Road trip with trailer

**Canuck** · #1 07-22-2008, 02:40 AM

I am heading to Detroit towing a 24 foot Wells Cargo behind a GMC Yukon XL. the route I am taking is mostly I-90 across Washinton,Montana,Wyoming,South Dakots and then I-80 past Chicago and up to Detroit.
Are there any issues I need to address re DOT,federal or State for this trailer.
I real somewhere once that all private trailers had to have "Not for Hire" lettered on them. What about Weigh scales? Di I have to report in all sates?
Any advice greatly appreciated.

Paul

Novadiecast · #2 07-22-2008, 03:13 AM

No, You will be fine. No Scales. I just towed my 24 Trailer from Chicago to Nevada twice. Never stopped at all. I have even towed it from Chicago to Connecticut with no plates on it before. But I don't recommend that.

**firstgenaddict** · #3 07-22-2008, 03:30 AM

Just got back from Detroit last weeekend towing a 20 ft haulmark with an F350 power stroke... flew by every weight station... no problems at all... except for $5.00 diesel...

Chevy454 · #4 07-23-2008, 01:37 AM

[ QUOTE ]
... flew by every weight station...

[/ QUOTE ]
You shouldn't have a problem with the smaller trailers (under 10k pounds gross trailer weight)...every once in a while, we get hasseled with our big trailer (45' gooseneck enclosed). Since we downgraded from the TopKick to the 1-ton, I never stop at the scales...except 1 time, coming home from Memphis Motorsports Park, my buddy and I had a state highway patrol force us across 3 lanes of traffic to the scales...he went on by, and the scale guy didn't even slow us down...I was initially worried we were in trouble, but then p!ssed that the patrol guy made us go across traffic like that.

**SS427** · #5 07-23-2008, 01:49 AM

It helps if your trailer has no advertizing on the side such as a business. We were stopped many years ago because the owners trailers had the name of his bodyshop on the side. It was only after we proved it was his car and we were headed to a show did they let us go on but checked every square inch of the trailer for safety violations. They said that the trailer MUST have "Not For Hire" on it since we were using it for recreational purposes but then I would think that would have been contradictory to it being a business trailer.

**Canuck** · #6 08-11-2008, 10:10 PM

Returned from 17 day road trip on Saturday. Covered 5800 miles and sucked about 550 gallons of gas. Truck/trailer combo performed flawlessly.
Chose a US route, I-90 to I-80 around Chicago(Sunday evening-easy traffic Eastbound). Return trip came through Canada back home to Vancouver.
Visited a few car museums along the way. Deer Lodge Wy, good colection of cars with good muscle car display.Pioneer Museum in Murdo SD. Waste of $8. Its basicly a indoor junkyard with the parts still attached to the cars. Sad to see some rare muscle displayed like that. Also visited the Gilmore Museum at Hickery Corners Michigan. Beautiful facility.
Bonus of the trip was a tour of the GM Heritage Center and a special arranged visit to the support warehouses and facilities where the cars are maintained. Took lots of photos but were requested not to post to Internet for security reasons.
Purpose of trip was to attend Olds Nationals. Pictures are posted elsewhere.
My car on display.

Dedicated to the Promotion and Preservation of American Muscle Cars, Dealer built Supercars and COPO cars.