Are Flip out ramps legal?

[IJC]

Hello everyone. Im looking for some insight on a couple of things. I just got pulled in Tampa, Fl and received a nice $1000 dollar overlength ticket. I am running a 2008 Chevrolet 3500 Dually crewcab with a 51 foot TAKE 3 Trailer with flipouts on the front and rear. I was 70 ft long when he wrote me the ticket. The law is anything over 65 ft needs a Blanket permit. He told me that I would need to get a permit to move the truck. I applied and received the permit but it states on the permit
1. NO OVERHANG PERMITTED BEYOND REAR OF TRAILER OR FRONT OF TRUCK.
2. MAXIMUM TRAILER LENGTH ALLOWED IS 53 FEET.

Now, my trailer from gooseneck to rear without the flipout is 51 ft. I have a 3ft overhang with the flipouts which makes my trailer 54 ft. Im scared to travel with 4 cars because of my length. Does anyone have suggestions or been through this situation?

[haulin rv]

Unless you run your truck as a cab and chassis (no bed) you can not use flips and the car can not overhang the rear of the trailer at ALL, regardless of how long you put for length on the permit. I have had the permit and been checked for length and overhang in a scale.

Coop will likely chime in, he's FL resident and I think he got the ticket too.

[Tony]

Also, some states (particularly Florida) do not like to see anyone over their 65ft rule. But they selectively enforce it depending on the state you had on your plate ;)

Yes, coop will most likely chime in, but I don't think he has been looked at too harshly due to being from Florida.

Most (if not all) of us that travel into Florida will get a yearly permit to make sure it is not an issue.

Unfortunately in your case, you will most likely get stuck with that forced fundraising certificate. If you have since obtained your permit and removed your bed, you can hope for a kind and light-hearted judge to let you off, but I seriously doubt it. Sorry.

[cosgo]

Tony, I love it..... forced fundraising??? Im always looking for ways to make bad things sound better. Good job!!! LOL.

On that note, ive never been given any hassle in Florida, but then again, im not running a dually.??

[ozo]

Ha, I think brother coop's shortest load was over 100 feet!!!!!!

[haulin rv]

The way it has been explained to me is as a pickup with the bed we are considered a straight truck and regardless of permitted length Florida regs do not allow over hang beyond the rear at all. Once the the bed is removed you are considered a tractor/trailer combination instead of a straight truck pulling a trailer.

My original permit application was rejected because of the way I filled it out, I tried to get permitted for overhang.

[Dorsey]

The first time I applied for it I was denied too because of putting overhang on it. I haven't had any problems in Florida.

[ccoop769]

buy a permit, only 20 bucks, allowed up to 75 feet length, 14 feet high. Ive never had any problems when I had my bed on other then the time I got busted in marianna without the permit, yep, 1000 dollars later. Anyways, now with the bed off, I still dont get hassled, just the one time. Well, I did get messed with in jax also without my bed, they measured me and I was 72 feet long.

I always thought the no bed trick was considered a tractor also, till I asked another DOT that question also. He said it doesnt matter, thats why I still carry a permit every year in fl and fl only.

Its too hard to understand the law and DOT always gives you a different awnswer.

Only thing I say is, get the permit and dont worry about it, wehter you live in florida or not. 20 bucks is cheaper then 1000.

Theres my 2 cents, sorry im late, usually im right on top of things. Maybe I just dont feel so loved lately!!!!

[ozo]

I still love ya.....:D

[haulin rv]

Well I went and looked at my permit and it says right on it no overhang. And yes flips are considered overhang. In April when I buy my new permit I'll change it to tractor hauling trailer and then according to the permit office you can have up to six feet of overhang (from the rear of the trailer not from the end of the flips). To be a tractor you can not have a bed and I was told you must be fifth wheel coupled.

[ccoop769]

Im still a truck on my irp!! I have to register new plates again on my 6.7 later this month. Last time I brought it up, i think they said I only get 1 plate instead of 2 plates. I will bring it up again to see what options I have as far as registering my truck as a tractor.

[haulin rv]

FL doesn't even ask for anything as far as cab cards when you do your permit so I'm not sure if it even matters.

Does your permit say no overhang? Mine does since they classified me as a straight truck pulling a trailer. Heck we only get 1 plate now too.

[ccoop769]

There is a star next to a line, I think 5 if I remember right, where it says with the star, unless your a auto transporter!!!

[haulin rv]

http://www.fdotmaint.com/PermitNew/Blanket%20Application%20%28Revised%2008-09%29.pdf

#4 is the only they allowed me to use as a pickup.

[LBZ]

In addition to FL, have seen on other forums that Missouri, Connecticut, Ohio & Washington like to write over length tickets pending the officer. Don't go into the N.E. that far, but have seen 4 car wedges all over MO-IN-OH.

The only way to avoid the length issue is to get ya a 9 car stinger steered set up.;)

[RGehlken]

[QUOTE=haulin rv;735]Unless you run your truck as a cab and chassis (no bed) you can not use flips and the car can not overhang the rear of the trailer at ALL, regardless of how long you put for length on the permit. I have had the permit and been checked for length and overhang in a scale.

