Upper Deck Length for a Step

I use every square inch that I can on my wagon load it like a freight train drive it like a aero plane

 

I also wish I had only 8' upper deck. With 10' upper on a 48' trailer leaves only 38' bottom which cuts out on some container loads. I have to run a 48' trailer because of my over all length. And I don't need to add steer weight. Also palletized freight like insulation is harder to load if deviding into 4' sections.
I think the guys that don't want the 8' upper deck is because they are pulling 50-53' trailers

 

What does your overall length have to do with it?

 

If your trailer is longer than 48' your overall lenght is limited in some states including Indiana, Florida, Virgina, and few others. Florida is hard core about this. Indiana turns a blind eye, unless doing an inspection. But most of these states the over all lenght is 75'. My lenght with 48' trailer is 81'. The exception is if your trailer is 48' or less.
I'm thinking this is detailed in the front of truckers atlas or use to be.

 

I pull one of Landstar's sleds! it has a 8 ft upper and a 40 foot lower with Can locks and a wood floor. You can see the trailer in my avitar pic.

I very rarely use the upper deck, pretty much everything goes on the lower. Weight is a problem, the trailer is 15k empty so I just make sure I don't load anything heavier then 42k.

Doonon would be your best bet for a trailer with a 8 ft upper, i have seen several of them around.

 

Because a 53' step with a 10' top leaves 43' on the bottom deck. A 48' only leaves 38' on the bottom

 

indiana does not have a length law until you go over 100' according to the INDOT. My truck pulling a 53' was 83' long and I ran it for years and never had a problem. Florida never pulled me around to check it either, but it might have had to do with the short sleeper and long wheelbase as I always see the ICT/ARI sleepers out back with a tape measure ready lol

 

There is no overall length limit on the National Highway Network. Once you get off of it, the state's length laws kick in. The only Federal length laws apply to trailers, not overall combination lengths.
California does not give an exception to 48 foot trailers, on their state highways that are 65' overall.
Staying on the National Highway Network, you can legally pull a 53' trailer with any legal length ( I believe it is 45', bumper to bumper, without a trailer) semi-tractor.

 

I'm looking at getting an 8/40 Doonan for my tandem, but the seller says its ideal for single axle or a "set-back" fifth wheel.

I talked with Doonan and they're telling me not to max out over 45k or so in order to keep steer at or below 12k in addition to rigging my fifth wheel slide rails to where kp will set just in front of the rear drive axle. But most of what I've read and people I've talked to say it's going to throw my weight off and tear my flaps.

The kp is 12" from nose, and I'm considering moving my plate back 7 inches . I'd have to drill at least for new holes in frame to do this.