Inspection Stations

acme97 · May 13, 2011

I will be towing a 20ft trailer with a tractor and implements behind my Nissan Titan from Maryland dealer to my property in SC. The total load is about 9K on a 14K trailer. My question is do I need to pull into DOT inspection stations or just continue past? I'm not a commercial business, just regular driver.

Diamondpilot · May 13, 2011

I tow about 10,000 miles a year for nearly 20 years now and never stopped at a station and never been stopped or chased down. Just got done towing a 9,000# load with my 08 Titan a little over 450 miles across 4 states with no issues getting about 9.4mpg. Truck is a 08 Titan 4x4 Extended Cab Off Road Package with a 2" lift and the Big Tow Package. Truck handled like a dream. It was in 85 deg for most of the trip though the Smokies and cooled off to the high 70's as the sun set and I entered Indiana. Did the trip in 7:55 minutes and averaged about 68mph on the first 400 miles. The last 50+ were at 60mph.

There is a thread on this site I started after making the trip.

Chris

acme97 · May 13, 2011

Thanks. That was what I thought but since this is the first time to haul, just wanted to get a check.

flusher · May 13, 2011

DiamondPilot's advice is golden, as usual.

Just be sure that you remove any "slow moving vehicle" placard from your tractor when it's on the trailer. Guys in my vintage tractor club have to be reminded about this periodically since CHP will pull you over.

Bird · May 13, 2011

If I remember right from years ago, I believe it was Wyoming that had signs for trucks and "all trailers" to stop at the weight/inspection station, so I pulled in with my travel trailer and of course they looked at me like they thought I was nuts.:laughing: The signs didn't really mean "all trailers". But I've driven RVs in at least some part of every state except Hawaii and California and I've never been stopped. I did pull into one such station in a motorhome once. The guy told me I didn't need to stop and I told him I knew that but was hoping he'd tell me what that rig weighed, and he did.

moored4 · May 13, 2011

flusher said:
DiamondPilot's advice is golden, as usual.

Just be sure that you remove any "slow moving vehicle" placard from your tractor when it's on the trailer. Guys in my vintage tractor club have to be reminded about this periodically since CHP will pull you over.

"But Officer I was going slow, I normally going 90 instead of 75mph":laughing: