Is 30,000lbs in the trailer a heavy load?

30K is light.

They could have 600hp or they could have 3000 pounds of pillows

 

You still make it over the hill dont ya?

 

Today I pulled 10 Boxes of Baseball cards and 1972 Corvette with my F-250 through the pass at 35 MPH. Trucks of all sorts were flying by me at 70 or 80. Man, hope my new 53ft and my 04 with 400HP engine can go through those hills at about 45 MPH, I only think I will only hit 35 MPH. I will be in NJ soon. Vegas isn't that great anymore.

 

The rear ends could be your downfall in this equation. But, unless you're doing nothing but mountain climbing, it's better to have the rears you do, I would imagine.

 

You think you are going slow now, wait until you have 85,000 lbs on a trailer that weighs 20,000 with a tractor that weighs in at another 20, then you will be heavy.

I have pulled that with a 435 3406E and a 15 speed.

Some of it is gear ratio, the truck I was driving had a 3.90 rear end and 24.5's on it, there were occasions loaded heavy with it id actually be passing company drivers in thier freight shakers.

If you have a 3.36 rear end, you can get it done on the flat lands, but on the hills you will bog down pretty good.

My preference is a 3.55 rear end with 22.5 LP's on the drives.

I know many company trucks are speced with the 3.36 rears because technically they get better fuel mileage.

The other part of that is, the series 60 detroit isnt exactly what id call a torque monster.

When I was a the first company drove for then leased to they had a 98 Kenworth W900L with a 515 hp series 60, 18 speed, 3.55's and 22.5's on it, it had a really hard time keeping up.

When I bought my truck it was a 2000 Kw W900L with a 475 hp 3406E and a 18 speed, 3.55 rears and 22.5's, it would routinely leave the detroit behind when pulling a hill, and we were pulling some of the big hills out west running togeather.

Once I had my truck turned up to a 550 I couldnt even run with the driver that was driving the detroit because he couldnt stay up with me and id always be waiting for him to catch up even when he was signifigantly lighter, im talking lighter like he had a load of insulation on and I had engineered beams.

 

If you don't like slow hills, don't get into flatbedding. LOL (When loading skateboards---which is usually heavy freight---the limiting factor is weight. 90% of the time you're running at max GVW. Van freight is usually lighter, though, so the volume of the box controls things.)

In short, most flatbedders find themselves dropping into low range on state highways here and there in parts of of KY, TN, VA, WV, & etc, even with a decent engine.

As for shopping for your own truck, wanting too much engine is a common mistake. The time saved up hills doesn't begin to make up for the fuel lost the rest of the time. Most experienced O/O's I know say a medium-sized motor and a 13 speed is the best compromise.

 

By Medium you mean 400HP to 470HP?

 

470 is medium, I would think. I have a 435 Cummins boosted to 475, and I use it to pull Super-Bs through the mountains in BC. Gets me through every time.