Straps outside rub rails

I'd personally prefer the 96" wide trailer. Illinois used to be a 96" state, and Kentucky still has a lot of roads with a 96" max width. When hooked to a 102" trailer, you've got to choose between wasting time running a ton of OOR miles or taking your chances getting popped overwidth. If you run OTR, there are quite a few states out east where a 48'x96" trailer can go just about anywhere, but a 102" will get you in trouble anywhere but the interstates.

 

You might be surprised at the width of Conestogas. 105" iirc.

 

They're not part of the load and you're allowed 3" for securement.

 

That's one reason I don't care much for them. 102" is the maximum legal trailer width, and a tarp system that is attached to the trailer in my opinion is part of the trailer. If you want to run a conestoga, it should be on a 96" trailer so that you're within the 102" legal width. Absolutely ridiculous that a conestoga on a 102" trailer is "legal" at whatever it works out to be, but a van or any OTHER type of trailer would be illegal as hell at 102 1/2".

 

It's a pain in the ###, but if you ran a 96 you'd never get it over lumber loads.

 

Never heard that. got a link? The conestoga I hauled was closer to 110 in.

 

As far as I'm aware it's not a rule. The load itself cannot be wider than 102", but securement doesn't count in that.

 

Federal Size Regulations for Commercial Motor Vehicles

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration

LENGTH AND WIDTH EXCLUSIVE DEVICES

States must allow certain devices to extend beyond the 2.6 m (102-inch) width limit of CMVs on the NN and reasonable access routes. These include rear-view mirrors, turn signal lamps, handholds for cab entry/egress, splash and spray suppressant devices, and load-induced tire bulge. Also excluded are non-property carrying devices that do not extend more than 3 inches beyond each side of the vehicle.

Devices excluded from the measurement of the length include 1) those needed for loading or unloading that do not extend more than 24 inches beyond the rear of the vehicle; 2) resilient bumpers that do not extend more than 6 inches beyond the front or rear of the vehicles; 3) aerodynamic devices that do not extend more than 5 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle, provided they do not have the strength, rigidity, or mass to damage a vehicle or injure a passenger in a vehicle that strikes a trailer so equipped from the rear, and do not obscure tail lamps, turn signals, marker lamps, identification lamps, or any other required safety devices, such as hazardous materials placards or conspicuity markings; and 4) non-property carrying devices that do not extend more than 3 inches beyond the rear of the vehicle. All devices at the front of a semitrailer or trailer are excluded from the measurement of length. Tarping systems for open top trailers or semitrailers are excluded provided no part of the system extends more than 3 inches from the sides or back of the vehicle. For more details on these exclusions, see 23 CFR 658.16 and appendix D to 23 CFR 658.

- Federal Size Regulations for Commercial Motor Vehicles - FHWA

 

Just another note for the OP; the load could be legal total width of 102" on your 96" trailer, but if one side extends more than 4" beyond the side of the trailer then it needs to be flagged and/or lighted (could happen if the load is offset).

§ 393.87 Warning flags on projecting loads.

(a) Any commercial motor vehicle transporting a load which extends beyond the sides by more than 102 mm (4 inches) or more than 1,219 mm (4 feet) beyond the rear must have the extremities of the load marked with red or orange fluorescent warning flags. Each warning flag must be at least 457 mm (18 inches) square.

(b) Position of flags. There must be a single flag at the extreme rear if the projecting load is two feet wide or less. Two warning flags are required if the projecting load is wider than two feet. Flags must be located to indicate maximum width of loads which extend beyond the sides and/or rear of the vehicle.

- eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations​