Is there any way to legally scale a 16 ton dozer with a single drive axle tractor and tandem axle trailer? Thanks,
the fed law is 34K on a pair of axles. It depends on your tractor and tonnage. If you truck is 10K, your trailer 16K, you can have up to 32K on the truck and 34K on the rears for 66K 10 + 16+ 32 = 58K So now the game is getting for enough back to not exceed the single axle limit on the tractor drive axle.
Thank you. Not sure which truck I'm wanting to insure and plate again for commercial use. I have my B61T, (single drive axle) and an R model which is tandem drive. I do also have a "Neway" air tag which could be installed, but not really wanting the weight and space penalty for the limited usage it would see. My trailer is all steel and a single drop 42' in length with hydraulic hinged ramps. It's carried dozers in the past but always behind the R model.
sounds like more than the hypothetical 16 K trailer I used.
I've never been a trucker for hire on the roads. Always repaired equipment hauled to my shop, or field repair. I ran rollback trucks for years hauling insurance salvage automobiles too, but those were dedicated loads. I've had this setup a lot of years with the tractor being purchased when the B-61 just wasn't heavy enough for some of the machines brought up from the bottom. Used to have a mechanical folding neck Hyster trailer behind this R model and the reason for the winch. Now retired and having my own equipment I need to figure out how to move it occasionally at about 175 miles distant to build a new house on family property. So far only have the dozer, and skid steer along with a few smaller implements for ground work.
Nice bit of kit and great to have both tractor options.
The B-61 is going back on the road replacing my one ton Dodge truck which has rotted the frame out of it. Can't justify the prices for pickup trucks they want these days so going this way. Had that B-61 since April, 1979 so part of the family.
you ARE in the heart of salt land.
Nothing is illegal..................... until you get caught.
Portables around here catch a lot of drivers running "cowboy" which opens a whole nuther can of worms.
66.000 should be your max gross wgt. empty wgt.of the rig will determine the pay load. with 4 axles
Allowed 73280 on that set up in PA.
how often are you going to move it, if its 1 or2 times you may find a trucking company that needs a back haul and save the hassle of doing it yourself
Thank you. This is along the lines I'm attempting to find balance. Though I plan to drive the B-61 again as a large pickup truck, the cost of licensing comes into play. Not being for hire at this time, licensing is ongoing dead expense. Don't really have a future outlook for how much I'd need to move the dozer as I am not a dirt worker by trade. As of now getting moved local I can do on the back roads myself, but distance is another matter to contend with. The blade is 10'10" wide so an over size permit is required regardless. I don't know anything about overweight permits as have never looked into one but maybe that would be an option also? From years ago I used to license for 45K to cover the truck and trailer which allowed for the tools and such I carried, but the trailer was never loaded on the roadways. It was used often off road carrying/bringing equipment back up to the repair shop however. With the way Illinois has revamped the costs of licensing in this state, it may be easier to contract to move when they are needed.
I find that trying to mess around with heavy equipment or heavy trucks as a non-commercial entity is crazy. According to the insurance companies and government, you're a freak of nature. In Mass, there doesn't seem to be an easy way to use / drive / register that stuff as a non-commercial entity. And doing it as a commercial entity is crazy expensive. When I told my insurance agent that I needed to insure a backhoe, his response was "what for? Who owns a backhoe?"
I'm a little fortunate as my shop liability covers most anything I do with exception of truck operation. Cargo and such is covered, but the trucks need a separate policy just as having two cars in the family do. 38 years ago when I last used that R model for it's intended purpose, licensing expenses were considerably less than today in Illinois. A 73,280 tag was $1380.00 back then. It is now $2394.00 for the same weight, (as example). There are farm, and mileage exemption plates, but they have limitations of use placed on them. Anything over 55K also requires a federal 2290 form and annual "heavy use" tax payment. Many around here have exited trucking and gone to contract hauling citing cost(s).
I would love to have my own truck and trailer, just because I can, but the costs of ownership just become absurd to the point it can't be justified. Only way it makes sense is to be a trucking company, or have a business that requires frequent moving of your own equipment, neither of which I do. I get your concerns @1693TA , especially since you already own the right equipment to do the job. I don't own the equipment, and find it extremely difficult to justify buying it.
