Legally moving a wrecked trailer to a salvage yard or from one?

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by Joeziah, Nov 6, 2023.

  1. Joeziah

    Joeziah Light Load Member

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    Title says it all, there is a wrecked dry van sides collapsed in and strapped together.

    It pulls decently strait, brakes and tires are good but there is some floor damage etc.

    I want to pull it 40 miles to my house from the salvage yard in Missouri. Do they make permits for this, do they only allow registered towing companies to do this etc?

    Curious because its an almost new trailer that shares a lot of parts with my current trailer...
     
  2. Cat sdp

    Cat sdp . .

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    A towing company must be able to drag it over …even if it’s not registered or insured.
     
    Last edited: Nov 6, 2023
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  3. Joeziah

    Joeziah Light Load Member

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    Any reason? Do they have a special permit to pull a vehicle that would not pass an inspection?
     
  4. Cat sdp

    Cat sdp . .

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    They must …. How else can they tow you away if your put out of service at a scale ?
     
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  5. FLHT

    FLHT Road Train Member

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    You must remember that the strength is in the side walls.
    Had a shop foreman who was going to make a flat bed out of a van that had been on its side.
    Sounded like a good idea started cutting back to front.
    Got first side off when he got just in front of landing gears floor buckled and fell onto the ground.
    Off to the scrap yard when he finished it up in a dumpster.
     
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  6. Ffx95

    Ffx95 Road Train Member

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    I think it’s just that they have the proper insurance if something does go wrong they’re normally pulling damaged equipment they pay much higher insurance premiums vs you towing it yourself the insurance will deny the claim since you were pulling a trailer that you knew was damaged and they haven’t taxed you properly for the extra coverage. That and the state troopers can rag on you for faulty equipment but they can’t really do it to towing companies atleast for whatever they’re pulling not sure if they can mess with the wrecker truck itself. Honestly if it’s just 40 miles I’d get a buddy to run the route in a PV and see if they see any cops then when it’s clear run it.
     
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  7. '88K100

    '88K100 Road Train Member

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    We have all seen wrecked trailers being towed down the road,,no way we could get away with that. Its not even kosher to move a trailer with caged brakes unless its a emergency to move trailer and hauling a trailer 200 miles to make a on time delivery does not qualify as emergency regardless of what dispatch tells you.
     
  8. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    Image would help.
     
  9. buzzarddriver

    buzzarddriver Road Train Member

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    That only works if the buddy has a black Trans Am and his name is "Bandit".
     
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  10. wis bang

    wis bang Road Train Member

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    We moved a vacuum collapsed tanker from NJ to the repair facility in Berwick, Pa. sucked in and twisted but 7 0f 8 wheels touched pavement and the lights worked...no problems. Hale trailer moved a low-bridged van back to their shop, kinda looked like a convertible...
     
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