Lookin at a knew toe piggy

Rockwells607 · Jul 2, 2016

My one ton dodge is way over loaded towing my 48' enclosed with living quarters and two Rockwell buggies , I have my eyes set on a 2013 ram 5500 . I hooked it up and towed today with it on my trailer . It is all stock no goodies, not the power my 5.9 has with a tuner but it does Handle the weight and stop a whole lot better . And legal! Anything I should " be aware of" or know about these trucks before buying it ?

MoparMan · Jul 2, 2016

Just that the emissions crap will go bad and they get terrible fuel mileage. Doing the deletes and adding a tuner will help alot with fuel mileage.

dynajeep · Jul 2, 2016

Last I heard they don't make any transmission tunes for the Aisin trans. I'd be careful doing any power adders before the trans tune.... The Aisin trans is a great transmission, but it won't hold up once the Cummins is turned up. I've been looking and waiting myself for a 5500

Zjman · Jul 2, 2016

Ive heard there is some insurance issues with a truck this big, someone told me you had to carry some kind on commercial insurance like a big truck, just what ive heard and not first hand knowledge , im sure mopar man would know cause i think he drives his truck commercialy

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MoparMan · Jul 2, 2016

Zjman said:
Ive heard there is some insurance issues with a truck this big, someone told me you had to carry some kind on commercial insurance like a big truck, just what ive heard and not first hand knowledge , im sure mopar man would know cause i think he drives his truck commercialy

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Yes, I have to carry commercial insurance on mine. I don't believe you would have to on the 5500 as long as you were using it recreationally....I could be wrong though.

BIG_Country · Jul 5, 2016

MoparMan said:
Yes, I have to carry commercial insurance on mine. I don't believe you would have to on the 5500 as long as you were using it recreationally....I could be wrong though.

As long as you are under 26000 lbs and are hauling your own stuff you are just fine. But once you get over 26001 everything changes, you'd need DOT number on truck, different insurance, and possibly CDLs. But rules are different from state to state, and it depends on how far out of state you go. The key is to keep you truck and trailer under 26000 lbs

Also the fuel mileage is bad in 5500 trucks, friend of mine has one and he said it gets 8mpg unloaded and 4mpg loaded but has all kinds of power and stops great too

blacksheep10 · Jul 5, 2016

How are guys using Tractors with large trailers with living quarters to race out of and tagging as RV and no CDL? I know they are empty over 26

BIG_Country · Jul 5, 2016

blacksheep10 said:
How are guys using Tractors with large trailers with living quarters to race out of and tagging as RV and no CDL? I know they are empty over 26

I seen those big rig RV things, their crazy big. I guess it has to do with what state you live in, and what can be tagged as a RV. I've been reading up on CDLs for farm use in TN, and so far I can drive anywhere in the country with no CDLs as long as I stay under 26000 total wieght. I can even drive a big rig in state for farm use(just hauling my stuff) as long as the rig has a DOT number and I can got out of state with said big rig up to 150 mile without CDLs. It just the big her the truck and the farther away from home you are the more you are likly to run into trouble with DOT.

Zjman · Jul 5, 2016

Even if its personal use the dot can pull you over, there job is bullshit but its about public safety and if they see ur truck is shady looking they will pull you over, and anything with air brakes requires a cdl, not sure on farm use but if ur rolling down the interstate id guess ur fair game for the po po

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blacksheep10 · Jul 5, 2016

Zjman said:
Even if its personal use the dot can pull you over, there job is bullshit but its about public safety and if they see ur truck is shady looking they will pull you over, and anything with air brakes requires a cdl, not sure on farm use but if ur rolling down the interstate id guess ur fair game for the po po

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So any old man with a new motorhome with air brakes has to get a cdl?
I'm not talking about an old toter or something, I'm talking about a retired road semi that you put living quarters in the trailer and tag as an RV. No different than a new Monaco. Recreational use from what I've gathered from those guys. Now DOT and safety, not debating there.

onepieceatatime · Jul 5, 2016

Re:

I'm not sure what it takes to get a vehicle tagged as an RV so you don't need a cdl but I do know that having airbrakes don't mean you need a cdl. People get confused because of the airbrake endorsement. That only counts towards vehicles tagged over 26k.
You can also have a combination that grosses over 26k as long as the truck isn't tagged over 26k and the trailer is tagged less than 10k.
26k and over you need a Class B, add a trailer that's tagged 10k+ and you need a Class A.

