Need some wisdom fellas

[waylanfan]

Need advice for starting out:

I've got an 07.5 3/4 dodge megacab with a G56 6-speed and am seriously considering jumping into the auto haulin business.

I'm going to either add-a-leaf or air bags to the suspension to make my truck equivalent to a 1-ton (not a dually though) along with a bunch of other performance mods (including a new clutch).

I'm fairly mechanically inclined and will be doing most of the mods, maintenance myself but have questions on what sort of problems you guys thing I might have with a 51' wedge. Also, what brand do you recommend and why?

Lastly, is a cdl, apportioned plates, DOT # necesarry? I will be crossing over state lines into bordering states (montana, colorado, idaho, dakotas) but can I do this without all the buearocracy?
:D

[waylanfan]

BTW, I'm looking to haul 3-4 cars if that helps you in what advice to give me.

[G4 Transport]

I am by no means a proffessional, but I think you'll find, especially living in Wyoming, the single wheel truck is going to be too unstable with that heavy of loads....just my .02

[haulin rv]

Never work. You simply can not run that kind of load and be even remotely close to you axle or tire weight ratings.

[h2oskibumz]

I hate to be a naysayer, but... with at 3/4 car wedge you will ROUTINELY have 8,000 or 9,000 lbs on the rear axle. Forget about using a SRW truck.

I suggest hang out here and learn all you can while shopping for a good used dually...

I'd sell you my Duramax, but it needs to go somewhere where they pull a camper or boat to live out its retirement...

[Buster]

waylanfan, I tried this when I first started. I had a 2000 Ram 2500hd and I converted it to dual's and pulled a 4500lb aluminum 3 car wedge. This DOES NOT change the legal weight rating of the truck!! I was over weight with ALL 3 car loads and some 2 car loads. The fines for this are HUGE!!! Unless you plan on getting a 2 car trailer and doing local car moves or an aluminum enclosed 2 car for high end customs, this truck will not work.

[Tosch88]

Lastly, is a cdl, apportioned plates, DOT # necesarry? I will be crossing over state lines into bordering states (montana, colorado, idaho, dakotas) but can I do this without all the buearocracy?
:D[/QUOTE]

The guys answered the other questions. To the one above, the answers are yes, yes & yes. Stick around & do some reading, you'll learn from our mistakes:D

[NDanecker]

waylanfan, I tried this when I first started. I had a 2000 Ram 2500hd and I converted it to dual's and pulled a 4500lb aluminum 3 car wedge. This DOES NOT change the legal weight rating of the truck!!

I agree with Buster on this one!

I also did a conversion to a dually and I honestly have to say it was 'one' of the worst mistakes I made. Sure, it rides and runs great but 'legally' you are even worse off considering the extra weight you added with the conversion and the fact that your legal capacity did not change.

I'm not setup for running yet, but have spent months researching and reading. you never stop learning, even the guys that have been doing this for 20+ years. My suggestion is to read as much as you can from this site and others (if you plan on doing freight) and learn from people who have gone through it and learned their lesson also.

I'd buy a truck setup for the job from the get-go. Get a 4500 or 5500 Dodge, or even a used Ryder Freightliner if you really want to open doors for you.

Good group of guys here......Good luck!

[Buster]

I started this with a 2000 Ram 2500 converted to a dually. Then I bought a 2008 Ram 4500. If I could do it all again tomorrow, I would have sold the 2500 and used the money for a down payment on a clean used FL60/70. This business is to hard on these trucks and everyone I know with an FL is getting better fuel mileage than me (I get about 8 average!). The FL's are getting around 11-12 mpg, get 200k out of a set of tires and brakes, can haul 25k on the rear axle and can have a decent size sleeper to boot! Hind sight is a BITCH!!

[short stack]

i do have a fl60 that is in nice shape and cheap enough that you don't have to have a huge loan. i'm up in n dakota.
mark

[waylanfan]

Well, thanks for the tips guys. I'm wanting to diversify my hauling operation where I will be hotshotting parts and equimpment (mainly oilfield service oriented) so as to not have all my eggs in one basket. I roughnecked for a couple of years so I've got some contacts in that field that would help me get my name out there to the appropriate decision makers.

All that being said, there's alot of cats out there doing the same thing that I'm lookin to do and it seems like "it's not what you know but who you bl*w" whether you know people or not.

I appreciate everyone's advice and with what was given, I think I will look into buying a large low-boy (36-40') and use it to for hotshotting and 2-3 car pulling when that business applies but will mainly focus on parts and equipment delivery with it.

