Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

a friend of mine used to go up there (Atchison) and get a load for himself every couple of weeks and never really complained but otherwise i don't know

 

It was dry - and odorless (nothing like DDG from what I've heard) and flowed like rice. Without looking at my notes, I'm almost sure that load went to a small family cattle ranch in Dime Box, TX.

As with most of the loads I was hauling, I'm sure it paid decent at some point - just not by the time it got to me. Glad to hear yours might pay to move it! Still parked at the house here taking care of some family stuff - hope you're all keeping your rates ahead of fuel!

 

Fuel is $3.09-3.19 around here. The rates aren't going up to absorb these increases, main reason being loads are getting harder to find. Usually for me now to first of year is pretty slow and Jan, Feb can be bad too.

I've talked to some friends who haul for other grain companies and their loads have dropped also.

 

Fuel was $3.05 here today. Got 1 of the trucks back today with a new gear. He also replaced the clutch while the tranny was pulled. He's got it adjusted where it has a bunch of free play and engages right on the floor. I hate that. Gonna have to readjust.

 

Just found and joined this forum yesterday
I pull a hopper TX NM OK KS AR TN NB O/O own authority

 

Welcome 008,

There are some good folks at the TTR forum. Here's to hoping you gain as much as you can add to the conversation. With your years in Trucking, I suspect that's a great deal....

 

Welcome. I think you will like the hopper thread and the other threads.

 

My clutch is the same way,doc,and i can't get used to it either.I feel like a dang rookie when i get stopped on an incline,crow-hoppi'n till it releases,plus i'm afraid its about time for a 5th wheel rebuild kit

Welcome to the hopper thread,008.Look forward to reading your post.38 years of experience,thats a lot a good stories.


Wheathauler,i hauled my last 2 loads of beans today so its back to the ddg,soy hulls and beanmeal for the winter i guess.I'm tired of these dusty suckers,but i'm sure i'll be missing them after kicking,beat'n,pokeing and shoveling ddg out.Didn't i read a while back where i thought you said something about rebuilding your 5th wheel? How'd that work out? Mine is a Fontaine,so i may just try the rebuild kit,i don't think its ever been rebuilt.

 

Dairyman, if you've got a Fontaine, you're best bet is a rebuild kit. I had a Fontaine No-Slack II and I rebuilt it in about an hour. (That included steam cleaning the grease off of it) There are just 2 jaws and a couple of springs to replace. VERY simple. If you get the 5th wheel off, and discover that you need new rubber bushings in the pivot pins, I discovered that if you drill lots of holes into the rubber, it lets the bushings shrink in the bore and they come out ALOT easier than if you leave them intact.