Excavator chaining while I'm bored.

Wow. Opened a can of worms here I guess.
I wont bore you with my experience etc, but it involves running my own business for over 17yrs, running through 17 different countries around the world, never going broke, and running what the market is demanding at the time, so long as the trailer doesn't have doors
Will I haul 6 axle freight on my current 5 axles? Dead straight I will, and will continue to do so. I dont dictate rates, as we are a contract carrier to our main customers, thus the rates are set well before anyone even turns up to get the load. Like already said by a wise man, haul it on the least amount of axles required. If my empty weight is 35k, then I will haul 57k all day long in every state, and put the money in MY pocket. If I can permit the weight, I am going to haul it if it pays. Period.
Outriggers seem to be an obsession to some, as I said already, if I needed them for this load, I wouldn't have hauled the load. After 19 accident free years, I think I have an idea on what is safe to both myself and the general public on the road. I have pulled the big trailers for many years, thus why I dont anymore.
So I have indeed dealt with outriggers on a regular basis. I just dont seem to need them these days, and that is perfectly fine with me.
As far as someone with a step pulling an "RGN load", how do you figure? If it will go onto a step, it is obviously NOT a strictly "RGN load" is it? Maybe in an ideal world full of Teamsters it would be that way. But in a country of free enterprise (term used loosely obviously), it will never happen.
I buy MY equipment to be as versatile as possible, and if that means I have no outriggers, and can legally and safely haul what is normally classed as 6 axle freight, I am perfectly fine with that.
The money side is another thing that bugs me. Someone saying that a load should pay $x a mile or it shouldn't be hauled is ludicrous. This again is free enterprise, and always will be. I dare say I can go haul a 55k lb load cheaper than most, due to my overheads, empty weight, and thus permit costs. Not my problem that I weigh 5k lbs less than some other guy that has that big motor that gets 4mpg is it? Not that I would go and bid the nuts off a load just to get it, as I have deadheaded too far over the years due to cheap freight myself. But the point is, that $4 a mile rate that some need, may well NOT be what I need to make at least the same amount if money at the end of the run. This was made all too clear to me after I sold the 4 axle W9 and bought a 3 axle Freightshaker, and went from a 13 axle setup to 5 or 6 axles!
Not meaning to upset anyone or rock any boats, just putting my .02 out there.

Martin

 

Chain on back of flip (which will be facing the front of the trailer).
Piece of blocking, on end so it is high enough to use as a pivot point.
Run the chain over the block and down to the front of the truck, to a tow hook etc. Back up and the flip axle will raise, then the block of wood will drop onto the floor.
Easier to show than explain I guess, but hopefully you get the idea.
Martin

 

Got rid of the POS today just after lunch time BTW.


Martin

 

You'd have to look at the specs of the trailers you are looking at mate. May need to go to a 51' or 53' trailer to still get that much in the well witha fixed 3 axle though.
My 48' has 28' in the well, with a 10' front deck and sloped step to the rear deck.

Martin

 

They are way more than 40k (load range J IIRC), but couldn't tell you off hand what they are, as I am at home. But a good point non the less.

Martin