I'm trying to understand how combination weights work with a truck like an F-350. I want to have a combination that is under 26,000 lb. I may need to purchase another truck, I'm not sure exactly how to go about this.

if I do, then I need suggestions.

I have a backhoe that I would like to move non-cdl. The machine weighs about 12,000 lb.

it's very confusing what I can legally do and what I can't legally do.

I'm certain that hot shot haulers that have a combination like an F-350 dual wheel truck and a 40' trailer can scale about 12,000 lb. Usually it's something like their GVW is 12,000 on the truck and they have a 14,000 lb trailer.

I only need a 25 ft trailer so it's quite a bit lighter even than what they pull in that combination. Even a heavier GVW trailer is lighter.

I've been told by the trailer salesman that I need a light truck like a 3/4 ton truck, with a 16,000 lb trailer. I'm trying to figure out if that's the better way to go or if there's another way.

I have a 1995 F450. This is the best truck I could pull my backhoe with because it's got a colossal 11,000 lb rear in it and a nice Cummins diesel. It has a 14,500 GVW.

But we have the CDL issue and if I need to I could buy a different truck.

The salesman tells me that dot would give me a hard time with that truck because there's not enough weight on the truck itself at 11,500 lb trailer rating.

I've always been told with the 26,000 combination like that they do not check your axle weights. I've been told when you go through the scales, if they see you are under 26,000 pounds, if they pull you in it's not for a weight violation. At the same point in time your tires and axles do have to be able to support whatever weight you're pulling. So I'm not sure how they go about that type of inspection unless they actually weigh your axles.

Is there any reason that I can't use a 16,000 lb trailer derated to 11,500 lb? Is there any reason that I can't move the fifth wheel forward, like they do on big trucks, and put whatever amount of weight I want on that giant truck and pull it that way?

The truck itself with a bed on it weighs about 7,500 lb. The trailer weighs 5300 lb. That's 12,800 lb total. That leaves you with about 13,200 lb.

the truck itself is good for 14,500 lb, so that means if it weighs 7500 lb, you could put 6,500 from the trailer onto the truck, not that I would want to put fully that much onto the truck, but I'm saying that the truck is really capable of taking a lot of that load.

So what I'm really looking for is, how do I make this work with these weights? If I need another truck and trailer that's fine but I need a way to put this together that I can move this backhoe and other equipment that weighs about 12,000 lbs.

I also have another F350 that is 13,000 lb. This truck would be my next choice. Is it possible with an F-350 with 13,000 gvw?

The Last Choice is another F-350 that I have that is 11,000 lb GVW or to buy another truck that is 10,000 lb gvw