[634 Chevelle]

I'm looking at buying a 48 foot trailer with living quarters and I was wondering what everyone does when coming up to DOT scales, drive by or pull in and scale. Also when licensing the truck do you just license it normally or up the tonage to cover the weight of truck and trailer or is the trailer considered a camper and the license of the trailer good enough to cover all the weight? Did not get a good answer from the guy I am buying the trailer from. I pull mainely in the Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota area. I hope I expained this correctly. Thanks for you input.

 

[ILLEGAL REGAL]

here in IL you dont need to cross them if its registered as an rv. Dont think you'd need to anyhow if a non-commercial vehicle is pulling it... never seen a motorhome and enclosed pull across the scale by my house.

 

[1badazzride2]

Depends on how its registered, weight, and what's pulling it.I know here in NC if its over a certain combined length & weight even if pulled by a Toter or RV, and has Race Decals on it with sponor advertising its now considered commercial here

 

[mountainmotorman]

Listen I own a trucking company so I think I know a little more here on THIS subject then most.

If it is a PERSONAL use race trailer, then it gets a regular trailer plate under your name and not a company name, it is EXEMPT from all DOT scales and check points. If it is pulled by a PERSONALLY owned and registered to a persona and not a transport company. If you are using it for PERSONAL USE and not as a business.... It is personal and not a commerical trailer at that point.

If you use it for business and make money with it commercially, you have to follow all DOT regs. If the truck pulling it is used commercially, then you need to stop at DOT scales. ie... the truck has weight GVW posted and a company name on the doors.....

Bottom line..... If your just a racer, you do not stop. If you are going to the track ENJOY IT and never worry as DOT will never bother you....


For the guy that said something about changes in NC.... No there is not change in the law there.... They are trying to stop the guys running illegal transporters and I know this first hand... I have my trucks through there twice weekly...

 

[FordRacing250]

I got busted at the New Mexico/ Texas border. Private truck, 48' enclosed, not for hire. got busted for blowing the scale house and then being over weight for the truck.
Your best bet is contact your local DOT.
I have also done this professionally for a few years and since then always pull in unless given a bypass. Some days they wave you by, others they dont....
Dont risk it.

 

[phantomracer]

just use for recreation and no scales are required most everywhere

 

[prodrs10]

i drove for ten years, the only state you listed that you mite have trouble is iowa(there scale sign says any truck over 6000lbs must stop) that means every truck,i got stop for blowin them in my 1 ton with 28ft, just put normal tags on truck and trailer and hope for the best

 

[racer67x]

and if you do get pulled over don't fall for the trick questions..story goes a guy was pulled over and asked by the trooper if it was commercial,driver said no we are just local racers doing it for fun.
trooper then says "hey,those shirts you guys have are cool,any for sale?"

yep..he then ticketed the shit out of them.

 

[prodrs10]

racer67x is rite on that,also we always tell them we are testing not racing for money..... there are lots of holes in the law for you and against you,dont admitt anything

 

[Doughboy692]

On I64 eastbound about 15 miles east of St Louis there is a scale house. Big sign reads all trucks over 8 tons must stop. I suggest you do its alot cheaper and the judge in Belleville IL does not want to hear it that your racing is just for fun. I learned the hard way.

 

[Dirty_SOHC]

Listen I own a trucking company so I think I know a little more here on THIS subject then most.

If it is a PERSONAL use race trailer, then it gets a regular trailer plate under your name and not a company name, it is EXEMPT from all DOT scales and check points. If it is pulled by a PERSONALLY owned and registered to a persona and not a transport company. If you are using it for PERSONAL USE and not as a business.... It is personal and not a commerical trailer at that point.

If you use it for business and make money with it commercially, you have to follow all DOT regs. If the truck pulling it is used commercially, then you need to stop at DOT scales. ie... the truck has weight GVW posted and a company name on the doors.....

Bottom line..... If your just a racer, you do not stop. If you are going to the track ENJOY IT and never worry as DOT will never bother you....


For the guy that said something about changes in NC.... No there is not change in the law there.... They are trying to stop the guys running illegal transporters and I know this first hand... I have my trucks through there twice weekly...

I'm sorry but your wrong. In NC they have busting racers almost every weekend, if the vihicle is a over a combined length of 60' you must stop at the scales. They are also cracking down on weight. They are specifically targeting RV's and toter homes.

 

[Fox84]

The tow vehicle must be registerd for the combined weight of combo. The assholes in NC pull trucks pulling boats and weigh them with portable scales and right tickets for being over weight.I'am sure they do the same for race cars. Not sure about having to go thru the scales but me personally if it's not a commercial I'd run them. Not a truck co owner but I'am a commercial driver

Barryb

 

[ILLEGAL REGAL]

yes they can nab ya if the truck/trailer is plated wrong, for instance you have a "B" truck pate with 8,000 gvw on your f250 and pulling a bobcat trailer with machine you're overweight on your truck plate. Or you get the cheapie TA trailer plate thats like 1500 gvw they can get ya for having acar on the trailer.
As long asyou put a D plate and put a heay trailer plate on the trailer you're good around here.

 

[1badazzride2]

For the guy that said something about changes in NC.... No there is not change in the law there.... They are trying to stop the guys running illegal transporters and I know this first hand... I have my trucks through there twice weekly...

While at Lowes/Zmax last year the highway patrol was waiting for the end of the event, and was pulling over every one for the slightest infraction (light out - no turn signal ect. ect.) then issuing tickets for being either over weight, or no cdl. Hmmm How do I know (I was one of the unlucky ones)

NC LAW says if your truck/trailer or Motorhome/trailer is over 60 feet it is illegal. Also if your trailer is rated at 10000 lbs you must have a class A license. This is a serious problem for all racers who fall into this. And yes its law and they can enforce it.

In NC Motorhomes/Toters with trailers rated at over 10,001 lbs, A Class A non cdl required (NO EXCEPTIONS). Anything rated 26,001 combined, class a non cdl required. This is basically every dually with a tri axle trailer, be carefull. If you have your race team logo or any verbage on the trailer or air brakes it is classified as COMMERCIAL AND REQUIRES A TRUE CDL (NO EXCEPTIONS).

 

[silvercv2002]

I got the CDL. Now need a car and truck to warrant using it.

 

[Overdraft]

You only need to worry about combined weight. Load up all your shit, drive to the Flying J or whoever has CAT cert. scales and register for that weight+. I never pull into DOT scales, never had a problem here in Iowa. But, I have been stopped and been put on the portables. DO NOT be over what your registered for. BTW, make sure your truck axles are not overloaded. Total weight and legal axle weights are two different animals.

 

[prodrs10]

if they get for commercial vehicle ,log book ticket next....most states are crackin down they figured out on the money they are losin, Florida is the worst