Hey fellas, just sitting here bored looking at pups online wondering how big of a job it would be to set my truck up to run one. I'm already set to tow and air trailer so I'm thinking just a hydraulic diverter to dump, air diverter for gate, and tie into the tarp system/ add a switch to run the tarp (if electric). It looks like I could add a trailer to my current overweight permit and get up to 97,400 which would leave me around 32 Ton payload. Not too bad. Any input would be great, good or bad. Pics are always welcomed too! Thanks!:thumbsup:thumbsup
There used to be a gazzion pups in this area 20 years ago, now it end dumps and lots of 5 or 6 axles dumps. There are a lot of twin screws in the area also. Back in the late 70's there was a guy that hauled asphalt with a pup. He dumped the pup into the paver first, Unhooked the pup. Then dumped his truck, hook up the pup and go. He averaged about 2 trips less a day, but he was hauling 2 loads in one trip. He would haul 20 loads to their dozen or so loads a day. He was also allowed to jump back in the line after he unhooked his pup, so he didn't have to wait on the 2 or 3 trucks that showed up while he unhooked.
I would probably only use it when running from the quarry. There would be other times when it would work, but not too many. If I could pick one up cheap and double my production I might consider it. About the only time I see them around here is when the state gets salt deliveries. Log trucks are another story. Log pups are popular.
The last job I did in Texas they had truck & pups hauling spoils away from the jobsite.
I may be speaking with an armload of dumb here….. Are you asking about a four-axle dump and a tri axle pup? I see the locations are from NY to KS. Here in Washington (state) we have four axle dumps with four axle pups, which are good for 105,500. In very few situations can you even get a job with a solo truck. We have lots or three-axle transfer dumps also. I guess what I am asking; are pups that rare in these areas? You cannot get an asphalt job with out some sort of trailer. When they are doing large concrete paving jobs like runways or freeways, they use truck and pups also. As for log trucks, I pull a long logger with a pup, my length is 68 feet from front drive axle to back of pup and I am good for 105,500 also. It always interests me how things vary state to state. That is why I never want to drive out of my home area, too many things to learn and remember.
Here in SC, I've seen one pup trailer, but I don't know why. A triaxle truck (tandem drive, a lift axle, and a steer) can gross 70,000, add a pup or one or more axles, you can gross 80,000.
Great reply Jumbo, not dumb at all. It amazes me how different things are around the country. Im talking about a 4 axle truck and a 2 axle trailer. I could register for 107,000 if I had 7 axles. On occasion you will see a dump pup in my area, usually a truck coming in with salt for the state or town. Tri-axles are most popular, guys are carrying from 22-25 ton on them. A 7 axle 5th wheel rig can haul around 34-36 ton. To me it seems like a good idea to run a pup, time will tell if we go down that road. I don't want to invest a huge amount of money in it to find out its not going to work out. They seem to be cheaper the further away I look (of course) I have found one about 4 hours away that is in decent shape for $8500. I was hoping to be a little cheaper than that for a tandem axle, but they just aren't around here. As for log trucks, the type you run out west with the trailer that rides on the truck when empty (is that a long logger) makes sense to me. Much easier to get in to the landing and get situated than a tractor trailer, or a try axle and pup. No mills want log length wood around here though so it wouldn't make a lot of sense to own one.
I am operating in Oklahoma. bought a 2 axle pup in 2010 that weighs 9300 lbs. empty. my freightliner 3 axle ten-wheeler with 15 foot bed weighs 22000 lbs. empty. with just the truck, I tag for 54k, but can only haul less than 48k, which comes out to approx. 11.25 tons of gravel. I routinely haul 14 tons of gravel, which isn't legal due to bridge law. the way I understand the law now, if you tag for over 54k gross, whether it is for adding a pusher axle to your ten wheeler, or for pulling the pup trailer, you will have to fill out and pay taxes via the IRS form 2290. this is done before going to the state tag office. the form 2290 adds approx. $550 to the expense of tagging for 80k gross annually. now, with that being said, my ten wheeler hauls 14 tons per load in gravel, and weighs 50k gross. add the pup, and you gain an additional 10 tons in gravel, which brings the total of gravel delivered to 24 tons, with a gross weight 78-79k. I have hauled 25-26 tons in the past, but I weighed over 84000 gross. I don't make a habit of doing that. so, as you can see, with the pup you wont quite double your production. where the pup comes in handy and will pay dividends is in versatility, similar to owning different skid steer attachments. one day you can haul with the ten wheeler, and fit in most anywhere, and will be profitable if mileage is kept in check. then the next day you can hitch on the pup and compete with the belly dumps and end dumps on longer hauls and similar jobs. a belly dump and end dump will never compete with a pup/10 wheeler combo. I have used my pups to offset time lost at the crusher due to waiting to be loaded, and to keep profit margins up when making longer runs. I currently only have 2 ten wheelers, and when I don't have a driver for a job in the second truck, I will use the pup when the jobsite permits to boost my production. there are a few things a pup wont do. they don't work worth a darn offroad, such as cleaning out a pond. they over stress a truck and just cant be pulled off road loaded. also, a pup does not work well for demo or any dumping of large objects, unless you plan on unhitching and recoupling every time you dump. you can tear up a lot of air lines and hyd. hoses if you don't. one experiment I want try with a pup is add a barn door kit to the pup, and build a steel water tank to fit inside the pup bed with the barn door swung open. I think this would be a neat way to water a pad while doing lifts.
I haven't seen a pup setup in my area ever. With a tri-axle dump, 2 drives and a lift axle, we can gross 85K on state and local roads. A typical tri-axle dump can carry 25 tons +/-. This would be the reason why they are not ran in my area.
I havent seen a pup around here for years for some reason. Most every dump is a twinscrew with 2 steerable pushers. There would have to be alot more money in it to pull one i would think.
Truck and pup combos are the norm around here. My main dirt and gravel supplier runs 10 wheeler / pup combos, bottom dumps and end dumps. Sometimes I'll see all of them delivering to my job. For smaller jobs, I do like the truck and pup's ability to split loads (like roadbase on the truck and stone on the pup) on the same delivery.