traveling accross the country

[Treehound]

I'm taking one of my trucks. A chip truck to be exact. A GMC 6500 and a chipper from michigan to texas, do I need to stop at all weigh stations? if I'm legal (CDL)shouldn't I just be able to go all the way without stopping at the weigh stations.

How about you fellas who travel from state to state doing storm work? (IBEW)you just drive where you're going correct?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I'd stop at a scale and get paperwork just for CMA if i get pulled over.

Also make sure that all your DOT stuff has i's dotted and t's crossed. Lacking one reflective sticker is a reason for DOT enforcement to pull you over and run you through the ringer.

 

[Marquis]

I drive tractor trailers over the road in the winter, and if I were you, I'd stop and check to see what you need or don't need before you head out and just chance it. The DOT does not mess around, and fines are usually very stiff, trust me. Make sure all lights work, alarms, buzzers(air brakes), etc. The outfit I work for, R.F. Chamberland is top notch, so we don't have to worry too much, but you never know. Safe travels!

 

[Treehound]

Thanks John Paul and Marquis , whats CMA

the weigh stations are my biggest concern, do you think I should call the dot for each state i'm traveling through?

 

[hanniedog]

Just call the dot of the states you will be in and get some peace of mind. If they could email you the info that would be better yet. Just try to cover your bases a best as possible to avoid any problems. Best of luck on your trip.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Thanks John Paul and Marquis , whats CMA

the weigh stations are my biggest concern, do you think I should call the dot for each state i'm traveling through?

Cover
My
Anterior parts

 

[pdqdl]

Cover
My
Anterior parts

That won't work....Anterior is away from your ass.

Best choice would be Cover My Aft.
*****************************************************************************************************

Regarding interstate travel: You MUST stop at all weigh stations if your truck is over 18k (most states). Make sure that you are not licensed "local only". On a trip that long, you will be subject to all the logbook restrictions, too. Read up on it, and fill one out as you drive. Failure to do so will get you a big ticket.

Check each states weigh station sites and rules here: http://www.coopsareopen.com/
When you cross a scale, you will be subject to ALL these rules:http://www.galpinstudiorentals.com/images/pdf/DOT INFORMATION.pdf

A review of the Commercial Driver Licence study guide will be beneficial to avoiding problems.

I haven't checked on it for many years, but states used to require that you purchase fuel use stamps for "single use" travel of commercial vehicles. The theory was that you might use one states roads more than you paid in fuel taxes through purchases in that state. That system may not exist everywhere anymore, but some states still have "Trip Permits", essentially a small fine for just having the gall to enter their state.

 

[newsawtooth]

I drove a 6500 from the Oregon coast to Denver in August. No radio, no air, won't go more than 50 mph, and it was 115 degrees on the Bonnevile salt flats. Found out later I was supposed to stop. There is nothing the DOT or the different states can do to you that will compare to the misery of driving a 6500 more than an hour.

 

[PurdueJoe]

I don't know about other states but here in Indiana where I have to deal with the lovely DOT here is a little what I was told. ANY vehicle with a GVW of 10,001 or greater must have DOT numbers and is required to stop at all scales. I cross state lines every day and I have to stop EVERY time. You have to have you're drivers log/maintenance book and you must have you med card or forms on hand. I asked about traveling to do storm work and they said if you're headed to a declared disaster area you don't have to stop, all other times you must. They stopped me one time and did a check and found my front tread on my F-350 was slightly starting to bubble ( like 1/4" long you could only see it on there super smooth, flat cement shop floor) and had to switch tires before they would let me leave even though I live less then 5 miles down the road. I avoid the DOT as much as possible and now that states are needing money they're worse then ever.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

That won't work....Anterior is away from your ass.

Best choice would be Cover My Aft.

Poetic license. Posterior would not work, though yours is better.

 

[pdqdl]

I would like to claim that I was creative enough to just think up the answer. Not so; I had to consult with a thesaurus.

Having done so, I think I will make this my permanent version of CMA/CYA. It's so much more politically correct, and rhymes with the original version.

 

[lego1970]

I'll chime in the best I can but I'm not as familiar with multi state travel in chipper/bucket/grapple trucks since I've never owned any however I've been on a few storm jobs that required travel. I've driven semi's off and on for years and owned my own tractor trailer for 5 years under my own Authority so I know a little about it.

The weigh stations should have signs telling you what their weight requirements are for entry or some will just simply say "All Commercial Vehicles" but if you have doubts just go in. Keep your logbook on the dash, roll down your window and listen for directions when on the scale and also watch for signs telling you where to stop. Don't pull up on the scale untill after the other vehicle in front of you is completely off the scale and also watch for green lights. Anymore all lot of the scales have a bypass lane for low weight vehicles and so watch the arrows to tell you what lane to be in. Also you will see signs for PrePass. Ignore those since I doubt you have a transponder. Again if you have any doubts just go into the lane that goes to the scale and if you really botch things up just pull around back and go inside. They may act like snobs or look at you like your stupid, but better that then making one of them chase you down. As long as your under 26,000 gross (including chipper) (weight is based off your plates and actual weight)you won't have to worry about IFTA or IRP, however you will need a US DOT number which you should already have being from Michigan. Also you need a log book, medical card, and your driving license. As long as you keep your truck clean, keep junk off the dash, lights working, tires in decent shape, no major leaks, triangles and fire extinguisher stored properly you should be fine.

