dump truck with pup trailer

[dzlnut]

hey guys

I am looking for a rig to haul firewood with both split wood & also rounds.

How much weight could I put in the dump box with these trucks in CA ?

How much weight could I put in the dump box in the truck & trailer if I am pulling a pup.

Here are some rigs I am looking at


http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2653113&

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2857575&

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2100864&





thanks

 

[Bob Horrell]

The DMV Vehicle Code section 35551, which you can access through the DMV website, gives the gross weight bridge formula. With the super 10 (with extra drop axle) your gross weight will be somewhere between 55K and 60K depending upon the length of the truck. My truck is 21ft. long (center of front axle to center of rear axle) and my gross is 56K. Empty weight full of fuel and me in it is 23K, so I can legally carry 33K (16.5 tons). The Freightliner transfer can carry a gross of 80K and considering the average empty weight of that rig, about 25 tons payload. The Freightliner truck alone can gross 46K (12K front and 34K rear). It's empty weight is somewhere around 20K. Hope that helps.

 

[mitch504]

Gee Bob, thanks for reminding me that however much I hate the SC DMV, I hate them less than I would another state's DMV.

In SC, the Pete and the KW could both gross 70,000, and the Freightshaker could weigh 50,000 without the trailer, and 80,000 with the trailer; as long as you stay off the interstate. On the Interstate, you have to go by the Bridge Formula.

 

[dzlnut]

hey Bob

thanks for the info that helped a lot

Which setup would be better for hauling both split & unsplit firewood?

1. dump truck with drop axle & pup trailer

2. conventional semi truck pulling a trailer like this
http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2250693&

 

[Bob Horrell]

I would go with option #2, the conventional tractor with trailer. You would be able to fit a lot more material in it. Weight won't be the problem (even with greenwood), its the volume you will need and the tractor/trailer would allow more volume. I once had 3 cords of split eucalyptus in my dump truck, which filled it up, and wasn't anywhere near my load limit. Volume wise it will hold almost 16 yards of material - 432 cu ft. Three cords of stacked firewood is 384 cu ft.
I know a guy that delivers cut and split almond firewood. He gets 12 cords stacked on a set of double flatbeds and grosses out at about 80K. The wood is usually somewhat seasoned and therefore not "wet" heavy. Almond is a dense hardwood. Hope this helps.

 

[dzlnut]

thanks Bob I will go with conventional setup then.

I was hoping a dump truck would haul 4 cords it looks like the conventional setup is a lot more economical plus I can pull different types of trailers

 

[dzlnut]

in CA is it worth it to have a lift axle with the extra weight?

 

[DirtHauler]

Are lift axles legal in CA? I never see them on pics of CA rigs.

 

[dzlnut]

Bob's truck has an air lift it looks like if thats his truck in the avatar picture

also I see a whole bunch of trucks with air lifts in the town I live in

 

[Bob Horrell]

Without the lift axle, my gross wt. would be 46K. With the lift axle, it is 56K. The lift axle weighs 1300lbs, so it is definitely worth having. There are a lot of them in Cali. with the one extra axle (called super 10 trucks). You never see more than one lift axle in Cali. because with the bridge laws being what they are you get no extra load capacity with any additional axles.