Regular Vs. Car Hauler Spec Suspension Differences

Can you be any less helpful?

This is not a car hauling thread!!

 

Certainly would be positive and negative aspects to running that type of equipment.

For most freight that has some height to it: a 53' setup as low as possible on the lower deck would seem to leave you open to most of the taller freight that could fit...
Fortycalglock/all responders:
What kind of ground clearance does that kind of setup leave you with? I've pulled a friend's 48' (all aluminum) Benson, and with a 50+ inch fifth wheel height the beams on the trailer looked a lot closer than I'd like to consistently run into jobsites/over speed bumps in big parking areas with... Is bottoming the trailer something to consider when the trailer/5th wheel/tractor height drops so much?

 

My 52' step's frame is 16" from the ground. I've never had a clearance issue. I've only gone into a jobsite once which was all dirt and still had decent ground clearance.

 

The smaller the tire and the higher the weight capacity you get, the closer to the ground the frame gets. A 50 foot Doonan step with 17.5's (34-36" deck height) has pretty darn low frame rails so you have to watch it. I'd say from memory they have about 12" of ground clearance.

 

I can deal with 12".

I think my best bet is to find a step with a 35" tall 40' bottom deck with 22.5s even if that means the tires sit even with the trailer bed. If I decide to lower the tractor, I can simply add a taller fifth wheel.

I would rather have the 48' 35" tall flat, but I still need to make the proper phone calls and see if it's possible.

 

255/70 22.5's are 36" tall. What you want is impossible. You can get 35" with 19's and raised wheel wells, but that will affect your freight hailing capabilities in that section as it will be like a double drop. For a flat bottom deck at 35", you HAVE to have 17.5's.

 

Yea, I'll probably have to wish for my stepdeck for Christmas

I have found steps with wheel wells over the tires.
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But I think I'll let this thread die until I get closer to decision time

 

I can load 10'8" on my step deck trailer with a regular Western Star LP 24.5, 255 22.5 on trailer. I just have the wheel humps after 26' of flat deck. The wheel humps are only 4" higher

 

Did the wells ever prevent you from hauling a load?

I don't think they ever would have stopped me. I have hauled mulch on pallets, but I guess I could have used my dunnage under the pallets.

 

No, I just lay out the 4x4s if its longer than 26', like a container. To be truthful I have mostly moved trucks, equipment,and large parts. I have not hauled regular freight.