1993 dually conversion kit

[1990RangerinSK]

I don't think you need anything, the GVWR of the ranger will be low and if you make your own trailer, you can tag it for anything you want and tag it low. You can even buy a trailer that is tagged heavy, and go back to the manufacturer and they will sell you a tag with a lower GVWR. It's all just paperwork.

That looks like fraud. I know, somebody will tell me it's not, but in reality, if it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, it's a duck. The truth is, you are purposely, and intentionally, UNDERRATING a trailer to get around the requirement of a CDL. You WILL get caught. Somebody will wonder why your trailer is rated so low, while other, identical trailers, are rated much higher.

 

[Dirtman]

No, it's only illegal if you exceed the weight rating of the truck or trailer. If you wanna title your 1,200 pound trailer with a 1,237 pound GVWR it's perfectly legal. If you haul something on said trailer that weighs 38 pounds, then you are breaking the law since you only left 37 pounds for cargo. Its done all the time, if you have a big car hauler trailer that can physically haul 15,000 pounds but only ever use it to haul a 3,000 pound racecar why jump through extra hoops when you can just title it with the actual load its going to be used for, not what its capable of. It's perfectly safe since you are way under the trailers physical load capacity, and perfectly legal so long as you stick to the limitations of the titles GVWR.

 

[Dirtman]

It's actually pretty common practice with people who buy old army duece and a halfs to title them at about a third the actual GVWR. I had one for a couple years. Their actual weight is somewhere around 15,000 pounds if I recall, and have 10,000+ pound cargo capacity which sets their GVWR around 27,000+ pounds (on the low side) when you factor fuel, people, etc so obviously Class B CDL required. But you can title them with say a 17k GVWR and not need a CDL (they are usually hydraulic brake so no air brake endorsement needed either). It was perfectly legal for me to drive my 6x6 beast around so long as I had no big cargo or trailer. If I got pulled over and had to pass the scales and was at 17,001 pounds I'd be screwed.

 

[Rick W]

If it was in commercial service, regular use, especially across state lines, I think fudging any of this stuff is just a violation waiting to happen if you get stopped.

Bur I think you guys kind of figured out this contraption that I’m building isn't going to look like any other trailer and truck on the road. They’re not going to know what the hell to do with iir, and I’m pretty sure they’re going want me to run away quickly unless I’m doing something stupid with it. And I am completely sane and laid back....

Doing this is just a silly thought when I realized this truck was serviceable, I actually just bought it for a few parts, and then I was thinking of one we did about 30 years ago and I got the itch. We built that one out of a teeny Datsun truck just for show, a company mascot and a team building exercise. Motivational lunch wagon on the jobs, and a keg when the projects finished up. Of course I hadn’t developed my extraordinary truck design and construction abilities at that time.

And now I’ve blabbed about it so much I can’t imagine not doing it so half you guys can yell at me and half you guys can tell me it’s great...

BTW, I’m getting visions of a lightweight cross matrix truss trailer frame, but before y’all jump on me for that, let me get the truck running first. & the plan is still the Rick-storation of the 87 4WD first.

 

[franklin2]

In case you haven't figured it out yet, we like to debate among ourselves topics you happen to bring up. It will bring up a rabbit trail that may or may not be about what your project is about. As long as it's for fun, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[Rick W]

Haha, No worries, I was raised in New Joisy, I have a pretty think skin. & it really has been helpful.

Go to YouTube and search this:

“rock smashes truck 990753”

it’s a great visual example of the effectiveness of my vision for the springs and suspension. I’m hoping it’ll convince Don of the load capability.

 

[Rick W]

In that one, with the extra axle, my bed would have been level (as the springs shot out). Mine will be more like this:

“how not to load your oversize! excavator operator overloads truck!“

 

[don4331]

It's actually pretty common practice with people who buy old army duece and a halfs to title them at about a third the actual GVWR. I had one for a couple years. Their actual weight is somewhere around 15,000 pounds if I recall, and have 10,000+ pound cargo capacity which sets their GVWR around 27,000+ pounds (on the low side) when you factor fuel, people, etc so obviously Class B CDL required. But you can title them with say a 17k GVWR and not need a CDL (they are usually hydraulic brake so no air brake endorsement needed either). It was perfectly legal for me to drive my 6x6 beast around so long as I had no big cargo or trailer. If I got pulled over and had to pass the scales and was at 17,001 pounds I'd be screwed.

