Lo Pro stepdecks

I can haul 47500 all day long with my Doonan 53’ Platinum with can locks and 17.5’s.

 

Even with 255/70-22.5 you want to carry a spare. The cost of one of those bought at a road service rate could cause a stroke, let alone what a 19.5 or smaller would be.

 

You really should just buy my Doonan.

 

I'll give you my advice & and experience.

We have a 2012 Volvo 730 and started with a combo 53' step deck with the rear slide and the 17.5" wheels. I hated them. Didn't have ramps but had load levelers. Only could scale about 45,500 and that was a problem. But on one hand we had a broker at the time.

Next trailer we got was a 2015 Manac all alum flatbed with the rear slide and the 22.5" wheels and I like them. We went with this route mainly because the abundance of flatbed freight and we got it 1yr old and a really good deal on it.

So the question was to either to buy ramps and they were $$$ or spend a little more $ and have a next to new trailer and scale 48,000-48,500.

For me the answer was simple. Buy the flatbed. Maybe it is because the area we live in (Midwest) but for our set up, the truck kind of made the decision for us. Being too darn heavy. If I had a light truck I'd probably buy a 51' step deck aluminum with ramps and 22.5". But money is limited.

We now moved on to finding our own freight instead of relying on a broker to do it all for us. Have one constumer with a landscaping business and it works ok. Usually spot freight is better IMO. Since sometimes it's hard to be in the area when he wants me to be. If I had more than one truck - my answer might be different.

But hey I think it as, we all work together in moving America. Sometimes we win some and sometimes we lose some. Just the way it goes.

 

Probably 60% of our loads are close to max. 47-48k. 30% is 35-40k and 10% is 10k or less.

For info in case you are curious - think the slide axle option is around 400#.

As far as a 53' vs 48'. 60% of the time a 48' would work great. 25% we get 53' loads and they pay a little better and 15% of the time we get 54'-56' loads are overlength but legal for our set up since it overhangs the front.

Nice not having to buy permits.

Pros and cons to every choice you make but I think I'm fairly versatile. A 48' sure would be easier to park and drive around but I manage.

 

I've got a 50' Doonan platinum combo on 22.5's. 9700lb empty weight. I can load 48,500 all day but she flex's badly & has cracked 6 cross members on both sides and the main beams in several places. Doonan has been good about supplying parts for repairs but the down time has been ridiculous the last 6 months so I have put $ down on a heavier built trailer. I am by no means abusive to equipment but their designs are weak in my opinion.

 

Do you haul excavators, Because that’s what it sounds like?

 

9700# for a combo step? That is freaking light! My all alum 53 flat weights about 10,500 with all my crap in it