Boog

I can't imagine the "towing" vehicle part being upheld in IL. I've been on the short end of the stick re. wagon overloads. We're easy pickings. But-if I'm pulling any wagon w/a 25-30,000# tractor....I'd be overloaded w/just the empty wagon (36,000 max). I can see it if some of the weight were transferred to the tractor...which could be the case w/grain carts. Maybe that's what they're talking about. You'd still be totally screwed w/a tractor & an empty grain cart of much size at all. The kicker in IL is the exclusion from "items of husbandry" of wagons/carts. However, I think our law is clear that a farm tractor IS an item of husbandry. Now-if you're pulling w/pickup or 1T or heavier (lots here pull wagons w/2T grain trucks or big tandem dumps), I'd think the tow vehicle would be subject to it's own weight laws. I've never seen anything about towing weight...just the axle loads. The only thing you'd pick up on axle load is the weight of the tongue of the wagon...maybe 50# on the hitch.

Of course, I feel & have always felt, that certain tickets & fines are utilized simply as revenue, not punishment or deterrment. Could be wrong though.