Make sure you buy plenty of extra black ink for the printer/scanner. I go through at least 1 every trip out. Set the default print characteristics into draft mode and B/W only so it prints faster. You don't need high quality.

The brokers always act surprised when they see I'm not in there system already. It's like, you idiots. There are 100,000,000,000 brokers out there.

 

If you don't know trailers really well, it is possible to get screwed. It can be a good business decision to pay a mechanic that knows trailers really well to take a look at it. Could be the best money you ever spent.

 

Thks person, I do know a bit about suspensions in general (maybe more then the average driver) as I worked a couple years, long time ago, setting toe, caster, n camber on cars, but only a few things really translate over. Everything is so much bigger with semis, n all straight, fixed axels , no A-arms n ball joints lol. So pretty much on my own, dont even have a trailer mechanic picked out yet, only a small independent for the truck so far.

Thks G-man about clarrifying things to look for up around the trailer walls
Yeah pretty sure this 1's standard posts, but doubt I will haul heavy loads too much, every broker in dry van wants you to haul freight cheap, and they dont want to pay more for the heavier loads.

Yeh I got blasted here for saying I would take cheap dry van loads, that were light, but my rate has to go up quite a bit for heavier loads to be successful I believe. What I fiqured on came almost a cent per mile per 1,000 pounds. I can take a 1,000 pound load for as cheap as 1.15 a mile and make $, but 40,000 or more I need about 1.50 a mile and lots of brokers out here wont pay that much for dry van so wont haul it. Go fiqure, they will pay 1.20 a mile for a 6,000 pound load, but want to pay say 1.30 a mile for a 40,000 load.......that really cuts into my profits....no thks.....so doubt any heavy loads.
yeah he said a couple small bulges on the trailer, when I asked about the walls(probably from heavy freight?), but doesnt look to bad, we will see what a couple small buldges are eh?....when I go check the trailer out tommorow....maybe pass on it

 

The one thing that jumps out at me with that trailer is the fact that two of the hub covers were replaced. Distorting, if not outright melting, of the plastic can be a sign of overheated bearings. Make sure you get someone to look at those.

You'll be glad to know that, in dry van, often the rate is inversely related to the weight. Heavier loads are often the cheapest, light loads can pay a ton.

 

Thks NW, yeah heat related probs are a concern, fiqure for our area its a cheap price tho n I will have to repair something.
If I was in the southeast, know I could get a better buy, but since I am back in Cali now am expecting to pay more for inferior quality ;-p
yeah thats crazy about rates NW, just gotta pick n choose carefully eh? Especially here in the west I was warned by other drivers rates were really too low; to get back east if I can n pay less for feul and better rates

 

Have the seller deliver the trailer,...after it arrives, (and I mean 1 minute after it arrives) check it out for tires,hubs,air leaks. If things seem too hot, then figure on a price haggle for the repairs you think it may need.
I did this a week ago, the seller sent the trailer (loaded to St Pete 20,000lbs), I was there at the destination to unload, and 2 of the hubs (driver side) were too hot to touch, and I could hear a leaking air bag.
I called the seller to talk about the price,.......he ended up loading the trailer and sending it back to his home (private seller on E-Bay).
This was only possible because I had a notorized contract signed by him, that said there would be negotiations on price if I was not satisfied with the trailer.
He didn't want to negotiate,.....back goes the trailer.

 

Changing bearings isn't that huge of a deal.

figure ~$100 per wheel for parts. Who knows for labor.

While all that stuff is off, you can check for s-cam,s-cam bushing wear etc..

 

Not sure if your into Ebay but the price of that trailer could sky rocket in the last minutes. Don't set your sites on it too much and keep looking. I've sold tons of stuff on Ebay and in some cases people have paid more for my item than they could have new.

There was a stretch of road down Rt 80 that went on for maybe 50 miles. Not sure what state I was in but it was non stop trucks and trailers for sale. It's almost like you could bobtail out there and pick something up.

 

I have to agree about eBay. Most I have sold had either sold at the last few seconds or had a Large Bidding war going on at the last minute. My 2 best sales happen that way. Sold a Baseball signed by the original Rocford Peaches. Started at 60.00 and in the last few minutes it went from 75.00 to 299.00. These Trailers may but may not do about the same. I even sold New items that retailed for 9.95 for 43.00 on there.

I look on there basicly seeing what they are doing, but when it time to buy, I'll look locally, unless I see something I just got to have on there.

 

I think that Kentucky trailer was nicer Pepe. That one had a buy it now. But it is also far away from you, so hard to look at .