Remember to always look them in the eye when talking to them, be clear but also be respectable. It's just something about human nature, if you look away when talking to them or act nervous they will take advantage of you and start writing tickets. Some of them are actual Highway Patrol that have seen and had to put up with a lot of crap and some are no better then rental cops at the local mall and all they do is DOT inspections. Eitherway you should try to treat them equal, but often times the Rental Cops ones are the biggest jerks focusing on petty paperwork and other little stupid things just to write something down, while most of the Highway Patrolman that have seen some pretty nasty stuff, just want to make sure your doing your best to operate in a safe manner. Good Luck.

 

[Behemoth Jim]

I drove a 6500 from the Oregon coast to Denver in August. No radio, no air, won't go more than 50 mph, and it was 115 degrees on the Bonnevile salt flats. Found out later I was supposed to stop. There is nothing the DOT or the different states can do to you that will compare to the misery of driving a 6500 more than an hour.

My clutch foot is in a lot of pain from driving our '85 6500 today! Ouch, ouch, ouch!

 

[Behemoth Jim]

Thanks John Paul and Marquis , whats CMA

Cover My Axle housing

 

[pdqdl]

My clutch foot is in a lot of pain from driving our '85 6500 today! Ouch, ouch, ouch!

Those old Chevy's do a very nice job of floating from gear to gear without a clutch.

It's a skill worth learning, especially if some other knucklehead blows up the clutch and you have to drive the truck back without any clutch at all!

 

[Behemoth Jim]

Those old Chevy's do a very nice job of floating from gear to gear without a clutch.

It's a skill worth learning, especially if some other knucklehead blows up the clutch and you have to drive the truck back without any clutch at all!

Oy, harder luck yet-- this one doesn't want to shift with or without the clutch! If the transmission were working right, I could shift it without. But it ain't and I'm afraid I'll bust something if I don't clutch-- she's falling all to pieces as it is. Foot still hurts.

I had to take the old girl in for a tire change and while watching the guy replace it I discovered a nut was missing from the leafspring alignment bolt, which was just sitting there.

 

[ozarktreeman]

Oy, harder luck yet-- this one doesn't want to shift with or without the clutch! If the transmission were working right, I could shift it without. But it ain't and I'm afraid I'll bust something if I don't clutch-- she's falling all to pieces as it is. Foot still hurts.

I had to take the old girl in for a tire change and while watching the guy replace it I discovered a nut was missing from the leafspring alignment bolt, which was just sitting there.

sounds like me Jim.duct tape is a mans best friend.
but the floating thing works great after you get used to it,you grind alot till then.but time it right and works every time.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I used to do that on M-151's when I was a kid, they were a joy to drive. I was in when they adopted the Hummer, and they were destroying perfectly good Jeeps because of the roll-over liability. Some were still crated and never used.

 

[pdqdl]

Most people have trouble floating the gears or just plain shifting them because their technique was learned in their daddy's pickup truck.

I started out there too, but after I really learned how to shift gears in a semi-truck using an unsynchronized transmission, everything got easier.

If you shift every vehicle like it has an unsynchronized transmission, everything in the driveline will last longer. Clutch, transmission (including the synchronizers), u-joints, and the rear end will all last longer if you are not applying the shock loading of mis-matched engine to the driveline. Transmission synchronizers are present to help the unskilled driver overcome those mismatches. I would guess that less than 5% of the gear shifting population knows how to drive an unsynchronized transmission, so 95% of you drivers are doing it wrong. Naturally, that does not include the majority of heavy truck drivers that drive without synchronizers every day.

Some old transmissions have scoring on the jack shafts inside, thereby resisting movement of the sliding gears. Learning how to unload the gears by properly adjusting the throttle while shifting can even help with this problem, too.

 

[lego1970]

:agree2:

I had a semi and my Clutch lasted 900k miles. Even then there was a lot of meat left on the disk when I replaced it and the only reason I was in there was because the sideways dampening springs that help with shock loading (don't know what they are called) were starting to rattle inside their housings. I like to think it lasted that long because I always would take off in the lowest gear and float the gears when shifting. Likewise I had a little pick up truck that I sold with 179k miles on it and never had the clutch changed. Just never force it, you got to slide it in real gentle when the opportunity allows. When the truck gets a little older and the dogs start to round off it will slide in like a hot knife thru butter. Yee Haw!