TRACTOR PARTS Allis Chalmers Case & David Brown Farmall & International Ferguson Ford & New Holland John Deere Massey Ferguson Massey Harris Minneapolis Moline Oliver & Cockshutt Kubota / Yanmar

TRACTOR MANUALS

Allis Chalmers	Case	Farmall IH	Ford 8N,9N,2N	Ford
Ferguson	John Deere	Massey Ferguson	Minn. Moline	Oliver

Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal???

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register

Author

davpal

11-03-2006 22:52:04

Report to Moderator

I was at the elevator today and a guy told me he thought it is illegal to haul two gravity wagons with a pickup but is ok to do so with a tractor. I wasn't aware of it at all and have been doing so for a while now. Anybody know the laws? I am in Michigan if that matters or not. Thanks.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

sammy the RED

11-04-2006 20:05:05

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to davpal, 11-03-2006 22:52:04

In Michigan:
Legal to pull ONE farm implement with a pickup.
Legal to pull TWO farm implements with a tractor.

Never heard of having to plate a farm wagon/trailer, as long as you have a SMV and don't speed.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

thejdman01

11-04-2006 18:30:41

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to davpal, 11-03-2006 22:52:04

I dont know about michicgan but around here at least they are pretty leanient. Cops check for smv and chains (though i have to admit on all my wagons if they broke free the chains wouldnt stop them). They are pretty lienient around here one guy has a tandem axle grain truck with 3 400 bushel wagons behind it and they dont bother him. Couple guys pull 3 smaller wagons (300 bushel heaped) with atractor which is illeagle but the dont bother them one guy around here pulls 2 800 bushel wagons (basically 1600 bushel on 4 axles). I never understood how they make them as you can no waay scale with taht short of wheelbase that much grain but they seem to leave them alone. Most cops dont bother them but to me that much weight esp on single tires 4 axles on a short wheel base (compared to like a semi) woulnt be legal. the big thing i see is so many people putting car tires on their wagons and they weave ALL OVER THE ROAD. I keep all pins tight mine will pull straight at 30mphif i wanted to. Technically an y vehicle moving more then 20mph is not a vheicle of husbandry but most tractors go 25mph or so but again no one bohters them

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

HAPPY DEERE\

11-04-2006 12:07:53

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to davpal, 11-03-2006 22:52:04

around here you can have 2 wagons of upto 600 bushels apiece with chains not exceeding the speed of 15mph and not going trough town. we just use our kinze 800bu and say the heck with it.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Dan-IA

11-04-2006 11:46:04

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to davpal, 11-03-2006 22:52:04

We've done it for a long time. Gotta have safety chains on the back one too, but we did it with a pickup with 200bu wagons. No problem, even when a cop drives by. He just checks for chains and the slow-moving sign and moves along.

I've seen guys pull a couple loaded 640s with a pickup, but I thought they were asking for trouble. Try to stop that with a pickup, and I'm bettin' they'll find out they don't have near enough weight on the pickup to stop it. Nothing like being pushed sideways by a loaded wagon to teach you a healthy respect for 'em! They call 'em Grain Trains for a reason, I'm thinking.

But the law in Iowa (except for the present overweight moratorium extension) is 80,000lbs on the road. Presently 90,000 (an extra 150bu or so), but that expires the end of the month. So say the guys on the radio.

But 3 isn't legal. 2 hitches is the limit here.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

John (C-IL)

11-04-2006 04:50:41

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to davpal, 11-03-2006 22:52:04

It's legal in Illinois to pull 2 but there is a weight limit of 18,000 per unit. A couple of guys here are pulling 2 600 bu. with a Dodge 3/4 ton pickup. Anybody want a used pickup?

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Dan-IA

11-04-2006 11:55:12

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to John (C-IL), 11-04-2006 04:50:41

18,000? That sounds unreasonable to me.

Figuring a bushel of beans is somewhere around 60 pounds, 18,000 / 60 = 300. I'd be surprised if you couldn't use bigger wagons than that.

