New step deck professional advice and thoughts

I hope I dont eat my words but I found a used 3 axle step on 17.5 for the same price I was going to pay for a 48 x 102 spread flat. I think its a versatile piece of equip and I should have it next week.
Also being out of HOU seems like 80-90% of the freight for f/bed is pipe and I hate those pipe yards.
Should give me acess to better paying freight but until I actually have used it , cant say.

 

We don't do a lot in the Houston area, but my experience has been that there is much more work for a regular flat in Houston. I would not buy a 3 axle step unless you have a specific customer for it. My opinion is that you are adding weight, and won't haul freight that requires a third axle very often. 17.5s are also little tires/brakes and will cause significant additional maintenance cost. I would reconsider if the 3 axle is really the trailer you want.

 

I agree because then you need to find SD freight thats 45k+ non divisible on a regular basis. Ugh stress me out

 

Ill fill you guys in a few weeks to let you know how my adventure goes. I did heavy duty towing and miss the challange

 

I'd like to be able to haul 10'6", but those little tires.............

 

I wouldn't be scared of the tires 1 bit. I said this about super singles also. Tires are only as good as the person using them. Keep them aired up they'll be fine. Don't keep them aired up and they won't. Truck drivers have such a hard time with change and progress. I sometimes can't believe we even have cruise control because I'm sure when it was introduced some complained about it. I would buy a trailer with 13.5 tires. I trust equipment and the manufacturers suggested capabilities.

 

I had a retired truck driver working for me at the dealership shuttling cars around etc. He told me when they started putting power steering on big trucks the guys converted them back to manual because there was no way that it was going to work.

 

I met one of our drivers at the yard about a month ago that that had 19.5s. He said he keeps blowing tires and the wheel hubs are always getting too hot and blowing out the lube. I didn't ask him how fast he drives. I'm willing to bet the hubs are overfilled

Yesterday I met one of our driver that has 17.5s. He said he doesn't have any problems and his wheel hubs were clean.

 

I would like to have a LoPro step, and if I ever buy my own, it will be. I miss out on a few loads because I can only haul 10' high. Just make sure it has an auto-inflation system and it will be fine. Just don't be dragging it over curbs

 

Some guys aren't happy if they're crying about something