We used to run big service trucks that had air brakes and we're tagged at 26k and got away with a normal license.

I've got all my endorsements except a passenger endorsement so I'm good for anything except for a bus.

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fabricator1 · Jul 5, 2016

I'm sure every state is different but in Michigan it is pretty easy to get a big truck tagged as a rv. Last time I did it, you only needed a toilet (portapotty worked) and here we are required to put "not for hire" on the sides. Then no cdl is required as long as you only haul your personal stuff. I wondered how that would work once you travel out of state

Zjman · Jul 5, 2016

onepieceatatime said:
I'm not sure what it takes to get a vehicle tagged as an RV so you don't need a cdl but I do know that having airbrakes don't mean you need a cdl. People get confused because of the airbrake endorsement. That only counts towards vehicles tagged over 26k.
You can also have a combination that grosses over 26k as long as the truck isn't tagged over 26k and the trailer is tagged less than 10k.
26k and over you need a Class B, add a trailer that's tagged 10k+ and you need a Class A.

We used to run big service trucks that had air brakes and we're tagged at 26k and got away with a normal license.

I've got all my endorsements except a passenger endorsement so I'm good for anything except for a bus.

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You put it into words alot better than i could have, and yes state by state there are different laws and some states the law are assholes and pull ya over to see if they can make some money

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Ricky 79cj-7 · Jul 5, 2016

blacksheep10 said:
How are guys using Tractors with large trailers with living quarters to race out of and tagging as RV and no CDL? I know they are empty over 26

I'm not sure what all it takes to tag it as an RV, but recreational vehicles are exempt from the 26,000 limit and do not require CDL.

onepieceatatime · Jul 5, 2016

Re:

There's so many laws that the DOT officers don't really even know them. I've been told stuff that was blatantly wrong during a stop. Not sure if he just didn't know or its a tactic to increase revenue which I wouldn't put past them.

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Marty · Jul 5, 2016

In NC you can tag a road tractor and drive it as recreational if it has an on board generator last we checked. Just because something has air brakes doesn't mean you need a CDL, if its recreation like a class 8 motorhome you are exempt from needing CDLs. I think anything over combined weight of 26k requires a CDL even if its recreation according to the back or our license. Who really knows all the rules. Seems to me you "could" purchase a motorhome and stacker car trailer and be well over 26k but being recreation they won't stop you, but IDK. I had a freightliner sport chassis truck with no air brakes I used to tow a toy hauler and horse trailers and never got pulled, and I know I was over 26k with my TH, but had not for hire decals on the truck. I guess I will find out when I get pulled one day. If you are not "making money" with the 5500 and just using it recreation you just need a commercial policy but no CDL I'm pretty sure.

Rockwells607 · Jul 17, 2016

Well I pulled the the trigger and bought the 13 5500. Allstate insurance wouldn't insure it privately they wanted to do commercial and I didn't . They did sub it out to progressive as private insurance and our Dmv allowed it as private . I hooked to my 48' enclosed and headed to field and Forrest ORV in New Hampshire Thursday night and pulled rt9 through Vermont very well. This road is littered with narrow, 8-12% grade hills and sudden stops for 75 miles . It handled it great and I rarely needed to use the foot brake I just mostly used the trailer brake and engine brake. This truck is all stock but sure hauls awesome. I'm getting 9mpg currently .