Question,Towing a trailer

[Canadian Cowboy]

I am thinking about buying a vehicle lift that would involve towing a open trailer empty to pick it up and bring the lift back across several different States are any any laws about towing a trailer I should be worried about?
My truck is a 1 ton and is stickered/plated for a GVWR 9920LBs
Thanks in advance.

CC

 

[Bruce Amacker]

GET BRAKES. Not only is it usually law above 3K but your insurance probably requires it even below that level (see owner's manual). Your insurance usually covers the trailer if the truck is covered. Rentals may have surge brakes, or you'll need to wire a controller in. ($100) Typically you will be exempt from commercial trailer regs if it's not commercial use (and this is not).

 

[DARK AGE 53]

Make sure you strap it down good, bring double what you think will be enough to tie the lift down.

 

[Canadian Cowboy]

The truck is wired for both electric and electric over hydraulic trailer brakes.The trailer itself will have brakes.
I have 16 2"x27' Erickson straps that should be lots I would think I also will have a tarp to cover it to keep it dry.
I wasn't sure about the different State laws,do you have to pull in the weigh scales if they are lit up?

CC

 

[purplezr2]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. Whats the lift weight 2k maybe. If you could fit it in the bed of you truck it would more then likely handle it. Open flat bed car hauler should have no problem.

 

[NUTTSGT]

You have a 1 ton truck and never pulled a trailer with it ?

 

[1948]

you have a 1 ton truck and never pulled a trailer with it ?

lol!

 

[Canadian Cowboy]

lol!

I guess you didn't read my question I wasn't asking about how to tow a trailer,I was asking about the different towing laws crossing the different state lines
But just the same thanks for your 2c no brainer answer.

CC

 

[purplezr2]

FWI, if you go through SD you have to stop at the scale if you are more then 8k, I stopped(8800GVW) with my gooseneck, asked a few question waved me through.

 

[Canadian Cowboy]

FWI, if you go through SD you have to stop at the scale if you are more then 8k, I stopped(8800GVW) with my gooseneck, asked a few question waved me through.

Thank you I did not know that.
That is the information I am looking for.

CC

 

[crewchief888]

might help to know what states you plan on traveling through...


personally, i've never stopped at a scale (in any state) driving my own vehicle/trailer.

even in my service truck, i never stop, i'm below the posted GVW.

 

[J Persons]

Some states will require you to stop, regardless of your GVW. California requires anyone pulling a U Haul out of Oregon to stop There will usually be a lighted sign prior to the scale or POE telling you what they want.

 

[1948]

I guess you didn't read my question I wasn't asking about how to tow a trailer,I was asking about the different towing laws crossing the different state lines
But just the same thanks for your 2c no brainer answer.

CC

i actually didnt answer, i just laughed at someone elses answer...

 

[meburdick]

Bear in mind that max width is 101" / 102" based on federal regulations (I think it's 102 which is why my snowmobile trailer is 101"). Also, some states vary slightly from the fed regs, but if you're spot on with those regs, the enforcement crew will likely be reasonable.

Be sure you're attaching the stuff to your trailer with restraints that are appropriate (don't try attaching a 5k truck to a trailer using 1" straps, know what I mean?)

 

[EOC_Jason]

No matter what state you are going through, make sure all your tags are current (including the trailer).. Make sure all lights work! Make sure your load is secure! (Yes, I've had people tell me they got tickets for loads that were not "secure enough")... All that is common sense though.

As long as you aren't commercial I don't see why you should be worried. A lift doesn't way *that* much so I wouldn't think you would need to stop at any scales. Just tell them it's for "Agriculture Use"...

If you *really* want to plan ahead and be sure, call up the DPS offices in each state to see. Right down the phone # you called and person you talked to. So *if* you get pulled over you can tell them whom you talked to.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

i dunno what states your going through in jeresey if you gott commercial plates a nd a dot # your required to scale up they pull me in all the time unloaded

 

[Lkdelta]

Make sure you strap it down good, bring double what you think will be enough to tie the lift down.

