Question for tractor trailer drivers

[Magicman]

Superb Skills - Log Truck 360 Turn Around Above Dangerous Cliff Edge - YouTube

[Gary_C]

I run a 48 ft flatbed spread axle log trailer and I never plan to turn around when loaded. So always plan to take trucks straight in to unload and then turn around unloaded. Loops are OK when loaded if they are wide enough at the turns but tight turns are hard on the tires and no fun at all if you drop a wheel off the hard surface. 

I have a third (lift) axle close spaced in front of the front spread axle which does give me some flexibility as I can dump the air bags on the rear axle but with the higher loads I am allowed to carry, that puts a lot of stress on the two close spaced axles. I have watched on tight turns and you can almost roll the tires off the rims on tight turns with a load.

I have operated on some tight landings with narrow roads where I have had to drag the trailer sideways into a T road to get turned around before loading. I would never do that when loaded. 

I don't even want to think about the times I've dropped a loaded set of tandems off the edge on some narrow tight turns.  

[mike_belben]

You can run 40k on a spread right?  How many board feet can you typically get on and stay under 80?  Is the trailer heaping or is there room to spare when you hit 80k?

[Gary_C]

I always haul pulpwood so I am set up with five bunks of 100 inch sticks. It's all weight scaled now so I never look at BDFT or cords. I guess I haul approximately 13 to 15 cords at max weight. That's based on about 64K load.

The 10 ft spread axle trailer makes it easier to meet axle weight limits or in other words it allows you to shift weight off the tractor tandems. In MN when hauling logs, I am allowed 80K plus 5% in summer and can go +10% + the 5% tolerance during frozen road time. 

In WI I can get a permit to haul 90K and the only way I can stay under the axle weight limits is with a spread axle trailer. With both the MN and WI weights over 80K, it's hard on tires as you are pushing the max tire limits.

In both MN and WI with a 6-axle setup, with a third axle on the trailer I can get a permit for 90K +5% in MN and for 98K in WI. In WI the 98K is max year around and in MN during frozen roads you can go 90K + 10% + 5% tolerance or about 104K. With the 6 axle set up, I have relatively few tire problems other than the scrubbing of the rear spread axle tires on turns.

[YellowHammer]

I watched a driver once take a turn so tight on asphalt, he tore a wheel off his trailer.  It came off and laid on the road.  It's things like that which show how difficult trucking can be.  

[mike_belben]

Trucking is a thankless job.  Drivers dont get near the appreciation they deserve.  

[Gary_C]

I watched a driver once take a turn so tight on asphalt, he tore a wheel off his trailer.  It came off and laid on the road. 

That's the downside to spread axles. I've watched that rear spread set of tandems on tight turns and the tires roll sideways to the point the sidewalls are scrubbing the pavement. I do have a dump valve in the cab for the rear airbags but if you forget to turn it back on after the turn it's big trouble. Many trailer manufacturers will void your warranty if you install a dump valve. The upside of the rear dump valve is you can instantly shorten your trailer length by 10 ft for tight turns.

[mike_belben]

Im surprised no one has made them a steering spread.  They have self parking cars and self driving trucks now.  Electric trucks etc. 

[Resonator]

Pa mizerman, bigger is better. Make it easy for the driver, and consider room for loading and unloading. Your first truck in will tell you for sure how well it works, and if the lot needs to be bigger.

[PAmizerman]

Thanks for all the input. I like the idea of a T.