Cr-unit question

Daffyduck528 · Apr 28, 2014

We have a 2 axle cr unit and I'm curious if adding a lift axle to it will make us anymore money with FDCC. We can scale around 5500lbs and with a lift it'll over double. We have an 18' box. I don't want to add the axle if FDCC will look at it only as a cr unit with a 5,000 lb max regardless. Any cr-units out here ever carry more than 5,000 lbs?

zorry · Apr 28, 2014

Probably not.
My DR seldom carries over 5500 #
You're not supposed to be a D unless you can load 20' of freight.
Unless something has changed.

There may be a rare occasion that it will help you.
Will it help you enough to offset the cost, maint., increase license cost ?

You will want to scale it. And check your axle size.

layoutshooter · Apr 28, 2014

We are a DR and seldom carry more than 5500# We do, however, often need the 20'

zorry · Apr 28, 2014

First thing you'll notice is the CR will be narrower.
Are you familiar with pin-wheeling skids ?

Daffyduck528 · Apr 28, 2014

I'm not familiar with this although I think I can picture it in my head. What would it be good for?

Daffyduck528 · Apr 28, 2014

Or is that how you fit 2 48" wide pallets in?

Daffyduck528 · Apr 28, 2014

Ok. I was dead wrong in my thinking. I googled it and saw a diagram of what it is. That makes way more sense than what I was thinking.

Daffyduck528 · Apr 28, 2014

this is what I saw

zorry · Apr 28, 2014

Two 48" wide pallets won't fit side by side in your reefer.

layoutshooter · Apr 28, 2014

zorry said:
Two 48" wide pallets won't fit side by side in your reefer.

Not in mine, that is for sure. I have more insulation, 4", than most other trucks have.

Just like everything else it is a double edged sword. I use less fuel and has less trouble holding temps than trucks with less insulation, but I do lose space. Over all, I believe the thicker insulation overrides the loss of space.

zorry · Apr 28, 2014

I once saw a reefer load pallets of drums, side to side.
Forklift could wedge them in.
PJ couldn't get them out.
Forklift and chain yanked them out.

Daffyduck528 · Apr 28, 2014

zorry said:
I once saw a reefer load pallets of drums, side to side.
Forklift could wedge them in.
PJ couldn't get them out.
Forklift and chain yanked them out.

Yikes! Damage the walls?

zorry · Apr 28, 2014

Nothing visible to the naked eye.

I wouldn't do it.

CCDriver · May 2, 2014

Have that happen a few times 4 drums on a 48 x 48 pallet wish dispatch would get it through their noggins we insulated trucks aren't a full 96'' wide. Now if they are on standard pallets 40'' x 48'' and have 1 to 3 drums on some pallets they will fit side by side with the 4 drums on a skid.

Wish they'd put more info when they send out loads letting you know what you're picking up and if the pallets are 48" x 48"s Course that makes a little too much sense to ever get implamented. So we shall just soldier on and on and........

zorry · May 3, 2014

I just did an 8 pallet load. 4 drums per pallet. 32 Drums.
I left with 5 pallets of 4, and 4 pallets of 3.
The guy was pretty nice about it. I would leave it on the dock before I'd wedge it in my reefer.
If I get the load again, I'll ask dispatch to call and ask them to pallet it properly before my arrival.

runrunner · May 3, 2014

CCDriver said:
Have that happen a few times 4 drums on a 48 x 48 pallet wish dispatch would get it through their noggins we insulated trucks aren't a full 96'' wide. Now if they are on standard pallets 40'' x 48'' and have 1 to 3 drums on some pallets they will fit side by side with the 4 drums on a skid.

Wish they'd put more info when they send out loads letting you know what you're picking up and if the pallets are 48" x 48"s Course that makes a little too much sense to ever get implamented. So we shall just soldier on and on and........

At one time, they use to pay a lot more attention to details like that. In order to avoid delay's. Of course things still happened,but it was rare.

layoutshooter · May 3, 2014

It's not always the fault of the carrier. It is often the fault of the shipper. The last load we had cancel was due to shipper error. They told FDCC they had 10 skids, which I can fit on my truck. When we got there the load was at a different place, first red flag. We moved to where our load was, they had no idea about it, red flag two. It took them an hour or so to find out the info on the load. Turns out it was 13 skids, which will not fit. Then the guy on the dock kinda got mad at me when I told him I could not take the load because my truck could not hold 13 skids. I have no idea what went on with that shipment. I got my dry run pay, which of course can no where near covering the cost of my fuel and time to that point.

zorry · May 3, 2014

Sometimes the driver doesn't help.

I loaded some slots.
The guy next to me never got out of the truck until fully loaded.
When he pulled out to close his barn doors, he decided the whole load needed to be placed a few feet towards the rear.

This is info the loaders needed before loading the truck.

Like the guy with the drums wedged inside the body. You have to make a little effort.
Pay attention.
Communicate.

ChanceMaster · May 3, 2014

Communication is key, We have the tools for it, but the ball still gets dropped. Kind of like turn signal indicators : it's right there to use, some just choose not to do it.