IFTA, CDL, Scales, and Pickups w/trailers!

have you weighed that trailer?

15K lbs sounds heavy for that trailer empty.

I don't think you will have a problem running legally with a 3500 and definitely you should be fine with a 4500. 95% of horse people use 1 Tons to haul there horses with that size trailer or bigger.

The only for sure way to know is to fully load the trailer up with horses and tack etc.. hook it to the truck and weigh each axle.

 

they are privately owned. and they really struggle with pulling them as well.( i pull a 40fter with an f350 and its a dog!) the horse trailer is probably 14000lb since it only has 2 axles.

 

You're forgetting something babe. That camper is made of the lightest materials available, is mostly very light wood, and only has to be strong enough to hold the weight of maybe 15 people at most (incase you have a party). That horse trailer is made of metal, and is made so that the horses can't just kick the walls down and get out. Infact, i bet if you got mad at punched an outside wall on that camper (from the inside), your hand would go all the way through it. Especially if its old, because they do tend to get really bad structural water damage that isn't very noticable (looks like the wallpaper is peeling, but really the whole wall is getting ready to fall off)

By the way, ever seen pics of a rolled camper or motorhome? They get hauled away in dump trucks. You could probably still use that horse trailer after rolling it, if its empty atleast.

Anyway, if you're going to haul it in mountains, i'd definitely go with something bigger than a 1 ton......

 

The VIN plate should be on the tongue of your trailer giving the weight info . Getting a twin screw tractor will require IFTA .

 

Forget the weights. You said one key word FOR HIRE, so that makes you fair game for the DOT cops. If you are making money hauling, the DOT can pick on ya.

Can you get away with it? Yep, would I/myself worry about the truck cops, nope. But, I would be prepared for a ticket at some point in time.

Not trying to tell you your business, but a 7 horse trailer is pretty much a full jag with a 1 ton pickup truck. I would look at a F450. You don't really need to go up to an F550, unless you just want to. Rule of thumb; F450's are for towing, and F550's are carrying. I would also suggest hydraulic over electric brakes on that trailer.

Something else to consider. In most states the DOT considers any pickup with a factory bed just a pickup truck. Once you remove that bed, or step up to an F450/F550 (no factory bed) you are considered a truck, and that includes flat beds or bale beds. Take for example California, all their weigh stations have signs at the entrance that state "no pickup trucks". If you have a bed your a pickup truck, ignore the scale and roll. Remove that bed, and ignore that scale, and you may be in trouble. You can always by an aftermarket bed to fit an 450 or 550, but they are pricey...

 

Anything starting with the letter F is usually spoken of with words beginning with F . I know a hoshotter that hauled many Ford Powerstrokes to the shredder after Ford had to take them back because of lemon law complaints .

 

Here's one out of your price range .
http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/1485709696.html
I guess you wouldn't want this one either .
This is a direct quote from a local craigslist ad of someone trying to get rid of their Ford.
I will leave you the trailer rather than risk starting the truck to unload it. Sold as is. Have a nice day!

 

Yup, that one is most likely already sold....................

 

Actually , I pm'ed her an ad for good F-450 with a 7.3 and hauler bed for $10,000 .