It's definitely to my benefit if consistently hauling a moving 45k lbs doesn't increase wear and tear on the truck, and I'd like to believe there can be an end to these tremendous jolts.

We can start with tires, tire wear isn't a mechanical issue but it does increase the more you haul heavy. Brake pads, of course, and my jakes don't hold back all that great. Shocks, you can really feel that fully loaded on a wavy road, and I have new shocks in the back. Hopefully, you don't burn out a clutch plate too quickly, but heavy has to cause wear faster than light, and a fluctuating drag has to cause wear faster than a steady drag. Perhaps the king pins, transmission, u joints and rears don't necessary break or wear out, but to the extent that they can with any kind of freight, the incidence of these things failing is going to be more hauling heavy, and 'moving' heavy more than solid heavy. Oh yeah, rebuilds must occur earlier as well, though I'm open to the possibility that the difference is minimal.

If what you are saying is that the increased wear and tear is negligible, that's just good for me. I'd like to believe that's true. So far, only one veteran tanker has told me this freight wears a truck out.

 

Week Ending 7/27

Savanna,GA----->Norwood,MA (driver unload,truck pump)
....Norwood,MA---->N. Grafton,MA (drop dirty,hook empty)
....N. Grafton,MA----->Alliston,MA (live load)
Alliston,MA----->Gary,IN (driver unload,truck air)
....Gary,IN----->Owosso,MI (hometime)

Total Miles: 2,122
Deadhead Miles: 215, 10%
Gross Pay: $4,467.10 ($2.11 a mile)
YTD Miles: 69,126
YTD Gross: $125,795.10 (1.82 a mile)
Total Loads: 83
Hazmat: 20, 24%

 

Week Ending 8/3

....Owosso,MI----->Grand Rapids,MI (drop clean,hook load)
Grand Rapids,MI----->Charlotte,NC (driver unload,truck pump,drop dirty,hook clean)
.....Charlotte,NC----->Monroe,NC (live load)
Monroe,NC-----Leland,NC (customer unload)
....Leland,NC----->Greensboro,NC (drop dirty)
....Greensboro,NC----->High Point,NC (hook load)
High Point,NC----->Harrison,OH (customer unload)
....Harrison,OH----->Grove City,OH (drop dirty,hook clean)


Total Miles: 2,001
Deadhead Miles: 619, 31%
Gross Pay: $3,952.09 ($1.98 a mile)
YTD Miles: 71,127
YTD Gross: $129,747.19 ($1.82 a mile)
Total Loads: 86
Hazmat: 22, 26%

 

Give yourself some time here. As you gain more experience and confidence pulling tanks, you are going to catch on to the various tricks involved in smoothing out the surge.

I know you bought an older truck, like I did. It is possible that the fifth wheel can have some slack in the jaws, which will extenuate the surge when stopping and starting. If you get it checked, you will know. If they can adjust the jaws, they will, if the fifth wheel needs a rebuild, they will tell you.
When Quality raised the plate, they should have checked all that out...but some outside shops are lazy, and don't do what they should. They just swap out the risers, and don't care about the rest...the pivot pins and the jaws. IF Quality didn't raise the plate...that is something you might look into. Miller paid $3,500 to put a 7.5" riser on my fontaine slider. It is possible that whomever was in charge of your "outfitting" didn't include the riser kit. That will make a difference in how the product acts, as well as how the weight sits on the truck. The kingpin plate should be at 50.5" to 52" from the ground, when your hooked to the trailer and sitting on level ground. 52" is better than 50.5"...more weight on the trailer axles that way.

I've been pulling tanks since 1979. It took me about 4 months to adjust to surge, pulling baffeled and compartmented tanks. I've been pulling smooth bore exclusively the last 4 years..and it took a few trips to get adjusted to the surge, even with all those years of experience.

Wear and tear have as much to do with driving habits as well as product action. Gaining smooth habits while shifting takes time. Like Mike said..the fewer shifts you make, the better. As you experiement, try various skip shift patterns. The different products surge differently. You will learn each pattern as you gain experience. Thick oil additives, and thick resins have the least amount of surge. Many latex products, gasoline additives, and the thinner resins, are more active, and their surges vary with the product.
Over time, you are going to learn how to predict the surge, and will adjust your shifting habits to the product...just as all of us whom have more experience learned.

Forget about traffic around you, and drive the truck... control the product and you are going to be fine.

 

$3500! Wow, they must not mind laying out the cash. I'm on the hook for $1000 for the 4" riser installed on mine. I'm a few hundred pounds heavier on my drives than on the trailer. I wouldn't mind if that was turned around, but I don't think I can complain.

As I said, it's an after market New Holland, I surely hope it doesn't need a rebuild. But, if that jolt is likely some slop in there between the kingpin and the jaws, I'll see if someone can get rid of it. I'll also try to take the advice to take it slow, however much traffic I hold back.

I look forward to more tanker talk. I just exchanged a fully loaded trailer and 4 days for a $1600 repair bill. It's time to get some money while the getting is good.

 

Sent you a PM.

 

Week Ending 8/10

.....Grove City,OH------>Greensburg,IN (live load)
Greensburg,IN------>Greenwood,DE (driver unload,truck air)
.....Greenwood,DE------>Paulsboro,NJ (tank wash)
.....Paulsboro,NJ------>Philadelphia,PA (live load)
Philadelphia,PA----->Pekin,IL (driver unload)
....Pekin,IL------>Crestwood,IL (drop dirty,hook clean)

Total Miles: 1,939
Deadhead Miles: 438, 23%
Gross Pay: $4,860.22 ($2.51 a mile)
YTD Miles: 73,066
YTD Gross: $ 134,507.42 ($1.84 a mile)
Total Loads: 88
Hazmat: 23, 26%

 

Week Ending 8/17

......Crestwood,IL------>Owosso,MI (hometime)
......Owosso,MI------>Grand Rapids,MI (drop clean,hook load)
Grand Rapids,MI------>Charlotte,NC (driver unload,truck pump,drop dirty,hook clean)
.....Charlotte,NC------>High Point,NC (dro clean,hook load)
High Point,NC------>Cleveland,OH (customer unload)
.....Cleveland,OH------>Grove City,OH (drop dirty,hook clean)
.....Grove City,OH----->Delaware,OH (drop clean,hook load)
Delaware,OH------>Dearborn,MI (driver unload)
.....Dearborn,MI----->Detroit,MI (drop dirty,hook clean)
.....Detroit,MI------>Owosso,MI (hometime)

Total MIles: 2,027
Deadhead Miles: 639, 32%
Gross Pay: $3,791.76 ($1.87 a mile)
YTD Miles: 75,093
YTD Gross: $138,299.18 ($1.84 a mile)
Total Loads: 91
Hazmat: 24,26%

 

Week Ending 8/24

....Owosso,MI---->Grand Rapids,MI (drop clean,hook load)
Grand Rapids,MI----->Charlotte,NC (driver unload,truck pump,tank wash)
....Charlotte,NC-----<Columbia,SC (live load)
Columbia,SC----->Cleveland,OH (driver assist)
....Cleveland,OH----->Detroit,MI (drop dirty,hook clean)
....Detroit,MI----->Owosso,MI (hometime)


Total Miles: 1,879
Deadhead Miles: 507, 27%
Gross Pay: $3,697.50 ($1.97 a mile)
YTD Miles: 76,972
YTD Gross: $141,996.68 ($1.84 a mile)
Total Loads: 93
Hazmat: 25, 27%

 

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