PJ 25k Trailers.... No Dexter axles??

terryknight · Oct 29, 2013

if you are going to be using that much hay i would suggest AG tags and and a semi. you'll haul more each load and therefore less time on the road and with a five hour trip i would think you would want as few as possible

Diamondpilot · Oct 29, 2013

I agree on the semi or even look into contract hauling

Chris

TruckinFool · Oct 29, 2013

Its actually looking like 17-18tons per month. I figure a semi will load out 20tons of large squares easy. Do you all have any experience running ag semi's? It seems I can find a decent? conventional day cab with 20klb rear axle in the $5-8k range. I've seen 45-48ft canvas sided van trailers for $8-10k. Not sure what the sidewall studs are spaced at but it would be real nice to not have to tarp and just pick it off the trailer as needed.

My concern is all the DOT bs and expenses? I think the farmer exemption only really exempts me from needing the CDL but I'd still need to follow DOT regs for semi. Medical card, inspections, tags? Either of you familiar with whats involved on the legal end of doing this?

terryknight · Oct 29, 2013

every state is different you will need to check with CO. in MD vehicles that have been excluded from CDL requirements a

1. controlled and operated by a farmer
-used to transport agricultural product, farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm;
-not used in the operations of a common or contact motor carrier; and
-used within 150 miles of the person's farm

TruckinFool · Oct 30, 2013

FWIW, seems rockwell makes a lot of axles for semi tractors.

Dallas_Lilly · Nov 11, 2013

I spec'd Rockwell axles in 60k gvw dump/ snowplow trucks for 15 years and they were rock solid... I wouldn't worry about them being cheap... Just my opinion

RedNeckRacin · Nov 12, 2013

Im in a similiar situation as you truckin. Semi's look pretty cheap compared to pickups and GN's espscially when a used semi trailer will haul twice the weight of today's goosenecks. Try commercialtrucktraderonline.com they let you search by quite a few different parameters. I'm stronly considering a bigger single axle truck and a step deck trailer with AG tags, and just use the pickup and GN for smaller taskes since it would be more manuverable and go alot better in the mud/snow. Don't forget to factor in your insurance costs. I think in PA you are exempt from keeping logs if you stay within 150 AIR miles of your home base. I believe you also need to start and return to the home base in 24 hrs? The DOT regs are a nightmare for someone who is not a OTR trucker. They simply dont translate well to occasinal use by the heavy hauling little guys. Throw in some farm issues and it really muddies the waters. I ended up getting my class A cdl and commercial truck insurance (that was cheaper than private insurance) and it worked out pretty well since I haul my own stuff or something I am borrowing. I also ditched my SRW one ton truck as my GN abused it when I was loaded heavy. My international scoffs at a fully loaded 14k gvw GN now. I had to borrow my FIL's duramax dually this summer to haul a typical load of square bales and it was night and day difference in how the trucks felt and handled the loads.

Keep us posted on what you end up figuring out!

TruckinFool · Nov 12, 2013

After strong debate over buying a $25-$30k flatbed class 8 straight truck with tandem 20k duals which would allow me to haul 10ton on the truck and get a trailer later for a combined 20ton load, I ended up buying the 25k PJ with tandem 12k axles. I'll be selling my current dually for a 2014 ram 3500 37,500lb GCWR! With this setup I can LEGALLY haul 10tons of hay per trip with 5 year/100k warranty on truck and 2 year warranty on trailer. Navigation, heated seats and all the luxury new trucks offer. I strongly recommend anyone heavy hauling to test drive the new 3500 with Aisin 6spd trans and integrated engine brake control. These trucks are seriously impressive and 100% built to haul. They REALLY got it right this time. (I'm a ford guy too) The Aisin transmission is designed to work with 40% more torque than the 850ft/lbs the new cummins puts out. Just very impressive setup all around.

Anyway, here's a pic of the first haul with the PJ. New truck to come soon.