All Aluminum Step Deck

I have a heavy tractor also. I would do the combo with the spread.

 

Why 17.5? On our trailers that have them, we go through many more tires than the 255 22.5

 

17.5's are also harder to find, n when they can be had they are priced like a very hard to find tire.

They do save a few inches on height.

 

The max speed here is 65 so that holds no water, we still go through more tires and the furthest we go with them is the other end of the state. Air inflation has nothing to do with it. 17.5 tires will be spinning faster and as such, they will be running hotter. Hit an elk 80 miles from the nearest large town and 30 from the nearest tire shop. It took out 2 tires on the trailer. Good thing I had a spare because the tire shop only had one. They may be more popular but not all tire shops carry them and not all that do have more than one.

You can still carry loads over 10' on a stepdeck with 255 22.5 tires. Our step decks average 36-38" high where I read that 33-34 is normal for a step deck with 17.5 tires. Not enough tall loads out there to justify it to me. You probably got stuck someplace once and could not find a load. I could see it maybe if you were going 4 axles but not a spread. For a few loads a year, leave it to the double drops or permit it.

 

Well being that you've convinced yourself that those tires last and are easy to find, you must have lots of direct freight that needs the extra height.

Go get you one, ain't gotta convince me of anything.

 

The chaparral that we have stands at 37" with 255 22.5 tires.

 

I've been through this. You need a steel frame to maximize your height. Aluminum is weaker therefore they need to use a taller beam to get the the strength. Also keep in mind the longer the span the stronger (taller) the beam needs to be.

With the above in mind, there are several things that will drive your deck height up:
1. aluminum frame
2. large tuck
3. small spread
4. long trailer
5. sliding rear axle
6. heavy capacity

My needs were so specific that I couldn't find what I wanted on a lot, so I started contacting dealers about ordering a new one. Most wouldn't even deal with me on one trailer (Mac, Manac, Doonan, Transcraft, Reitnouer) but I did find a Wilson dealer that was willing to do put in the effort so that's why I bought Wilson.

I bought an 17.5" aluminum framed Wilson that had so much arch in it that the deck height was ~39" loaded at the crown IIRC. So I returned it and bought a steel framed Wilson Road Brute combo with 17.5" wheels and it has a deck height of 35" loaded. I could have got a lower deck height but I wanted a sliding axle and CA legal so that limited me. 53 ft weighs in at ~10,700 lbs. I made sure to order the CTIS, 255 wide tires, heavy duty wheel bearings and a spare tire and rim mounted on board.

Speaking to a fella that owns a towing company, ,he told me that most 17.5" failures they see are not from tires but burned out wheel bearings.

I also have two Wilson Road Brute combos with 36" deck and 22.5" (wheel wells).