califnornia non commercial class A

jareddustin wrote:
i have searched the forum before I posted to ask but could not find what I was looking for.
has anyone taken the CA non commercial class A test? my TH has a gross weight of 10,900 so I need to take the test. the written part looks simple but the skills part is what I am a little more concerned about. when backing up is there a way this has to be done? as in driver position? the handbook for RVs does not really state and the class C handbook says to look over your right shoulder. I am not good at backing up the trailer using the mirrors. I am used to looking over my right shoulder as well as the mirrors, Im sure this comes from backing up boats down ramps. will they not allow this since technically your vision is blocked. also with backing in the "camp site" I normally have a spotter talking to me on my Bluetooth. are you allowed to get out and look and reposition the trailer, I think I read somewhere you have 6 try's at this.
any advise or tips would be awesome.

Do you have a bumper pull or a 5th wheel? If it's a 5th wheel, you can get the RV endorsement instead of the Non-com Class A. The test is just a written test for the endorsement (no practical test).

im sorry I should of stated that....
its a 26' pull toy hauler (31feet total)
I wish it was easy like the endorsement and not a full on test

I got my non-com class A a couple years ago. The written test was mostly common sense but there are questions you need to know distances etc, so read the guide. The road driving part is not too bad either. Just give yourself plenty of room and maneuver corners with plenty of space (wide). Use your mirrors a lot. Pay attention to bridge heights, the guy giving me the test asked me the height of a bridge right after we went under it.
This leaves the skills test and the pre-trip inspection. The pre-trip inspection is VERY thorough. You have to start at one end of the rig and go all the way to the other end and tell them what you check before each trip. They want to know that you check the shocks, belts, brakes, hoses, hitch,lights,,,,everything. I missed two things, checking for the reflective triangles and checking the hitch was locked. One more and I would have not passed.
The skills test was not too bad. Back up straight, make a turn around a cone and come within 5 feet of it (and not hit it), The backing into a offset space was the hardest. I had to back into a spot parallel to the rig and 10 feet to my right, which is the blind side when backing up. You do get several tries, can't remember how many, but I did it on the second try.

All and all, it was a pretty thorough testing procedure.
There is a thread (don't know if it's on this forum or not) I will post if I can find it.
Good Luck

jareddustin wrote:
im sorry I should of stated that....
its a 26' pull toy hauler (31feet total)
I wish it was easy like the endorsement and not a full on test

Are you sure you need more than a class C? A 26' trailer isn't that big. Good luck.

coolbreeze01 wrote:

jareddustin wrote:
im sorry I should of stated that....
its a 26' pull toy hauler (31feet total)
I wish it was easy like the endorsement and not a full on test

Are you sure you need more than a class C? A 26' trailer isn't that big. Good luck.

its not the size of your rig;) its the weight.

Ive read here by members who have taken the test. Thats its just like the Comm Lic test.

read the commercial handbook. More specificly the pretrip inspection and you should get a general idea of what the inspector is looking for. The skills test is what you may need to practice according to your post. You will back straight up the length of your rig. Another back up skill is of a 90° back into a stall. Your trailer rear bumper needs to stay within a a set of 2 cones. Do not pass the second cone. You also have a parrell parking test. The spot is 10' longer than your set up. I think the last part of the test before (if there is a driving portion) a right hand turn out of the parking lot. You loose 2 pts for every pull fwd or retry. You start at 100 and points are deducted from there. I dont remember what you need to be above to pass.

Hope this helps some if its what Ive read here.

I would move out of state. BS

If it's a 5th wheel, you can get the RV endorsement instead of the Non-com Class A. The test is just a written test for the endorsement (no practical test).

To the OP, why not get a fifth wheel toy hauler under 15,000 pounds GVWR or a bumper pull that is 9990 pounds GVWR (just under 10,000)? If you are in the market for a new toyhauler that might be easier.

jmtandem wrote:

If it's a 5th wheel, you can get the RV endorsement instead of the Non-com Class A. The test is just a written test for the endorsement (no practical test).

To the OP, why not get a fifth wheel toy hauler under 15,000 pounds GVWR or a bumper pull that is 9990 pounds GVWR (just under 10,000)? If you are in the market for a new toyhauler that might be easier.

Our TH is brand new just got it in OCT. Didn't want a 5th because i have a short bed Truck and did not want to lose the storage room in the bed. The trailers under 10k were a little too small for my family and what we wanted.

Raro and sin cal thank you for the info... I don't remember reading about parallel parking, my trailer and truck are a little over 50 feet, that one might be hard to do. Need to find a big empty lot and get some practice in

jareddustin wrote:
Raro and sin cal thank you for the info... I don't remember reading about parallel parking, my trailer and truck are a little over 50 feet, that one might be hard to do. Need to find a big empty lot and get some practice in

This test is a little easier than you think. To practice, get 4 cones set them up 10'w by 60' in lenght. When you start pull the trailer past the first set of cones on the p/s of your rig as you clear the the truck past the first set of cones start angling away from the cones slightly. Just enough to see the rear most left cone in your d/s mirror. As you back into the spot use that same mirror to guide yourself to that cone. Trust me it works. Once you get the trailer bumper inside the "parking space" crank your truck slightly and park your truck like you would without the trailer. Back the trailer to the rear most cones and pull fwd a little. DO NOT back your truck bumper over the imaginary line on the p/s cones. That will loose you points.