We were recently in the Glamis area (Brawley, Ca) While waiting at a signal light. Through the intersection came two rigs. One was a 1 ton dually pulling a toy hauler 5er.(approx. 37-40ft.) Behind the 5er. was a 16-18 ft. Flat bed trailer with 4-6 ATV's. They had Ca. plates. The second one was close to being it's twin. If you do the math on that scenario, I'll bet they are above all limitations regarding weight or length. Are these guys crazy, stupid or don't care?
mena661 wrote: I have never seen anyone tow a 40' toy hauler with a SRW pickup nevermind a 3/4 ton. As a matter of fact, I typically see those towed with MDT's and occasionally dualies. I have seen shorter TH's towed with 3/4 tons (still overweight though). Dude, get the right truck for that thing.
EDIT: Woah, that things got a 19,000 lb GVWR!! LOL! That's awesome!! So we're talking about a 3800 lb pin weight if the TH is maxed out. Probably 17-18k loaded for the average person (not me) so I estimate a pin weight of 3500 lbs. You could do it with a lightly optioned 1 ton with a regular cab and the long bed but any of the newer dualies will handle that.
Hey mena661,
You've got to get out more!!! There's plenty of SRW pickups, both 2500 and 3500 running down I-10 to Glamis and beyond, towing the large toyhaulers. Most running 70mph plus to get there too!!!!
drhubka wrote: We were recently in the Glamis area (Brawley, Ca) While waiting at a signal light. Through the intersection came two rigs. One was a 1 ton dually pulling a toy hauler 5er.(approx. 37-40ft.) Behind the 5er. was a 16-18 ft. Flat bed trailer with 4-6 ATV's. They had Ca. plates. The second one was close to being it's twin. If you do the math on that scenario, I'll bet they are above all limitations regarding weight or length. Are these guys crazy, stupid or don't care?
I think it is a combo of all of the above.....Grossly overloading lifted short bed pickups is real common here in so cal. The more overloaded they are, the faster they usually drive.....
Sam
2001.5 Dodge QC2500 coal burner, 6spd,BD brake,a pile of other stuff!
little black box, K&N'd,only smokes a little....
2008 Thor Jazz 2870UK 5er
I too have seen SRW trucks pulling ridiculous sized trailers. I have lived in SoCal all my life and been going to Glamis since I was 10 so I can say I have seen it all. I am not going to be that idiot going 90mph down the 86 to Glamis. I have a family to keep safe and I don't want an expensive ticket. And even the best driver in the world can't control the other drivers around them.
I don't have a problem with people running 65mph because it's a long stretch of nothing once you get off I-10. Even I-10 is dead once you pass Morongo.
ol Bombero-JC thank you for the info and for the forum suggestions.
I guess the law states 40 foot trailer and 65 foot combined length and those who are over that are technically breaking the law. The only issues is whether the police choose to enforce the law by the books. If you were driving a 5er safely 55mph minding your own business I suppose you would be okay. Now on a big Glamis holiday I wonder if that is still true.
2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD Crew Cab SRW -6.6L Duramax Diesel, Standard Bed, 4x4
2007 Yamaha YFZ450 Special Edition
DL: CA Non-Commercial Class A
Tow Rating: 13,000
5th Wheel Rating: 16,700
Max Payload: 3,123
GVWR: 10,000
GCWR: 24,500
Front GAWR: 5,200
Rear GAWR: 6,200
I believe it's 45' for a single vehicle, which the 5ver would be. As a 45' motorhome.... 65' for a truck/trailer... The big haulers are legal in California..
fly-boy wrote: The only issues you need to be concerned with in CA are the following:
65 feet max length- with a 41-42 foot trailer you are fine.
Your trailer likely has an 18k # GVWR. In CA you are required to have a non-commercial class A license for any fifth wheel with a 15k GVWR or higher- but only if you are a resident of the state.
Nothing else matters- regardless of what anyone else is going to tell you.
The California Vehicle Code (CVC) does not contain a law that
specifically limits the amount of weight a vehicle may tow based on the
towing vehicle GVWR or GCWR. There are, however, laws that limit the
amount a vehicle may tow based on other criteria.
You are right- but the law does limit what a person can haul with a given license. If you are a resident and the GVWR of your fifth wheel trailer exceeds 15k (10,000 for a bumper pull) you must have a class A non-commercial. If caught you are subject to fine and parking the rig until a properly licensed person arrives to drive.
As for Glamis- If I had to guess I would say 90 percent of the 40 foot fifth wheel toy haulers are getting hauled by srw trucks- of those srw trucks I would say 75 percent are 3/4 ton trucks.
2012 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax 4x4
2009 WW HKD with a big garage
A few toys
So if I understand this issue, it is a California drivers license issue? As other than exceeding Max tire ratings it is almost impossible of a pickup to break Federal/State weight laws.
Somewhere in a Fifth Wheel - Where it does not Snow
The california driver handbook says a lot about what weight limits you can and cannot drive, but doesn't mention anything about the length of trailer you can drive. At least with a non commercial class A
fly-boy wrote: Nothing else matters- regardless of what anyone else is going to tell you.
My response to your comment was in bold font.
Section 1085(d) of Title 13 California Code of Regulations prohibits
the loading of tires above the maximum load rating marked on the tire,
or if unmarked the maximum load rating as specified in the applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, or in a publication furnished to
the public by the tire manufacturer. This would most likely happen in
the case of a pickup truck towing a large fifth wheel travel trailer, as
those types of trailers tend to transfer a larger portion of their
weight to the last axle of the towing unit causing that axle to exceed
the tire load limits.
So I guess something else does matter
And by the way I don't need that special licence any longer when I visit my home state
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