Mopar_Mudder

[quote author=thecatsfan link=board=11;threadid=20092;start=0#msg190524 date=1064846871]
I don't know about anyone else, but I've never heard of an OTR driver forgetting to plug his brake lines in.
[/quote]

Well they can but they cant move, LOL, that is the way they work. Need air supply to release the brakes.

I agree that there needs to be some sort of "RV" class of lisences or something for the size that theese RV's are getting to be. A better one yet is that you can get a single axle semi with a sleeper and the works, hook your camper behind it, register it as and RV and you don't need a CDL, figure that out.

Also there are better breaking systems that can be put on these trialers. Electric over Hydralic Disc, Vacuum, or full out air brakes.

Personaly I run over weight, just ran at 31,000# for 600 miles on twisty 2 lane road in the rain, it was great fun, lots of dumb drivers out it seemed like.

Oh ya did I mension I do have a Class "A" CDL also

thecatsfan

See, people like you aren't the ones that scare me. You may be overweight but you know it, you know by how much, and you prepare, and if necessary, compensate for it.

It's the hundreds. . . no thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of RVs that come through our state every year with blissfully ignorant drivers at the wheel that are terrifying. Many of these RVers are very new to large RVs. Some of them genuinely do not understand the difference between a 14K trailer and the pop-up they had for the last 15 years.

So when I hear someone ask if they can pull a 20K 5er behind a Ram, I expect the worst. Like many of you, I've seen a 38' trailer pushing a V6 1/2 ton down the road. What are these people thinking?

This weekend, I saw a 2500HD D-Max towing a 5er that was definitely over 35', at least 13' tall, and had a 19' or 20' ski boat hooked to the back of the 5er. I'd bet the boat and trailer were close to 6K. He was probably grossing around 28K on 6 axles. Getting the load moving was not a problem.

Was he doing 45 mph? Nope. Try 65 on a two lane Hwy. If he had been forced to nail the brakes, they'd be finding scrap pieces for weeks. >

So when it comes to towing a 5er with a 20K gross, behind a truck with a 15K tow rating, I generally believe it's a bad idea. Yes, it can be done, and some people can even do it safely, be it they are few and far between. But if the guy that knows what he's doing pulls this setup, his neighbor down the road will assume it's okay for him to do it, and he's likely to kill somebody.

Mopar_Mudder

Yep 1/2 the people can't even keep the little cars under control on the road much less 20,000# of trailer pushing you along.

I think down the road that thier is going to have to be something done to get some sort of "RV" licence to have some general knowledge of stuff. Even if they made them take the class "B" CDL written test with no air brake it would be of great benifit to many of them.

Actually what the heck, make everyone take it. Don't know how many people I had pull out in front of me this weekend when they see you comin down the road pulling 2 trucks on a trailer and they figure they don't want to be behind that. So they pull out in front of you thinking you are just going to slam on the brakes and slow down for them just like that, very frusterating to say the least. You will see in a hurry why OTR drivers have little respect for your average motorist.

thecatsfan

I'm all for it!

jnaker

Weighed my truck last week with me (200#) half a tank of fuel and nothing in bed but spray in liner. Tool box in back seat about 30#. 8120#
21000-8120 = 12980

Haulin_in_Dixie

[quote author=thecatsfan link=board=11;threadid=20092;start=15#msg190557 date=1064850693]
See, people like you aren't the ones that scare me. You may be overweight but you know it, you know by how much, and you prepare, and if necessary, compensate for it.

It's the hundreds. . . no thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of RVs that come through our state every year with blissfully ignorant drivers at the wheel that are terrifying. Many of these RVers are very new to large RVs. Some of them genuinely do not understand the difference between a 14K trailer and the pop-up they had for the last 15 years.

So when I hear someone ask if they can pull a 20K 5er behind a Ram, I expect the worst. Like many of you, I've seen a 38' trailer pushing a V6 1/2 ton down the road. What are these people thinking?

This weekend, I saw a 2500HD D-Max towing a 5er that was definitely over 35', at least 13' tall, and had a 19' or 20' ski boat hooked to the back of the 5er. I'd bet the boat and trailer were close to 6K. He was probably grossing around 28K on 6 axles. Getting the load moving was not a problem.

Was he doing 45 mph? Nope. Try 65 on a two lane Hwy. If he had been forced to nail the brakes, they'd be finding scrap pieces for weeks. >

So when it comes to towing a 5er with a 20K gross, behind a truck with a 15K tow rating, I generally believe it's a bad idea. Yes, it can be done, and some people can even do it safely, be it they are few and far between. But if the guy that knows what he's doing pulls this setup, his neighbor down the road will assume it's okay for him to do it, and he's likely to kill somebody.
[/quote]

Good post and I have to agree completely with it. I have been driving about everything all my life and tend to recommend on what I can do. This includes small wreckers pulling big trucks, 18 wheelers, tankers, tow bar operations, and so on.

