Towing Question

[wheelhop]

I have a 3/4 ton truck (with Illinois class B truck plates) and tow a 24 foot enclosed trailer with a chevelle in it.
I was told that I need class D plates for my truck because the limit for B plates is 8000 lbs

My truck weighs about 7,000 lbs, trailer weighs 2500, car weighs 3500 so I'm at 13,000 lbs

Is that weight limit for just load in truck ? or total overall weight of truck, trailer, and car?

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

[Vern B]

This is what it says on their website. Appears it excludes the tow vehicle in the limit.

Best to check with DMV.

“Flat Weight Trucks (over 8000 pounds) license plates (not including tow trucks) are issued on a fiscal-year basis (July 1-June 30)”

[HawkX66]

I think you'll find that it's what your truck is rated for that matters. There should be a sticker inside your door etc that states your GCVWR etc.

[Big Block Bill]

In Illinois it goes by the GVW of the truck no matter what it weighs. I assume your truck has an 8600 GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) for the truck only which in itself requires a "D" (12,000 LBS.) license plate. I have a 1995 K-2500 4X4 with a 454 that I purchased new and it was delivered from the dealer with "B" (8,000 LBS.) license plates.

The state of Illinois is (I believe) using this for a money grab now because if the vehicle has "D" license plate it also has to be inspected twice a year @ an Illinois Safety Lane to the tune of $ 22.00 ? or so per inspection plus "D" plates cost $50.00 ? more per year.

I assume your truck has a 17,500 GCW (Gross Combined Weight) which includes truck, cargo, trailer and contents. If I were to sell my truck, the next owner would be required to register with "D" plates in the state of Illinois. Welcome to Illinois! The home of "CROOK" County. I hope this helps.

Bill

[1967 4K]

I’ve always been told to not haul or tow in the state of Illinois because you’ll probably get ticketed for some reason. I quess it’s all about making money!

[mprice]

I live in Illinois and have heard stories from guys in the Chicago area regarding big tickets written for over weight towing trailers. I talked to local police, state police and secretary of state police and they all told me the same thing and that is the tow truck plate has to be plated for the weight that the truck is carrying not towing. The trailer then must be plated for its gross weight. My 3500 crew cab dually runs a B plated and the trailer is also a 24' and I haul all years of Chevies. I will have to look at the plate I have on the trailer and check the letter code but I have a 10,000 lb plate on it that also requires a safety inspection every 6 months. Now on my car hauler that carries a car on its back I have I think a D plate on it and again it requires a safety inspection every 6 months. I think these guys that are getting ticketed are running over weight on their trailers with a 7,000 lb plates on them. I know they will nail you hard if you are over weight. I also have been told that you can't plate a truck or trailer for less than it is classified for i.e. you can't plate a 10,000 ib trailer with a 7,000 license plate.

[RPOLS3]

Good conversation.......

So if a guy tows a 6,000 or 7,000# enclosed trailer/car combo with a Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon that has regular passenger car plates what happens?

What about people with boats - same scenario?

[Vern B]

Boats and campers both have to be a huge moneymaker.

Talk about government gone wild. If IL is like some states and prisoners make the license plates and you have two of your governors in prison, it's got to be expensive at their pay scales. Gotta recover that cost somehow.

[tabooo]

Good one Vern!!!

[wheelhop]

All great info and thanks for all your replies. I think I will go and get the class D plates from the DMV and the 6 month inspection is required then, but I've heard it's done at local shops and not very strict.
I believe it will be an extra $50 a year for the plates and the $25 or so every six months for the inspections.

You're right, Illinois is very crooked and broke and I'd love to move to Tennessee in the near future!

[Big Block Bill]

I live in Illinois and have heard stories from guys in the Chicago area regarding big tickets written for over weight towing trailers. I talked to local police, state police and secretary of state police and they all told me the same thing and that is the tow truck plate has to be plated for the weight that the truck is carrying not towing. The trailer then must be plated for its gross weight. My 3500 crew cab dually runs a B plated and the trailer is also a 24' and I haul all years of Chevies. I will have to look at the plate I have on the trailer and check the letter code but I have a 10,000 lb plate on it that also requires a safety inspection every 6 months. Now on my car hauler that carries a car on its back I have I think a D plate on it and again it requires a safety inspection every 6 months. I think these guys that are getting ticketed are running over weight on their trailers with a 7,000 lb plates on them. I know they will nail you hard if you are over weight. I also have been told that you can't plate a truck or trailer for less than it is classified for i.e. you can't plate a 10,000 ib trailer with a 7,000 license plate.

I owned a towing business for 33 years. We towed for the Elk Grove Village Illinois Police & the Illinois State Police departments based out of Elgin (District # 2 I-290 & Elgin O'hare) and Chicago (the old District # 3) with Flat bed Tow trucks plated with Illinois Tow Truck Plates. The Tow Truck plates were all rated for what the Tow Truck's GVW was rated for on the Data plate from the Manufacturer or greater, but never under. We towed many trucks for over load tickets because the vehicle was plated for UNDER the manufactures GVW rating IE: a 10,000 GVW Dually with "B" 8,000 LBS. plates so my suggestion to you is to re-plate your Dually to a "D" 12,000 GVW plate

As far as the question of towing a Trailer, Camper, or Boat with a Tahoe, Suburban, or Denali type vehicle, they are all exempt to a weight rated Truck plate. A passenger car (a vehicle that carries passengers with windows and proper seating but not a Pickup Truck) plate has 1 plate option, a passenger plate (in Illinois) with no maximum weight rating. All my K-2500 Big Block 4X4 Suburban's had a 8600 GVW and had Passenger plates on it. The trailer then must be classed @ the maximum GVW of the trailer. An Avalanche can not have passenger plates and must have truck plates because it has a pickup truck style bed, I know first hand because I plated an Avalanche with passenger plates, got a written warning from the Elk Grove Village Police (Nice) , and I got a letter in the mail from the Illinois Secretary Of State a week later telling me to go to a local SOS office and purchase the correct "B"Truck when they were the one's who originally let me transfer them in the first place!

So what I am trying to say is, in the State of Illinois, the vehicle is always plated for it's manufactured use and GVW. You can only put a Tow Truck plate on Tow Truck. Once you pull a vehicle off it's wheels (like on a Flat bed Tow Truck) it is no longer governed by the Secretary of State, it is now called Cargo and it is regulated by the Illinois Commerce (ICC) which is a whole additional can of worms.

Bill

[Tommy]

You're right, Illinois is very crooked and broke and I'd love to move to Tennessee in the near future!


Alabama Jim! Not Tennessee Jim! I told you what my property taxes are here... Our tags are cheaper too. :)

Tommy