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Kerry: I've had various truck and trailer combinations over the years. Lightest being a single wheel 3/4 pickup with 16' tandem car hauler to heavy of a single axle highway tractor with 40' tandem trailer with air brakes. Regardless of various jurisdiction laws, if some part of that vehicle fails and you become involved in an accident, your in trouble. What authorities are going to look at more so than their own laws, did you exceed the manufacturers rating on any part on the combination of truck or trailer. Here is the kicker in my opinion. One ton dualies are little more than a 3/4 pickup with dual wheels. To buy a new one equiped for trailering you will come within 10% of price of s/a highway tractor equiped with air brakes. I have even seen situation where the one ton dually cost more. The highway tractor will be very close on fuel efficiency and over the years cost less on repairs. Now if your going for a used unit you'll probably buy the highway tractor for less. Next, after you've had air brakes, anything less will seem like throwing a lasso around the nearest tree for stopping. My guess is probably 75% of pickups and dualies with fifth wheel or bumper hitch trailers shouldn't even be on the highways. Then it comes right down to how much you plan to use it. If semis will do your moves for under $3,000. per year, that isn't going far towards keeping your trailer on the road. One other matter and this became my problem with the single axle highway tractor, people where always wanting to hire it, thus it was never home when I wanted it. I had 3 trailers, and found myself on numerous ocasions hiring a tractor to pull one of my trailers.
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