Reducing empty gross weight

I was about the same weight with a W900L and Great Dane. I put in a request and eventually got a Reitnouer. Now I'm around 31,200 with 1/2 a tank.

 

Trailers: Save Pounds By Looking Down
"SAF-Holland now offers an aluminum fifth wheel that weighs 125 to 130 pounds. A cast steel fifth wheel weighs in at around 180 pounds."
That is a 50# saving. Not worth the cost unless you need to replace a worn out fifth that can't be rebuilt and you can find a good used aluminum one.
Keeping to minimum stuff in your truck (clothes, accessories)will help as will an undercarriage wash on a regular basis to get sand, ice and other junk off the trailer. Keeping to 100 gallons of fuel on board until you scale your load then only taking what you can at 7# per gallon can help quite a bit (270 gallons is 1890#,100 gallons is 700#)

 

Does your current trailer have boxes?

 

I had a volvo midroof, not much on it except a adequate headache rack with a Ravens Covered wagon. (Aluminum) we loaded 52000 pound coils on the deck when needed. And it's still legal.

Fontaines are steel frame generally. And whatever tractor you have under it also matters. Wont be a long nose pete for this application.

 

Um, what's an "empty gross weight"?

 

That's what the call tare weight in Rio Lindo.

 

29,500. 12 3x8" chains, 10 straps, enough lumber and racks for 5 coils. And a couple small steel tarps. Steel aluminum combo trailer.

 

What all do you carry as far as equipment? Do you carry a lot of stuff in case you need it but it’s buried at the back of your box because you never have?

I used to run a 4 axle T800 with a 4 axle 53’ Western flat. It was 35000 full of fuel and we were heavier than others because my boss wouldn’t give up his tall 24’s.

 

If you need all of that then realistically a different trailer like you’re talking about will make the biggest difference. Switching to low 22’s would save a few hundred, but would also cost quite a bit.

Are you turning down loads or getting turned away right now? Are you paid by the weight or is it mostly just a truckload rate? Because it can go the other way too. I’m 30k empty with my pneumatic and our food grade loads pay a flat rate on 48k. If it’s a new person loading we end up going rounds and making phone calls because they want to load me up to 80k gross.