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mikeinminneapolis
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M parked at a gas station that has lots of officers there to see if anyone says anything.
Minnesota Pull behind tool towing question?
- Thread starter mikeinminneapolis
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Jkott
Silver Member
I read it. Why do you believe they are not "trailers"? They have their own structure and are intended to be towed by a motor vehicle. They are trailers. If they are not registered "trailers" then I doubt they are legal to be pulled on the public road. On your own land yes, but not on the road. If you are pulling them for your own farm, there are a lot of exceptions. For hire on other peoples farms and I think you lose all the ag exceptions as you are probably considered a commercial vehicle. Nothing in this state (Minnesota) that moves is allowed on public lands and waters without being licensed and tax (except by bicycles for some reason), and that includes trailers even my arm powered canoe.
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=168.002
If you have a class A valid for combos I doubt it would be illegal.
Depending on your speeds, I would be worried about stopping. Does at least one of them have brakes? Make that your first trailer. If you don't have brakes on either, decide how you are going to safely control and stop them.
In the eyes of the legislature They clearly are not "semi trailers" and one isn't a recreational vehicle, so if the lengths and weights are under the combination limits you don't meet the requirements to need a permit and I don't see it as specifically illegal. If you are rural I doubt anyone will bat an eye. If you are in the metro area, be prepared for state police commercial vehicle surprise inspections (they hide behind the bushes on the on ramp to I494 all the time by my house) and being able to argue why it is not illegal. They will make you leave one on the side of the road if they determine you are illegal. I see them offloading overweight and leaving trailers all the time from these inspections. If you are doing it for hire, I would make sure you have your "trailers" legally licensed. If they don't have vin's, then look up the licensing procedure for "home made trailers" in Minnesota.
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mikeinminneapolis
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The law says they are not trailers. They define as pull behind tools. 168.012 sub div 5. Read it. And why would u need brakes on less then 800lbs.
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mikeinminneapolis
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The law says they are not trailers. They define as pull behind tools. 168.012 sub div 5. Read it. And why would u need brakes on less then 800lbs. And you said "fairly sure you need CDL with "doubles" - - REGARDLESS of it all being under 26K." So i assumed since i mentioned i had a cdl prior, that u didnt read posts. And i never claim an ag ex
DANOCHEESE
Gold Member
We do it all the time. MDOT does it all the time, Look at the sign trailers they use We hook multiple reel trailers to each other and go. This is short trip stuff from job yard to site less than 10 miles. I have seen 4 grain wagons behind a tractor once, they actually tracked fairly well
brokenknee
Platinum Member
168.012 sub div 5 has to do with registration. They still need lights, tail/stop and turn. There are special exemptions for farmers and a RV exemption that allows certain combinations. The combination you want to pull would not be allowed.
I would suggest you call the commercial vehicle section of the MN State Patrol. Most of the road troops and city cops do not deal with anything commercial on a regular basis and would call the commercial vehicle section anytime they run into something unusual.
So the answer to your question is it is not a legal combination. I am pretty sure the minimum citation is around $135 when you add in court cost.
I would suggest you call the commercial vehicle section of the MN State Patrol. Most of the road troops and city cops do not deal with anything commercial on a regular basis and would call the commercial vehicle section anytime they run into something unusual.
So the answer to your question is it is not a legal combination. I am pretty sure the minimum citation is around $135 when you add in court cost.
brokenknee
Platinum Member
You would not have to empty the gasoline out of your compressor and you can haul gas for your compressor in a can as long as it is a proper gas can and is secured.
Brakes are only required on trailers rated at 3,000 #s or more.
If the total combined weight is over 10,000 lbs gvwr or actual you will also need a DOT # and have to adhere to all DOT regulations.
I don't understand your statement about having to install ball hitches on the trailer, could you clarify?
boomer1025
Platinum Member
As long as you have lights on them I wouldn't worry about it
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mikeinminneapolis
New member
They all light up. And I guess you cannot understand that they are not trailers. If they were they would need to be licensed. Ive asked and everyone local says its legal or unknown because they are tools and not trailers. A trailer carries stuff. And these do not. Only their bolted together parts by their seperate manufactures. Ans i scaled out van and tools and total weght is 1250 van stear, 3000 rear drive. Tool 1 axle is 175 and tool 2 is 150. So im nice and light. And last night every cop looked at it and radioed for a few mins and only comment I got was one said "nice tools!" So I am going to roll with it untill a judge says not to. Thanks for all the imput.
