Is 53' flatbed CA legal?

Any trailer - flat van reefer that is over 48' in overall length will be restricted to 40' kingpin to center off rear axle

Go to the cal trans website

Here is the section on STAA legal trailer length (will be good only on STAA routes - routes like hwy 101 north of eureka are non-STAA routes and will be subject to the 65' overall vehicle length limit for a trailer over 48')


(1) The length of the semitrailer in exclusive combination with a truck tractor does not exceed 48 feet. The semitrailer is not more than 53 feet in length, with two or more rear axles and a maximum 40' KPRA, or with a single axle and a maximum 38-foot KPRA. (For purposes of this paragraph, a motortruck used in combination with a semitrailer, when that combination of vehicles is engaged solely in the transportation of motor vehicles, camper units, or boats, is considered to be a truck tractor.)

(2) For doubles, neither the semitrailer nor trailer exceeds 28 feet 6 inches.

 

Yes

But it will not be legal on certain routes in CA that are length restricted to 65' like in the north coast of CA where a number of lumber mills are or were.

 

Mostly "were".

 

It's legal to,drive a 53' on the CA interstate. But pull off the,ramp to city streets and cops can give you,tickets for the 40' kingpin law.

Just money maker for locals.

 

The gotcha is that the rear axle center cannot be more than 40 feet from Kingpin.

 

And spread axle 48' puts ya at 45' on my flatbed spend axle.

 

IIRC, the 40' KP to Axle law in CA only pertains to 53' trailers ( or any trailer longer than 48'). You can be legal with a 48 ' with axles all the way back on any road in CA , that being said CA does have some roads posted with Overall Length restrictions of 65' (or even less) where your particular tractor and even a 48' would be banned.