This... and maybe a length of tow chain with grab hooks to tie the back down with. It would hold stronger in case of an emergency stop

Don't want the lift coming thru the trailer hitch area if you do have to hit the brakes hard for some reason

 

[930dreamer]

I've never stopped at a weigh station with a "non commercial" private towing setup.

 

[jhelrey]

Coming to MN? Maybe I can get you to haul a sled this way!

 

[1948]

I've never stopped at a weigh station with a "non commercial" private towing setup.

me neither i never heard of such a thing either.

 

[skyking]

Here in Oklahoma we dont even have to tag our trailers.I have towed all over the south and mid USA and on a regular flatbed they have never acted like they even see it. The lift just weighs about 1600# .I would just tie it down and go. It's about like hauling a jetski.

 

[Steve from Socal]

I never stop at POE or scales with any pick up and tag trailer, all over the west and midwest. Unless you are commercial the scale cops don't want you cluttering up their coop.

As far a getting the lift; load it towards the nose of the trailer to keep it from bouncing to death. I would take cardboard or blankets to wrap the pieces if they are nice and, check your load after the first few miles. I go to auctions all over the midwest and haul everything from small boxes to heavy machinery, on a nearly empty trailer the area behind the axles rides very harshly.

Steve

 

[NUTTSGT]

i actually didnt answer, i just laughed at someone elses answer...

I guess that was my answer (technically a question) you laughed at. I asked that question because the way I read the entire post, it sounded like the OP never pulled a trailer before.

 

[Canadian Cowboy]

Truck is not commercial,I will be going through the western States the lift weights approx 3200lbs.

CC

 

[NUTTSGT]

If your truck isn't registered commercial, I wouldn't worry about a thing, strap it down and haul ****.

You have permanent plates on your trailer ?

 

[Canadian Cowboy]

The trailer is properly plated,It was mainly the scales in the different States I was wondering about.
Thanks for all the reply's.

CC

 

[Steevo]

I tow back and forth between Calif., NV, and ID, with 1-ton truck and one of two trailers, an enclosed box and a flatbed, and have never stopped at a scale or been asked to go through one.

 

[IndyGarage]

My gosh - I wouldn't even think twice about a towing a trailer with a lift on it with a 1 ton truck.

I towed my lift - 3,000 lb mohawk - home behind my Tundra on an all-steel 10K capacity trailer. Oh, and I had a 6,000 lb forklift on there with it for 100 miles or so due to a three way delivery. No problem.

I've never even thought about stopping at a weigh station - I thought they were just for commercial vehicles. Do RV's have to stop?

 

[mike5511]

I thought they were just for commercial vehicles. Do RV's have to stop?

In some states they do. I forget which ones. Read the signs prior to getting to the scales. They will tell you if you need to stop or not.

 

[JimVonBaden]

I can't help with the trailer rules, but IMHO, make sure your tarp is very well strapped down. Otherwise it will flap around, wear off the paint on your lift, and eventually tear itself up. I cringe when I seen nice cars or bikes with covers on them going down the road for the same reason.

Jim

 

[nehog]

Not significant for the OP, but when entering Florida, you must stop at the Ag inspection station if you have a trailer (and IIRC, if you have an enclosed truck.) Specifically they say that *all* trucks and trailers must stop--no non-commercial exemption.

So I stopped one time headed down to Tampa Florida... The inspector smiled and waved me through, but the fact I was pulling an empty flatbed made it easy--no produce to impound.

Note: this is a different inspection from weight/safety.

 

[Super Scout]

I have towed thru a lot of states, if your trailer is legal in the state it is registered in, its legal everywhere else. Case in point people that tow into PA from ohio frequently. Their trailers may not be able to pass a PA safety inspection but since they are legal in Ohio they are free to go. I wouldn't worry about a thing as longs as everything on yours is legit.