One small point that is forgotten a lot is that when you pull a boat on your truck it does not need brakes. But when you put it behind a fifth wheel trailer it by law needs brakes. (all axles must have brakes) In a serious accident you would be way out there with negelence.

Mopar_Mudder

[quote author=jnaker link=board=11;threadid=20092;start=15#msg190591 date=1064857513]
Weighed my truck last week with me (200#) half a tank of fuel and nothing in bed but spray in liner. Tool box in back seat about 30#. 8120#
21000-8120 = 12980
[/quote]


Thanks for the post, so far I have been too lazy to weigh my truck empty, but ours are very similar trucks. So full of fuel it would be about 8,250# so 31,000-8,250 = 22,750# trailer weight. You didn't hapen to get a front and rear axle weight did you?

The time I weighed in at 29,980# total I had 4,720# on the front and 7,140# on the rear.

thecatsfan

[quote author=Haulin in Dixie link=board=11;threadid=20092;start=15#msg190598 date=1064859240]
One small point that is forgotten a lot is that when you pull a boat on your truck it does not need brakes. But when you put it behind a fifth wheel trailer it by law needs brakes. (all axles must have brakes) In a serious accident you would be way out there with negelence.
[/quote]

I knew that in this configuration he is supposed to have brakes on the boat; of course I have no idea if he actually did or not. Even by itself, I think a boat this size requires brakes in CO purely based on the trailer weight.

My question is, does he need to to run two brake controllers? If he is running both the 5er and the boat off of one brake controller, how in the world does he get all the brakes adjusted correctly? It seems like a hard stop would have those trailers all over the place.

pwabbott

Check out this thread for an overloaded Yeahoo headed back from Lake Tahoe today. Kinda makes you want to keep one eye glued to the rearview mirror.
http://www.dodge-diesel.org/yabbse/i...threadid=20327

duner

i consistently haul over 200,000 and never drop below 75mpg

pwabbott

I have an endorsement for towing 10,000#-15,000# 5er on my license. I had to take a Class A Non-Commercial written test. If a 5er is greater than 15,000#, the Class A Non-Commercial License is required. The written test was weighted with safety equipment and issues. No charge to get the endorsement.

Persons driving motorhomes over 40' in length now must have a health exam by an M.D. every 2 years.

I'm glad they are tightening up on driving requirements.

midwestdually

personally...if you pull any type of trailer over 6k lbs u should be required to have atleast a class B cdl ....as strict as the DOT is on commercial drivers i cant believe they havent stuck there nose in the rv world as well....this is the one place it would do some good.....instead of fining a trucking company 50-100 bucks cuz his/her name is crooked on the truck or some crap.

kingofdodge7131

This is very true, my grandpa complains all the time on how his 96 dakota has had 4 trans going on 5, needs brakes all the time, his v6 engine is crappin out at 148k And had to replace his axle shaft. Gee could it be that your pullin a 28 ft 5th with a slide out? Gee maybe. Way to big for that truck. I dont think dakotas should be able to pull 5ers haha. Unless its some small livestock thinger. How much does a Tractor trailer weight? ne ideas? Saw one of those the other day behind a older chevy. Farmers i tell ya

Haulin_in_Dixie

I do have to add this. A CID grossing 28,000 pounds does not need to be driven by someone inexperienced in operating heavy vehicles. The truck will do it fine, but it is getting up there to its max and you really need to have the experience to handle it. Going down the road is ok but in a tight situation you can be in trouble real fast. You not only put your family in jeapordy but the lives of others weather or not they are at fault. Cars do not give you any leeway, they will pull right out in front of you at any time. The more experience you have the more you drive ahead and are ready for the stupid things cars will do.

greatwhite

Yep Haulin, you look at all situations and think "What is the stupidest thing that person could do right now?" and you're seldom disappointed ??? :.

Thursday about 17:00 coming downhill into Thunder Bay, an old geezer in a Mazda P/U pulls out about 75 yards in front of me. I'm grossing at about 82,500. Then proceeds to dawdle his way up to 50 mph. Just enough rolling hills and oncoming traffic to keep me from getting by him, so I had to follow this jerk for about 35 miles. Just kept backing off, so I wouldn't give into the temptation to punt him into the trees.

As the old saying goes Lord, grant me patience...Right Now.