The safest answer will come from CT DOT. I think most manufacturer's specs max single axles at 34K. The lift axle will get you more but I don't know how much. My guess would be about 54K gross with the proper tires.
With 240 horse, you won't set and land speed records, but you'll get around ok. I used to gross 80K with 300 hp, it got me around ok. I wasn't the fastest on hills, but not the slowest either.
It its got the 8.3 Cummins it should do fine heck look the tandem Fords that come with 240 Ford power those old 7.8 Ford engines screaming.
Nothing wrong with a Louisville Ford they had a bad problem with rust but otherwise I wouldn't be scared of one. I was going to buy a L-9000 tandem but there wasn't enough work to justify it.
i like the truck, their is no rust, she looks like she has been well taken care of and with only 90k ,she has plenty of life left,
but i need the gvw's so a lift axle is a option,
I measured the truck today to be able to see if a lift axle will fit,,
cab to axle 95"
wheel base 160"
rear suspension(front mount) to rear of hydraulic tank 43"
rear suspension (front mount) to front of hyd tank 60"
i can relocate the hyd tank if need be,
Does anyone have exprience with a lift axle install? and any advice?
thanks in advance R
You other option is buy a short wheelbase tandem then you have the best of both worlds the extra carrying capacity and the traction of another drive axle.
I'am not a big fan of lift axles I would rather have a conventional tandem over a truck with a drop axle. If you don't need a heavy tandem you can find yourself a 8000 Ford with 16,000 front and 40,000 rears or find your self a decent day cab truck tractor and put a short box on it.
By the time you buy a lift axle you could have put that money into a tandem with a manufactures gvw of 52,000lbs or what ever you find.
Single axle trucks are rarely used in my area but they do get used if you need to get in a tight spot. A Louisville tandem with a 222wb or 204 wheelbase goes anywhere especially one with regular steer tires they turn so sharp its unbelievable. You get a truck with double lockers in the rear it will leave any other brand truck behind.
I've driven trucks with lift axles, that's about it. They can cause a problem if you are in soft conditions, the lift axle can make the drive axle float in the mud even when it's in its raised position if the mud is deep enough. Most times it's ok though.
Many of the paving contractors in my area use 6 wheelers with lift axles, I guess to avoid the initial expense of a tandem. Long term there will be savings over a tandem as well in less tire wear on the lift axle (you raise it when empty) and your fuel mileage will be greater with a lift axle over a tandem as there is less drivetrain drag all the time.
tandem trucks scuff big time when in tight places ,
the truck will be empty when moving equip , most of the time i wont even need to use the axle,
but if i do then i have it available,,
if i were to go tandem id go right to tri axle
i pave small driveways, the "tight" areas are pretty much every job i do,
10ton ,20ton max ,
any more then that i hire tri axles,,
my inter S1800 holds 7ton legal /10ton max
this truck will hold 15t max,
so if my jobs are 10 to 20t, its a nice step up ,
i dont want a triaxle ,just to big and costly to run,
You also have to keep in mind a single axle with a drop axle will scuff just like a tandem and with the truck being so short the truck might not turn that well.
You must be in some awfully tight places if you are worried about scuffing the ground. The only blacktop company in the area uses a skid steer to move the asphalt for driveways. They have done quite a few driveways that way loading the spreader with the skid steer.
hi ctkiteboarding, we have a L9000 at work,like the one your talking about six wheeler with a pusher. two seasons ago we were running two and one tri axle,sold the older one last year and bought two more tri axles, any way now we just use it to tow the paving trailer around. like the one your talking about its got a cummins with a 7spd works just fine, as long as only the trucks loaded or just the trailer its works its butt off trying to move both loaded.
btw its good for 52000# in RI, i think its a 12 foot body with 48 inch sides with 6inch side boards ( real pain trying to put 16 ton on at batch plants with out it spilling off the sides oh yea even with the wheels up and loaded backing in to a tight spot the pusher wheels scuff, i think more than the tri axles do cause it so much shorter of a wheelbase
yep made that mistake when i first started driving a tri axle , i forgot to pick the pusher axle up a couple of times in a intersection the truck goes straight
its a trade off and i understand ,,
the short wheel base will be good when trailering ,
the lift will also add braking power,,
im going to try to get more info on the lift axle and in general,,
their is a good chance that i'll have to wait abit before the lift axle can be installed ,,
i think im going to offer the owner what he is asking for the truck but minus the cost of the lift axle install, and then wait abit to install it ,, ill post a pic in a day or so R
Theres a company who rents out of our yard who has a sterling 6 wheeler w/ a tag axle. I think the truck has an 11 or 12' body. Our 6 wheelers at work have 10' bodies and can carry 8.5 tons legal. The other companies sterling can carry 14 or 15 tons legal. Joseph Golia Services in stamford who sells a lot of topsoil is on his 2nd or 3rd international 6 wheeler with a tag axle. I think they're a hot setup for paving and tight places, only 1 or 2 feet longer than a regular 6 wheeler and almost twice the capacity.
I don't know how you guys can run a truck that short with a lift axle that is too much concentrated weight in one area. Even with the axle lifted you wouldn't get down our driveways the drop axle would bottom out and lift the drive tires right off the ground. You could possibly bend the trucks frame in half
For us drop axles are illegal anyhow so we don't see them here only on tractors that run south of the boarder. Busses use a tag axle and trucks can use a fixed tag axle behind the rear drive axle.
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oh yea even with the wheels up and loaded backing in to a tight spot the pusher wheels scuff, i think more than the tri axles do cause it so much shorter of a wheelbase
