Buying a flatbed trailer...

That load had about 80psi on the tractor (46k 8 bag KW) and about 100psi on the trailer. Haven't had any issue picking up any load so far but since the trailer is only 48' I'm limited to 115k gross. I'm thinking of buying a 50' so I can get the full 120k by meeting the bridge formula. You weren't trying to sell your trailer a few months ago were you? I saw a 45' Mac for sale that had the 3 bag setup and wondered what it hauled that needed that?

 

Here is what I did to my Transcraft to help stop the cracking problems, 1st I put the "X" style bracing in the center of the spread, they call it "X" but to look at it, its a "V" brace, I made mine out of heavy gage channel steel. 2st my rear axle had the dump value and I used it every time I made any kind of turn, loaded or empty. 3rd I used 11/24.5 tall tires on the front axle and 11/24.5 low pro tires on the rear with 115 psi in all the tires, when empty and the dump value on it would almost pick the rear axle off the ground, loaded it would drag the tires BUT not to the point of rolling the sidewalls over. Ran it like that for 8 years and never had a problem with the frame cracking and it was a 1998 modle sold it 3 years ago. I got a 2000 Reitnouer now and have had zero problems with it. Also I went from avg. empty weight of 32k with the Transcraft to avg. empty weight of 29500 with the Reitnouer.

just my 2cents

 

Yep thats me! I put to high of a price tag on it but with the trailer being rebuilt and less than a year old I wasn't going to give it away!

Don't waste your time going with a 50'er. I've gotten permits for 116k with my 45'. I think they messed up but I took advantage of it.... Also think about this... the extra weight your gonna gain on your lightweight isn't gonna justify the extra weight you'll get on the permit. I talked to the guys who have the 120/125k permits, but they had to have the 48' tri-axle and they even said it wasn't worth it.

The best thing to do when ordering a new trailer and what I did, spec out a 50 102 then have them tell you the weight difference for 48, 45 even have them tell you the difference between the 96" and 102" (500lbs?). I was even surprised! Sorry but 500lbs is alot when your trying to get out of the mill. I also had plans of putting a conastoga on mine which would have made it 102" or real close.

 

the conestoga does not count for your overall width i've seen them awful wide and i asked a guy he said his was 108 but your tarps straps and binders and mirrors etc does not add to your overall width

 

Yeah I know that, but I don't want to be 108" wide. I also don't want a 102" wide. That all adds up to a higher lightweight. You also have to think about a 102 wide axle is more drag on your motor so can result in worse fuel mileage.

 

I hate 96" wide flats, the 4-9 I have is only 96 and it's hard to squeeze between big coils and the side kit, also most of my trailers have conestogas and you can't haul lumber if it's not 102". I've got one truck that with the MMX with the tarp system, all chains and winch straps can still haul almost 54k legal so the extra weight isn't a big deal.

 

WOW you must have some light trucks. My outfit full of fuel is 32,200.
Sorry but to me if it requires a 102 wide trailer, it should pay better! Last time I check, it didn't. Same goes for a 48 or 53 ft. As for getting around coils, I almost always pop out my panels to get around easier and so the guy running the crane has an easy way out if anything happens.

 

Wow, that heavy with a 45'? Your right about not paying more but I don't like to be limited to what I can haul. That's what I hate about a sidekit, your limited to steel unless you want to tear it apart. With the conestoga I've hauled everything from van freight, coils, lumber and even a 1940's firetruck with rear steering. If it pays and will fit in the trailer, I'm there! haha

Which is why we built this trailer. Hopper freight one way and flatbed freight back.

 

That thing looks pretty darn cool, jfalk99. How long does it take to switch from flatbed to hopper and vice versa? What's the empty weight on that truck and trailer? You built that yourself? Must have some superior fabrication skills!

 

Well just slightly longer than a regular sidekit because it has all the grain stakes and bows in every post. The slope panels just fold down and become the floor. We've made 3 of these, the first was a combo trailer. The second was an East but since it was only 96" wide it had to be loaded full and was a pain. This was built on a new Wilson and can hold almost 63k lbs of grain. Granted not ideal for short runs but works great for the longer stuff where there is either no hopper loads back or what's there is CHEAP. Haven't used it as a hopper in a while because of the corn prices but we used to haul grain from Ohio to NC or SC and bring lumber, steel ect. back. The truck/trailer in the pic is under 32k (C15 13spd)

I don't know about the fab skills but it works.