Trailer Width... Too Big? Help.

[miller27]

Looking at buying a fish house that measures 9 feet from wheel to wheel. Anyone have experience with this? What have others done? Is there a way around this or some way to make it legal?

[dirtking]

If you plan on pulling more than a few miles to your local lakes - I would pass - too wide - the max width down a highway is 8'6" everything over that you are supposed to have a permit - are you sure it is exactly 9'?

[jwmiller33]

Looking at buying a fish house that measures 9 feet from wheel to wheel. Anyone have experience with this? What have others done? Is there a way around this or some way to make it legal?

why are you set on 9 feet wide? mind as well go down a half a foot to 8'6" and be legal to drive everywhere. an extra 6 inches doesn't make that big of a difference

[HOT SPOT]

I got a 8x16 house a few yrs ago with the wheels on the outside. Before doing so I called the Local Police deparment and the guy told me that it would be fine for local travel. Two years later I got pulled over and the Officer was a absoule jerk he had me pulled over for over a hr trying to find something to nail me with. To make a long story short he told me to get fenders on it and to get my light working (witch they were) and to put a wide load sign on it. If you get a house that wide keep for local lakes. I am actually selling mine to build a new one.

[stumper]

Not sure on the laws in MN ,but a SD hiway patrolman told me Fish houses are exempt from width restrictions as long as its not being used to haul anything.Put stuff inside and its considered a trailer and needs tags and be legal width. My new shack will be 15' wide.

[dirtking]

Stumper I see where you are going with that - farmers pull stuff down the road all the time that is over 8' and they don't have permits, wide load signs, ect (ag maybe is exempt) That is why I wouldn't be worried pulling it to a local lake (especially if you were semi rural)

If a guy planned to "travel" with the house (even unloaded) I would think you want it legal width.

[pegleg]

Also another thing to consider is if you plan of fishing on Mille Lacs or any big lakes with bridges over cracks, 9' would be too wide. Most bridges are made for 8' houses max. I have that issue occasionally with an 8' 6" house and need to bring other planks along to make the bridges crossable. Just a thought.

[miller27]

I'm not necessarily stuck on the 9 feet. I've just been looking to purchase and found a nice house for the right price. After looking at it and with the wheels on the oustide, it exceeds the legal width. Most of the fishing would be done locally. And i foresee it staying on the lake most of the time. If I wanted to go on a Mille Lacs trip, a guy could always get a permit for that trip I suppose. Thank you all for your input. Any more info is welcomed!!!

[JeffB]

I would go for it if its the right house at the right price. Mine is a little over width and have pulled it around with no problems. Most of my fishing is local and I just use a little more care when pulling it around. A little width does make a big difference in useability. If your the type that always hits the road with it then I wouldn't give you this advice.