Talked to a farmer friend today whom is local and he's offered up his tractor whenever I need it to move the dozer. I can use my trailer, or his RGN so should be all set. I did some driving for him last harvest without charge when his son was down with Covid. He has two tractors so wouldn't be an inconvenience to anyone.
That sounds like a great solution. One of the things I will miss very much when I retire is the use of the insured and maintained truck and trailers. I'm going to offer to work part time, and won't feel odd asking to use them now and again if I do work.
This contact actually came about through the implement dealer friend I work for/help out. They farm also and when Covid was running unchecked the man's son came down with it at the height of harvest last fall. I only drive for the implement dealer so when the subject came up, I stepped up to keep him on track. Knowing he'd be good for any debt incurred, I refused any compensation other than "trading it out" on down the line someplace.
Keep those channels open and functioning; even if a part time "helper". It pays handsome dividends into the future to keep contacts functioning. I can't set still long enough to not work. Far too many years "on call" and emergency response for some radar, or communication site off the air, (aircraft need these things) so was on the go a lot. Hard to wind down even after almost four full years of meaningful unemployment, (retirement).
Thank you for you efforts keeping the system running, i have availed myself of your services for many years. Radar, VOR, even NDB's I used for approach fixes. One of the crane operators here was setting a witch's hat the other day and it warmed my heart Now your work is your play, I hope. That is where I am going in less than 2 years. I can work for up to 50 hours in retirement and keep drawing my pension, 51 kicks me off for about 3 months and is very costly. I hope to do the 50 for a while to wind it down.
Thank you. Few realize what goes on behind the scenes to keep the NAS operational. I was fortunate in that when in the Navy I worked with/on the Navy version of the Air Force's "AWACS" system. This gave me the airborne perspective of the system. When ready to discharge to civilian life I was heavily recruited by the FAA to come work for them which I ultimately did. Given my background in surveillance and communications at this time, I was "coached" to remain in the radar fields along with the arena of navigation to include TACAN, VOR, DME, NDB, ATCRBS NAREX, VHF, UHF, along with some HF, and last but not least LORAN. This gave me both the military, and civilian sides of the operation from the ground perspective. Really was an enjoyable career overall. Many of the old systems are going away being replaced with something you fix with a laptop computer and module replacement. Not for me so elected to retire once my section was gutted by retirement attrition. 32 years, 7 months, and 21 days was long enough anyways, but I sure miss the people at times.
My plane still has a KNS-80 RNAV in the panel, It makes off airway nav with VOR an DME. Those were fun to file and fly The Collins PN 101 is hooked to it, serial number 00005 ! Those were the hot tickets in the early jet days.
Wish I could converse intelligently about aircraft equipment but I really wasn't around them whether GA, or the commercial side. Know a lot of private pilots but not their aircraft, or equipment really. I only worked with/on the ground based equipment pilots and aircraft relied upon. I worked on a lot of REIL, RAIL, MALS, PAPI, VASI, IM, MM, OM, and repeater stations also through the years but many of those facilities are going away. Never did work on localizer, or glide slop equipment as seemingly always had a full platter. I did however string many a cable for these facilities over the years. When the MLS did not take off so well in the early 1990's things really started moving to the GPS segment and it's heavily relied upon now with defaults built into the systems for emergency backup and redundancy. Last five years I worked was replacing aging radar sets I'd been keeping operational for the prior 19 years upon entering the engineering sector.
cool so you worked on the lights too. They kept you hopping. That KNS-80 I mentioned was one of a very few RNAV units that would take a waypoint as a radial and Distance from a VOR, and compute a direct course to it. You could plot a more or less direct course before LORAN or GPS. You had to fly high enough to see the VOR, and close enough that the DME was usable too. It would hold 4 waypoints so you had a course on your kneeboard as VOR plus distance. As you left one behind you plugged a new one in. I never had a LORAN, a friend did. We jumped to GPS.
