PNW Supervan Questions

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by Apd, Mar 17, 2018.

  1. Apd

    Apd Haystack

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    I've seen a few different supervan/curtain setups in the Pacific Northwest and I was wondering what the pros and cons of each setup are.

    Here are the 3 types I'm talking about..
    1st setup up are the 53 footers with 4 axles, and the trucks have a pusher axle on them

    2nd I've heard people call them "A Trains" or rocky mountain doubles. Usually a 40 footer in front and a 24 footer pup, truck wouldn't have a pusher axle on it.

    3rd I've seen around the PNW are the typical tandem/spread axle 48/53 footer pulled by a typical 3 axle truck.
     
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  3. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    1. Your 7 axle bridge (lift axle on truck to rear trailer axle) is pretty much going to define your gross weight. The trick is getting weight on your steer axle without being under your trailer so far as to cut down your inner bridge and knock your weight down. OR is a tricky state when it comes to bridge because they have their own bridge chart. The truck I drive bridges out at 105,000 (I can’t get much over 12k on steer axle) everywhere except OR, where I bridge out at 102,000.
    This setup will be lighter than a set of doubles. But on a 53ft you’ll only have about 52ft of loadable deck. Particle board, plywood, drywall, most lumber this won’t be an issue.

    2. I’m not familiar enough with the bridge chart to talk specific weights on these, but you should be right there in the 105-106k range, and I have no idea how OR works out. The benefit would be additional deck space if you’re hauling loads that need it. 64ft vs 52ft or so on a quad. The con would be weight. 64 feet of trailer and curtains and roof vs 53 feet. Another plus is that you don’t need a real specialized truck as long as the rear ends and transmission can handle it.

    3. The ones you see in the NW are likely running north/south to California or far enough east off the coast they’re getting into states that don’t benefit from extra axles. The major pro here is being able to go anywhere in the country. The major con is being limited to 84-86k I’m bridge states.
     
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  4. Apd

    Apd Haystack

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    Thank you for the detailed answer. I'm really liking the first setup as it seems extremely versatile because not only can you haul forest products, but you can also haul dry van loads as well.
     
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  5. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    Yes you can haul dry van loads, but they have to be secured like any other load because the sides of the trailer aren’t load bearing. A lot of people do it. It opens up options if you get hung up someplace looking for a load.

    My advice would be to figure everything out on paper first as far as axle spacings go. I’ve seen a few people buy a truck and trailer only to find out after the fact they can’t haul as much as they thought because their axle spacing don’t work out right.

    Another thing is where do you plan to run? If you plan to run Idaho and get off the National Route roads then the wheelbase of your truck comes into play and throws another curve into everything. But if you don’t plan to get off the National Route roads then it’s not a big deal.
     
  6. Roberts450

    Roberts450 Road Train Member

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    Yes the northwest and especially Oregon can be tuff to spec a truck and trailer for. I spent close to a year playing with Oregon's online bridge calculators and tape measures on the trailers my company has before I finally got my truck spec's setup. Oregon has the lightest bridge spec's so if you can bridge your loads in Oregon then in the other states you will be fine and Idaho has the tightest off track limits so if you can spec for those two states you should be good everywhere else. Just remember up here running the heavy freight tare weight is your enemy. You gotta try and keep empty weigh to 40-42,000 tops as most customers want 30-35ton payloads.
     
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  7. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    To add to this more, know where you’re going to run the most and set everything up more towards that area. The truck I drive is 244”, can run Canada with no permits and not restricted to 75’ overall because truck and trailer are RTAC legal, and the off track when I’m shortened up for Idaho is 5.46 so there’s only a few roads I can’t run. We run way more Canada and Idaho so the hit of 102,000 gross in OR isn’t that big of deal. But I also pull a flat so I’m still able to load 67,000 and go to OR if I have to.
     
  8. Roberts450

    Roberts450 Road Train Member

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    I see a lot of 53' quads with 2 rear stearable lifts with the local boys here in north Idaho to keep the off tracks really short. I dont run Canada so Im running a truck with a 312"wb and a 12' spread on my lift to rear driver but we run a lot of 3 axle 53's so we are grossing 88,000 on 6 axle inner bridges with 102,500 overall on 7 axles. On our quads I can do 105,500 but our trailers a so freaking heavy I can only pack 64,000 on our 3's and 4axle pneumatic's and 60,000 on our 4axle tankers.
     

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