What's a good starter truck for pulling tankers?

The make is all personal preference. One could go on all day argueing that. Just remember the shorter the better. If I were shopping for a truck right now to haul gas I would look into one of those T800s areodynes with the 36" flat top bunk. I think that would be ideal and I have seen a few fuel companies running them. Shop around on craigslist afterwards and look for a roper 3" product pump. I have seen a few on there from time to time. I bought mine years ago from a guy for $100 and went through it when I had my truck. You can rebuild them fairly cheap.

 

I dunno if this helps, just starting to learn about speccing trucks for certain jobs...After lurking in the Ask o/o and flatbeding threads I've seen typical good truck specs come from the following information

• GVW/curbweight
• weigh of haul/loaded product
• Engine type
• Transmission ratio/rear end ratio
• tire size
• typical speed (IE: cruise speed)
• normal location of haul (plains/mountains/lower 48 )

These are for maximizing fuel economy, and don't ask me to put it all together for you because I have no idea. 3.55 ratio on the rear with 22.5-.7 tires with a 13 speed keeps being brought up for good fuel eco, but that could be total bull for all I know. Again those are flatbeding specs, so you might want to check with the Ask an Owner Op bunch.


Aside from that, I'm a Volvo fanboy and as well as having a great ride, spacious and comfortable interior, amazing driver ammenities and a reliable engine (when outfitted with the ISX), I believe all Volvo's come standard with PTO features.

 

New Roper, shafts, PTO, bracket fab etc. all done right $3500 in Houston everyday. 2-3 day waiting list. Add hose rack etc.

I just did a used Roper, Used comp, 2 new PTO's ( vs 1 and a jump shaft ) hose rack and all fab work and a iron hose rack for 5k.

Good luck.....

 

Get a truck with a coffin box I was once told by another o/o, get a versatile truck. You never know what is next. I ran a t2000 when I pulled a tank locally, but I pulled liquid asphalt in the summer. Fuel was a winter job. Definitely get a small sleeper. If they give you a fuel discount or the ability to buy at wholesale, an unaero truck is good. A cheap truck will be a freightliner.

 

1st, what is Cabwrecker babbling about?? You didn't answer the question? 2nd,I also suggest like kw550 that you at least get a Small sleeper on your truck.You never know when a Job can go south on you and you can Always find work with a Double axle truck with a Sleeper

 

Get atleast a 36" bunk. I know a bunch of guys who didn't have bunks on their trucks and were hauling coal over in Boonville, IN when the mine went out might near everybody lost their jobs a lot of guys turned to OTR and hated sleeping on a board.

 

I know my reply is a little off base but have you looked into all the cost in hauling gasoline? The last time I looked the loading facilities wanted a safety bond. Some are 1 million dollars and some are 2 million. I'm sure the have raised their limits since I looked. Or maybe you have a company that will pay all those costs.

 

I have hauled gas little over 4 yrs now, and in the process of buying my first truck and leasing onto a local company hauling gas. If you have no experience hauling gas, your not gonna need a pump for awhile. No one is gonna send a inexperienced gas hauler to do some of the crazy pump on or off that we do. I would not limit yourself to a day cab. Petroleum business is pretty crazy and there is a lot of freight that you can run overnight on and make good money, and there are times that some places can't get product threw pipelines and need companies to transfer products across states just to keep places running, or the price is so cheap that they will send you to another state or area just to get a load and bring back for a buyer.

On a truck I would recommend a Freightliner Columbia or Century 48in or 58in flat top on a 220 wb with a pre dpf detroit. They are easy to find, affordable, reliable, and light. Nothing fancy just a work horse. Most have 10 speeds 370 gears which would be good for local work and the occasional overnight run. I would also keep the truck around 11 foot. Most petro trailers on a 22 tall sit about 10'8'' at the highest point, and some older stores have low canopies, or I have a couple stores I deliver I have to go under a 12 foot bridge so the shorter the better.