I looked at the Blueox trailers when I was running my sawmill. They are real exspensive....
This on picture, was cost $28,000 new 5 years ago.
...
Looks like you are running a tree service? ....
Yes I do.
...
Is this firewood or saw logs you are trying to sell?...
Yes, yes and more: Firewood, saw logs, pulp and rougth cut lumber (some times).
...
I don't think there are many mills that will buy saw logs from yard trees. They are usually too windswept and full of nails and other junk to make it worth while for them. Any good log grader can spot a yard tree log without even looking twice.
....
You are right, but timber barons still buying from me. Less money, but better then pay for disposal.
...
On the truck I think you need something with a single rear axle. anything with tandems is going to wreck a yard and not have a very good turning radius. ....
option 1: Single rear
option 2: Dual rears with one goes up.
option 3: dual rears with one (or 2) steerable
...
Prentice 120 loader will serve your purpose and be relatively cheap.
I like Prentice 120. Barco and Serco not bad ether. My log guy On picture m has Serco-8000. Awsome toy.
I saw a 2.5 ton with grapple on it in Colebrook NH at Nash and sons. I am sure it has been junked by now seemed to look like it would have wroked. It was in tough shape when I saw it.
I know exactly who you are talking about.
How many feet of bed space ....
18 feet
...and give us a capacity in pounds instead ...
Maximum 25,000 lb
... Sounds like you are asking for one truck to do many jobs, economically and gently. ...
Yep.
...It's difficult to sew with a dagger and kill a lion with a needle.
Yes we can!
I know, it is hard to have small and big truck in the same setup.
I would suggest an M36 (long bed deuce) ...
Chassis length os OK. Strength ... I don't know.
... with a graple loader mounted behind the cab....
Grapple behind the cab is NO-NO.
Why#1: I can not feed chipper with it.
Why#2: Need to detach trailer to load.
Why#3: In the narow space is better unload firewood with back setup.
...
You are probably still going to have to carry commercial insurance and that may not be cheap in your area. ...
Yes insurance not cheap. Full size log truck about $6,000-$9,000. I am planing to setup around $2,500.
...That combination of truck and trailer may require a Commercial Drivers License where you are also.
...
Absolutly!
...
Just my
..
Any money I will take it.
Another words: When I am sitting home and thinking I have no input. Any suggestion is good one, even wrong opinion is apresiated very much. I mean it.
Roll your
freely.
====================================================
Now here are my thinking:
1. truck must to have small insurance. not like real log trucks ($6.000-$9,000)
I spoke with my friend, who is actualy commersial trucks insurance agent. He sad: if I going to build truck and want to avoid big bill for log truck I need to start from smaller truck (33,000-40,000 lb of GVW), preferably build and sold by dealer as a flatbad. Use THE VIN# as a base evaluation. Do not remove flatbad, but install log loader onto chassis. This way you not cheating - you are adding equipment to the flatbad. Also he mentioned to have customers reciept with "flatbad services" on it. To do few jobs as a flatbed delivery truck. I am actualy do use flatbed trailer to deliver some goods ocasionaly.
So flatbad it is.
2. truck must to have small (relativly speaking) load copacity.
All loaders in the fold (ready to drive) position are giving about 6.75 feet of vertical clearence.
Inside of a flatbad, between banks (vertical poles holding logs) is about 7.5 feet.
Timber is sold in 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 feet long. The actual length of log is 6 inches longer. It is for trimming, shrinking pupposes. So the longest log is actualy 16.5 feet. Now, if I have 16.5 feet I'd like to stick 2 8.5 footers together. Plus 1 foot for play. So we came to 18 foot length of actual bad.
So far we have payload:
18' x 7.5' x 6.75'
5 logs across
4 logs height
18' long 1.5' diameter w.pine log weight = 1219 lb
20 logs = 24,400 lb
18' long 1.5' diameter red oak log weight = 1951 lb
20 logs = 39,020 lb
12-13 red oak logs will be about 25,000
Bottom line: payload should be 25,000 lb
3. truck must be able NOT to stock on peoples back yards.
All wheel drive.
4. truck must to have as less impakt on grass as pocible.
Big tires, Nice stearing ability. Lift or steer most rear axle.
5. truck must to have very good turning radius.
Cab over usualy gives you better turning. Also they are sorter total length with same length of bad.
6. truck must to have ability to feed my chippers.
Log loader must to sit on very end of chassis, behind rear axle.
7. truck must to have some towing capability.
I need to install towing hook on rear plate. Sinse we will put loader where this portion of chassis must be strong to support 6,000 lb of loader + toung weight of chipper/trailer.
8. truck must to have loader. loader must to be able to pickup up to 8,000# logs. maximum reach
I guess we cover this already. Just want to some add makes and models of loaders. Prentice 120, Serco 7000-8000. Hood, etc. They all around 6,000# weight. Can be mounted directly on chssis. Required 3000 PSI, 40GPM (galon per minute) hydroulic pump. 26 inch of frame space.
So my next post will be A prototype drawing.
P.S. it is too much writing. Sorry it is boring, but I need to plan before jumping into $$$ project. Did I mention $$$ project?
