Refer info

i would go full ice cream spec great dane

 

How come you refrigerated guys don't know how to spell the type of trailer you drag around?

 

I've been driving reefer trailers for a few months. My company uses Carrier and Thermo King units. I prefer the Thermo Kings. They are quieter and just seem to be better units than the Carriers are. But, I have no experience with working on them, other than having to get one running again after the fuel gelled because it got too cold for the fuel and another time having accidentally run one out of fuel. Both times thet were Thermo Kings and I didn't have any major difficulties getting them back running.

 

I did a bunch of research on both before I bought a (replacement) trailer in December. Although I have never owned one, I have heard that TKs are quieter. TK has a larger dealer network. BTU comparison between TK and carrier are close, with Carrier having a little more-I think 68,000 BTU vs 65,000 BTU on their strongest models (X4 7500 vs Precient-I think)-if I remember correctly. Carrier has used the same Kubota engine and 05G 3 head compressor since the Advantage model in the 1990s-so it is tried and true. I can't speak to TK in that area. I have run 2 Carrier units to 25,000 hrs approximately, and their were still working when I upgraded. I would have run the one I got rid of in December further, except my customer required me to install a satellite temperature monitoring system by February of this year. So I didn't want to spend the money on a trailer I was going to get rid of in 5000-7000 hrs. And besides, used trailer pricing has been very good lately. How many hrs is too many on a used unit? For me, that would depend on where you will be operating/running, and what you will be hauling. I wouldn't be as concerned about the hrs for beer and potatoes, especially if you stay in the northern half of the country. On the other hand, if you are going to be hauling produce that demands the unit to run a lot for airflow, especially if you operate in the southern 1/2 of the country a lot, I would look for as few hours as possible. Otherwise, you might be looking to replace the unit and/or trailer sooner than you would want. Here is some maintenance that you can expect around 12,000-18,000 hours:
1) Nylon gear between compressor and engine
2) Refrigerant valves
3) Unloaders on the compressor head
4) Alternator, water pump, and starter
I wouldn't be afraid of buying a used reefer unit. Worst case (other than losing a load to breakdown) is, if you buy a Carrier, their dealers are required to have at least on unit on hand to replace yours while they fix it, and you lease that unit to complete the delivery. However, I would find a reefer repair shop you can trust and ask them what you can expect to need to be fixed at how many hours, and do it before it breaks down under a load. I prefer an independent (non dealer) shop. The guy who does my big jobs has been a reefer mechanic for 20+ years, and he took over the business his dad started. He knows reefers inside and out, and he is 25% cheaper than a dealer.

 

Because he wanted someone to REFER him to a certain kind of REEFER.

 

Go with the highest seller of reefers and reefer trailers, which is Utility trailers with a Thermo King reefer. As for the hours, I'll guess that 3k-5k represents one year. Mega fleets sell their trailers somewhere between 3-6 years. If you plan to roll to CA (which you should), check for the reefer model because some are only good for 7 years from the engine year.

If you can afford a new reefer trailer, that would be the best way, especially if you’re going to be doing long haul. An old reefer can be costly to maintain and repair, plus increase OS&D problems, which can increase your annual insurance cost.

 

I went the old trailer route for my first one and you get what you pay for. I had constant problems that were so costly, I bought a new trailer less than a year later and left it as a learning experience. A very expensive learning experience.


The seller replaced all the S cams and wheel seals. And did all the brakes when I picked it up. But immediately started playing whack a mole with brake chambers.

Reefer only had 18k on it. So I assumed that was good for a dirt cheap reefer. Nope. Two months later I had to replace the computer on it because the chip board was dry rotting and caused the it to shut down randomly.

Then, 8 months later, a slight damage inside started to bow the wall out severely I could only haul light loads with it. Yeah. Bought a brand new utility with a carrier unit that month. Sold the old trailer to my friend for scrap for $1000. Worth more but friend discount.

The new trailer is now 8 years old. Been paid off for a while. Runs like a champ. Little maintenance. Only 3 breakdowns. Valve went in Florida after loading produce and was fixed within an hour for less than $200. Coolant reservoir cracked. Which is a known problem with carrier. Reefer stayed running, but just lost overflow capability and threw a code until it was replaced later that day. And in Las Vegas, it shut off and was again a valve that failed.

Only has 14500 hours on it. (run a lot of dry loads and total mileage in a year is light compared to many) .

Best purchase I have ever made.

Go new if you can afford it.