Towing with an F-450.

Grit dog wrote:
^ Hence why there’s a guy on another forum, full time hot shot driver for rv transport.
He runs a 2500 pickup, gvw under 10k, gross under 26k, allows him to haul most all TTs and a lot of 5vres commercially without ever hitting the scales.

If he's commercial he is supposed to have DOT numbers and would be subject to hours of operation & scale stops for weight/papers.

^ Hence why there’s a guy on another forum, full time hot shot driver for rv transport.
He runs a 2500 pickup, gvw under 10k, gross under 26k, allows him to haul most all TTs and a lot of 5vres commercially without ever hitting the scales.

private RV's are not exempt from the weight rules, but they are exempt from needing to cross the DOT scales, UNLESS there is signage on either the tow vehicle or the trailer indicating there is any type of commerce being conducted from the units...
when it becomes a professional vehicle, then it falls within the scope of full DOT regulation.

I would highly advise getting a sticker for the doors that says "Not for hire personal use only"

CA appears to be the hardest on owners who do not have a formed pickup bed on their truck. Many states require commercial plates on any pickups or trucks but few require stops at weigh stations if you use the vehicle for private use. My insurance is through a commercial carrier but for personal use due to my GVWR and bed configuration, but my state does not make me stop at the scales.

ScottG wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
Unless you are getting paid to tow, DOT doesn't care.

That's the bottom line.

Except they don't know that as you drive on by. An F450 with a gooseneck trailer and a bulldozer driven by its owner on the way to a antique construction equipment show looks exactly the same as an F450 with a gooseneck and a bulldozer driven by a general contractor on the way to a construction site.

With an RV, you can drive practically anything and DOT couldn't care less. School bus full of children? If it's towing a popup camper, they don't care.

dblr.... Sounds like you have a pretty cool rig. Thanks for the info.

We tow with a full size Kenworth tractor with a Smart car on the deck, 42 5th wheel behind and do not stop at weigh scales, as said above, not getting paid and no commercial marking on the truck. The truck is also registered as a RV, in 5 years so far never been chased down or stopped, some LEO have admired and complimented us on our set up as well. This has been discussed many times on the Escapee forums in the HDT section if you would like to check it out there.

See this recent thread:

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29543494/gotomsg/29548086.cfm#29548086

azdryheat wrote:
Unless you are getting paid to tow, DOT doesn't care.

That's the bottom line.