and again after loaded from time to time. I have plenty of leeway on my rear axle though, more left on that than my entire payload. I won't tow it unless I'm within all numbers- axles, payload, combined weights, etc. If we have to leave some junk at home, we will.

[RPR]

Need to compare apples to apples. Need to look up what DOT definition of words like tandem, trailer , commercial versus private etc. Ever seen the DOT Manuel. It’s about three inches thick and reads like lawyers wrote it. Most DOT guys do not know 2/3 of what the laws are and do not understand what they mean. Be fore I retired was in one of the company box trucks. At scales for two hours because DOT guy was wrong. More experience DOT guy was called in and showed him. I knew more of the regulations pertaining to the vehicle than the first guy did.

[2edgesword]

"So in my case, with an F250 (10,000#) and a Jayco 28.5RSTS, (10,995#) = 19,995#"

What public school did you graduate from?

Old math: 10,000# + 10,995# = 20,995#