Could this be unladen?

Awesome.

Toss a tarp or something over it. That way the engine will not have a "Steal me" sign all over it. Puff it up a bit under there too so it would look like anything but a engine.

 

Thefts is the number one issue I have had with trucking.

Those old MBM Trailers stuffed with good cut steak and lobsters at market rates by the case attracted some in my time. 120 to 150 pound boxes does not weigh very much to a motivated thief who managed to get inside my trailer. What with the chemicals running through his blood reinforced by fear of getting caught or worse. To someone under that situation physically those packages might as well be a lipstick case. Poof all gone.

If I don't get it back on that truck, It goes out of my wallet however many hundreds or thousands. I usually wait at the tail gate with the tire thumper, Whack em on the side of the knee they are using for that power jump all the way to the ground. The problem is all that power and weight is loaded onto that knee and it takes a little tap to turn that bad guy into a crying child wanting mommy to make pain stop now after impact with the concrete. I usually leave them there as there are always someone able to help after witnessing the whole thing.

When I am small I become a superman when motivated in the heart at the prospect of eating very little to nothing that month or more if mr big bad guy got away with the box or boxes plural. They usually show up at the hospital seeking treatment. I dont. God only knows there is blood on the seat, carpet, gearshift and some of the paper work I turn it in. Dispatch turns pale and looks me over carefully. Usuauly gives me a week paid off in a hotel to heal up. Some of those big Jersey boys can hit and hard. I don't have much of a body to take that kind of lump. The main thing is there is no losses.

Engines are not that much more heavier than a couple of cases I reckon. If it is say a 25000 dollar dodge Hemi built to moden specs and puts out 800 hp you can bet three or more guys will make it go away really fast for a share.

 

I have to ask - Where does FMCSA state you can run unregistered vehicles if they are unladen?

 

What will you do for insurance, OP? I don't know of anywhere that will write an NTL/Bobtail policy without being leased to a carrier.

 

You gave the impression you just bought the truck willy nilly and haven't registered it with zero mentioning of insurance. This caused me to misunderstand your issue. Also, privately owned class 8 trucks are not easy to tag nor insure. Many states do not see them as anything but for commercial purposes. As for this being unladen or not shouldn't be an issue to log it as personal conveyance. DOT has recently considered changing their stance on laden trucks.

See what truckers say about personal conveyance

 

If you're not subjected RODS; why would you be? I'm not sure why you're so concerned about logs when you plan on driving an unregistered truck. You're already breaking the law and putting your license at risk so why does it matter? Go hard or go home, driver!