Heavy haul van... anything I should know?

Don’t let the extra axles intimidate you. Once you learn the weights it’s just like any other truck. Yes you’re grossing 20-25k more than a regular truck, but you also have 3 more axles with brakes on them. And you will have more leeway when it comes to loading and your axle weights. I’m not sure of their exact setup but I would bet if you add up the max weights for your axle groups that it will be at least 2-3k more than what you can actually gross.

 

Pretty much true. We're licensed up to 105,500, but getting up to there is pretty rare. The most I scaled out at was 103,000 a few times, but most of our loads were no greater than 102,000.

 

No problem.......

 

3 axle trailer will react slower when backing,...you'll finger it out. Depending on setup usually my lead axle lifts on 3 or 4 axle trailer. On a 5 axle the lead and aft axle lifts. Every company seems to have equipment plumbed different. You only grossing 105K,,,thats spit, you won't hardly notice the extra weight, you will appreciate the nice ride.

 

Your going to be alittle slower up/down hills with an extended weight truck. Your not a 5 axle truck anymore. You moving into the next level of driving. Probably an 18sp with 575hp engine. Run it cool.

 

As far as van freight goes, you're not necessarily going to be dealing with the extra gears and power.

I'm not sure about Gardner, or Swift for that matter, but here at Wilson, we have two different setups on the same model trucks, same engines (Pete 579s): the Haney trucks (Haney Trucking was purchased by Wilson) with the white paint are 2016s, and were set up a little better power-wise. Paccar MX-13, 505hp with 13 sp autos, the black Wilsons are 420hp, 12 sp autos. When I'm talking to some friends on the phone, the running joke is, "Hey, I just passed another Wilson truck..."

 

Seen some 4x10' spread vans come to Ohio form Canada set up like a flatbed. Front two lift. The 10' spread on the rear turns slower than a closed tandam. But you could have a dump on rear axle. Then it will piviot on the front axle in the the number 3 position. Then it backs and turns very, very fast.

 

Haneys gone, they were around a long time. 400 & 500 horse trucks don't cut it for 53 ton. That's under 30 mph on a pull. I'm sorry. Unless they pay well. Then it's all good.

 

All we ever had when I pulled flatbed was stock 475 Cats. At 105k gross on a 6% grade the difference of a few hp isn’t even noticeable. And when you get off the interstates many of the passes have 20-25mph switchbacks anyway.

 

Most of the 8 axle trucks I herded around pulled over the Cascades at 40-45 mph. B trains & maxi flats with a full charge, yeah easy on the corners.