55t rgn ?

Unless that Volvo has a heavy frame I wouldn't add a lift axle, you'll just end up tearing up the truck. 3.336's and a 13 speed are hard on a drivetrain when you're trying go get 140k rolling. A very careful driver can make it work but someone who rams and jams will tear #### up right and left.

 

I can't believe you'd try and haul 7 axle freight with a 13 and 336 non double frame and not at least a 14k steer....dude you need to some research on the trucks that pull 55ton trailers.

 

im not defending the ol boy, but I hauled 7 axle freight for years with a 16913 and 3.55 rears single frame truck. put over 1 mil on the ol girl before I sold it. I say put a pusher axle on the truck and reratio the rears with 3.90 or 4.11s. and don't do over 7 axle freight. just don't drive it like you stole it. just don't be mad when things break. and they will break if you don't know what yer doing! now would I give up my 46 rears and 2050 trans that I have now and go back to a lighter setup. NOPE!

 

I'm on my home computer now and I had a chance to look at the other pictures you have of the trailer, it is missing some D-rings and the expanded metal between the beams at the front of the excavator trough. Some of this would make me question how well the trailer has been cared for. I would look it over real good for cracks and breaks and make sure its structurally sound, but i still think its a decent deal. Keep in mind even though its basically a Talbert it won't have the resale of a Talbert which is evidenced here.

 

also why does it have a fontaine neck on it. the older talberts were notorious for breaking where the neck pins on. that right there would be something to look real close at.

 

Its not a Fontaine neck, its a Fontaine "style" neck. It was something Talbert tryed a few years ago to try to get more into the over the road market. There may be more to the story than that, I know the had an engineer or big wig named Phelan, There also might have been a company they bought out I'm not sure someone smarter than me will have to chime in. But I do know from the gooseneck attachment point back is identical to a Talbert they use the same pin on axles or boosters.

 

I believe those are short wells right? dedicated freight I would say. I bought one w a 29 well .
study rartes first. heavy stretch stuff has been flying off the shelf at horribly low prices, I mean lower than reg flat bed rates it seems.... Not sure which poor sap is booking it , but its going

 

Using an OTR truck to pull heavy freight will not last. Trade the truck now, while it still has value, and get a truck better designed for the job. If you are going for fuel mileage then stick to pulling vans. Want comfort, get a Western Star. Of all the trucks today the only 2 I would even look at are the Western Star and the Kenworth. The suspension on a Pete just does not look right to me for pulling heavy. None of our trucks are double framed and we have been pulling heavy freight since '78. Heck some of our trucks don't even have drop axles because you can not get the weight up there anyhow with the jeeps. We currently have all KW with one Autocar with a KW body.

As far as using 3.36 gearing.....I can smell the clutch burning now when starting on a hill.

 

50-55tonne loads are about our normal b double weights. 540hp, 18 speed and 4.11 minimum. Don't need double rails just suspension inserts. Wouldn't dream of of doing anything other than singles with 3.36's and a 13 speed

 

adding a drop axle on your truck will add a lot of extra stress on your truck frame,,you will have frame failure if your truck is not double framed if you put more than 14,000lbs on your front axle and 46000 on your drives and drop axle,,frame failure usually happens under your cab,, I have seen this happen to several trucks that added a drop axle on the tractor,,