More confused about towing capacity than before!!

If the gross weight exceeds 26K and the trailer exceeds 10K, you need a class A license. If you are driving a 17,000 truck pulling a 9000 trailer, you could get by with a class B...but if you're in a pickup truck pulling a trailer that is heavy enough to put you over 26K, you need that class A. Class B won't do you a lick of good once that trailer exceeds 10K.

 

I would get 26,000 lb tags which doesn't require a CDL, only a medical card. If your trailer is rated for 20,000 then you can load 13,000. But since you have 26,000 lb tags it's 26,000 lbs minus the GCWR which is 15,000 lbs. So your answer is you can legally load 11,000 lbs. Always consider your fuel weight if you load with a partial tank.

For reference, if you do this, your gross weight can be 26,000. However, if you have 10,001 or more on your trailer axles total, it DOES require a class a Cdl. I got shut down in Walton ky because of that one several years ago. Lots of little secrets like that out there that most hotshots learn the hard way. Good luck!!

 

I don't know all the fancy stuff, DOT regs/truck & trailer limits.gov for your truck & trailer. You can look it up. We don't know what you have.