 

[saabman]

Even with commercial plates you do not have to stop IF you are not engaged in commerce (i.e commerical transport). My truck and car trailer are registered at 12,000 combined pounds. My truck has commerical plates because of weight (thats the way they do it in Maine). I am not required to have DOT or Maine numbers because I am not in the business of transport. I do not stop at weigh stations and I have towed all over the east coast and mid west.

 

[TOOL MASTER]

Just make sure you have a good tongue weight ..to little and the trailer will take you for a ride

 

[meburdick]

My gosh - I wouldn't even think twice about a towing a trailer with a lift on it with a 1 ton truck.

I towed my lift - 3,000 lb mohawk - home behind my Tundra on an all-steel 10K capacity trailer. Oh, and I had a 6,000 lb forklift on there with it for 100 miles or so due to a three way delivery. No problem.

I've never even thought about stopping at a weigh station - I thought they were just for commercial vehicles. Do RV's have to stop?

The latest gen Tundra (I have one) is rated at between 9800 and 10400 for gross trailer weight with the integrated hitch and towing package. And, the truck is capable of taking the prerequisite 10% tongue weight.

You *have* to think twice before you tow, no matter the size vehicle. All sorts of factors have to be considered. If my Tundra didn't come with the factory tow package, I would never try towing anywhere near the capacity of my 10k equipment trailer because it wouldn't have the right final gear to tow properly.

 

[carhunter]

The latest gen Tundra (I have one) is rated at between 9800 and 10400 for gross trailer weight with the integrated hitch and towing package.

Ok, that's kinda crazy. My '96 GMC dually with a 454 is rated for 10k trailer weight...The ratings on trucks recently are really impressive...or scary considering how you look at it

 

[Falcon67]

Ok, that's kinda crazy. My '96 GMC dually with a 454 is rated for 10k trailer weight...The ratings on trucks recently are really impressive...or scary considering how you look at it

LOL - my F150 Super Crew 5.4 is rated for 9600 lbs. I've had 8500 behind it, no issues. That's 14,000lbs GCVW going down the highway - yes, it's a bit scary. Keeps you sharp. All the little buzz bombs don't have a clue how hard you'll hit them when they cut you off. My steel flat bed trailer has brakes on both axles.

PS - Texas requires tags AND annual inspection on anything over 3500 lbs, IIRC. The limit might be lower now. We have two 7K rated trailers.

 

[Goobzilla]

Nebraska requires pickups towing trailers to stop at weigh stations. It's right on the sign

 

[IndyGarage]

The latest gen Tundra (I have one) is rated at between 9800 and 10400 for gross trailer weight with the integrated hitch and towing package. And, the truck is capable of taking the prerequisite 10% tongue weight.

You *have* to think twice before you tow, no matter the size vehicle. All sorts of factors have to be considered. If my Tundra didn't come with the factory tow package, I would never try towing anywhere near the capacity of my 10k equipment trailer because it wouldn't have the right final gear to tow properly.

It is easier towing 10,000+ with the Tundra over hills than towing much less with some other trucks I've had. Even ones that were supposedly much heavier duty.

It's all in the suspension and brakes. Some vehicles have the right combination, and some don't .

 

[IndyGarage]

Ok, that's kinda crazy. My '96 GMC dually with a 454 is rated for 10k trailer weight...The ratings on trucks recently are really impressive...or scary considering how you look at it

Your 1996 truck was designed in about 1985. That was the stone-age compared to today's engineering tools. Back then they were still designing in clay and they might do a single, manual Finite Element Analysis on the big components. Everything else was done "by book" or layout standards the company had developed. There was very little customization. I think Ford ran those "Twin I beams" until about 1995 or so.

Today they can run a million iterations of FEA on every component of the vehicle at once. They can make minor tweaks over and over again. They can try different alloys for each part and see how it affects the whole.

They have suspension optimizers that pinpoint the location of the mounts precisely enough, and get the spring rates and damping rates to create the kind of suspension movement and compliance they want.

So yeah, it's no surprise to me that a newly designed truck can tow rings around an older one.