Wondering how much I will be kicking myself if I purchase a 96 wide flat vs paying a little more in many cases and buying a 102. Commodity hauled would mostly be steel in my situation. Probably would be using a sidekit. Could sometimes be loading-unloading several times each day. Would I frequently regret buying a 96 wide, in terms of ease of load securement, etc?

Thanks

 

Not really it all depends on how wide a stack of steel your getting. I'd go 102 easier if you have to get some plate steel that is bigger then 96. If you do anytype of pallets just more of a pain. pallets have to be on just right to fit.
If it was me... I'd do 102. Maybe Devildice will comment on this for you.

best of luck.

 

>Wondering how much I will be kicking myself if I purchase a 96 wide flat vs paying a little more....
How much more?

I can only recall one load that has actually required a 102". You may want to check into the technical legalities involved with putting a 102" piece on a 96" trailer.......is that considered a wide load? I don't know the answer, but I do know that I've done it without permits and have not had a problem.

I can't think of any problems you might have loading or securing steel.....tarping a 102" load on a 96" might be a bugger tho.

 

My side kit is a 96" wide and there have been very few loads that I could not haul with it. You can still haul 102" wide loads and not be considered over size. It would be different if you were pulling a van due to the size of pallets. In some areas a 96" wide trailer could be an asset. There are a few roads in some states that restrict trailer width to 96". There aren't many, but if you run the northeast or New England you could run across some of them.

The advantage to having a 102" wide trailer is that you have a little more deck on which to walk. Other than that I don't really see much of an advantage to having 102" other than an occasional shipper that may want that much width. In any case, you can haul pretty much the same cargo on either trailer. You could save some money by getting a 96" wide trailer. I would base my decision on the type of freight you plan on hauling. It won't make a difference with most shippers.

 

We have some 96" wide trailers (28'). They use them for the small loads. Being the lighter loads, the 96" wide trailers are always my back trailer. I hate pulling them. It's fun hooking up, too. You can't see the back trailer. :lol: Sometimes when I'm driving along, and I look in the mirror, and I don't see that back trailer, I think, :eek2:.

 

Other than saving a little money up front,(which you'll probably lose selling/trading it) I personally wouldn't go 96" wide. The carrier I'm leased to has criteria in the system for "trailer required", if the shipper asks for a 48x102 you'd never know about the load, even if it might easily fit. Also, if you're running a sidekit that extra 3" on each side could mean a lot as far as squeezing past your freight to tie down and such. BOL

 

I agree, klleetrucking, it is the walking-stepping-squeezing room that I might miss if I didn´t have it, although fortunately I am height-weight proportionate.

While we´re on the subject, sort of, anyone know if chain ties or D-rings can be added to the floor if they weren´t built in at the factory?

 

Both are "time consuming" but easily done and worth the time.

 

Years ago I looked into adding inside tiedowns to the transcrap trailer I was pulling and I think it was about $1500 for 12 down each side. Reitnourer, East, Chapparel come with movable inside tiedowns, when I had my sidekit the movable tiedowns were very very helpful.

 

Thanks for the info, everyone.