2BLAZERS
KEIZER, OREGON
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Joined: 07/11/2005
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tmartin000 wrote:BigToe wrote:In some states, removing the factory pick up body can change the registration status of the truck, which can lead to higher annual fees, weight declaration requirements, stopping at roadside scales, and other potential vulnerabilities if a highway patrol officer really wants to hassle you.
Specifically, in California, once the factory pickup bed is removed and a flatbed installed instead, the truck now legally is required to stop at scales, as it is no longer a "pick up". This is not practically enforced, but it is legally enforceable.
California actually has set forth a statutory definition of "pick up", and ever since the Commercial Vehicle Registration Act of 2001, trucks that are not "pick ups" have to have declared, in advance, the maximum weight that will be borne and towed by the truck, and pay fees according to that declaration. Should a CHP pull a flat bed truck over for not stopping at the scales, and should the CHP decide to weigh the truck and the weight of the truck, camper, and trailer exceeds the amount that was previously declared, then the fine is the maximum fees that would be levied on an 18 wheeler semi declaring 80,000 lbs.
Pickups, on the other hand, do not have to anticipate what weight they will carry. An owner of a pickup can decide one day to pull a 9,999 lb trailer, while having a 5,000 lb BigFoot 3000 in the bed, and not have to have paid fees for 22K gross combined like a flat bed truck owner would have had to do in order to operate legally in that configuration. Keep in mind, these rules apply irrespective of the door plate rating of the underlying truck chassis, and irrespective of the fact that the chassis could very well be the exact same.
The rules apply to merely the characteristic of the bed. And that is one reason why some California light truck owners keep the pickup bed installed, even when aluminum flat beds with underslung tool boxes offer more common sense convenience and practical utility.
Don't really care since I don't live in California. With Oregon plates, they'll probably wave as I drive by. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
But us Oregonians get stuck with stupid rules about T-plates and heavy ''non-RV'' trailers. So my 10k rated Enclosed Trailer is a pain in Oregon. Oregon considers any ''non-RV'' trailer rated over 8K a ''heavy'' trailer subject to T plate rules and weight registration and yearly fee. And yes the TC is included in the weight I register for.
* This post was
edited 06/20/16 12:23pm by 2BLAZERS *
2016 Dodge Ram 3500 CC Dually Cummins,Aisin,Laramie,4*4,4.10,14K
2017 Stealth WA2916 Toyhauler
2011 Arctic Fox 1150 Drybath
2017 Polaris 1000 XP Sportsman
2009 Polaris RZR w/fun parts
2014 Polaris 850 HO Scrambler
1977 K5 Blazer 1ton'd
2005 Pace Enclosed Toybox
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Bedlam
PNW
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Joined: 06/13/2012
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Torklift now has the GlowStep Revolution for trailers and side door TC's. When I get my triple, I will converting my GlowSteps with the Revolution mounting hardware. My buddy's Mammoth on a F350 even needs an additional foot stool step to get in, so the problem is not limited to your Chalet.
WA also looks at enclosed trailers over 10K lbs as commercial. They downgrade the rating on the trailers going to the state to save the buyer. Once you get to the large triple axle models, you're on the hook for commercial unless you add enough living quarters to call it an RV (you then get an exemption to the weight limit). My trailer is running dual 5200 lb torsion axles with newly upgraded 2805 lb rated tires and rims, but is still tagged under the 10K lb limit.
Chevy Sonic 1.8-Honda Passport C70B-Host Mammoth 11.5-Interstate Car Carrier 20-Joyner SandViper 250-Kawasaki Concours ZG1000-Paros 8' flatbed-Pelican Decker DLX 8.75-Ram 5500 HD
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2BLAZERS
KEIZER, OREGON
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Joined: 07/11/2005
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I totally would go flat bed if you are not pushing the rear axle weight limits, tire limits or vehicle GVW limits. As flatbed usually means boxes for more stuff.
For me I choose a regular pickup box as I daily drive my dually to work and everything still.
If money was unlimited I'd do a Ram 5500 flatbed in a heartbeat for camper hauling. And drive a SRW daily. But $$$
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SoCalDesertRider
Arizona desert
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Joined: 12/14/2003
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California is very easy on trailers. My trailers were about $25 to register with permanent plates, which need to be renewed every 5 years for $10. I guess they're not really permanent, LOL.
Arizona is much harder on trailers. The same 2 trailers are $129 each to register with permanent plates. Permanent plates are truly permanent in AZ though..
01 International 4800 4x4 CrewCab DT466E Allison MD3060
69Bronco 86Samurai 85ATC250R 89CR500
98Ranger 96Tacoma
20' BigTex flatbed
8' truck camper, 14' Aristocrat TT
73 Kona 17' ski boat & Mercury 1150TB
92F350 CrewCab 4x4 351/C6 285 BFG AT 4.56 & LockRite rear
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SoCalDesertRider
Arizona desert
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Joined: 12/14/2003
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California is hell on cab/chassis trucks. I had 2 F350's in California, one 92 4wd crew cab single rear wheel pickup and one 97 4wd regular cab dually flatbed.
The pickup was $250/yr to register.
The F350 flatbed was $750/yr to register and I had to display my state weight sticker and stop at all scales.
I tried to take my F350 pickup through a state scale once, they got mad and told me to leave and don't come back. LOL
Then I brought both trucks to Arizona and registered them here when I moved here. The flatbed truck was $250/yr to register and the pickup is $65/yr to register.
Neither of them had to display any weight stickers. The flatbed had to go through the scales, but the only scales we have here are at the state borders. California has scales all throughout the interior of the state, as well as at all the border crossings.
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arto_wa
S.W. Washington State
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Joined: 02/25/2007
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Thanks for the link - interesting looking models.
It looks like these designs are non removable, similar to Class C motorhomes here but built on European or Japanese pickup or van cab chassis.
I agree about the large floorspace, but the camper portion cannot be removed or the truck used for hauling other loads.
1974 Dodge pickup:
![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/wqcCNMDl.jpg )
![[image]](http://bit.ly/1CIRlV8)
99 F350 4x4 CC DRW 7.3L PSD, 97 Bigfoot 2500 10.6
(11,900#)
89 Duckworth 17' Pro 302
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RobertRyan
Australia
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Joined: 03/16/2008
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arto_wa wrote:
Thanks for the link - interesting looking models.
It looks like these designs are non removable, similar to Class C motorhomes here but built on European or Japanese pickup or van cab chassis.
I agree about the large floorspace, but the camper portion cannot be removed or the truck used for hauling other loads.
1974 Dodge pickup:
Of course very popular in Australia, where even F250/F350's are converted to flat beds. Phoenix Campers in the US has a new Flatbed model
Phoenix Campers Flatbed
![[image]](http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a186/RobRyan7/image_zpssqxu57qn.jpeg)
Local Australian Flatbed
![[image]](http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a186/RobRyan7/image_zpsgzmkcwdk.jpeg)
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joerg68
St. Ingbert, Germany
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Joined: 02/27/2009
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Quote:It looks like these designs are non removable,
Oh, they are:
http://www.bimobil.com/en/bimobil-system/pickup-system/
But since they do not sit in the truck bed, they look like they are not ;-)
2014 Ford F350 XLT 6.2 SCLB + 2017 Northstar Arrow
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ticki2
NH
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Joined: 07/09/2008
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If I am reading correctly they are demountable and interchangeable with a truck bed with their system . Pretty slick .
'68 Avion C-11
'02 GMC DRW D/A flatbed
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![[image]](http://i.imgur.com/wqcCNMD.jpg )
