[Diesel Junkie]

California Declared Weight Registration... Dually Pickup

I cant seem to figure out the rules behind declared weight registration on a Dually pickup (or single rear wheel) in California.

I have a 2007 dodge cummins Dually with a pickup box, that I use to tow my tandem dually flatbed goosneck. GVWR on the trailer is 22,500.
(I just want to tow rock crawlers around, and pick up lumber now and then).

I know I need my class A commercial driver's liscense. But I cannot figure out how to register my truck. Right now it is just registered standard commercial like any pickup in california.... No declared weight sticker.

California has this declared weight registration system.
http://dmv.ca.gov/commercial/cvra.htm
Which says Pickups can operate above 10klbs, without declared weight.
but also has this:
http://dmv.ca.gov/vr/fees/weight_over.htm

I have seen pickups in cali registered both ways... with and without declared wight stickers.... (I think that when a flatbed gets swapped for the pickup box you have to go declared weight).

For the life of me I cant figure out what my truck is good for without a declared weight sticker..... or what I need to do to be legal.

California's definition of a Pickup is this:
V C Section 471 Pickup Truck
Pickup Truck
471. A "pickup truck" is a motor truck with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of less than 11,500 pounds, an unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, and which is equipped with an open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length. "Pickup truck" does not include a motor vehicle otherwise meeting the above definition, that is equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly called a "utility body."

Which I think i can operate my trailer hitched to my pickup easily inside of those guidelines. That gives me like 4klbs of payload(including tongue weight) from my trailer.

Anybody have this one figured out???

Thanks,

 

[Tinker]

Mine is an ex water utility's (EBMUD) dually with a utility box and it originally had a crane on the box.

I told them is was for personal use only, not for business, and it would be operated under 10,000 lbs.

I have no sticker.

I've drove past the Cordelia scales on I80 many times.

I've had no issues with the CHP so far.

 

[Diesel Junkie]

Ive done a lot of towing that I am finding out is illegal.... and talking to more and more people that have been busted...

The last thing I am trying to figure out is what GVW and GCVW I can legally operate my dually at without going to a declared weight registration system??????
This seems grey and I havent found any answers yet...... and I definitely dont want to find out at the expense of some nasty ticket.

 

[Tinker]

I believe the key to this is the true definition of a "commercial vehicle"

From the CA DOT web site.

Who Must Stop at Scales?

California Vehicle Code Section 2813 outlines who must stop at weigh stations and inspection stations:

2813. Every driver of a commercial vehicle shall stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection of the size, weight, equipment, and smoke emissions of the vehicle at any location where members of the California Highway Patrol are conducting tests and inspections of commercial vehicles and when signs are displayed requiring the stop. Every driver who fails or refuses to stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection when signs are displayed requiring that stop is guilty of a misdemeanor.

California Vehicle Code Section 260 defines "commercial vehicle"
260. (a) A "commercial vehicle" is a motor vehicle of a type required to be registered under this code used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.
(b) Passenger vehicles which are not used for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit and housecars are not commercial vehicles. ...(c) Any vanpool vehicle is not a commercial vehicle.
(d) ...



http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/weigh-stations/stopping.htm


So nothing from the DMV link below (which I believe is what you've been looking at) is relavant if the vehicle isn't used for "hire" according to the Ca. Vehicle code above.
Remember that above is the definition of a "commercial vehicle"
The DMV page below never defines a"commercial vehicle" it only refers to it.
So if your vehicle isn't a "commercial vehicle" as defined in section
260 above, nothing on this DMV page pertains to your vehicle.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/commercial/cvra.htm#pti

 

[YellowSub1962]

Your truck should not be considered a commercial vehicle, per 471.A you posted, therefore you should not have weight stickers. If you put a utility or flatbed on it, and it's a 1 ton or bigger rated, it no longer is a "pickup" and requires weight stickers and scaling, as well as a cdl.

However, CA still requires you to declare your operating weight on a pickup and charges you up the ass for it. In the unlikely event you get stopped for something silly while towing heavy, and the chippie wants to he can ruin your day if he makes you scale and you are over your declared weight. going under might save you $500 a year, but I think it's like a 20 year payoff if you get popped once...

you'd be advised to put "not for hire" and "private use" on the trailer and not haul any crawlers with racing logos or numbers on them to avoid headaches with CHP..

:usa:

 

[Tinker]

I cant seem to figure out the rules behind declared weight registration on a Dually pickup (or single rear wheel) in California.

I have a 2007 dodge cummins Dually with a pickup box, that I use to tow my tandem dually flatbed goosneck. GVWR on the trailer is 22,500.
(I just want to tow rock crawlers around, and pick up lumber now and then).

I know I need my class A commercial driver's liscense. But I cannot figure out how to register my truck. Right now it is just registered standard commercial like any pickup in california.... No declared weight sticker.

California has this declared weight registration system.
http://dmv.ca.gov/commercial/cvra.htm
Which says Pickups can operate above 10klbs, without declared weight.
but also has this:
http://dmv.ca.gov/vr/fees/weight_over.htm

I have seen pickups in cali registered both ways... with and without declared wight stickers.... (I think that when a flatbed gets swapped for the pickup box you have to go declared weight).

For the life of me I cant figure out what my truck is good for without a declared weight sticker..... or what I need to do to be legal.

California's definition of a Pickup is this:
V C Section 471 Pickup Truck
Pickup Truck
471. A "pickup truck" is a motor truck with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of less than 11,500 pounds, an unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, and which is equipped with an open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length. "Pickup truck" does not include a motor vehicle otherwise meeting the above definition, that is equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly called a "utility body."

Which I think i can operate my trailer hitched to my pickup easily inside of those guidelines. That gives me like 4klbs of payload(including tongue weight) from my trailer.

Anybody have this one figured out???

Thanks,

Found this:

7. Q - I have a pickup truck and sometimes tow a heavy trailer. I believe the over-all weight may be over 10,001 lbs. Should I complete a declaration form?

A- No. Pickup trucks as defined, do not have to declare their operating weight regardless of how heavy the load or combined vehicle weight.


here

 

[Diesel Junkie]

Tinker,
Thanks for finding that.

That makes sense, but Im still a little nervous about the registration.... there must be some upper limit where the CHP starts caring.... That implies I could hook up a 40klb trailer on a dolly....

I am going to give the CHP a call.

 

[JeepsRcool]

You should be fine.....With a regular pickup reg
http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/cdl_htm/lic_chart.htm

 

[Tinker]

A friend of mine whom has been employed at several companies as a fleet manager said as long as the truck and trailer aren't overloaded and all your lights/brakes/tires/break away and tie downs are in order there shouldn't be any issues.

My trucks reg reads :
unladen wt.6,780

Sticker in door jamb:
GAWR Front.4,850
GAWR Rear 8,000
GVWR 11,000

 

[Diesel Junkie]

Thanks for the info guys!.

Got my class A permit today. Combination and airbrakes for the fun of it.
Written test is easier than I thought, only a couple hours of studying, but the test took like an hour!.. 150-200 questions.

 

[Tinker]

Did you ever get clarification from the CHP?