Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

So now me and my Wilson have crank handle envy!

 

I dunno, our wilson had a big ole crank handle. The guys at the elevators would unload it for me they liked it so much. The other short trailer with nothin but a T bar handle, I had to muscle that myself.

 

Got rained out bout 5 today. We've got 1 42X78 Timpte and I like it fine. It's hooked to a 2000 120 Freightshaker w/ N14 Cummins and the whole rig weighs 24,500-25,000 depending on fuel. With permit we scale 100K down here so that's a nice load. The rest of our trailers are Wilsons.
Went back in time this AM. First load was a 1984 Mack R700 with a Maxidyne and 5 speed MT pulling a 40 ft. Wilson aluminum floor trailer. Reminds me of when I started driving in the 70's. At least it has power steering. Rough as could be-esp. down 12 miles of logging road. Oh yeah wheel seal out on trailer so had to carry oil and fill every time I stopped. Luckily I just made 1 load in it and got back in the FL.
I've got a question esp. for those like me over 45. How many times a day do you find yourself in the middle of a shift and you can't remember where you came from or which 1 you're going too? Drives me nuts I do it at least once a day but I may be the only one.

 

You mean the handle you stow away to open the hopper doors? Mine is about the same as the other one. As far as the cranks themselves, my Peerless had a low and a hi gear. This one only has a hi... takes some doing to get open when loaded.

I'll check out the site... still running hard out here.

 

Our Timpte does have a much more impressive handle than the Wilsons. It's 2 speed. Our Wilson geared doors are 2 speed the belted doors are singles.

 

It is always nice when they call you.

 

I have been hauling bulk for two weeks now and like it except some of the of the places I have been to that were built in the 1930's. The new ethonal plants are nice and fast.

What are the net weights some of you can haul? With the end dump and my heavy Pete I can put on about 45,500 which sucks. It also sucks that I get around 5.0 to 5.2 on mpg, I need to trade bad for a truck that is lighter weight and better mpg.

Some of these places have some screwed up hours. I loaded hominy at Bunge grain in Atchinson, KS friday and I am their early am and the first truck in line. They tell me they don't start loading trucks until 3pm, rail cars get loaded first, what bs. Then a bunch of trucks came rolling in their after me, thank god I was first but ended up getting loaded and out of their at 1:30. It took 1 hour to load and you loaded on railroad tracks which is not good on the tires.

One hopper guy came in their to load and told me he was at another plant in Nebraska on thursday and they told him after sitting for hours they were not going to be able to load him, I would be very mad. His boss then sent him after this load which he was fourth truck in line and his load was going 250 miles out buy Dodge City, KS for monday del. that sucks when he lives in Nebraska.