Air Brakes on a Non-comercial Vehicle

Nice bike in the pic Injun.

 

In NC all grandpa and grandma with their new Class A motor coach they bought with their retirement needs, is a class C drivers license. Yep makes you feel real safe when you see them leave the lot and tear down the fence.

 

A 5 ton with air brakes. I assume then you are talking about a 923? Remember, this truck has heavy spec axles and is rated to carry 20k highway, while towing 30k. Also remember it is not an RV. By definition and GVWR it is a CMV. If you are not engaged in interstate commerce--transporting goods for hire-- then FMCSA isn't necessarily going to ask you to jump through their hoops, but be very careful with state laws pertaining to you situation. I say necessarily because even if you are not "for hire" you may be considered a "private carrier" I have 6 military trucks on the road. They are registered with ag plates, but if I cross into NH I'm considered a private carrier and need my DOT #, and drug program, and DQ file, and maintenance file, and MV record file, and record of first fart file and so forth. Gets complicated.

You can drive an M35a2C without a CDL because it doesn,t have a weight rating that exceeds 26k, but an M-923 weighs too much and isn't an RV.

 

i thought the military 5 tons had air over hydrolic breaks. primary breaking system being hydrolic with air to operate trailer breaks and a gvwr under 26001 meaning no cdl required. unless were thinking of different models (im no expert in military vehicles by any means) but i have looked at some military 6x6's for sale and contemplated buying one

 

Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle' (1) Has a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more), whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds), whichever is greater; or(2) Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of 11,794 or more kilograms (26,001 pounds or more), whichever is greater; or(3) Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or (4) Is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials as defined in this section.

I know you can go to DMV and register your Deuce and probably 5 ton too as just about whatever you want because the DMV employee is not even vaguely familiar with the names/ models of these trucks. Especially since a good # of them are made by 'Jeep". That may be pulling the wool over their eyes in the short term, but as you note, what happens if there is an accident? With fatalities or injuries?

"Not for Hire" is actually moot as it concerns itself with what the truck is used for, not if it is a CMV or not.
Check out the following link for
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=383.3

 

M35a2c's and M818,s are the older series trucks and where made with air over hydraulic brakes. The op is talking about the newer M-939 series trucks. They are equiped with a full air brake system. They also are too heavy to be considered anything but a commercial vehicle. A 923 has dual 26k rear axles, its a real truck. See them at:
US MILITARY M-939 SERIES 5-TON, 6X6 TRUCKS

 

(a) The rules in this part apply to every person who operates a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate, foreign, or intrastate commerce, to all employers of such persons, and to all States.

That last link needs a good look. You just can't drive around in anything claiming you are not engaged in commerce.