Iowa Farmer DOT Legal Weight

[KRS9400]

Hi all, i know im asking the same million dollar question that gets posted here but after sorting through everyone else's interpretation of these laws i just get more confused. My hopes is to get it explained to me using my current setup as the example to help clarify things. Tomorrow am i leave for one of what appears to be 3 trips to Atlantic Iowa of which is 222 miles one way to get our herbicide for the upcoming crop year. I know what i can fit and whats legal on my trailer are worlds apart so i just want to avoid excessive trips and a ridiculous fine as well. Im not hauling commercially its for our own private use but i dont think that impacts your weight limits. Thanks in advance for your input and assistance. Listed below is my current truck and trailer that im running.

2014 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD
2014 36' PJ gooseneck beavertail trailer with tandem 12k axles

My take on this is that i cant go over 32k total which seems ridiculous to me. Thats like 6 250 gallon totes of chemical on a trailer that ive had 12 totes on before on a short hauls and it handled it just fine if not great.

 

[Awenta]

What's the trailer weigh? And the truck? Or together.

You can't exceed 24,500 pounds combined. But you also can't have more tongue weight than the gvw of the truck alone will allow.

Probably around 7 tons after the trailer weight. That big of trailer robs some of your payload because it's so heavy.

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[clrussell]

It's all about if you get caught or not.. don't stop at the scales, they've got lights for a reason.. they will come get ya if they feel it's important

 

[Awenta]

We know they can haul much more than they're rated for. Make sure to mark not for hire on the sides.


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[KRS9400]

I just went into town and weighed it all out at the local coop scale, my truck hooked up weighs exactly 10,000 and combo is at 17420. Would my limiting factor be my truck tires? Im sure this is way wrong but my take is with 2 12k axles on the trailer that allots for 24,000 and you can put an additional 25% on the truck and i come up with 32,000 total weight. I dont think thats shit really, that allots for a whopping 14,580 of cargo. The other thing i know that comes into play but more-less just adds more confusion for me is what ya licence the truck for when you get plates. I did 20 ton just because when i asked them what i should do in my situation they didnt know the answer and it didnt cost much more to go that heavy. So now ya take that all into play i now all the sudden can haul 40,000 which makes allot more sense to me but im sure something down the line cancels that all out and all ive done is given the damn govt more money than i needed to.

 

[bmc1025]

Where I live I get a different answer every time I ask a DOT enforcer. We have scales one exit down from mine so it is often I have to pass them.
I have the same thoughts as clrussell for my uses but your load is much more obvious than mine.
I run a lawn care company and overloading the cargo capacity on a dually is easy when loaded down with liquids plus bagged product on a 8' by 9.5' flat bed. I take the capacity sticker off the door frame and get 14k plates. I also run 5k airbags. I don't think it is legit by any means but the truck is plenty capable and safe.

 

[Awenta]

I just went into town and weighed it all out at the local coop scale, my truck hooked up weighs exactly 10,000 and combo is at 17420. Would my limiting factor be my truck tires? Im sure this is way wrong but my take is with 2 12k axles on the trailer that allots for 24,000 and you can put an additional 25% on the truck and i come up with 32,000 total weight. I dont think thats shit really, that allots for a whopping 14,580 of cargo. The other thing i know that comes into play but more-less just adds more confusion for me is what ya licence the truck for when you get plates. I did 20 ton just because when i asked them what i should do in my situation they didnt know the answer and it didnt cost much more to go that heavy. So now ya take that all into play i now all the sudden can haul 40,000 which makes allot more sense to me but im sure something down the line cancels that all out and all ive done is given the damn govt more money than i needed to.

There's a lot wrong here. 2 12k axles is 24 but you're forgetting to subtract the trailer weight. I have no idea where you got he extra 25% from though. You like to keep the tongue 10-15% but that doesn't mean you CAN load that on there.

Yes you're registered for 40k but that doesn't always mean you can. If the dot officer is feeling up to it he will just look at your tags. Gm said you can weigh 24500 with everything.

