Confused about Truck Class when titling, PA

[Tdavid]

2019 F450 in Pennsylvania
Recreational use
14,000 GVW
16,850 GVW 5th wheel towed a couple times per year, otherwise just general hauling in bed of truck

Dealer is asking me how I want to title the truck, Class 4a 9,001-10,000lbs, Class 4b 10,0001-11,000lbs, or Class 5 11,001-14,000lbs.

Registration fee per year is $110 more for Class 5 vs the 4a/b.

Also, how do I make sense of Classes for turnpike tolls? Turnpike toll calculator shows Class 4 is 19,001-30,000lbs and Class 5 is 30,001-45,000lbs.

My insurance is on my business, and they classify my truck as medium duty, regardless of what I register it as. Light duty would be under 10k GVW.

PS. I already know about Non-Com Class A licensing I have to get.

Thanks!

[Tdavid]

Gary O wrote:
I went through this 1 1/2 years ago. I have a 2017 f-350 drw and tow a Cedar Creek that loaded weight is over 164oo lb.Truck was 14000 lb and I had to get it licensed as a class 10. When towing you have to have a combination weight sticker if trailer is over 10001 lb I believe.$757.00 for license. When you take test for Class A non CDL they will check your truck for proper license and weight class.I got my truck tilted for 40,000 lb and licensed for 33000 or whatever class 10 falls under.The lady that gave my test said they are checking rver's for proper license and weight class.

Excellent info. Thanks for confirming what I was reading.

Titling is what I just did. Is licensing the truck something you do later at a tag place?

[Tdavid]

4x4ord wrote:

Tdavid wrote:
A) the only F250 that is rated for my 5er GVW is a 4x2 standard cab or a 4x2 supercab with short bed, way too many comprimises for me.

B) you seem to be as confused as I was. Topic of thread is about registration class. A 250 with my 5er is basically same class as a 450.

Non of it is confusing really. Select your truck based on what it is to be used for and register it so it can be used for its intended purpose.

You’re missing the point. Titling properly in PA is at GCVW. Not the GVW of the truck alone. There’s no real registration fee savings using an F250 vs an F450 with a 16,850 GVW 5er (and the F250 is too light of a truck anyway for a 5er that heavy).

[Gary_O]

I went through this 1 1/2 years ago. I have a 2017 f-350 drw and tow a Cedar Creek that loaded weight is over 164oo lb.Truck was 14000 lb and I had to get it licensed as a class 10. When towing you have to have a combination weight sticker if trailer is over 10001 lb I believe.$757.00 for license. When you take test for Class A non CDL they will check your truck for proper license and weight class.I got my truck tilted for 40,000 lb and licensed for 33000 or whatever class 10 falls under.The lady that gave my test said they are checking rver's for proper license and weight class.

[4x4ord]

Tdavid wrote:
A) the only F250 that is rated for my 5er GVW is a 4x2 standard cab or a 4x2 supercab with short bed, way too many comprimises for me.

B) you seem to be as confused as I was. Topic of thread is about registration class. A 250 with my 5er is basically same class as a 450.

Non of it is confusing really. Select your truck based on what it is to be used for and register it so it can be used for its intended purpose.

[Bob_E_]

PA Turnpike goes by actual vehicle weight. When you go through the toll booth, you drive across a set of scales, and they aren't that accurate. My truck must be really close to the line because depending on which plaza I go through and how much fuel I have in the tank, I'll get charged for either class 1 or class 2 for my Ram 2500.

On the other hand, when towing my camper, the EZPass never seems to register it. So I never get charged (at least so far) for the extra axles.

[thomas201]

Other considerations. Neighborhood rules and road restrictions, for residential areas, parkways and hammerlanes. Most have a 3/4 ton, 10,000 pound, or 5 ton limit. Plus parking in the hoods, must often be non-commercial. If you live or travel in these areas, title carefully. I am married to a Jersey girl and often travel in these areas, when I got my F250, in WV I could go commercial or personal. So I went personal, but guess what, a 7,000 pound personal cost more per year than a 10k commercial in WV. So I pay more to haul less, of course when the camper is on, we only have rear plates and the LEO cannot see them. State rules are really crazy. However, I get to use parkways and the hammer lanes in Maryland, while parking in peace in NJ. Worth the extra money.

[Tdavid]

A) the only F250 that is rated for my 5er GVW is a 4x2 standard cab or a 4x2 supercab with short bed, way too many comprimises for me.

B) you seem to be as confused as I was. Topic of thread is about registration class. A 250 with my 5er is basically same class as a 450.

[4x4ord]

Why buy an F450 if you don't have any use for it? Would you not have been happier with an F250? Is it too late to change what you buy?

[PA-GUY]

Yes you must register at highest GVW even if you only haul that weight once a year. If cought they can make you park vehical & you have to find someone else to move vehicle. Also if truck is registered as commercial vehicale you must obey commercial truck rules, log book, driving time, stop at weigh stations.

[Tdavid]

By the way, thanks for all the helpful posts in this thread.

On the other hand, I’m always surprised how snarky rv.net tends to be. So many nasty comments made in so many threads all over the forums, Very much different than all the other RV and boat forums I frequent. So much for the camaraderie of the hobby.

[mosseater]

To my knowledge you can register below it's actual capacity as long as you don't tow above the registered weight. If they catch you doing that, they'll fine you, doesn't matter what the truck is capable of. It's what the sticker says. PA....land of taxes.

[GeoBoy]

You have a 2019 Ford F450, a nice 5th wheel and your worried about $110.00?:h

[Tdavid]

So the way I’m understanding this, is that I must register the truck for the class that best represents the proper GCVW. So even if I tow my 5er only twice per year, the truck needs to be classed all the time for that combined weight, even though 99% of the time I’m below 14k actual weight. The LEO pulling me over when I’m trailering won’t know that it is the exception, not the rule, I get it. In that case it is a game of odds for me.

What I think may be a real gotcha, is when I go for my Class A license test. I bet my truck will be inspected to make sure it’s properly classed for the 26,001+ Class A threshold. In fact, because I’d be at 30,850 GCVW, I should be Class 10 according to this chart:

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/dvspubsforms/BMV/BMV%20Forms/MV-70S.pdf


Wow. That’s very expensive. Ouch.

[camp-n-family]

azdryheat wrote:
Do what ever is the cheapest.

That works great until you get pulled over. The fines for registering under weight are significant. Only OP can decide if it’s worth the risk.

[gbopp]

Lwiddis wrote:
Gee, I’d ask the PA DMV.

Good luck with that..