Lowboy ramps replacement suggestions, these are worn out!

Why do you guys run heavy front ends when you keep your fifth wheel so far back?

 

I don’t Actually have a heavy front end, just have 385 tires on the front. They look cool and in a pinch we can hide some weight up there. Plus with about 90 pounds of air in the steers they actually ride pretty good.

Here’s the tickets from those two loads, with my setback for an axle bobtail and well over 13,000 pounds on my steer axle when full of fuel.

This is the heaviest I’ve been with this truck. That’s with the fifth wheel Amos the all the way forward. These 35 ton trailers Don’t have long enough necks load A heavy front end truck with a 244” wheel base.
I have suggested we look at the set ups like this, but so far it’s falling on deaf ears. A trailer with a tall neck spec for a single axle jeep would be nice because you maintain a low deck height and can pull it with a regular three axle truck. Currently anything over 65,000 goes on our eight axle set up. Which is a lot like target shooting with a shotgun.

 

Don't see single axle jeeps much anymore.
Sold my last one at least 15 years ago, after it sat unused for years, collecting dust. I'm down to just owning 5 jeeps now, 2 tandem, and 3 tri axles.

 

Are Most people in BC going tri drive trucks then? It seems like single axle jeeps would still be pretty common in BC with their lift axle laws.

We generally only do five axle freight. We have one for axle truck and 4 55 ton Fontaine rgn’s. Sometimes they will hook one of the 55 Tons behind a regular tandem truck and just load all the way to the back for a somewhat local move up in Washington.

There is a handful of us drivers that have the skill set and want-to to move on to some of the heavier freight. We just don’t have the equipment to do it.

that being said our four axle slip seat truck is eight years old and only has 160,000 miles on it. So we don’t really need a bunch of four axle trucks. That’s why I think a single axle jeep pared with a tall neck trailer would be a good fit. You can hook up to it with a tandem Tractor, go do the load, bring it all back to the yard drop the jeep and trailer together and you’re back to hauling regular five axle freight.

Setting up a few tractors for a pin on fourth axle is another option. Problem with that is I haven’t seen a set up you could pull a mechanical rgn’s with. Seems like all the mounting ears get in the way.

Just a company driver thinking out loud. I should probably keep my mouth shut keep doing the gravy freight I’m doing right now.

 

The trend for many years now around here is tri drive trucks with fat steer tires, and tri axle trailers.
I sometimes send equipment out behind tandem trucks with 3, 4, or 5 axle trailers, but more commonly pair a tri drive truck to a trailer of 3 to 5 axles for somewhat heavy loads.
For yet heavier loads a tandem truck paired to a tandem jeep, or a tri drive to tri axle jeep.
I don't have any combination that exceeds 12 axles, nor do i want to.
If someone wants something moved heavier than that, there are specialty companies that only do heavy haul, and have special equipment, plus pull and push trucks dedicated to it.
6 months ago I was contacted about moving 4 loads, each was huge, and weighed 190,000 lbs. I politely declined, as that just isn't my thing, nor am i equipped for it.
After 140,000 lbs I politely say no thanks, because the trailer, booster, jeep, and truck are also so heavy by then, it just doesn't make sense for me to do it.
It comes to a point where a guy has to become super specialized, and I have never done so.
July I hauled a big load, that had to go way up a small single lane dirt road, into the mountains.
I figured into the cost of the haul another truck that was hauling a dozer for me to use if needed, and for a tow truck to meet me where i turned off the pavement. Six times I had the tow truck hook onto me, and assist going up the hills. Three times unloaded the dozer, twice to scrape down a hump i knew that I would get high centered on, and once to push while the tow truck pulled because I was stuck. Next year I will be taking another load up there. This time I better know what to expect at least. The tow truck driver was happy, said how fun it was to be doing something totally different than his usual, as a truck leader, and occasional tugger, and is looking forward to next July, doing it again.


Who knows what is in your future, but my experience tells me that its all pretty easy and fine up to and including 9 axles, then that just after 9 can be a pain in the ###, so ask yourself if its worth it before you ever go more.
In a perfect world, and the hindsight that I have now, if i could go back in time, i don't think that I would have bought anything more than 9 total. I swear that I'm my own worst enemy all too often.

 

bellemare runs some 3 axle trucks with pin on 4ths and I’ve definitely seen a handful of them load a mechanical in Dundalk. I don’t speak French though.

 

some of their drivers are bilingual

 

Was at a auction yesterday and happened to think about this post on ramps…..