Hi. I am in the process of having a Freightliner FLD120 stretched to accomodate a 24 foot van body. Can anybody out there give me some insight into the ability of this rig to make money in expediting? I've been told by a couple of the big companies that I would qualify for 99% of the loads. With the added expenses of this large machine am I going to make any money? I like the idea of more comfort and weight handling.:9
Class 7.5?
- Thread starter coldstart
- Start date
GroundHawk
Expert Expediter
Why would you do this?Just pull a 48 or 53 foot trailer and make much more money then you would with a 24 foot box.Why cut up a good tractor.
paperback1
Expert Expediter
THEN CALL AROUND TO A FEW PLACES, YOU WILL MAKE MORE MONEY WITH A TRACTOR. OR, EVER THINK ABOUT EITHER RUNNING TEAM AND FINDING A DRIVER OR JUST PUTTING A DRIVER IN THERE AND PAY THEM %? JUST AN IDEA:7
GroundHawk
Expert Expediter
You say you need money now and not in two or three years---Well it will not take you that long. I have a friend who when from straight truck to tractor and he is making 3000.00 aweek and yes he is rollong hard,but thats the name of the game. Hawk
I HAVE DONE JUST WHAT U WANT TO DO. I DID IT IN DEC 1999. I BOUGHT A 1996 FLD120 AND HAD IT STRETCHED. I WAS TIRIED OF THE SUBMARINE HATCH ON MOST FL70'S0 AND FL80'S THAT I HAD TO CRAWL THRU. I NOW HAVE 2 FULL SIZE COMFORTABLE BEDS AND PLENTY OF ROOM. I BUT MY 22 FOOT REEFER ON THIS UNIT WITH A LIFT GATE. I HAVE PLENTY OF POWER I HAVE A DETRIOT WITH A 365/425 ENGINE. I HAVE A JAKE BRAKE AND CRUISE CONTROL. I CAN HAUL 16000# PAYLOAD BUT MY COMPANY ONLY ALLOWS 13000# FOR MY "D" UNIT. I HAVE HAULED SOME "E" FREIGHT TO GET TO A BETTER FREIGHT AREA.
I ONLY GET 7.5 TO 8.0 MPG BUT THATS WHAT I EXPECTED AND THATS WHAT I GET.
IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER I WOULD GET ROLL UP DOORS FOR 2 REASONS. #1 THE ROLL UP DOOR WOULD BE FLAT WITH MY DOCK PLATE. WITH BARN DOORS THERE IS A HUMP WHERE THE DOORS CLOSE AND THIS SOMETIMES CAUSES PALLET JACKS AND FORK LIFTS TO GET STUCK. THIS IS WORSE WHEN U HAVE A LIFT GATE WHICH I DO. #2 WITH ROLL UP U CAN BACK UP TO THE DOCK DOORS AT NIGHT AND IN THE MORNING U CAN GO INTO THE RECIEVING OR SHIPPING DOCK AND UNLOCK/OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE DOCK WITHOUT PULLING AWAY FROM THE DOCK. I CONSISTANTLY MAKE MORE $ WITH THIS SET UP. WHEN I WAS RUNNING A TRACTOR TRAILER I HAD A LOT OF CHEAP FREIGHT. WITH THE D UNIT I DO PREATY GOOD $ WISE. I ALSO HAD A problem geting co drivers w/experience to drive the "A" units
I ONLY GET 7.5 TO 8.0 MPG BUT THATS WHAT I EXPECTED AND THATS WHAT I GET.
IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER I WOULD GET ROLL UP DOORS FOR 2 REASONS. #1 THE ROLL UP DOOR WOULD BE FLAT WITH MY DOCK PLATE. WITH BARN DOORS THERE IS A HUMP WHERE THE DOORS CLOSE AND THIS SOMETIMES CAUSES PALLET JACKS AND FORK LIFTS TO GET STUCK. THIS IS WORSE WHEN U HAVE A LIFT GATE WHICH I DO. #2 WITH ROLL UP U CAN BACK UP TO THE DOCK DOORS AT NIGHT AND IN THE MORNING U CAN GO INTO THE RECIEVING OR SHIPPING DOCK AND UNLOCK/OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE DOCK WITHOUT PULLING AWAY FROM THE DOCK. I CONSISTANTLY MAKE MORE $ WITH THIS SET UP. WHEN I WAS RUNNING A TRACTOR TRAILER I HAD A LOT OF CHEAP FREIGHT. WITH THE D UNIT I DO PREATY GOOD $ WISE. I ALSO HAD A problem geting co drivers w/experience to drive the "A" units
Hey thanks for the message BIGGUY. Mine will be a cummins 370, 24' w/rollup door and liftgate. Glad to hear of a positive note. And my current rig is a non-sleeper FL70. The thought of installing a sleeper on that thing and spending hours and hours in an FL just gives me shivers. They're good trucks but comfort-wise they suck. picking up an occasional E load is exactly what I was thinking, keeps you going. Are you sold on the reefer unit? I have considered it but is is a whopping expense. Are there enough loads for it to justify? Thanks again for the note.
I have been running my class 8 CL120 Freightliner Columbia w/24 footer for about 6 months now. After having run an FL70, I now know a class 8 is the best way to go. Not only for comfort, but also durabitlity. Plus, they usually get better MPG than the smaller engines in the class 7's as they don't have to lug up the hills. With the relaibility and better MPG's with the Columbia, I am making better money than I was with the FL70, even with the slightly higher payment.
-Weave-
-Weave-
Good to hear another positive voice WEAVE. Kind of what I was thinking too, better durability and at least the same mileage if not more. And oh so nice to get out of that FL70! I'm pretty good size and at the end of the day my rear end is almost gone along with my knees from hitting the dash! Thanks Again.
The smaller Kenworth is a nice truck, but am looking at capability of heavier loads also. The agents around here want straight trucks with 20,000+ pounds capacity, the Kenworth with a 24ft box and a decent sleeper would be too heavy in single axle form. Twin screws are a better bet to insure that all loads can be hauled in my estimation. The conversion, including stretch, adding tail pieces to the end of the frame, new tuck-under lift and a very nice used 24ft box w/roll-up door (hard to find but I found one) is about $8,000.00.
That is a good move using the twin screw setup. The class 8's are a lot heavier up front in straight truck form. If I weren't running mine at a co. where most of the loads are under 10k, I would probably have to add a tag. It's even a good idea to have the fuel tanks set back towards the rear. With my single axle I find myself having to start many of the loads 4-5 feet back from the nose of the box.
You will be very happy with your decision to go with the class 8 chassis. A few other plusses are an easy 10 year lifespan (How many 10 yr. old FL70's are out on the highway?) and even after that it might still have some resale value to it. The class 8 advantages outweigh its disadvantages by a big margin.
-Weave-
You will be very happy with your decision to go with the class 8 chassis. A few other plusses are an easy 10 year lifespan (How many 10 yr. old FL70's are out on the highway?) and even after that it might still have some resale value to it. The class 8 advantages outweigh its disadvantages by a big margin.
-Weave-
It won't really be a decision at all in the long ($) run. Using the twin screw setup, you might not have to worry about setting back the tanks. Has anyone besides me ever wondered why front heavy Pete 379's just about always have set back tanks? Filled up twin 150 gallon aluminum fuel tanks weigh over to 2500 lbs!
If your FLD has Cummins M11, you should be OK- it's a lighter engine.
-Weave-
If your FLD has Cummins M11, you should be OK- it's a lighter engine.
-Weave-
Hey again WEAVE, I need some more input. The truck shop says that with a 24 foot box the centerline of the rear axle(s) assembly should be 15 feet from the back of the sleeper. This sound right to you? I sure don't want to lose the ability to load all the way to the front of the box. Sounds right at 13 to 15 feet somewhere to me, as the front end on this truck should be pretty light as you mentioned. I know of a guy who had his placed at 18 feet back and can only load the rear 20 feet of his 24 foot box. I've put a hold on it until I get some more input, so if Your Honor would put in your 2 cents worth I would appreciate it. Thanks.