Reitnouer, Mac, or Chaparral?

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by Oscar the KW, Feb 12, 2013.

  1. mtoo

    mtoo Road Train Member

    1,935
    4,500
    Jan 15, 2011
    Retired on bended knee
    0
    This is for some of the older guys. I just found out that ravens is making flatbeds again. I had 3 of them over the years. Had a 1986, every time I went home it went to the shop to get welded. 1993 it turned out to be a good trailer, still had few cracks develop around the front axle. Last one was 2005 great trailer, not one problem. The new ravens have 28.5 main beam, 60,000 in 4 feet, cross members at 15" and ravens swirls.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. rp5h

    rp5h Bobtail Member

    15
    12
    Nov 17, 2012
    0
    man i loved those swirls
     
    Logan76 Thanks this.
  4. Oscar the KW

    Oscar the KW Going Tarpless

    12,246
    28,115
    May 19, 2011
    0
    Looked at a new one today, the stake pockets are welded on the back side where they snap into the outer rail. I am going to go with the Reitnouer, thanks for all the replies.
     
    Logan76 Thanks this.
  5. poppapump1332

    poppapump1332 Road Train Member

    2,987
    2,465
    Jan 2, 2010
    birdsboro,pa
    0
    You made the right choice Reitnouer is the best flatbed out there but I do love ravens look on their trailers
     
    alaga Thanks this.
  6. carrkool

    carrkool Heavy Load Member

    883
    495
    May 10, 2012
    adah, pa
    0
    i love my reitnouer for the most part. i got a big bubba. 60,000 in 4 ft 70,000 in 10 ft and 100,000 gvwr. rides great hooked to my 96 classic we got 2 new 13 reits both pulled by classics with chains lumber rachet binders side kit starps winchs person crap and stuff i am forgeting. oh full fuel. 29,500. now i have steel insides on both trailer and truck on both rigs. so i can shave off another 200 lbs going aluminum wheels all the way around.

    the only thing i dislike about it and is a 2 part issue is the j hooks. i wish i had good old drop though chains instead. when you drag out your chains they love to get stuck in the grooves for the j hooks part one, part two is having to grab the dang things and put them in place instead of just poping the chain up and being done with it. otherwise i love it.

    oh the factory dump vavle is wired to only work at 5 mph or less and only when loaded. at 6 mph or empty it wont dump the air out. I am fixing that though. daul front and rear dumps direct wired to the truck.....
     
  7. allan5oh

    allan5oh Road Train Member

    1,557
    556
    Jan 6, 2010
    Winnipeg, mb
    0
    That's because the floor itself is the cross members. However if you're using it for chocks you can get chocks that latch into the sliding floor system.
     
    SHC Thanks this.
  8. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

    3,723
    2,040
    Dec 23, 2009
    AL/TN BORDER
    0
    from what I hear from actual drivers is, mac best choice, reitnouer 2nd best. east... had more than a few say they cracked at he back axle. saw 3 cracked in the last couple years in person, read of a couple on here also.
     
  9. mtoo

    mtoo Road Train Member

    1,935
    4,500
    Jan 15, 2011
    Retired on bended knee
    0
    I was wrong about the stake pockets, they do pull great. You will be happy with it.
     
  10. 379exhd

    379exhd Road Train Member

    2,925
    3,153
    Jun 25, 2012
    rolling through hell
    0
    29500 full of fuel? Im over 31000 with 9 chains 8 binders, 2 steel tarps, a smoke tarp 4 coil racks, and 3/4 tanks eith my east and pete.
     
  11. Logan76

    Logan76 Crusty In Training

    4,528
    17,698
    Jul 12, 2009
    kittanning, PA
    0
    I'm a J-hook man myself, I prefer them to those pull out chains.

    I think you made the right choice.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.