Vehicle combination weights & keeping it under the Non CDL weight

The registered weight is the gross weight, ie the trailer with the cargo. Therefore, over 10,000 lbs trailer, you will need a cdl A.

 

The gvwr is the weight of the trailer and cargo. In your example, a trailer with a gvwr of 14k means that the trailer and cargo on it cannot exceed 14k lbs. Also, any trailer with a gvwr of 10,001 or more requires a CDL class A.

 

This is true only if the GCVWR is 26,001 or more. Here is a flowchart...




As for the Op, yes those ultra light trailers can make it GCVWR less than 26k lbs, thus not needing a CDL You already calculated the kicker though. You will only get 1-2 vehicles on the ultralight before you hit the weight limit of the trailer.
You are likely better to get a true commercial vehicle (a semi) and a car trailer for it.

P.S. Flowchart is from WA's website, but many others have similar

 

The regulations look at GVWR, GCWR, or actual weight....whichever is greater. So even if the actual load is under 26k but the combined GVWR of both units (truck and trailer) is over then yes you need a CDL.

 

There is a problem with that flow chart, and it's right at our question. At the upper right question it asks "is the manufacturer's weight rating of the vehicle(s) 26,001 lbs or more?" No flows into this question "is the manufacturer's weight rating of your single vehicle 26,001 lbs or more?" How can the combination weight be less than 26,001 but the single greater than 26,001?

 

Further confusion @ZVar ? This is from the FMCSA website;

Class A: Any combination of vehicles which has a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) whichever is greater.

It says there "whichever is greater" twice! Without the first one, the second one would imply that towing a 10,001 lb or greater trailer, on it's own would require a cdl A, but the first "whichever is greater" has nothing to compare which is greater. So it goes without saying that there is a lot of confusion!

 

You take the gcvwr of the truck (not the gvwr!), and the trailer and add them together. Then subtract the actual weight of the truck and trailer. This gives you the total weight you may haul. Now, in your case, you're legally limited by the gvwr of the trailer.

I just looked on Ford's website. It lists the max 5th wheel towing at 27500. I'm assuming that would be the gcvwr for the truck. So for that truck, 27500 would be the max weight of the truck, trailer and cargo. Let's assume a curb weight of 8000 on the truck, and 5180 on the trailer. That's 13180. 27500-13180= 14320. That's the total cargo capacity of the truck and trailer. But here's the catch.... Your trailer is now overloaded. With a 14000 gvwr trailer, and a 5180 empty weight, the trailer is only rated to haul 8820 lbs. With some DOT cops, they may never know the difference. But you get one that knows the laws, and you risk a ticket for being overweight on the trailer.

As far as the CDL, my understanding is is as long as the trailer has a gvwr of 10001 or more, you need the CDL. I know a few people that have been busted for this.

 

Gross combination weight.

Also if you are for hire and carrying cargo for money for a third party that hired you to do so with a motor vehicle you need a commercial license.

I believe somewhere I have adopted a attitude it is always BETTER to have a CDL A than not to have one at all. In our area hot shots are sometimes (Once or twice a month) convicted for trying to drive a hotshot without a CDL or outside of allowable class among other things.

There is a enforcement that rolls on with that. Heck Ive been loaded a few times and the Law would eyeball me as a private vehicle and as soon they saw that grandfathered CDL in my pocket there is no issue. (Something to do with gross towed trailer weight vs basic car licenses)