The lights, didn't like those so much once it went into the ALSF-2 arena. 256 incandescent lamps and all having modules installed for remote readback to allow monitoring for when they were not illuminated. A simply overbloated system overall. What a pain in the hindquarters to keep operational. Those and some of the MALS that were recessed in pavement. Those are the nightmares I wish could be forgotten. One of my last projects was working on LED replacements but nothing available at the time was 100% suitable. I understand they are moving along this path now and are using fixtures I selected just before retiring. PAPI was an old system and for the first couple of years after initial installation, was intermittent in operation as the slightest amount of ground shift would knock it out of service. Five minutes of alignment on the four boxes and it was back up till the next iteration. After the soil stabilized, they were rock solid in performance.
It has long been a problem getting equipment moved. Owning truck & trailer is a lot of cost & work, I could pay a hauler to do it many times before their fees would exceed the cost of owning. Nonetheless, I own truck & trailer because I can't usually find anyone willing to do it on short notice. I have waited weeks in the past to get a machine moved. I routinely drive a backhoe 10 or more miles rather than wait. Your having an arrangement with a truck owner is a valuable asset.
Someone near you is like me with old truck & trailer, doesn't see much use, and willing to make a run for hire now & again. While my son frequently hauls something for one of his friends, I seldom get a request from a paying customer. Most hauls have either been free, or gas money transactions. The old truck was a real gas hog, and filling the gas tank after a haul seemed to offend most of my "customers". Diesel isn't so bad, MPG is far greater.
During harvest the grain haulers run 24/7 without stoppage for a few weeks around here. It is crazy the amount of trucks lined up at the elevators at that time. Both of this party's tractors are on Illinois Mileage plates which disallow out of state operation, and limited mileage constraints apply. I think it is 7K per year with mileage reporting required. Not really a problem as they run about five weeks constant on theirs, and family/friends farms and the trucks mostly sit the balance of the year. The RGN trailer is used to haul the combines in for annual checkover and maintenance routines. Mice love to make homes in these, (ready food supply) and can be very hard on wiring. There is a LOT of machinery in a modern combine too.
Finally cleaned out a spot large enough to store the machine inside my shop and may bring it home this weekend. Quick video of second engine start and first blade operation in over three years setting dormant. Had to install one new group 45 starting battery as it would not test adequately but other one did? Vendor only had a single on hand and another is ordered. Machine has been on two battery tenders whenever setting any length of time but they are aged. https://imagesmiths.zenfolio.com/dozerstartup/ha6033fff#ha6033fff
looking good.! I did not see a cloud building down from the shop ceiling so that was a good thing
Nothing like having good neighbors you can help each other out when needed. I'd love to be able to license my dump truck reasonably for my own use but there's no such thing as reasonable. I'm not going to be asking my neighbor for too many favors or even to hire out. He wanted 150 litres of diesel to bring his hoe over and pull my dump truck out. Didn't think about it at the time but sure did when I bought the diesel. Diesel was $120/L so cost me about $175 to get pulled out. All in took him about an hour to walk over, pull the sand out of the box, pull the truck out and spread the sand where it was and walk the hoe back to his place. Interesting is that he charges $150/hr. for the hoe. I certainly have machines that he could benefit from and now have a grader to boot. I think it's more his loss than mine but still shake me head a little a next door neighbor would want that much to pull me out.
She runs just about as good as new. Nothing really required with exception of a good routine service to go back to work. Thanks,
Surely wish I had good neighbors but do not. They ask nothing of me, nor I them. I only get taken advantage of once or twice till a trend is set, (as in no reciprocity in the relationship) which is then "washed out". I've left both of these "neighbors" stranded in their own driveways during deep snow to hire out their plowing for access while cleaning my own with the skid steer. Of course I smile and wave as I wouldn't want anyone to think me a "prick", or anything like that. Of course there is more to the story but the gist is one sided relationships are not tolerated long at all. Plenty in this area I clean their drives without charge, (as example) for as the relationships are very reciprocal in nature. Not always money involved as home baked goods go a long way with me as does good conversation.