Ford specifically makes 9,950# GVWR F-350s just for this reason. You can buy an otherwise identical F-350 with 11,500# GVWR. Ford also sells 25,900# GVWR F-650 or 30,200# GVWR ones, depending on how you want to license it. There's a bunch of 9,900# GVWR trailers out there for same reason.

Bur I think you guys kind of figured out this contraption that I’m building isn't going to look like any other trailer and truck on the road. They’re not going to know what the hell to do with iir, and I’m pretty sure they’re going want me to run away quickly unless I’m doing something stupid with it. And I am completely sane and laid back....

Doing this is just a silly thought when I realized this truck was serviceable, I actually just bought it for a few parts, and then I was thinking of one we did about 30 years ago and I got the itch. We built that one out of a teeny Datsun truck just for show, a company mascot and a team building exercise. Motivational lunch wagon on the jobs, and a keg when the projects finished up. Of course I hadn’t developed my extraordinary truck design and construction abilities at that time.

Usually, when authorities don't know what the hell to do with something, they put it where it can't hurt anyone - i.e. impound lot

You, for whom this is a pipe dream, want to convince me, who has an executed example parked in the quonset on farm, that you know the LEGAL capabilities better than I do? SMH

And note there is a difference between stupidity e.g. leaving truck in neutral when docking boat and watching it coast down ramp into lake and breaking law e.g. drinking alcohol and driving. The former, insurance will cover, the latter you are on your own.

 

[don4331]

I didn't get much time to work on my tandem this past weekend, but you will note the frame extension.

@Dirtman: The welds are deliberately fuzzy/ground in the picture to avoid your critique of my work.

 

[Dirtman]

I don't critique welds without being paid first.

 

[Will]

Those dually kits are shit.

RV companies imported those Toyota chassis-cabs, put motor home bodies on them and just added that dually kit and called it good. The axles started breaking. Toyota started replacing all of those axles with a proper full-floating dually, at a loss, just to save their reputation.

If it doesn't serve a purpose, it isn't cool. Having a truck with a weird extra thing isn't cool. Unless it's a badass weird extra thing. Narrow a Dana 70, which is a 7,500# axle. That's a baddass weird thing. The shitty tag axle doesn't do it.

 

[Rick W]

Wow, I just saw don4331’s tandem with pics, great, exactly my concept, but my implantation is different.

 

[don4331]

Those dually kits are shit.

RV companies imported those Toyota chassis-cabs, put motor home bodies on them and just added that dually kit and called it good. The axles started breaking. Toyota started replacing all of those axles with a proper full-floating dually, at a loss, just to save their reputation.

If it doesn't serve a purpose, it isn't cool. Having a truck with a weird extra thing isn't cool. Unless it's a badass weird extra thing. Narrow a Dana 70, which is a 7,500# axle. That's a baddass weird thing. The shitty tag axle doesn't do it.

How does tag have anymore/less purpose than Dana 70?

If I am successful in my request to have my Ranger's GVWR increased by 1,400lbs ( 4 x 1000 lb Wrangler springs versus stock spring 2 x 1,300 lbs) the tag is has bought me extra capacity, smoother ride via the softer springs/load equalizer, increased sway resistance via the 2 rear sways and truck is still same width as stock when parking.​

The Dana 70HD, a10k# axle, with 1 ton dually rims is actually heavier than the frame extension, extra Ford 8" axle and transfer case, so didn't add any additional legal capacity without successful partition to increase GVWR than tag did. Increasing spring from 2 x 1,375 to 2 x 1900lbs, for more/less equal capacity, makes ride extremely rough unloaded, only increases sway resistance via the stiffer springs and is wider than a SRW full size.​

​

p.s. I found Custom and Commercial Wheel makes the rims/adapter/rear fenders shown on the white truck I posted. The price is more than I'm ready to spend at moment though. I have to admit, I wouldn't use their adapters on rear, but would build a full float 8.8 using Dana 44 brakes/hubs/spindles. A FF 8.8 would basically mimic the Toyota FF.

 

[Rick W]

Wow, way above my head. I couldn’t find any of this in my shade tree manual on the legal pad....

 

[Danny74]

You should see the videos....

Videos of what?? Where??