newbie with questions toy hauler

[johnmc]

I have purchased 1998 Peterbuilt last year I registered it as a camper. went to the ins. company no problem and registry ether. talking to a DOT police officer he says i cant to it because it was not a camper. it was originally designed to be a semi truck you must have a cdl to drive it.My argument is in massachusetts anyone can drive a 45ft diesel pusher with air brakes. I don't see any difference.I am going to try to tag a pic of my rig and my homemade 5thwheel trailer combo.

[Gordy]

If I wanted to register my commercial vehicle as recreational it had to have 3 of 5 items. Full time bed, sink with supply and waste storage, fridge, stove, bathroom with holding tank. Just saying, it wouldn't qualify here.
Got to agree with the requirement of a CDL, I think everyone driving air brake equipped vehicles over 26000 lbs should have better than a car license maybe not a Class 1 but???.

[johnmc]

Originally Posted by Gordy

If I wanted to register my commercial vehicle as recreational it had to have 3 of 5 items. Full time bed, sink with supply and waste storage, fridge, stove, bathroom with holding tank. Just saying, it wouldn't qualify here.
Got to agree with the requirement of a CDL, I think everyone driving air brake equipped vehicles over 26000 lbs should have better than a car license maybe not a Class 1 but???.

In Massachusetts,New hampshire ,Maine anyone with a car license can drive a 45 ft diesel pusher with airbrake. No CDL or air brake endorsement needed.
in massachusetts the only rule for a auto home RV is it has to be habitable.
This is a very Gray area .

[superbird03]

I believe DOT is correct. However if you do as Gordy states, put 3 or 4 of the items in your truck it can then be licensed as an RV/Motorhome and then depending on the state you live in you don't need a CDL license. I live and travel in the Midwest, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana. I installed a cooler/fridge, 12 volt pizza oven (cooking device), small bar sink with working water, an inverter and a plug in heater and I am considered an RV/Motorhome. Provided you are not making money hauling anything you should have no problem.

Like John says, "a very gray area!!"

[johnmc]

NO CDL is required in mass for a semi truck converted pulling a RV in mass. I went to the RMV today and spoke with them and they called head of the dot truck team. he said i was fine with a reg. license. But said i was going to have a hard time with cops that want to bust balls and recommended i get a class A

[hot rod]

Have the DOT guy write a letter to that effect and keep it with you to save headaches.

Just a side comment, have you scaled that thing? The trailer axles look in danger of being overloaded with all that and only a tandem axle. Make sure all your water tanks etc. are topped off to where you would normally keep them when you scale it. I'm making a guesstimate of 7000# for the camper, 3000# for the toy, about 4000# for the trailer, another 1000# for water, fuel, tools, luggage, and beer, puts you at about 15000#. Some of which is on the fifth wheel. Wouldn't hurt to scale it and make sure you are safe, particularly on the tire loads. I'd try to check each trailer axle individually as the load distribution on that trailer is a matter of convenience for where everything had to fit, and not necessarily a matter of even distribution.

Good looking truck.

[johnmc]

Originally Posted by hot rod

Have the DOT guy write a letter to that effect and keep it with you to save headaches.

Just a side comment, have you scaled that thing? The trailer axles look in danger of being overloaded with all that and only a tandem axle. Make sure all your water tanks etc. are topped off to where you would normally keep them when you scale it. I'm making a guesstimate of 7000# for the camper, 3000# for the toy, about 4000# for the trailer, another 1000# for water, fuel, tools, luggage, and beer, puts you at about 15000#. Some of which is on the fifth wheel. Wouldn't hurt to scale it and make sure you are safe, particularly on the tire loads. I'd try to check each trailer axle individually as the load distribution on that trailer is a matter of convenience for where everything had to fit, and not necessarily a matter of even distribution.

Good looking truck.

The rv is 6,800 dry trailer frame is 6,500 toy is 3,000 1,000 mis. trailer frame is a 15 gvw I feel there is at least 4k to 5k on the pin. i will scale it soon but i don't think the trailer is over loaded the tires look great. I also was told by the trailer manufacture that if i put 17.5 tires and rims on my gvw would be 20k. If I have to I would do that before adding a axle.

[A.J.]

I would think unless your tractor (tow vehicle) is plated RV you would need a CDL.
Your trailer is an RV and plated as such however, your tow vehicle is a commercial vehicle unless plated as an RV.
Check the back of your license for weight limits for a particular class license.
Another thing that I have heard in regards to class of license required is if you have a regular drivers lic. up to 26,000 LBS. and your total GVW is 26,001 and you get in an accident the insurance may or may not pay ??? because you had the wrong classification of license for the vehicle..
Another thing, be careful if you have air brakes you must have an air brake endorsement to drive a vehicle with air brakes.

[A.J.]

Originally Posted by johnmc

The rv is 6,800 dry trailer frame is 6,500 toy is 3,000 1,000 mis. trailer frame is a 15 gvw I feel there is at least 4k to 5k on the pin. i will scale it soon but i don't think the trailer is over loaded the tires look great. I also was told by the trailer manufacture that if i put 17.5 tires and rims on my gvw would be 20k. If I have to I would do that before adding a axle.

i don't think the trailer is over loaded the tires look great.
SERIOUSLY? These seem to fall into the famous last words category
I used that once on a state trooper and it cost me $20 large

Don't matter what your axles or tires can hold its whats on the door sticker or spec. sticker of the unit and what plate you have that determines how much weight you can carry and this does apply to RV's.

Say your spec. or door sticker for the GVW of your tandem axle trailer unit says 5000 lbs.
2500 per axle.
You bump the axles up to 7000 lbs. 3500 each.
So, now you think you can carry 7000 lbs. you can BUT, are you legal? No.
So, you go and load up 7000 lbs. get taken to the scales I don't know why you just do. You get weighed in, the trooper or state revenue officer checks the spec. sticker or specs for that particular trailer and finds you 2000 lbs. over and you say Hey, I bumped up the axles to 7000.
It doesn't matter the trailer is only specd. for 5000 lbs. your overweight 2K.
Or if you get into an accident and if its found you were overweight and wrong classification of drivers license your insurance carrier does not have to cover it you voided your policy by overweighting the vehicle or by having the wrong classification of license for the weight.
Read your ins. policies and rules of the road CDL's for your state.

[A.J.]

Johnmc, what does the plate on the front of the tractor read, class?

[A.J.]

Johnmc, are you using the pin on the fifth wheel to tow that or is that a drop deck trailer?
How did you mount the 5er to the trailer weld? chains?

[johnmc]

The drop deck has been permanently altered to hold the 5er. It is welded and the tanks are now under the drop deck trailer. I am using the pin of the drop deck trailer.