I hauled sand from my other neighbors back field. He's 84 now and living in a seniors lodge. He used my trailer to haul bales and did a bunch of damage to it but I never said anything because he's always supported me. Of course I asked if I could haul sand from his property. The old neighbor let the new neighbor put cattle in his field no charge. The new neighbor is building up his 10 acres and just helped himself to clay from the old neighbor without even asking. That's not good in my book. You don't just help yourself without at least getting permission.
True, but one of the things I learned is that you need to politely speak up, set boundaries and insist that your needs are met. No need to yell, cop an attitude or get angry, but you do have to speak up when things aren’t right.
I've lived in two houses in one neighborhood 64 years. I plow the neighbor's driveways, dig their rocks, stumps out. I built my neighbor a special drawbar for his baby tractor. I am blessed with good neighbors, they are blessed with me. My beautiful Top Kick in the background.
The old adage of "screw me once, shame on you", "screw me twice, shame on me" applies here. I help many in the "hood" and will continue to do so, but again, reciprocity has to apply and usually does. Was yapping with the seller a bit yesterday and he tells me the #1 injector line started spraying fuel again so I'm going to replace the crush washers on all the lines. Prior to purchase he told me the front pump seal went bad and was rebuilt, but the replacement crush washers were thinner than the originals and I suspect this is the problem. I was also told it was taken out of the shed, and ran around the yard to ensure everything worked as it should. No dirt to push but trans and steer clutches worked well in both directions and functions. Getting anxious for the toy to come home now.....
I make my living as an electrician. Earthmoving machines are an obsession, part of my neurosis, they are also the tools of my profession. Welding equipment & mechanical skills came with the territory. I rarely charge neighbors, except electrical work. You want your house wired free? Call my competitor, I'm your neighbor, not a fool. By the way, if you want to be my friend so you can get free stuff, I'll wave as I drive by. Most of my neighbors aren't able to do what I can do. None are wealthy, (except the guy on the Cub tractor, who just bought a mansion in Connecticut) I have to figure that one out! While I don't ask them to reciprocate, I'm pretty self sufficient, I wouldn't hesitate to ask any of them to follow me to "the land" to give me a ride to move another machine. No, I've never been refused.
Dozer has taken to "making oil" again in the crankcase. The front seals on the Roosa-Master DC pump have been replaced twice so don't know what is going on there. The pump was rebuilt by a reputable shop in south central IL a few years ago and has been back off the engine twice since then for this same problem. I'm going to pull it again sending it in to a shop I know and trust quite well as seemingly something has been missed? I know the dual umbrella seals have been replaced using the proper tool for installation so kind of lost as to a cause right now. I always check oil cold before engine start and the level was right on "full". I then noticed the stick being about a pint high over the "full" mark after engine idling for just about an hour of warming for fluids change. Will get this addressed before progressing further. Tractor runs, drives, up and downshifts smartly, turns, and tracks tension up just fine so hoping this is a simple problem to be followed by a good routine service. The brakes do not grab and are even side to side upon application. I did notice a seepage oil leak in the transmission shifting quadrant which will require some access panels removal to isolate. Not a drip or run, just seepage at this time but will get it addressed regardless. After service, a good pressure washing is in order. Cabbaging onto an idea from a friend there are probably going to be side curtains made to shield the engine and direct some air blast into the operator compartment for cold weather operation.
For me, if I can get some air across my feet I do OK. Damn feet just freeze up.
Oil will 'swell up' when it warms up so I would check it cold again before assuming the pump is leaking. If the oil is blacker take a white paper towel and drip a couple of drops of hot oil on it. If the drops look like a bullseye , a dark spot in a lighter circle you have diesel in the oil. Bob
Thanks Bob, I will try that next time I have the engine warming. Prior owner told me the last time he noticed the problem the crankcase was almost two quarts high and the pump seals were found to be torn when the pump was removed. This photo is the actual seal which keeps diesel out of the crankcase after removal. It was installed at pump rebuild time. I'm assured it was not "ripped" out during the extraction:
Same with me. I'm a victim of frostbite several years ago and the feet are tender in the colder months. Double socks and waterproof boots are a necessity for me when moving snow as example. Dozer originally had a soft sided enclosure for the operator compartment but I don't have it. I'll make another via granddaughters whom love to sew. The mounts and attachment points can be seen in this photo:
I'm quite familiar with those seals I've installed a load of them even have the proper tools . Most of the time the shaft stays on the motor and the seals are installed when the pump is put back on the motor. The last one I dealt with had that seal rolled so tight I had to use a pry bar to get the pump off the shaft. The best part there was a new set of seals wired to the pump from the rebuilder. Bob
Does it have reversible blades on the fan? My Dresser crawler, I can reverse the blades to push through the radiator in summer, and pull through it to rear in winter. I confess I'm very cold in winter, very hot in summer anyway.