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mikeinminneapolis
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And by ball hitchs installed thats the quick easyway th trailer something with a hitch. On the flat bed u put an I beam 1ft high and weld a ball hitch on it. Then u roll trailer or tool on flat bed and hook hitch and add one chain to axle. Then its more then safe. And you only had to use one chain. Not 2 or more
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mikeinminneapolis
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And all 3 do track nicely. Takes 2 extra pull ups but i can back them in a driveway from a street too!
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mikeinminneapolis
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And if they were trailers it wud be legal if i converted eng hoist to a 5th wheel. On anything. Even a 1968 bug with a roof mounted 5th wheel can pull double with no endorsement if all weigh less then 10000 lbs
kebo
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I was thinking he could mount the air compressor on the truck bed somewhere. See that ALL the time around here.
Jkott
Silver Member
We disagree on whether they are trailers. If they aren't trailers under the law, then what exactly are you asking. All the laws I can find on "pulling doubles" pertain to trailers...
168.012sub5 pertains to well drilling equipment licensed under chapter 103i. You said it was a hoist for engines, correct? and an air compressor. If they aren't specifically for well drilling then you rlaw on "tools" doesn't apply. Also Unless I'm reading it wrong, Sub 5 also specifically states "motor vehicles", not trailers or pull behind tools.
168.012sub5 pertains to well drilling equipment licensed under chapter 103i. You said it was a hoist for engines, correct? and an air compressor. If they aren't specifically for well drilling then you rlaw on "tools" doesn't apply. Also Unless I'm reading it wrong, Sub 5 also specifically states "motor vehicles", not trailers or pull behind tools.
Jkott
Silver Member
And my comments on brakes have zero to do with weight. They have to do with being able to control the combination in a stop.
From a physics standpoint, what happens when you hit the brakes on the truck? Now what happens to the force on the tongue exerted on the first trailer by the second?
If there are no brakes on the first trailer to stabilize it, the second is going to force it to jack knife.
You can probably stop fine going straight, but the angles of the force when all three are not lines up, like on a corner will cause bad things.
From a physics standpoint, what happens when you hit the brakes on the truck? Now what happens to the force on the tongue exerted on the first trailer by the second?
If there are no brakes on the first trailer to stabilize it, the second is going to force it to jack knife.
You can probably stop fine going straight, but the angles of the force when all three are not lines up, like on a corner will cause bad things.
When the question is definitions, check the "Definitions"
Looks like the crane and compressor might be "Special mobile equipment"
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=168.002
Subd. 35.Trailer.
"Trailer" means any vehicle designed for carrying property or passenger on its own structure and for being drawn by a motor vehicle....
Subd. 31.Special mobile equipment.
(a) "Special mobile equipment" means every vehicle not designed or used for the transportation of persons or property and only incidentally operated or moved over a highway, except vehicles described in paragraph (b). Special mobile equipment includes, but is not limited to: ditch-digging apparatuses, pump hoists and other water well-drilling equipment registered and licensed under chapter 103I, other road construction or road maintenance machinery, aggregate processing and conveying equipment, truck-mounted log loaders that are used exclusively for commercial logging, and self-propelled cranes.
Looks like the crane and compressor might be "Special mobile equipment"
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=168.002
Subd. 35.Trailer.
"Trailer" means any vehicle designed for carrying property or passenger on its own structure and for being drawn by a motor vehicle....
Subd. 31.Special mobile equipment.
(a) "Special mobile equipment" means every vehicle not designed or used for the transportation of persons or property and only incidentally operated or moved over a highway, except vehicles described in paragraph (b). Special mobile equipment includes, but is not limited to: ditch-digging apparatuses, pump hoists and other water well-drilling equipment registered and licensed under chapter 103I, other road construction or road maintenance machinery, aggregate processing and conveying equipment, truck-mounted log loaders that are used exclusively for commercial logging, and self-propelled cranes.
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mikeinminneapolis
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Guess they changed phrase. Pull behind Tool became Special Mobile Equ... Rest of its the same. My MPD pocket law book is 5 yrs old and for stopping they stop fast n st8. Because i understand physics and prupusly made sure air comp is lighter. Lightset last in double and triples
and for stopping they stop fast n st8. Because i understand physics and prupusly made sure air comp is lighter. Lightset last in double and triples
