Cut Rub Rails - Legal?

I'm no expert. I was just the fastest at google. I would say it is legal but I bet there's some Barney Fife out there somewhere with an axe to grind that would say it isn't and it may depend on whether his wife cooked his eggs to runny that morning.

On one hand you could say it's there to provide securement for the load, but on the other hand what if you're not loaded with pipe at the moment or don't have the stakes installed in the pockets? Lots of room for interpretation.

 

I'd hate for dot to pull out the measuring tape on my trailer.

 

The rub rail is not part of the securement devices, it's existence is not required to safely haul freight.

This is a Lode-King Super-B trailer:

 

I'd say it I'd legal based on the link sawmill provided. It says in in the part about stuff excluded from width measurements. In other excluded items devices that do not extent more than 3 inches on either side, or 24 inches past the rear, devices used for loading or unloading....appears to me that OP's trailer would be covered a couple different ways. That link didn't say anything about "currently in use" or "retractible when not in use" or any similar wording. I'd run with it.

 

It's covered because it's a safety device used for loading pipe. If you look at any oilfield lowboy with a tail roll it will have pin pockets on the outside of the roll and all the way up the outside of the trailer, most all of these trailers have a 102" deck and the pin pockets are safety devices used for loading and unloading because when you use a winch the last thing you want is a skid sliding sideways off the trailer as you slide it up into position. Those pipe stake pockets would be the same thing.

 

My new trailer has no rub rails no problem.

 

I run a Utility trailer set up exactly per the OP. ACME runs this setup on 100's of trailers and has for decades. I have pipe stakes in for running pipe or bottom tools and take them out for loads that don't require them.

The only problem I have with them is they interrupt potential strap/winch placements when securing complicated non pipe loads.

Depending on your customer base it may be worthwhile keeping them with the stakes stowed away, in case you run into the need to haul a pipe load. If you will never have the need, then take them out.

 

You could make up some short chains to hook to a spool or stake pocket on each side of the stake holder. That's how I deal with the wheel wells on the step.

 

Trailers like that are all over the south. Never seem to get any grief.