What is the most I can tow on a daily biases with the 97 in sig. and a 24+4’ 20,000# gooseneck trailer? Can I legally tow 20,000#s on this trailer provided I have a CDL and a 34,000# tag on the truck?

 

Load it up. I haul 14k plus the trailer (6,000#) all the time have hauled 20k plus trailer a couple times. No ill effects on the truck. Mines a ton truck. You will just have to see what it feels like. As far as a CDL goes I believe that if you are over 26,001# than you need one (unless it's for farm use) But than again I am no expert!

Tom

 

I know i would have to have a CDL because in the good old state of NC if you tow any trailer rated at >10,000#s you have to have one but can i leagally tow that much wieght since it is so far over the GCVWR

 

the most you can tow depends on the most you can stop. supplemental braking makes towing heavier much more comfortable and safer. that truck will tow anything you can hitch to it, but that isnt always a great idea.

 

i realize if i can get it hooked to my truck i can tow it but i am speaking leagaly and daily until i can aford a Pete. i would like to be able to tow a case 850 dozer on a gooseneck so about 24,000#s worth. And yes i would have serious trailer brakes and an exaust brake by this time.

 

bump......

 

Stop by or call your local State police and ask them. they should have all the answers. just don't tell them who you are.

 

If your talking 850 Case you'll be fine. I always put the 850 as the most you could go without catching a hard time, unless your truck looks like a safety hazard but since you have air bags you can keep it pretty level. Seen a few leave the shop on 3/4 tons with non CDL drivers.

 

If legally includes having an accident and facing a civil suit you're taking a big risk in daily use . A lawyer would really tear you up in court with a willful negligence suit . With what you'd pay you could buy a fleet of Peterbilts .

 

You can "legally tow" what your GVWR tags show - my truck GVW is 12,200, my 25' equipment goose is 20,000 - 32,200. If I roll on a scale, DOT will look at:
1) My gross combined vehicle weight RATINGS
2) What I am tagged for (what I have paid for)
3) My tire ratings and sometimes tire pressure
4) Sometimes my individual wheel ratings
5) My axle ratings per my decal

Then they'll look out how I weigh out in relationship to all of these - so long as each axle is under, and no overload exists either in total or on each axle, I go along with a smile. An experienced driver can sometimes (depending upon load and trailer), shift a load to balance out - proper loading is key to weight distribution. I see guys with a machine on their equipment haulers riding right up front, with nothing over the trailer axles ! All that weight on the forward part of the trailer distributing to the hitch - ouch ! (Unless the road is slippery or snow covered...)

As for what you can actually haul weight wise, that depends on your set up, any modifications you may have made. But as stated before, you need to be able to STOP what you haul. I have the PRXB Pac Brake which is a great safety feature if you tow heavy.

 

ok so if i have the machine loaded properly, proper tires, the right tags and an exaust break. then yes i can get away with moving about 24,000#s.. correct?

This wouldn't truely be daily, I would tow the dozer to the job and it would be there til we get done so anywhere from 2-3 days to 2-3 weeks or more.and i would rarely have to roll across the scales becuase i work locally and the closest set of scales is about 1 hour west of here. i just want to have all my ducks in a row so if i get pulled over by the NCHP (which is a dual purpose DOT man now) and he makes me wiegh right there on the side of the road, i can drive away with now fines.

 

Exactly. The DOT man does not care about Dodge's towing recommendation. He wants to make sure you paid the taxes to pull the load first and foremost.

 

ok just one more question... when i tag my trailer do i need to tag it for wieght of load + wieght of trailer? because that is well about the 20,00# rating on the trailer because of the trailer wieght.

 

Tag the trailer for the max weight it is rated for. Not all the weight will be on the trailer axles, you'll have a few thousand on the truck. And scale the rig to make sure you have the 850 parked in the right place, because you don't want to be over on any of your axle weights.

 

ok andi would do this on a cat scale right? we have never taken a truck to one, so how do i go about weighing and getting the axel weights?