upgrading to a 320

[lgammon]

me and dad have been talking about getting a 320 to replace our 312. we now move with a 20 ton tilt trailer behind our tandem macks. we haul a 953 also this way. just was wondering what kind of truck trailer combo we could get by with. would a tandem tractor and a 35 ton trailer be the proper setup and what would you expect to find a used trailer this size for?

 

[CRAFT]

Pay attention to the starting base weight of the 320's, and the year of it ....they make 3 different Base models .... my 320CLU (which is in the middle) claims to have a base weight of close to 51,000 #'s it's more like 52,500 #'s and when I carry the extra bucket and full of fuel it's 54,000#'s ..... we have a gov't rate book that tries to id all construction and forestry equipment ... my CLU falls into the 21-22tonne class, 1 class higher because of the hp, lift and the weight is greater than 200's/20 tonne machines..... my 312 is supposed to be a 12 tonne machine..."BS"...its more like a 13 tonne naked and mine weigh's 14.7 tonne/32,400 #'s the way it sits ....it hurts me in the rates, cause iI go up against the 120's that are 100's on steroids, the 312 is the identical machine as the 314, same hp,same boom & stick same UC same pumps, just not a RR unit .....I don't know what regs you have down there but I know here we can not load the 320 on a tag or tilt when its pulled by pintle hitch , but can load it on the right 5 axle set-up (3 for the truck and 2 on the trailer) or if I remember that would be an 80,000 # gross set-up in most states ...... good-luck on your purchace

 

[Willis Bushogin]

cat320

me and dad have been talking about getting a 320 to replace our 312. we now move with a 20 ton tilt trailer behind our tandem macks. we haul a 953 also this way. just was wondering what kind of truck trailer combo we could get by with. would a tandem tractor and a 35 ton trailer be the proper setup and what would you expect to find a used trailer this size for?

I had a 320L and pulled it with a 35 ton detach lowboy. I never got stopped, but Im pretty sure I was over weight. I dont know about your regs, but if I was to do it again, I would get a 50 lowboy for a Cat 320. Unless you are going to do a lot of moving, you might want to consider, getting someone to move it for you. In my area a local move is $200, that way you dont have to worry about overweight tickets, truck and lowboy ins. repairs on these units, etc.
It is nice to have your own lowboy, to move you when you need to, but is it worth it, for what you are doing. My lowboy guy comes to the jobsite, loads the machine, takes it to the other site and unloads it. I dont have to worry about anything. The bad part of getting someone to move your equipment, is once in a while, you might get a emergency call and need it moved now and you cant get a lowboy to move it. Will or has this happened to you?? It happened to me 2 times in 10 years, I need make good money on the emergency jobs, but I dont think it offset the cost of the truck and lowboy.
No way Jose, try to pull this with a dump truck

 

[lgammon]

we have to be able to move our selves most jobs we do are 2-3 day gigs and some times we hit 2 jobs a day so subbing out is out of the question. seems like a 50 ton would be over kill. 100,000 to move 50,000? and none of the trailer guys tell what there trailers way, that also gets on my nerves

 

[Willis Bushogin]

cat320

we have to be able to move our selves most jobs we do are 2-3 day gigs and some times we hit 2 jobs a day so subbing out is out of the question. seems like a 50 ton would be over kill. 100,000 to move 50,000? and none of the trailer guys tell what there trailers way, that also gets on my nerves

A friend of mine has a Cat 320L, Im almost sure he has 50 ton lowboy. I know its 3 axles,
I just called him and he does have a 50 ton lowboy, his truck is a 2003 Mack and with the truck full of fuel, driver inside and 320 (big bucket and hyd thumb) the gross weight is 87,300. So you see how it works, the gross weight could vary a few hundred lbs, according, to the trailer weight. His standard permit is for 90,000 lb.
The question about the weight of the trailer, that would take some time to figure it out. I guess you would have to weigh the truck, without the trailer, then weigh the truck and trailer and do some math. My thinking is, if everyone is using a 50 ton trailer to move a Cat320, then thats what you need. I know 3 guys in my area that has a 320 and the all have 50 ton trailers and the 320 is the biggest piece of equipment they have.
In my area they have cracked down on chains and chain binders, they have to be stamped as to their capacity and you better have it tied down correctly. I think a 320 takes6 chains, four on the tracks and 2 on the boom. I think I was told the back of the machine had to have a criss cross chain (2)
Good Luck and I hope this helps

 

[bell142]

Weighed my '07 320cl on the scale the other day (was working at a railspur with a scale) 48" bucket with hydr thumb full of fuel and operator 52,920 #s weighed it on lowboy 379 pete 35 tn detach 87150 im permitted for 88000 in the state but i was heavier than i thought

 

[lgammon]

so it is close with a 35 ton detach, but you can do it, thanks that is what we were thinking. also we haul local and never near a scale house, unless the state man brings them to us, so i think this could work

 

[JBlackwell]

One of the biggest reasons you see a 320 on a 50ton 3 axle lowboy even though it is in the 50K# range is because it is the best trailer for the money. A new 35ton tandem is not much less money if you are looking for new. You can do a 40ton 3 axle lowboy, but you don't ever see them because it is only around 1,000# weight diff and a couple thousand dollars less money between that a a 50ton. You don't have room to grow on a 35ton tandem axle, but you can on a 3 axle 50ton.

Also you can put wheel covers over the rear tri group and give yourself an extra 14' of loading space to haul two small pieces at one time like a backhoe and small dozer.

Tennessee is a state that only gives 20K# per axle when over 80K# gross weight. If you have a tandem truck and trailer that is 92,000# total gross and if your total empty weight is 35,000# (18K# truck and 17K# trailer) you can only payload 57,000# if you get your weight distribution right.

If you do some looking you will find a used 3 axle 50ton as reasonable as a 35ton 2 axle. My personal opinion since you are detaching several times a week get a non-ground bearing hydraulic detach neck trailer no if's, and's, or but's.