Single axle tractor with step decks

I delivered in Miami a few weeks back and I saw a guy come in with a regular flat bed and a single axle Freightliner.

The problem I see is that Step deck already adds some weight over a regular flat. Now your reducing the (Normal) weight a step deck would carry on the drives.

To be successful you'll need to be versatile. I dont see that happening with a single axle. Your castrating yourself. You need to be able to scale at least 45k lbs on the deck. Unless your going into a niche and have a dedicated shipper with light loads,.. I'm not sure how you will make it work.

I'm not saying you cant. I saw that guy running one. So it must be doable. I doubt he's making the same money as someone with tandem drive axles. Just my opinion. Take that with a grain of salt.

Hurst:smt111

 

yep, your adding about 1500 pounds to the trailer empty weight, while taking away 14,000 pounds you can haul on the single drive axle, that's 15,500 pounds less weight you can haul.

you'd have to have light loads that would be trailer heavy.

 

I see a few hot shot set up like that down here in TX.

 

I know a couple of guys with that exact setup. They can scale 25k with no probs. tagged for 54k I believe.

 

Did it for years just like with anything else you just need to watch where you put your load I was 70,000 gross and moved lots of 40,000lb loads

 

That's what I was thinking. The spread can haul 40k lbs and most loads are under 60k gross

 

I went years and never hauled loads over 30,000lbs I ended up adding a axle for a customer I had that was moving 45,000lb loads. I did move them for some time until the rear bags started blowing.

 

Technically you have two 20k axles on a spread, not a 40k "group". They can nail you for one of being over 20k just like with the single drive.