Welding rigs -- Details

[hurricunning]

hey you mean posts 169 and 174 on page 12? That was more than a couple of pages back

[welderdan]

right now my truck weighs 10,360, but before its all said and done, i will probably go over the gvw. in texas you can get your truck re-registered at at a greater weight. i got pulled over and weghed in my last truck(an '83 f-250) and was 3,300 #'s over and the fine was almost $400

[Pile Buck]

When I had my horses I was buying my hay in eastern Washington. To get home I have to pass right by a weigh station that’s open pretty much 24/7. Being a little confused on the GVW, only because Ford, says one thing, the state licensing says another, and right down the street from me is a state permit office, yet they say another . One would think everybody in this backwards state would be on the same page, but NOOOOOOOOOOOO! So I stop at this weigh station to get their opinion, being as they are going to be writing the ticket. The State Patrol officer walked out to my F-550 looked at the vehicle registration. Then walked back and looked at the tires, pulled a calculator out of his shirt pocket did the math, walked up to the front tire, and read it. Asked me what type of business I had. Then explained to me, being as I was not a business do not stop at the scale, even with 4-tons of hay on. Then explained it all gets down to the tires, of coarse you “should not” go over the manufacture recommended GVW, but in this state you can pay for a higher GVW, but you cannot go over the tire rating at any time! If you’re pulled over on the side of the road by any State Patrol the first thing he will look at is the tires!

[welderdan]

but in this state you can pay for a higher GVW, but you cannot go over the tire rating at any time!

i've heard its the same way here, right now i,ve fot 10 plys on the back, willprobably end up getting 14 plys in the near future

[Pile Buck]

i've heard its the same way here, right now i,ve fot 10 plys on the back, willprobably end up getting 14 plys in the near future

I understand the tires, and that they are most likely the weak link, but the very next thing is brakes. I had a 1978 Chevy 1-ton dully, with a 454. I had $1,000.00 in overload springs installed in it. Same front springs that go in a 28-foot motor home. One time I missed judged what topsoil weighed, I had the loader operator, just keep dumping as I was shoveling to fill all the corners. Told him to go get another load, he gave me a funny look , but did as directed. (I stayed in the bed of the truck). Loader came back and filled my truck, and even a mound. I jumped down, took one look at the springs and tires Holy crap that sheet is heavy! The wife and I placed the tarp over the load. Went up to the scale, 5-tons on that pour little 1-ton. Thank God this place is just on the other side of the freeway from me, but here in Western Washington we have a few little hills. Well that 454 had some balls, so the hills weren’t any problems, but I **** near missed my road, because I couldn’t stop . Lesson learned, just because you can haul it, doesn’t mean you can stop it.

[welderdan]

I understand the tires, and that they are most likely the weak link, but the very next thing is brakes. Lesson learned, just because you can haul it, doesn’t mean you can stop it.

thats very true, i already have weak brakes, and i'm sure if i don't find some sort of heavy duty brake kit and/ or an exhaust brake, i'll be eating brakes pretty regularly

[Pile Buck]

thats very true, i already have weak brakes, and i'm sure if i don't find some sort of heavy duty brake kit and/ or an exhaust brake, i'll be eating brakes pretty regularly

Dan I belong to 2 or 3 truck forums, the diesel stop is by far the biggest. I remember people posting different links to all kinds of options for aftermarket brakes. Here is a link to the diesel stop. Maybe if you have time do a search on this site. This is one heavily moderated site. They rule with an iron fist bfootn and I use to bounce off each other, not speaking for him but I got tired of their BS! I haven’t posted there in quite some time.

My F-550 has some huge brakes on it, but with 5 to 6-tons on the bed I wish they were just a tad bit more. Now that Torqshift transmission in the Tow / haul mode is totally amazing , almost like having a manual transmission .
http://forums.thedieselstop.com/ubbthreads/

[welderdan]

thanks pilebuck, i am actually a member of dieselstop, just never posted, but i just posted on there about brakes so we'll see

[Sberry]

One thing on older trucks with drum hyd brakes is we yank the drums on occassion and make sure the adjusters are working and manually adjust if we have to. You get used to driving around empty and then toss a load on and it catches you off gaurd. The adjusters quit working 10K miles ago and no stopping from the rear.

[Eric Carroll]

I'm looking at a chevy 5500 for a new rig, does any one have any experience with the Chevy 4500/5500 trucks?I can get a crew cab 5500 with the duramax/allison,2 wheel drive with locker for $34,000.any info would be great.