Or am I missing something? I'm still wet behind the ears, I'll admit.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

11-04-2006 07:10:20

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to John (C-IL), 11-04-2006 04:50:41

I have not checked the laws around here concering that, but I went to get plates for a trailer this summer and found out if I were pulling a trailer with over 16,000, I think that was the number, with a pickup, I would need a CDL to pull it, so does that mean you would need a CDL to pull 1 or 2 wagons with 18,000# each? I know at times the DOT cops like to mess with farmers in central Illinois this time of year.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Leland

11-04-2006 16:04:10

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to JT, 11-04-2006 07:10:20

JT I saw a guy dumping at Barr that had a 800 bushel wagon hooked behind his semi trailer wonder if that is legal since the truck had only 73,280 plates the wagon alone probley weighed 44,000 lbs by it's self so he was pushing almost 100,000 + lbs wonder what that overload would be ?? The weight limit for and 5 axle semi at least 45' or longer is only 80,000

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Dan-IA

11-04-2006 12:02:20

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to JT, 11-04-2006 07:10:20

I have a neighbor that scraps old iron. He pulls a trailer around pretty regularly. Used to be, he didn't much care which pickup he used. But he came to find out that one of them (with a custom dumptruck-like box) weighed 1500lbs more than the other, and a cop tried to tell him he needed a CDL to pull it like that--qualifies as a tractor/trailer. But the other pickup was fine and dandy. Oh, and here's a $90 ticket to prove it. That lesson was not lost on him.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Bruno

11-04-2006 06:39:15

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to John (C-IL), 11-04-2006 04:50:41

I think in Illinois it's 18K per axle.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

jhill52

11-04-2006 04:17:36

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to davpal, 11-03-2006 22:52:04

I am in Mi and it IS NOT legal to pull 2 gravity boxs behind a pickup. It is legal to pull 2 behind a tractor. You are also supposed to have license plates on a gravity box behind a pickup. At 20,000 lbs you are also exceeding the GCVW of your truck as well but nobody seems to worry about that either.

Where are you at Davpal. I am near Cass City.

Jerry

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

davpal

11-04-2006 17:19:33

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to jhill52, 11-04-2006 04:17:36

Jerry, I am North of Lansing right in the middle of the state. I went to the elevator tonight and only hauled one box. We are getting down to the end of combining. It has been so wet, I could put some pics on the "stuck and troubled" part of this forum. Makes the job so much more difficult when it is wet. Beans are pretty good though so we have been plugging along. Later.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

ken church

11-04-2006 02:42:49

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to davpal, 11-03-2006 22:52:04

It is NOT legal to pull more than one behind a truck in Mi. Tractor may pull 2. I know a lot of guys that pull 2 and usually nobody bothers them, I'm sure if something would happen though it could be a serious problem.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Don-Wi

11-03-2006 23:09:33

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to davpal, 11-03-2006 22:52:04

No idea in Michigan, but I see it done all the time in Wisconsin. I know it's illegal to pull triples w/ a semi in Wisconsin, but doubles are o.k.

The only problem I would have with that, is if it were 2 of those gigantic gravity boxes, or a little bitty 1/2 ton pulling the wagons. If it's a 3/4 or 1 ton pulling 2 "normal" gravity boxes, I wouldn't see much of a problem, but most of it would have to do with weight, speed, and stopping power. Too much weight and too much speed with 2 wagons is asking for trouble.

That said, I have pulled 2 wagons of round bales behind my truck, I think it was 10 per wagon. I only drive a 1/2 ton F150. Don't think that's nearly as heavy as 2 gravity boxesthough, but I could be wrong. I wouldn't go more than 20 or so with 2 wagons behind me.

Donovan from Wisconsin

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

davpal

11-03-2006 23:21:37

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to Don-Wi, 11-03-2006 23:09:33

They are normal sized and usually have about 280-290 bushels of beans in them. It is usually about a 20,000 pound gross load at the scales. I think one holds 135 and the other holds 150. I only go 20-25 mph and it is a F-350 4x4 that I haul them with. I only have to go about 5 miles to my local elevator. I roll up on stop signs very carefully because stopping power is pretty marginal at best. Take off in creaper gear, hope the clutch face doesn't rip off and drive in third at about 25 max. Once they get rolling it does really well with them. Just don't want to get an expensive ticket or especially hurt anybody. I am in a very rural area but it can still be pretty busy. Thanks.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Semper Fi Guy

11-04-2006 02:33:53

Report to Moderator

Re: Is Hauling 2 Gravity Boxes Legal??? in reply to davpal, 11-03-2006 23:21:37

I word form the "not so wise"....watch your tires in the mirror, I had one blow out and I heard it pop , couldn't pull over anywhere so after a mile up the road I was informed by someone behind me that I was in trouble back there, the wheel had lost the tire, tube and the rim had closed up like a Morning Glory bloom around the hub and it was sliding and making sparks, I lost no corn that time, yes, I have a Guardian Angel that works overtime!

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

[Options] [Printer Friendly] [Posting Help] [Return to Forum] [Log in to Reply]

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home | Forums

Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy