Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by wheathauler, May 31, 2009.

  1. rustywire

    rustywire Bobtail Member

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    Jan 7, 2010
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    Been lurking around this fourm and read most all the hopper pullers over the last few months. I just bought a tractor hopper trailer in september to haul corn to elevator and ethanol plant. It was a challange to learn the shifting and low rpm. I had to replace grain trucks and I only haul my own grain. I farm and have cow calf herd. The semi was a great help in hauling grain to elevators. At my age I do not plan to haul for hire. I have read this fourm and many others, from front to rear and everything between. It has been an eyeopener to see a tiny bit what you guys go thru.
    If the weather would straighten up I will be hauling to ethanol plant from bins. I have a question if someone could help. I have a Jet hopper, spring ride, and can I use a load scale or something so I don't have to jump in and out of semi all the time? I read the ones above are used for air. Thanks Sorry to ramble
     
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  3. dairyman

    dairyman <b> Hopper Thread Greeter</b>

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    Oct 31, 2009
    Ky.,wait'n in line
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    yep,wheathauler,12 is a little colder than we are used to around here on average,but it seems like its getting a little colder every winter to me. maybe my blood is just getti'n thicker and i'm moving slower:biggrin_25524:as i'm getti'n older:biggrin_25525:!!! the wind is gusting to 35mph right now,weatherman says windchill is supposed to be -7 to +5 tonight.I think i'll let the o'l pete sit tomorrow,had some guy called today wanti'n a load of sand :biggrin_25513:,can you beleive that? i told him even if i could get it,it would be so froze,he would need a jackhammer to get it out and thats if i didn't lay'er over on 'er side between the gusting wind and the frozen stuff hanging on the side! do you have anything to haul,tomorrow?
     
  4. dairyman

    dairyman <b> Hopper Thread Greeter</b>

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    Welcome,rustywire! i don't know a lot about the options for axle weighing on a spring ride trailer,but i'm sure somebody here does,sorry. how large is your cow calf operation? oh,by, the way,i like your name,hope you ain't got too much of that kind of wire keeping your cows in:biggrin_25525:
     
  5. rustywire

    rustywire Bobtail Member

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    I use to run 130 or so and I have cut back to 55. At one time I had nothing but rusty wire and bad fences but over years I replaced most of them. At one time I figured up I had over 19 miles of fence to maintain, just to keep cattle in, thats a lot in Iowa.

    I have to tell you the first load of corn, I thought there is a lot of room in hopper so I put a little more on had 96000+. Then I started counting my dumps to keep it legal.
     
  6. farmermatt

    farmermatt Light Load Member

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    Aug 7, 2009
    Lowry City, MO
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    there is a product that you can get that measures spring deflection though it is a very expensive system i'll do a little reasearch

    how long is your trailer? and I take it your truck and trailer are both tandems?

    also a gauge mounted on the back of the cab can work well to for the truck along with the dash gauge

    and when loading corn this keeps the truck doors shut more therefore keeping the crap out of the cab!!!!!! lol

    and just curious but what is the basis on that corn your delivering now?
     
    dairyman Thanks this.
  7. wheathauler

    wheathauler Trucker

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    Mar 10, 2009
    Hutch, Kansas
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    No, things are slow right now. I'm kinda glad too dang cold to be out in this.

    Air weigh has gauges for spring straight trucks but I don't think for trailers. air-weigh.com. I might have seen some somewhere else but can't remember right now. I ran a jet trailer for awhile they are a tough trailer.
     
  8. dairyman

    dairyman <b> Hopper Thread Greeter</b>

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    your a wealth of information,farmermatt:biggrin_25514::biggrin_25514::biggrin_25514:,i've never heard of the spring deflection gadget. are you having any fuel gelling problems with all this COLD?
     
  9. farmermatt

    farmermatt Light Load Member

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    Aug 7, 2009
    Lowry City, MO
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    No but I have put howes in everything before it got so cold

    my fuel man said it SHOULD be good down to -20 but I asked him if he was gonna come rescue my #$$ if the thing gelled up!!! which he promptly responded that he would not so I think it is wise especially since my pickup gelled last year on their fuel at a balmy 10 degrees lol
     
    dairyman Thanks this.
  10. dairyman

    dairyman <b> Hopper Thread Greeter</b>

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    Ky.,wait'n in line
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    I KNOW all about bad fences,my uncle had a angus bull get in with my son's 11 month old holstein hfrs. last week:biggrin_25513:. theres an old saying 'round here ''good fences make good neighbors'':biggrin_25525:. 19 miles of fence,geeeez!that is a lot to keep up! 96000+:biggrin_25524:,what was the moisture?
     
  11. kajidono

    kajidono Road Train Member

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    You might just rig something up yourself. All you'd need is a small lever with one end mounted to the underside of the trailer and the other attached by rod to the axle. Like the ones on air ride trailers or old cadillacs and lincolns. Rig that to a mechanical gauge you can see and it'll just measure it by how much the trailer sinks under the weight. Scale out a few times and you'll know right where it needs to be. Make that electronic and you can set the readout right on the dash.
     
    wheathauler Thanks this.
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