Need Trailer Advice

[logan97]

I am considering a flat bed utility trailer purchase.Options are 10,000 or 12,000. I currently own a 7000 which is inadequate. What would be the legal limit for this truck. 2003 Dodge Ram Diesel.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am considering a flat bed utility trailer purchase.Options are 10,000 or 12,000. I currently own a 7000 which is inadequate. What would be the legal limit for this truck. 2003 Dodge Ram Diesel.

Not even close to enough info.

What cab?
What bed?
4x4 or not?
Manual or Auto?
What gear?
Bumper pull or GN?

Chris

 

[logan97]

4 DR Cab
4 x 4
8' bed
bumper pull
6 speed manual
not sure about the gearing

 

[Diamondpilot]

12,000# BP with 3.73 gears and manual tranny.


13,000# BP with 4.10 gears and manual tranny.


12,850# BP with either 3.73 or 4.10 gears and a manual tranny and the 5.9L HO Motor.

This is according to my trailer guide which is not the bible by any means but is a very good guide for trailer dealers and is 98% accurate when checked against the manual that comes with the truck, so take it for what its worth.

Chris

 

[mooseracing]

I would look st the specs of the trailers, as you need to factor in the weight of each one to what you can actually carry on it. You shouldn't put 10k on a 10k trailer. Did you also decide on length?

I a 10K with a 20Ft deck, about 25ft overal and with a CC longbed truck, it is a PITA in any parking lots or tight areas. When I built the trailer I hadn't come across the truck, other it would have been a gooseneck and longer.

The truck alone can be annoying, they seem to be shrinking lots, and I have to do 3 point turns.

 

[logan97]

how do I determine the gears ?

 

[Blast Chamber]

There should be a data plate inside the glovebox that lists the axle ratio code.

I also have a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab 2wd with an automatic and 3.73 axle ratio. My bumper pull utility trailer suspension is rated for 12k, but the most weight I've ever put on the trailer is about 7k. Since the trailer weighs about 2k empty that would be a total load of about 9k. The truck pulls it just fine.

The bigger problem is stopping the weight. Make sure if you will be routinely hauling 10-12k to have brakes on both axles and a good controller. I have a MaxBrake and I love it.

 

[Soundguy]

looks like a 12k rated 18-120 bp trailer tandem axle with barkes will max out yer capabilities pretty good, and give you room to play. add a brake controller ( as cheap as 70$ with correct pigtail ) and you'd be good to go.

10k is too small of a jump when moving up from 7k.. etc.

soundguy

 

[logan97]

3.73 gear ratio

 

[Diamondpilot]

3.73 gear ratio

Well with the 3.73 gears and the info I gave you you can either tow 12,000# with the standard Cummins or 12,850# with the HO motor.

Chris

 

[LBrown59]

I am considering a flat bed utility trailer purchase.Options are 10,000 or 12,000. I currently own a 7000 which is inadequate. What would be the legal limit for this truck. 2003 Dodge Ram Diesel.

1/2
3/4
1 Ton ?

 

[newbury]

I am considering a flat bed utility trailer purchase.Options are 10,000 or 12,000. I currently own a 7000 which is inadequate. What would be the legal limit for this truck. 2003 Dodge Ram Diesel.

Are you towing for fun or profit?
Last week I called the local hitch shop in Manassas wanting to get a brake controller installed and the salesperson told me that the non-CDL limit was 10K now for trailers in Virginia.
So if you are towing for profit you might be limited to 10K w/o a CDL.

Hopefully someone will tell me that is wrong. I tried calling the troopers 3 times and never got an answer.

 

[Barry Bowen]

If I understand DOT regulations from when I got my numbers, it is not for a trailer over 10K, it is for a gross combination over 10K. Basically a 3/4 ton diesel with a tandem trailer and maybe 1K on it, and you are doing it for "compensation" (this is a wide open interpretation, it has been construed by DOT for example that hauling horses to a show where you compete for ribbons or trophies, this is "compensation" and you need DOT numbers and follow all the stuff that goes with it, that is time cards, driver medical card, DOT driver qualification files, maintenance files, and all the pre and post trip inspections that go along.) YOU NEED DOT NUMBERS end of story. In Maryland for example to pull over 10K gross comb you need a class A CDL. Fun eh? If you are not doing it for any kind of compensation, you do not need all this junk, but DOT has been trained to figure out in almost any instance some way to say you are operating for compensation.

(If you are in Manassas, maybe you can go down to the scale house at Dumpfries and get your quesiton answered)

 

[Soundguy]

1/2
3/4
1 Ton ?

how many 1/2 ton ram diesels you see running around..

 

[logan97]

how many 1/2 ton ram diesels you see running around..

yes a 3/4 ton it is personnel use.non commercial, non profit. mostly haul gravel from the quarry maybe 30 mile round trip for our road and manure for the garden. seems like no matter how much attention I pay I seem to get heavy to often. Also occasionally haul my K B7800 with box blade and loader. Talked with a safety trooper this morning and was told 12,000 is ok for personal use. I have gotten by for probably 10 years. If I could run the loader at the quarry it would not be a problem. If the operator takes his attention away for a second or two it can be an extra ton.My current trailer does not have ramps either or a step down dove tail. I always have to back up to a spot on the property to load and unload, or use a shovel

 

[logan97]

Are you towing for fun or profit?
Last week I called the local hitch shop in Manassas wanting to get a brake controller installed and the salesperson told me that the non-CDL limit was 10K now for trailers in Virginia.
So if you are towing for profit you might be limited to 10K w/o a CDL.

Hopefully someone will tell me that is wrong. I tried calling the troopers 3 times and never got an answer.

thanks I will call the hitch shop tomorrow.

 

[ramheadjim]

If your combination gross is over 26,001 and the towed unit is greater than 10,000 lbs and you are operating for compensation you need a class A CDL. In Georgia if its for personel use you do not need a CDL. But dont listen to me or anybody else on this subject, check it out on the FMCSA web site and the state you will be traveling in or stop by your friendly scale house and talk to a officer. when you start hauling for compensation you are opening up a big bag of stuff to deal with. I had my trucking authority until 2009 and had to drop it to go to Iraq, It is a lot of records to keep up with and expensive insurance to pay.

 

[Duffster]

the salesperson told me that the non-CDL limit was 10K now for trailers in Virginia.
So if you are towing for profit you might be limited to 10K w/o a CDL.

Hopefully someone will tell me that is wrong.

That is wrong! :thumbsup:

 

[Duffster]

In Georgia if its for personel use you do not need a CDL.

Can you show where it says that?

 

[Duffster]

In Maryland for example to pull over 10K gross comb you need a class A CDL.

That's not true.