I know it isn't as pretty as what some people have, but this isn't how I make a living. Just for fun. The truck is a 1991 Ford F450 super Duty, with the IDI 7.3 Diesel. It hauls and stops Great, however it doesn't do a great job of pulling the load. Been looking for a Turbo kit for it. Only have $1200 in the truck. The Dozer is a D5C. I'm not too sure about the trailer, it has 2 10k Dexter axles, and the only name on it is "Custom built goosenecks trailers."
Hey, that's not bad at all. What does that dozer weigh?? I've always been leery to pull heavy with a pickup, primarily because of braking issues, but if your gettin' it done hats off to you.
I believe the Dozer weighs really close to 20K. The F450 Has 4 wheel disc brakes, and I load the truck as much as possible, trailer also has great brakes on it. Stopping is the easy part with this setup. I mainly just pull the dozer on gravel roads and little paved county roads around my place.
Hope you got a class A CDL
I don't have a CDL. I've never seen a DOT anywhere around here either. They stay around the big Weyerhaeuser sawmill, and the Domtar papermill. But after reading here for the past 3 years, I know I need to have a CDL. Funny, My brother-in-law drives a beer truck, has a CDL. I won't let him drive it, I told him, you make a living with your CDL, if something were to happen with you driving my truck, I'm sure your CDL would be something you would remember having in the past tense. I'm sure there are several things illegal about my set-up, but I'm pretty much under the radar, and usually on a small gravel road going just a few miles.
I was just joking. I would do the same thing as you are doing, I live in a small town too!! there are lots of things we get away with:cool2
Interesting set-up you got there, D4's D5. I may not be an expert on loading trailers but...Man I would rather see that Cat sitting on top of the trailer axles for better and safer transport.
i second what Timark said...its alot of weight on the rear of that 450...our Tak TB175 weighs only 18,500 fully loaded and it will nearly crush our 450 with the Gooseneck if we load it forward of the axles..but if it works for you...go ahead!
Isecond that it shoud have been on tire/axle but I would like to ouwn it
Dot Dot would allow us to not have the four corners chained down and one accross the blade. I got stop last Saturday in my 2000 Ford F550 and did a complete vehicle inspection, got a warning for loose shovels and traffic cones no being secured. I got a ticket for not having my medical card with me ( I keep copies in all of my big trucks 26,000lbs and up) trooper stated that if it has a dot number then you need a medical card, go figure. Nice looking dozer, looks like it is ready for work.
First couple times I hauled the dozer I didn't have it that far forward. When going up steep hills on gravel, the truck would spin. So I started loading the dozer all the way forward. Even at the all the way forward position, it is still favoring the trailer axles. Look at picture 2, the rear of the dozer is just in front of the trailer axle. The front of the Dozer is several feet behind the truck axle. I have no idea what the axle loads are, since I've never weighed, nor measured the distances. If I remember correctly the truck has an 11,500 rear axle rating, and I think a 4,500 front. I have the gooseneck ball mounted about 2.5 inches in front of the centerline of the rear axle too. I'd say if I were always on flat ground or pavement, I would be better off moving the dozer back. I may have to measure from the CG of the dozer and the axle distances and try to figure out what I'm hauling on the rear axle.
Git r done
When I first started out I used to cart my D21 around on a tandem trailer (with over run brakes) behind my Landrover discovery super crazy I know but its was all I had. Now I worry about my licence and play by the rules. The worst thing I did was run a load of scrap in on my FJ cruiser ute and tandem 8x5 trailer it rolled over the weigh bridge at 8.5 ton and rolled off at 3.2ton. Like I said I used to be a naughty boy
When loading my F550 and 10 ton gooseneck trailer I always load the trailer more than the poor truck. Your sprocket shoudl be directly over the last axle on your trailer and then you still have PLENTY of weight on your truck. I think it would be a riot to see what your drive axle weight is when hauling in that position. Last weigh ticket at Cat scales front x- 5180 (allowed 6,000) rear x- 7760 (allowed 13,500) trailer x's- 15,300 (allowed 22,500) BUT still got a ticket because I don't have a combination registration and just had the truck registered for 17,500 so they said I was 10,750 OVER. WHAT THE????? That was in PA and the fine total is $1479. Darin
I've loaded the dozer a couple feet back, truck spins out on steep gravel hills. There is more weight on the trailer than the truck as it is. It is several feet from the front of the dozer to the gooseneck hitch. Most weight is on the trailer. If my truck had one of those expensive custom beds on it, it would have more rear axle weight with the dozer sitting over the trailer axles, which seems to be how everyone who isn't driving this set up on gravel roads with long steep hills wants it to be. This isn't a highspeed interstate truck. I'm not out maintaining 55 mph on the federal highway system. This truck is used on Gravel and a few paved county roads. Something else I've noticed... I worked for Weyerhaeuser Timber Company for 9 years, we had lots of dozers. All had a lowboy trailer, and pulled by a Mack truck. Dozers always loaded to the extreme front of the trailer. Blade always sitting on the gooseneck part of the trailer. It makes me wonder why. I wonder if it has anything to do with pulling those dozers up steel gravel logging roads, here in the lower Ouachita mountains? Perhaps I'm doing it all wrong here, this is Arkansas, and we have a reputation of not being too smart. Either way, my setup works ok for me, and since I've been loading the dozer all the way forward, I haven't had to unload the dozer on a hill. K
I would say its fine for short distance hauls,The f450 looks like its holding the load ok.Load positioning is important with any truck & trailer,I have spun out on steep gravel roads . Back down the hill ,move the machine forward and over the hill we go."washboard" gravel is the worst.
Thank you, 25c. We have lots of crooked steep roads with the great washboards. I built the hitch on the truck out of 1" plate 10" wide and welded a piece of 1 inch thick, by two inch piece on edge under the plate just for those washboards. So far it hasn't bent. No doubt my truck is only good for short distance slow speed hauling, although I did get it up to 60 MPH with that trailer and my John Deere tractor on it once. With no trailer it will run about 68 mph, at redline. Kirk DeFoor
dont tell the man how to suck eggs this is the system he has worked for his environment. now get back to site you internet earthmovers.
More power? Interesting setup , as long as it works for you go for it I say . If your looking for more power check out www.bankspower.com They will have something for your pickup ,
No don't go banks. Way overpriced & overrated. Go ATS Diesel performance. I had the exact same truck. 1990 IDI 7.3L.....Put a ats turbo on it....bigger injectors....played with the pump a little bit....straightpiped and had plenty of power. It did good, but it ain't no CUMMINS.
D4, I've got a friend with an 80 something Ford 3/4 ton 4x4 flatbed, with a diesel, turbo kit, and a gear vendor overdrive he wants to sell. Might be a 6.9l, not sure.
I like those old ford diesels. Love to see them still being worked. Is that truck a manual or auto?
Truck is a manual 5 speed. I have only 1200 in the truck as it sets. Hard to spend much for a turbo. Been looking on E-bay, but they typically go for near what I paid for the truck. The truck came from Pilgrims Pride Inc. which is one of the worlds largest chicken processors. I actually remember when they got this truck, all it has ever done is haul a big diesel powered fan around to blow air on the chickens during the summer. Right before I got the truck, they installed a new motor, radiator, and new brakes. It is an XLT, but the inside is real rough, chicken feathers stuck to the seat kind of rough. But it starts and runs like new. I've been chastised a little on how I load my dozer, but the truck seems to like it, as well as me. And I promise, without the trailer and dozer, it rides like an iron wheeled wagon! Kirk