Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

Good used aluminum hoppers are hard to find. And they're near new price if you do. One of the elevator guys who has a fleet of his own told me he sold 4 of his this week. He stipulated that the buyers couldn't get them til his new ones get here. I was in Ater's 2 weeks ago gettin my doors worked on and they had 1 used CPS steel and no used aluminums. The boss looked for awhile but he likes 102 wides and they're really scarce. He told me yesterday he wants to replace our last 66X96X42 as well. He finally bought 2 new Wilsons cuz he couldn't find used to suit him. Wheathauler I've toyed with the idea of getting my own truck but I don't want the frustrations. Alot of the independents around here are pretty much dedicated to Riceland. They tell me the secret is to get a paid for rig and then you basically pocket the payments and not much more. The drivers they hire get 25% usually. I just can't get excited about the frustrations of owning my own. In the past 3 weeks I've taken 1 trailer in for doors to be reworked, 1 yesterday for a new tarp, 1 truck for a 5th wheel rebuild and new AC compressor. I really respect you guys who O/O and make it work. I guess I'm too conservative. 1 of my codrivers told me the other day I worry too much. I guess he's right.

 

well guess pharms good luck rubbed off on me, pulled into a hess to get directions and the truck was makeing a weirdnoisepoped the hood and the dad gum fan clutch went exsplains wh the a/c went out an hour befor,no fan clutch no a/c at least its fixable,and not major,had a pretty good week,$2700, less $650 for fuel, not a bad start concidering i didnt get my first load till late tues and i drop this on first thing monday morn,then go get the truck fixed and back on the road hopeing for a better week

 

I dont know if any of you know about hauling sugar beets im lookin at getting an 1985 pete 359 reconditiond cummins has a 13 speed for around 7000 dollars pretty clean. Its hauling out of the field to the beet dump not over the road

 

Whaaa?? From new to needing replaced in roughly 30 weeks of work??? What am i missing WH?

 

Well its my fault we dont use hoppers but we use end dump and livebottom trailers. Most farmers have flatbed trailers with two cages about 20 foot long that dump to the side. the reason people dont use hoppers is that they wont clear the piler and they are two nice a trailers to beat around. You have to drive through the field and basically be the grain cart to the digger and when it get muddy they pull you trough till the tracor cant make it. Most people rent trucks out of Denver Co just for that reason its hard on trucks, but if you have an older truck that will stay running your money ahead not having to rent one. ill explain about the dumping a little better later but have to go.

 

I've got an 86 I'll sell you for $6000 motors ben reconditioned but needs a rear head gasket... About $300 fr the parts on a big cam. needs a starter too. transmission whines a bit, it will need bearing eventually but it works and I was runnning it otr untill a few months ago. it's a clean truck and has a ton of new parts on it.
allot of the brake hoses are new, brakes are almost new. 4 new recaps on the rear axle which are an aggresive lug design like you would need. new air drier, new batteries, new air and electric pigtails, I rewired most of the truck when I got it. it's in good shape now. New tach and speedo, new boost gauge, new thermostat, new belts and hoses, new air filter, ac system recently rebuilt. it has half the axle seals replaced and bearings in rear end. Has new old tyle single round headlights. motor has about 150k on it now but the injection pump and injectors are new.