Does anyone know the rule in California regarding flipouts? I Have a 48' 3-car with flips (front and rear) making it 53' and live in California. I use a 99 Ram 3500 pickup to haul it.

[Haul-A-Round]

D.O.T Says : 51-52' drop decks ,3' rear pull outs allowed, no pull outs on 53' allowed. 48-50' pull outs on both ends not to exceed 3' in length on each end.

mo. over all load can not exceed 53' ,no pull outs either end,no over hang on front,only 3' on rear.

ca. 53' max , 40' king pin to axle group.

[h2oskibumz]

6 feet of overhang but NEVER more than 80' overall. This limits me to 5' 2" of overhang since my truck and trailer are 74' 10"...

The ONLY difference the bed/no bed is overhang. If you have a bed you can have ZERO overhang beyond the taillights. No bed and 5th wheel coupled then overhang is allowed. It makes NO sense because it makes no diff in terms of visibility to other drivers at the REAR of the trailer whether you have a bed or not, but that's how it works...

[ccoop769]

They consider u a professional driver with no bed!!! :)

[redline]

I ran 4 ft flips plus overhang for a while in ca. That fourth car almost doubles your take home:thumbup:

[smr500]

So with a tractor and 53' trailer in FL do I still need a permit? Or just to allow overhang? No overhang in TN, correct? This gets confusing

[h2oskibumz]

Buy the permit. Anything over 65' needs it, I got checked on US 27 (the one scale in FL without Prepass I think) for it with my Kenworth on Wednesday night.

The only diff between a semi and a pickup is the semi can have overhang (no more than 6 feet and NO longer than 80 feet absolute length) while a pickup (with bed) can have ZERO overhang.

Either needs the permit if its ANY over 65 feet.

[h2oskibumz]

I don't know about TN. I was once told no overhang, but we've always run through there with overhang and its never been a question...

[haulin rv]

And Manchester hasn't got you....

I've had overhang in Tn too, never said a thing.

Get a Prepass and hopefully then you won't even have to stop in for a visit:smile:

[smr500]

Ok thanks, I need to get prepass sometime. I hate stopping at every scale.

[haulin rv]

Its the BEST BEST BEST $18(?) a month you can spend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[h2oskibumz]

I think its $27 for both your truck and mine. I think its $20/month unless you are an OOIDA member and then its $13.50. First month is free... I think you had to tell them OOIDA sent you to get the free month and the lower rate. I guess the $45 I WASN'T going to send OOIDA this year actually saves me $13/month on Prepass. I guess I have to pay them again...

[smr500]

Do I have to put an amount of overhang on the permit? I saw a place for it on the form. I don't use rear flips (53' trailer) but the vehicles hang over

[haulin rv]

Put the max allowed down. Never hurts to have extra allowance in case you need it next time.

[Dorsey]

http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2011/316.515

This is about all I could find. Can someone post up a link that says a tractor trailer can only be 65' in Florida. If it is 65' every truck with a sleeper and a 53' trailer would need a permit.

Here's another website I found.

http://www.wideloadshipping.com/html/florida_state_trucking_permit_.html

[h2oskibumz]

Tim may be right. I did mine in January or February when I made my first trip to FL in the new truck. I'm 74' 10" or so overall so maybe I needed the permit in order to have any overhang. But it makes no sense why Fanning Springs checked me the other day because I had zero overhang on that trip...

Edited to add... Nice find Dorsey!!! Thanks, I'm going to ad that to my trucking toolbar along with truckstop info coops are open. Too bad they don't specifically discuss car hauling and flips... would be nice to sort out those states like Ohio that don't allow them or the handful of states that don't allow front overhang (over your own tractor) but allow rear...

[Buster]

I don't recall the exact law but about 30 years ago the law changed to any length up to 75 feet with a 53' trailer to allow for large sleepers but, it would not allow for any overhang. The law before it allowed for any length with a 48' trailer. This all came about due to the bed buggers and there fancy trucks. I'll see if I can find it.

[Dorsey]

I was getting worried that I may need a permit and started looking. I use to have a permit for the 450 even though it was a C&C just because the permits only $20 just to clear up any possible confusion. How long does the permit allow you to be? Maybe you need the permit if your over 75' with overhang??? A stinger setup is only allowed to be 75' plus front and rear overhang which would put them at 82' legally with no permit.


Here's another website I found last night.

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/publications/size_regs_final_rpt/

[smr500]

Got my blanket permit in the mail today. My overall length stated on the permit is 71ft, which is what I put on the application. But I also marked down 6'ft of rear overhang and that in not on the permit. Should have I added that 6ft to my overall length and put 77ft on my application or does the overhang not need to be specified? Not sure if I even need this permit since I'm a tractor but thought I would get it to be safe.

[haulin rv]

Overall is just that total length. I'd change it. Coop or Dorsey should know for sure.


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[h2oskibumz]

You can get this all the way up to 80' My truck/trailer are just a shade under 75'. You are allowed 6' of overhang in FL, but I would be over 80ft.

My permit (expires the end of the month) is 80'.

[smr500]

Ok thanks, I will try to have it changed to 80'. I picked the permit that says tractor with semitrailer that is 48+', -53' with kingpin setting >41'. Is this what you have?