Since I'm new to owning heavy equipment and may be purchasing more of it. I was looking at trucks I could hitch up to a low boy to haul my equipment around. My question is, is the gvw mean the total of the truck trailer and the load all added up together? If so that puts me only in a class 8 truck if I'm hauling the d7 which weighs more that 33001 pounds. Second question, since I'm not doing this for a living and only need to haul occasionally and like antiques, Are there any antique trucks out there you guys might reccomend that would be cheap to buy and maybe I could restore. Thanks
My question is, is the gvw mean the total of the truck trailer and the load all added up together? Yes the GVWR is the total of the trailer and the load. For a example of our TrailMax trailer, and some info about bridge law, look at my post in the link below. If so that puts me only in a class 8 truck if I'm hauling the d7 which weighs more that 33001 pounds. And yes you will need a Class 8 truck if your trailer is a low boy. With a low boy the truck has to carry half the weight of the trailer and load. Now the nice thing about pulling a low boy is that tractors are a lot cheaper than dump trucks. You can find some decent class 8 trucks for cheap. What kind of low boy are you looking at? Non-ground bearing detachable, etc. If you are looking at detachable goose neck trailers, will it be self contained or is the truck going to have a wet kit.
GCW is Gross Combination Weight GVW is Gross Vehicle Weight So GVW is for a single vehicle and GCW is for a Vehicle and a trailer. Example, a pickup truck such as my F250 has 8800 lbs GVW, yet the book says it will pull a GCW of 18,500 lbs. So that is the documented proof of what those two terms mean. And its funny to note with pickups that what gives it the ability to handle more weight, per the manual, is the size of the engine, and final gear ratio. In the US you will need at least a 2 axle low boy for a D7. If memory serves legal is 20,000 lbs for a dual wheel axle. And at a loading of 600 lbs per inch tire width. I maybe wrong on that I don't have the data at hand. They may reduce to 550 or 500 per inch width for duals. Not sure.
What series D7? Does it have a blade one it? That can put you up to 44,000 pounds. Cable unit more yet if it has one. The 33,000 number is for the bare tractor. In my opinion this is a pretty good sized machine to putt on anything but a lowboy. Hauled a D7E with blade on a tag trailer behind a dump truck ONE TIME. Did not like the experience one bit. I like a load like that close to the ground but that is me.
Well if it is 44,000 lbs you are going to need a 2 axle 35 ton detach that is at least 40 ft. 40 foot should allow you to haul 80,000lb and stay legal.
I use a 35 ton detach gooseneck lowboy with a tandum axle tractor which will get 80,000 legal. I am permitted to 90,000, 14.0 ft wide, 100.00 ft long on an annual basis. You will need permit because of width. tractor, trailer and D7 with blace comes out to 81,500 pounds gross.
anybody know anything about antique truck tags? Is there a yealry milage limit like there is on cars? How does that affect weight classes?
Will depend upon the state you are in.
Stumpjumper, You may want to wander over to the Antique Truck Historical Society and ask around over there: http://forums.aths.org Joe
Thanks for all of your help. I have not purchased anything yet, but am still researching. Looks like a class 8 tandom it will have to be. Looks like the lowboy will cost me more than the truck, lol. Yes my dozer has the 10'8" blade on it. It is not cable. I have not found a lot of cheap trucks as of yet, but am still looking. Everybody keeps telling me you can find them for 3 to 6 thousand but I've not seen any that cheap yet, but still looking. Those trucks that cheap may not be being advertised for sale. As for the lowboy,man that's another story. I can't find much cheap in a lowboy. ALthogh I have found a few good just regular height trailers for cheap.
Cheap trucks I got one with about 800,000 miles for around $10,000.00 13 speed transmission and a 500 detroit a pretty nice truck.
I see you are from Texas what part ? keep a eye on Craigslist.com alot of time some good prices on equipment .Good luck I will keep my eyes open for one .twj