Mercer

Nice; but I never did like boxes in between the spread.

 

Thanks! Last two months were very good, but I'm not sure how things are going to be in the coming months. I would rather have saved money, but my old trailer was getting tired and this deal was too good to pass up.

Not that I'm trying to talk you into jumping on to Mercer bandwagon, $15k may be enough to get you started depending on how you plan. Redd got started with much less, and I really respect him for having guts to do that.

I started with $20k, and ended up borrowing quite a bit from my plastic cards (one of them paid off, one more to go). It was mostly because I chose to buy a newer truck and I brought in my own trailer and most of equipments.

It depends on your risk tolerance, how you plan, and a little bit of luck (you might come across a trucker's widow who wants to get rid of a Pete 389 for $5k tomorrow - ya never know...) so I can't really tell you what's gonna work for you. Again, I'm not trying to talk you into it - just saying it can be done with $15k.

As for load boards, you can sort of pre-select yourself. You can submit either "I'd like to be offered this load" or "I'll commit to this load if offered". Of course, even if you "commit" to a load, you won't get it if the guy ahead of you takes it.

I still watch load boards every day, but for the most part, I let my coordinator Eric take care of it. He knows what I'll accept and what I won't, and he calls me when he comes across something questionable. This has been working pretty good for me.

Yup it is. Stopped by home last Friday (had a deliv in San Diego monday morning), and called the guy to see if he still had it. Drove up to his place in my little 4-wheeler on Tuesday evening, negotiated on the price, and went back yesterday with money.

I'll try to do a couple of local runs next week, then I'll be off to vacation. Call me if you end up driving through Wendover.

Good luck to you! Redd told me you'll be pulling a dry van. I may have mislead you about load in/out of NC...in which case, my sincere apology. I thought you'll be pulling a flat.

 

I never had boxes between axles before (no boxes on Swift skateboards and my old trailer had boxes in the middle). I'll see how I'll like it. It's extra 20-ft walk to go get straps, tarps, etc, but I could use a little extra exercise.

I'm a bit concerned how well the boxes will hold up when a tire blows up.

 

Exactly on a blowout. Plus winter time boxes hanging up in snow in lots, truckstops, or if you need to get under there to do something.

 

It's impossible to tell you what the average cpm is. Everyone is different! I believe Dr. Katz is pulling a better rate then I. But he also has the patients to hang around looking to fill his trailer from front to back.... Me, once there is something on my trailers.... I'm out of there & want it off my trailer at the consignee ASAP!

To help give you an idea on revenue though.... I have grossed $104,732.46 so far this year. That is including being home for 2 weeks in April when my Peterbilt took a dump on me, several days off here & there, 5 days off in Salt Lake City earlier this month getting my Volvo worked on, & I am on day 9 of being home now.

I'm starting to go broke.... After I pay my truck payment on the first & pay my 2290 tomorrow.... I think I'll have $100 or 2 left. I'm going to try to get out of here on Monday.

A secret clearance doesn't give you anything expect a stiffy in your pants just knowing you got it!

I'll give ya a call on Monday if I get out of this hell called home

 

Guess I better start carrying a shovel Good point on crawling underneath. It'll be a biotch to grease S-cam on the rear axle, with that fancy bumper and all.

Let me ask you something. Do you know anything about aerodynamics? If you do, I'd like some input from you. (or maybe it doesn't matter for NASA outerspace stuff since there's no atmosphere?)

Believe me... that was pushing it.

 

Hey Katz, It has always been my thought that the boxes don't cause wind resistance however it looks as if the air would build up underneath as it would not be able to escape through the center at the rear. watch the spray pattern difference between yours and a standard spread axle the next time your in a light rain or wet roads. Just a thought. It looks good. What year is it?

 

It is a 2006 model. I paid $14,500 plus tax and registration. I see a lot of Fontaine Infinity going for $20k at local dealers, so I think I got a good deal. I personally think taxing a used vehicle transaction is a double taxation, but what else do you expect, especially in Commie-fornia. The trailer should last me at least a few years.

I read on a racecar engineering book a long time ago that spinning tires exposed to airflow cause significant drag. Most wind tunnel testing usually neglect the effect of spinning tires and moving ground. We have a bunch of rather large tires exposed to the airflow.

The boxes are pretty close to being flush with outside of tires (tires are slightly sticking out). So I was thinking maybe the boxes would help by filling the gap in, effectively hiding rear tires.

But the airflow is already stirred up with the front tires so maybe it won't matter. I could put a pair of quarter fenders and some kind of airdam/deflecter between the tires (with rubber extensions low to the ground) and see what happens.

On my old trailer, I could close the spread to tandem. I seemed to have gotten better mileage when the axles are close together, given equal weight (empty). But that could have been some kind of an alignment issue too. Anyway, this got me thinking what I wrote above.

I'll watch spray pattern on the boxes after the next good rain. I took fender mirrors and KENWORTH logos off the hood a while ago. The effect on fuel mileage is probably 0.00005 mpg or something, but the spray patterns are definetely smoother afterwards.

I've been also considering smooth flat hubcaps. A company called Real Wheels in Illinois make well-built pieces. Schneider has been running vinyl hub caps on drive tires lately, and you can tell the covers are caving in at speed suggesting low pressure area in the wheels.

 

I see what you mean by the air not hitting the rear wheels. Much like the formula one race car. I see the metal plate at the rear with the chicken lights and it looks to extend far enough down that it would act as a parachute. I was supposed to go look at an 07 mid roof xt freightliner this morning. I think they are asking a bit much myself. 44k for an 06, 500k miles, with a tri-pack apu. New rubber on the drives and it's shows well however no headache rack or tool box. I don't see a resale value in three years either. Now your set up will have a better resale when it comes time. I like the t600 but I don't know squat about a cat, other than all the guys and gals that have them say they get about 5.5 to 6.2 mpg. But then there is the crowd that says one turbo not two, ect...... Whats a fella to do, ya know.

 

Yep I am pulling a van. No problem on the loads, I talked to several others also. I'm actually only 45 miles from one of the big van customers down there so it should work out nicely, I hope anyway.