Hey all, I recently picked up a TD7E for use around my place.... News travels fast... I have had a couple folks ask me to come by and do some small jobs for them. To me this is a pretty sweet deal, I can get out there and make a dollar or two, and help pay for the machine. Problem is, I don't have a truck or trailer to move it. It's about a 14,000 pound machine and there is no way any of these little trailers they put tractors and Bobcats on will hold it. Any of you folks out there regularly hire out for your transportation? What would be the best way to find a truck/driver that would pick up and drop off without stranding you on a jobsite? Would there be a reasonable mileage charge or fee? I would hate to overpay (as anyone else would). Granted the end customer would actually be paying the bill for transport but I need to keep that cost down as much as I can too. thanks
Where from and where to.....
Around here, I local move with a lowboy starts at around $150.
last company I worked for it was $400 in and $400 out. but this was their own trucks moving their own stuff, locally. more or less a paper shuffle of money to justify owning move trucks. all part of mobilization and demobilization. Don't really know what private guys charge to haul equipment. Best thing is to get a few bids from the move truck companies
Obviously rates will be different area to area but I charge $100 per hr. with a 2 hr. minimum,my shop back to my shop.So,it would cost you a minimum $400 for a 2 way move.If you're only doing a 1/2 day or a 1 day job,I will tell you right now there is no way you will be competitive in price unless you have your own rig to transport.
All, thanks for the insight. I am not planning to run outside of my county, this would be less than 25 miles I would think. I could probably do ok with $300.00 for a round trip as long as I am doing at least 8 hours. Half day jobs would just eat things up. I was thinking about getting my CDL, requirements seem a little confusing though. It seems that no mater what size truck you are using you need a class A to pull a trailer that size. I have seen a couple of equipment trucks that would keep things under 26K lbs, but they are pretty expensive. Any sugestions?
Around my area it's the same. $200 for a short move, in and out ($400 total), is the cheapest you will find. It doesn't take many moves if you stay busy to justify a single axle and 20K lb trailer to move your 14K lb dozer.
We've had our loader moved about 3 times and we've used the same local dirt contractor. He's been very reliable, always on time and usually 10 min early. He charges $75/hour with 2 hr min. Say's he moves for several local guys who don't have their own rig. The only down-side is that you have to work around the mover's schedule.
''Pretty expensive'' of course is a relative thing so I guess my best answer would be an older, smaller tractor or truck like a 50,60,or 70 series GM,a 9 ton trailer whether it's a tag-a-long or a 5th wheel,it will no doubt be over 26K lbs. so look up on the Virginia DOT site what is required of you regarding licensing--it will be some form of a CDL.You will also have to get registered with DOT and be DOT compliant.Check in with your insurance agent for proper coverage and of course operate safely.Good luck.
I'm not sure how many times your going to move it during the year, but I sold one of my semi's and lowboys to eliminate the costs, I wasn't using it enough to justify the cost on that truck and trailer, I figure it costs me about 3k per truck per year before any fuel or repairs. I'm not sure what you've got for equipment or what your states laws are, but around here if you pull it with a ag tractor your exempt, no license, truck insurance, or dot, none of the high dollar headaches to contend with, or in three years of just the basics, you could go find a nice tractor and tag trailer and its paid for, but you need to check with the laws there first. Thats how I got started, by using a tractor and old trailer, till I was getting too many jobs too far from home and added equipment too big for the trailer I had at the time. Just a thought, take it for what its worth
Randy88, that makes sense to me. I'll pay someone for awhile, then think about it. I do live in an ag comunity too. I have seen pics of folks pull this machine with a big p/u. but it is alot of weight...
Around here you can pull that with a 1 ton and a gooseneck. You would need a Class A, but no air brakes
Might want to watch out for insurance too. Like you, my D4G is for my use on my homestead, so my insurance is really reasonable. Same for my skid steer. Last year, when I loaded up the skid to go volunteer help with some tornado damage for 2 days, wife made me check with my agent. Cost me $250 for a minimum policy to cover machine off of the homestead. No liability in that price either. Good for 1 year, as that's how the policy is sold. So if you are going to leave the Hacienda and have to buy more insurance, make sure it is often enough to justify it. And I pull that with a basic 1 ton, and a GN with 2ea 10K axles. Basic trailer like that runs less than $8,000 new around here. And yes, requires a CDL.
While on the subject of insurance, make sure what type of insurance you have on your truck as well, most are written to only haul your own stuff, so if you do buy a truck don't haul anyone else's stuff with it, or your insurance's void on your truck and trailer even if its in an accident, the coverage won't be good, so if you end up with anything, turn down others who want you to haul their stuff for a few bucks. I just tell everyone, if they pay the insurance up so I'm good to haul their stuff, I'll do it, the difference is about 4k and that usually deters them from asking again.
Excellent advice on this forum. After initially determining I needed the liability insurance to do the work on someone's property regardless of the hauling method invoked, I then determined all the costs of having my own capability and compared it to the "call for a haul" alternative. For me, the scheduling convenience of being self sufficient was the pre-eminent factor. In these times with the slow work, the "call for a haul" is definitely wiser in regard to costs.
Hey RT, If you don't mind, please go look at my new post under TRANSPORTATION / TRAILERS - titled - PROPER TOWING RIG and give me your opinion. Looks like you are running basically what I am inquiring about. How much does your D4G weigh?
A D4G should be about 17,000 lbs
Mitch is about right on the D4G, I was thinking closer to 18K. Your GN should be in the 7000 range. I do it, but I don't do it a lot. My biggest gripe is the variation in electric brakes. As they get hot, they work better. So when you get them adjusted as you start off, you'll have to back them down as they warm. Because of my limited towing, I just live with it. If I was going to do more- I'd be comfortable using the setup with 10ks with disc brakes. The electric/hydraulic disc brakes with a good controller can be carefully modulated, and will feel even like air or hydraulic brakes. I sold a big flatbed to our local Farmer's Coop to pull with a 1 ton. They fitted the E/H disc and are tickled with it. With a 1 ton, you do need to be careful about overloading the rear axle rating on the truck. My '07 Dodge 3500 does not have a listed GCWR, just f/r GAWR. So if my truck and trailer axles are within weights, I am legal. I do have a class A CDL as they add to over 26,001. Your decision will be based on volume I'd suppose. I read the other thread, and it's all good stuff. But we put 57500# of cargo behind a road tractor every day too. You can't always have a tow vehicle heavier than your load. Wise driving will always be important. As an aside, I had a '08 F-450 before this, and couldn't tell enough difference to shake a stick at. A lot of the differences in towing capacities on the 1 tons are more related to acceleration and thus the gear ratios. They don't do a lot regarding anything else unfortunately.
sorry to high jack the op post. but wear in missouri are you from? i have a cat 941 loader that i think is around 24,000 pounds that i need moved 4 miles.also it will only be moved once. thanks Mopar65
What a gets overlooked a lot of times in these pickup vs truck discussions is that in a tractor-trailer, the tractor IS heavier than the trailer. If you are loaded perfectly, the trailer will weigh 34,000 and the tractor will weigh 46,000 lbs. Even towing a 24,000 lb trailer behind my single axle truck, I put at least 10-12,000 on the tractor. If I gross 36,000, and put 10 on my 12,000 tractor, my tractor weighs 22,000 and the trailer weighs 14,000.