seriously thinking of buying a stepdeck. advice needed

I used to live in Calif. Now I live in Houston. Dispatched just about all my life til I got here. Pulled rail cans, dry van , then I bought a flat then moved to step.
I love my step , mine is low pro and I find it extremely versatile. I like tying down my freight and being able to look at it and check it whenever I stop.
My opinion is that a step w ramps is an awesome set up, with lots of versatility.

You mentioned LS but another company where guys seem to be really happy is Mercer, you should check out both subforums and ask questions there also

From my personal experience, I love open deck , I found everything else boring. The rates arent that bad you get to drag chains around , usually load and unload quickly unless youre hauling pipe or some of these steel yards.
I think one of the best things about open deck is for the most part NO APPOINTMENTS so alot of stress is alliviated.

Good luck brother.

 

Their level to this game, Start with a cheap flatbed than move up if you like open deck.

 

buy a steel step, with steel you can get a trailer with a high concentrated weight rating,apitong deck,aluminum is a lttle llighter but the only advantage is trying to get flatbed loads. Steel has stronger tie down points, very important
get a 40ft lower deck min,, 10ft top deck, a spread axle that can meet Calif king pin law, make sure you get ABS on all axles and for a couple thousand more go for disc,,2 storage boxes min ,4 is better but they can be added later, 18 sliding strap winches on one side and at least 6 on the other, go for a 6 tail light on back,,2 turn signal on each side, have a 12volt receptical on the rear so you have a place to hook up lights for wide or long loads, and a dump valve on the rear axle makes tight turns easy with out damaging tire,, a low step is better too,,loads over 10 high pay more.
Look at Doonan, they are great trailers, well built, great support and a 5 year bumper to bumper warranty,,plus a high resale value
Don't worry about ramps for now you can add latter, lots of places that ship vehicles have docks,,loads that they want ramps usually do so to avoid higher RGN rates,,With a step you make money hauling loads that flats can not,,specialized is the game not hauloing max weight and bulk loads like lumber or sheet rock

 

I agree with most of what's posted, except for the highlighted part. I pulled a couple brand new Doonan low-profile extendable steps for five months this year. I didn't like them at all. They seemed cheaply built and I just didn't like them or the way anything was laid out. I have been much happier with Manac and when parked beside a Doonan the difference in build quality and layout is evident. I was in the midst of ordering a Manac when my business took a detour, but if I do purchase, that's where my money is going. YMMV

 

I think leasing your tractor on with a company like Landstar or Mercer would be the best way to go starting out. Pull their flat or step and find out how you like open deck freight without committing yourself to a purchase. If you decide you'd like to continue with open deck, you could then buy a trailer knowing full well what to expect! I, myself, prefer the Fontaine Revolution because of the side rail and super light aluminum construction. It works well for my flatbed operation.

 

If you can keep those PITA bed bug customers happy then IMO you can secure open deck freight without damaging it. You use blankets and we use edge protectors.

I agree with most of what was posted except:

1. Ric said mostly no appointments but almost everything I do has a crane appointment at delivery. You do not want to be late for those so planning and reliable equipment that will pas DOT inspections are key.

2. Pahrump said get a dump valve on the rear axle for tight corners. Do not dump the air when loaded. We cracked both main beams in a Reitnouer that way.

3. Pahrump said get ABS on all axles but that is just more stuff to replace IMO. When you have to have to diagnose twice as many faults and replace twice as many sensors and controllers you may wish you had ABS on only one axle. BTW, tractors and trailers manufactured before a certain date are exempt from ABS.....'99 for trailers and '98 for trucks???? Double check that in the FMCSA regs because my dates may be off.

Other than that, good info.

EDIT: I would rather lease to your brother than give Landstar a nickel. By leasing to them (or Mercer) you disqualify yourself from at least 80% of the freight available.

3.

 

Its on or after 3/97 for ABS on trucks.

 

A little bit of this, a little bit of that.

There's lots of different angles here. I'm pulling a step deck, but I'm moving to a flat. I pull a lot of freight where you can load it on a step, but it's better to load it on a flat. I also like to do LTLs and flats work better for that.

The comment about steel trailers having stronger tiedowns is incorrect, my East trailer spools has WLL of 6600 which is the same as gr 70 3/8 chain. I don't see anyone running more than 3/8 chain unless they pull an RGN. So it really is a non-issue, but depends on which brand you buy. In fact the siderail on a Fontaine Revolution which is aluminum is likely stronger than any steel/aluminum siderail out there.

What's most important is what you will be putting on the trailer. Since you're from California you want either a 48 with any axle setup, or a 53 with fixed closed tandem, rear slider, or independent sliders. So first you have to decide if you want a 48 or 53, and a 53 typically adds 800-1000 lbs, plus whatever for a sliding system.

You will likely be spending around $3500 for gear including tarps, headache rack, chains, binders, straps, bungees, strap winder, winch bars(two), etc.. I recommend ratcheting binders over snap binders.

Here's one thing I will tell you, don't be afraid to buy a new trailer. They simply don't depreciate, and come with a 5-10 year warranty depending on which part you're talking about. Imagine buying a 40k trailer and it's worth 25k in 10 years.

You will also be surprised how much storage you need. I have two large toolboxes on the truck, and FOUR on the trailer although I don't use it all. I could get away with one on the trailer. Keep in mind my jockey boxes are full of tools and parts, not flatbed equipment.