So with your setup you should really only be taking 7k. Which is nothing.

I don't know why your truck is so heavy but damn. Crew cab short bed?

It all really depends who you get and how they're feeling that day. You can play the dumb card though because you're only hauling for yourself.

 

[WVRigrat05]

I'd load it down and run with it. I've ran from WV to PA and OH with my LLY loaded down so much it looked like the back tires were gonna pop between camper, fuel and random shit from the rig, never got a second look.

But, liquid totes they may look harder, they'll want to know if it's hazardous and if you have hazmat depending on how may gallons and yada yada, and then weight and such. 200 miles, I'd run on a Saturday and Sunday morning if you can.

 

[KRS9400]

My truck weight is figuring with the trailer hooked on, so in other words when i pulled onto the scale i left the trailer tandems off the scale. I think something needs to be done here if they really think that i can only haul 7000# with that setup. Thats crazy, ill be honest here... when i have my trailer setup for helicopter tendering theres a landing pad on top of a stainless 1800 gallon tank, another 300 gallon tank in the front, a tote of 250 gallons of chemical, another pallet at least of jugs of chemicals and completely full i come across the scale at 48,xxx or so. Would i want some novice jumping in that and going 70mph down the interstate? No, but as reference from 7000 of cargo to 30580 we're at a quite large gap here. Ah, Fu8k it, theres going to be totes front to back on that trailer tomorrow and on my way down ill note the scale house locations and simply go around them. (this attitude has taken me really far in the past mind you)

 

[KRS9400]

The airbags help it not look so heavy loaded and the hazmat laws i do understand and as long as its in 250 gallon totes im fine there.

 

[gmduramax]

So putting 30,000lbs on a trailer with 2 12,000 lb axles and towing it with a 2500. What the ****. You've got to be joking

 

[Big Chris]

We are making this more difficult than it needs to be. You can't exceed the axle ratings and tire weight ratings on the trailer and tow vehicle. Load the trailer accordingly.:thumb:

 

[Al's max]

What type of tags are you running? If you have farm tags and are hauling fertilizer you should be good. I regularly gross over 40k. I'm sure a trooper could find plenty wrong if he wanted.

 

[KRS9400]

Well here's what they told me at the Peterbilt shop, trucks 10000 which oddly enough is what it weighs across the scale with my trailer empty and the trailer is rated at 25000 so 35000 total n deducting the total empty rig weight of 17420 that leaves me with 17500 In cargo weight that basically has to be all on the trailer. So basically 7 250 gallon totes. That sound about right fellas?

 

[Awenta]

Well here's what they told me at the Peterbilt shop, trucks 10000 which oddly enough is what it weighs across the scale with my trailer empty and the trailer is rated at 25000 so 35000 total n deducting the total empty rig weight of 17420 that leaves me with 17500 In cargo weight that basically has to be all on the trailer. So basically 7 250 gallon totes. That sound about right fellas?

No. You can hookup a 50 ton trailer that doesn't mean you can gross 110k


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[THEFERMANATOR]

I haven't seen it asked, but what drivers license do you have? Here in Florida you have to have a CDL in order to exceed 26,001 lbs gcvw. And unless you're truck is commercially registered, you're pretty much limited to what GM rated you at which is what 23,800 for that truck. There is some agricultural exemptions as far as licensing and weight goes, but down here they don't budge on the gvwr. Like stated above, doesn't matter what trailer you have, what the truck CAN do, it all boils down to what GM has rated it for unless you register it commercially in which case you have released the manufacturer of liability and accepted it yourself, and then you can load however you see fit BUT you assume ALL legal liability if you overload it and something happens.

Sounds to me like you're shooting yourself in the foot with your trailer as it is eating up a HUGE chunk of your allowable gvwr allowable weight.

 

[skyboy363]

It better be placarded, and you better have a hazmat endorsement on your commerical license.

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