SRW or dually.
I'm thinking of a life change. Come March of next year, I'll have 40 years at the company I work for. I don't plan to retire completely but sort of semi-retire. I'm looking at RV trailer transport. I ...
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Wow! I sure stuck a finger in the light socket this time. Let me clarify some things. I drove a truck many years ago with a lot more primitive equipment than is on the road today. I planned to go back to it after a few years but the pay and benefits were so good where I'm at, I stayed. I work in logistics so I'm well aware of the trial and tribulations of OTR driving. I'm the guy that clears the load for shipment.
My initial specifications show a $1200 difference between the SRW and dually.The dually will have better towing weight capacity. My biggest concern is the extra width of the fenders on a dually. I also have a tree farm (we harvest every 17 years, not in the fall) and the extra few inches caused problems the last time I had a dually.
Automatic transmission are a weak link for pulling loads. RV's will be lighter than I normally work with but I've seen automatics fail under medium towing. Add in the lack of a dip stick anymore and failures are becoming more frequent.
Why new? To get it built for the job. Most of the used trucks on the market were bought as cars with a box on the back. The dealers load them up with all sorts of extra stuff, including automatics, to make more money on the sale. The average profit on a vehicle used to be 8% but the profit on options was closer to 20%. I had a fellow working for me at the salvage yard I used to run, who was also a pinstriper. He got paid $20 per car but the dealer charged $150 for pinstriping.
I don't want all sorts of chrome for two reasons. I don't care for stuff I have to shine as chrome don't get you home. Second, Motor Carrier enforcement officers look for the really shiny units as they aren't as nasty to check over. Real beaters get checked too but I dated a gal who was a DOT officer and she told me some eye opening things about it. Also, I can get the 4 door cab to remove the rear seat and make a small sleeper back there.
Like I said, I'm just looking at my options. Yes, if I found the exact unit I'm looking for as a used one, I'd go that route. As for picking up the wrong unit, I learned early on to check the numbers. My job is mostly doing that.
I have 3 months before I plan to make a final decision. I may hit the lottery and decide to just pack up and go south until I quit seeing signs that say "Bridges freeze first".
My initial specifications show a $1200 difference between the SRW and dually.The dually will have better towing weight capacity. My biggest concern is the extra width of the fenders on a dually. I also have a tree farm (we harvest every 17 years, not in the fall) and the extra few inches caused problems the last time I had a dually.
Automatic transmission are a weak link for pulling loads. RV's will be lighter than I normally work with but I've seen automatics fail under medium towing. Add in the lack of a dip stick anymore and failures are becoming more frequent.
Why new? To get it built for the job. Most of the used trucks on the market were bought as cars with a box on the back. The dealers load them up with all sorts of extra stuff, including automatics, to make more money on the sale. The average profit on a vehicle used to be 8% but the profit on options was closer to 20%. I had a fellow working for me at the salvage yard I used to run, who was also a pinstriper. He got paid $20 per car but the dealer charged $150 for pinstriping.
I don't want all sorts of chrome for two reasons. I don't care for stuff I have to shine as chrome don't get you home. Second, Motor Carrier enforcement officers look for the really shiny units as they aren't as nasty to check over. Real beaters get checked too but I dated a gal who was a DOT officer and she told me some eye opening things about it. Also, I can get the 4 door cab to remove the rear seat and make a small sleeper back there.
Like I said, I'm just looking at my options. Yes, if I found the exact unit I'm looking for as a used one, I'd go that route. As for picking up the wrong unit, I learned early on to check the numbers. My job is mostly doing that.
I have 3 months before I plan to make a final decision. I may hit the lottery and decide to just pack up and go south until I quit seeing signs that say "Bridges freeze first".
