45K in tow.

[durallymax]

Finally got around to taking a pic of our 02 hooked to the 32' Tri Flex axle gooseneck loaded down.

There are 34 bales on the trailer and the Gross Combined weight is just under 45,000lbs.

The truck sees this load regularily and the edge is run on setting 3 unless its gets too warm then 2.

The gooseneck ball is 1" back from where it was when it was installed and it sits at a bit of an angle.

The trans is just about shot and the truck has had 3 sets of brakes, and is on its 3rd set of injectors.

The trailer has had 4 sets of brakes. We bought it new in 01.

I think i finally talked my dad into getting some air bags for the rear.

every tire on the trailer has been blown out at least once. Now they are all 14ply tires and haven't had problems yet.

Also, even though the axles are flex axles, weve still broken a couple.

Any other comments or question s just ask.

 

[tracker954x4]

Yeah, I'd say it could use some suspension help. lol

 

[durallymax]

Ya this truck has sat on the bump stops most of its life.

 

[GmcLbz]

Thats a rough life right there!

 

[Wrecker]

Holy cow! I thought I was tough on equipment. I thought it was tougher in Alaska, not Wisconsin!

 

[DunesRunner08]

There's this great invention called Airbags....they helps keep the rear end level under load

 

[durallymax]

read my post. They're on order. 6 years later.

 

[durallymax]

okay scratch the Firestone Ride Rites. Theyre only rated for 5,000lbs.

Guess Im making my own kit.

 

[whitetrash21]

ever hear of a class 8.... comes with 18 wheels, air brakes, big fk'in trailer. might handle your load a little better.....ound:


hell with it..... go :chevy: .... gittin it done....

 

[DunesRunner08]

If you search hard enough, you can find the Semi Truck kits and modify the mounts...they only require 8-10 PSI to lift the rear so they are a lot smoother....the Firestone bags are good but probably a little under rated for your application

 

[btfarm]

I don't know how far down the road you go with that but it looks like a disaster waiting to happen. I doubt if it's legal either... but I know it's unsafe.

 

[durallymax]

A class 8 is coming soon, but for now this is what we have. And to this date weve never had an incident. Weve been doing it this way for 5 years with this truck and 2 years before that with our POS powerstroke. We never hooked the big 6.5 up to it though.

Surprisingly enough the load does come to a halt farely quick.

The bales are strapped down and we never go more than 50 miles and 90% of the work is within 10 miles.

Were in the market for a 02+ T800 with a high horsepower C12 and a 13 or 15spd. No sleeper, short wheelbase, air slide 5th.

The only unsafe thing I see is trying to stop on a dime if you get cut off. But at the same time good luck stopping an 18 wheeler on a dime too.

You learn how to drive with this much of a load. We dont let many people drive it like this. Usually Im responsible for it, but other times my dad or one other employee will step in.

And were not the only ones doing this. Ive seen at least 3 other DMaxes loaded down like this as well. Two of them were on smaller trailers.

And it is legal, its an implement of animal husbandry.

 

[btfarm]

Well I suppose all those times I've pulled loaded triple racks at about 120-150 on each and with ****ty bushings in the front of some of the racks would just about be worse but I always kept it at 35 mph or less and with an SMV on the back of the racks...
I just had a mental picture of you running down the interstate with that as too much!

 

[durallymax]

No we never touch the interstate and stay under 60.

The thing with racks too, is that there is no weight on the truck so stopping is a little trickier.

BTW: just so you know it is illegal to have an SMV sign on anything going over 25mph.