I know I would be better off with a 4500 w/duals or better but it's just not in the budget right now and need to get some cash flow before I start taking on any other major capital equipment costs.

Any suggestions on who and what kind of businesses to hit up for business regarding hotshotting would be greatly appreciated. :cool:

Later,

Jason

[waylanfan]

Appreciate the offer Mark. I might take ya up on it but as for now I'm concentrating on a couple of trailors to get started and then will build from there.

Where the hell is Wildrose? Been in North Dakota alot (use to live in Billings, MT) but don't recall Wildrose.

[short stack]

we're east of williston to ray. then north about 20 miles. pretty much in the oil patch. i was running the truck hauling rv's in the winter. now i farm and run a tanker in the oil patch. i don't know much about hotshotting around here, but i see them all the time. i know there is a huge shortage of workers and a bigger shortage of housing. i would think the guys like baker/hughs and weatherford are allways looking for guys to deliver drill tools to the rigs. good luck
mark

[ccoop769]

Yah, weatherford is pretty big. When i use to do dedicated runs to houston, i would always have alot of weatherford work in the TX and LA area. I wasnt delivering drills though, i was delivering there trucks.

[nainoapak01]

I agree with the others and did cars with my dully, get a larger truck than a one ton and save yourself alot of headaches. You can get a large used rider or other rental truck and set it up and maybe come out ahead. I would buy a used tractor{they are cheap enough now} with a sleeper and handle the hauling easier and most of all SAFER, Hank

[Haul-A-Round]

we have seen way to many try to start with a 3/4 ton or srw 1 ton and go belley up in just a few months. you can not stop nor carry the weight you need to.

[ellamae]

I was just looking around found this thread helpful, just like waylanfan I have a lot of question regarding dodge megacab and suggestions and opinions from this thread have given me ideas on how to handle things with my dodge megacab, thank for sharing guys.

[LBZ]

I started this with a 2000 Ram 2500 converted to a dually. Then I bought a 2008 Ram 4500. If I could do it all again tomorrow, I would have sold the 2500 and used the money for a down payment on a clean used FL60/70. This business is to hard on these trucks and everyone I know with an FL is getting better fuel mileage than me (I get about 8 average!). The FL's are getting around 11-12 mpg, get 200k out of a set of tires and brakes, can haul 25k on the rear axle and can have a decent size sleeper to boot! Hind sight is a BITCH!!

Damn, now I have a question. I thought you could only legally put 20,000 on any one single axle? But then again you see all the factory single axle trucks rated for 23k on the rears & then the heavy haul trucks are 46k w/tandems & 14k or larger fronts(on average).

Guess what I am asking, is there a 20k rule on a single axle?

[cosgo]

Yes you are only allowed a max of 20k on a single axle with 4 tires on it. That doesnt mean you can do it with a one ton as the axle rating isnt anywhere near 20k

[LBZ]

Thanks & I know you have to go by the lower rating if less than 20k. But wanted to clarify that just because it is a 23k axle, that a scale house may not be so impressed if they see 22,500 rolling on it.

Also, mine has a 36k rating on the suspension(Flex Air), so just because it is a tandem, don't assume it automatically has 40k rears. There was also a guy who had a Freightliner with 34k rears. So if you are shopping for trucks, check the tags.

[Buster]

I drove cement mixers with a single tire steering axle rating of 22,000lbs. Each tire was rated for 11,400 lbs. I asked several DOT inspectors who told me you could go more than 20k on a single axle. The tire detirmined the final rating.

http://www.goodyear.com/cfmx/web/truck/line.cfm?prodline=160943

[cosgo]

This must vary from state to state - Montana busted my ass for being over on my trailer axle even though it was rated for it right down to the tires.

[LBZ]

That 20k axle rule is why I did not buy a Sun Country or Boydstun Low Pro 4 car trailer. Have heard plenty of guys getting smacked for being a bit over 20k even though the axle & tires are rated for 22,500.

There was an '03 Sun Country I found summer '09 that had two 22,500 axles under it because the guy said he was tired of getting messed with. However it was in Southern Cal. & didn't have a truck to pull it home at the time. It did sell to a guy in NC that pulls a lot of Sprinter vans though.

Am going to have to look this up, because the heavy haul guys are over & like Buster mentioned with Cement mixers & most other heavy contruction equipment.

[cosgo]

Just as a reference, i run 3 extended ford handicap vans (with lifts installed) on the sun country and i do not exceed the 20k axle limit.