Anyone tried using 53' intermodal as dryvan?

The floor rating isn't regarding the load spread over the trailer, it is the load that can be supported in a concentrated area. Such as a 7-8k forklift with a 8k on the forks. That concentrates the majority of that 14-15k lbs on the two front wheels of the fork lift, you better hope your trailer floor can handle that much concentrated load, much less the trailer itself not buckling like a cracker box.

 

A container pulls a lot harder than a van, just from the sides on the., so fuel mileage would suffer too.

 

Doesn't that depend on whether or not the container has ribbed sides?

 

It would, I don't think I have ever pulled a smooth sided one.

 

Most of the domestic 53's around here tend to be smooth-sided.

 

There you go, I have pulled a lot of containers, never even heard of a domestic one, and sure never pulled a smooth side. I stand corrected.

 

There are domestic boxes.

International boxes carry big stripe somewhere on them.

Or is that the other way around. I forget.

Must visit the Railroad again, see how that stack train pacer comes through again.

 

Originally 20' and 40' boxes were the international standard; 53's were domestic (aka North America only.) I don't know if anything else had changed.

 

I have no clue where people get their numbers but this is the third time I read a forum post like this.

here is what I have.

A standard 53 trailer tare weight - 15,450 lbs

One of the lighter 53 foot container on a trailer tare weight - 19,780 lbs

Those are actual numbers from weighing them.

The containers itself can be between 9800 lbs to 11,000 lbs.

I have several and a few trailers.

Would I use them?

No.