From the parts manual, the standard fan was a pusher type. A "Huber" reversible fan was an option but I don't know what is on there as haven't looked. I'll have to make it a point to see what I have tomorrow. I see in the parts manual where the fan is driven from the camshaft so would be reverse rotation as if driven by the crankshaft.
I stopped by the fuel shop this afternoon and he gave me a new pair of seals. Would have loaned me the proper tools if didn't already have them but he said to lube them up well before installing, along with the bore they slide into with a "Q-tip". He cautioned to not "nick" them going into the bore also. I asked if petroleum jelly would be a good lube and the reply was "probably", but he also gave me a small bottle of a Stanadyne branded product to use. I purchased a new kit of the injection line crush washers should I need to take it back apart, and you are correct in that the driveshaft stays in the drive gear on the engine. He did not have the O ring denoted as #3 shown here as it is an Allis part, so will be matched up at the seal house if anything special: This shows the pump drive shaft separated from the pump:
I don't overheat easily in the summer months, but certainly prefer to be warm in the colder ones; especially as I age. In my shop I have a couple of Red Dot auxiliary heating units from original school bus applications, and their respective control panels. One of these could be mounted in the operator cabin, but I've not measured anything up yet for fitment. I also have a single electric element heater of about 18" long which could be mounted to the inner side of the roof panel of the ROPS and discharge down in direction too. This would probably serve as a window defroster.
Checked the oil cold and it is growing in level for certain. Smells a bit like fuel also when cold. I did the paper towel trick but it's kinda dark but not definitive as far as fuel saturation. Went ahead and pulled the pump and the inner seal which keeps the fuel out of the crankcase is compromised. Kinda "rolled" as Bob stated but I was able to pull the pump by hand. The supplied line washers are definitely different than the ones installed after the pump rebuild and subsequent reuse by the prior owner. It will be nice to have this one wrapped as one of the lines, (I think #1 cylinder) was prone to leak. I'll drop the pump at the fuel shop in the morning to ensure it is "right" before it goes back on. Thanks,
1693ta, I was a controller at zau when a fire broke out in the basement. All the groups who moved the system to different facilities and back and did the work in zau did an incredible job to say the least. Well done!! Edit add, I do appreciate all that you and your peers have done in a system with many different challenges.
I did not know you worked at Chicago, @mks Cool! I was out of the system all the times I came though the area. VFR and below/around/avoiding the big mix of traffics. I'd get flight following when it made sense to do so.
I remember the time well; and the circumstances behind it. I was in front of the cabinets the week prior on a temporary detail job. Hundreds of manhours rerouting circuits and feeds from ZAU to ZKC, ZID, etc. and all the rework once that temporary work was done to restore normal. I was up there unloading and staging, and did a bit of work under the floors routing and interconnecting replacement equipment. Knew everyone in the SOC, many in the maintenance dept., and they me very well. I worked out of QUZ, and PIA maintaining the radar equipment and feeds for years. Much easier prior to FTI becoming involved, but progress as they say.....
Pump removed from engine and will drop at fuel shop this morning:
Nothing wrong with the pump on the test stand. Timing advance works well and fuel delivery is well within specifications for the calibration. Willl try to get by there again this afternoon but may be tomorrow.
Couldn't get by to pick up my pump today as quite distant from it on a delivery. Tomorrow is another day and I've received hydraulic hose couplers for an adaption to get the backhoe back to the shop.