Reefer: Recommend fixed spread or sliding closed tandems?

Doesn't matter how heavy or light the tractor is... a van trailer with the heavy beam under the floor, will always be heavier than a slider... you could have a 12,000 lb. tractor but you'll still save weight with a slider... or, even better, a non-slider.

I LIKE spreads... but not when I get paid by the CWT...

 

True, but like Gears found out. You may be light enough to load 50k but can't scale it out. A spread van/reefer doesn't have to have the big beam, I'm sure it's way stronger but if you look at the "spreads" that have individually sliding axles the subframe is identical to a closed tandem.

The weight difference between this and a closed tandem would be trivial.

 

Mine's a fixed spread. My prior trailer was a '53 slider...both axles slid. It was pretty heavy.

 

Those newer style spread/sliders work good.... but there's now way for me to justify buying a different trailer for the work I do.... just not enough $$$ in it.

I can usually axle scale 80K without a problem right now... but I usually don't run across the state scales anymore anyway... just too much hassle. During the harvest we are permitted for 90K (in Wisconsin) but there's no way I can get legal on axle weights so, again, I never cross any scales.

Plus we field load so getting 'legal' is almost impossible since the scales on the harvest equipment is a guess at best.

 

You missed the most important word in my post EASIER and i will add faster