tri axle hopper

I personally don't think it is worth it. I had a spread for years. And just bought a new trailer and went back to a closed tandem. Sure you can haul a little bit more. But there is other things to consider also. My empty weight went down by 2500 lbs, so now I didn't really gain that much extra cargo with the spread as I thought. A triple has 4 more tires and 2 more brakes to take care of. And when I priced a triple compared to a tandem. It was close to $10,000 more. So how long does it take just to make up the extra money to pay for that extra axle. Oh, and my fuel milage is also improving. We have lots of double doubles running around here. And they think they can make more money cuz they can haul twice as much. But once you start putting a pencil to it, bigger isn't allways better.

Just a 5 axle. And don't have to worry about different weights for different states or how much to put on. Load it up to 80,000 and go.

We run tandems. 24,700 full of fuel. I've debated buying triples, but I'd only net 2,500 lbs if I was lucky. I can scale more than most guys around here that run triples as they pull them with "hoods" and weigh 30K empty. We also run primarily in KS, so multiple axle rigs don't really benefit us.

'09/'10 T660 Kenworths with ISM Cummins and autoshifts. 32" Aerocab flattop sleepers and just about any lightweight option they offered, including wide base tires, fixed 5th wheel, composite springs, etc. Pulling '12 Timpte American Ag 42' hoppers with alumin king and sub, wide base w/ PSI, elect tarps and hyd traps. I've had it as low as 23,800 lbs but we wouldn't go far on fuel. Pics on our FB page if anyone needs proof.

We pull out of fields and off the farm with ours too, and we don't abuse our equipment either. I've had 6 Timpte's all purchased new. The first 3 had steel sub and king and gave us no trouble. The last 3 are alumin and Timpte has replaced the subframe and upper coupler assembly on 2 already. So in the long run, I don't know if the light weight is the best option. The new components are a updated design that seem to be holding up though, so time will tell.

I used to strap my daughters car seat to the bed in these trucks. When I first started trucking 12 years ago I ran a 1995 T6 72" Aerocab with the sofabed. It was hea vy at 28.5, but if I ever had to wait in line, I was comfortable watching TV! Kinda miss the old truck, but at the end of the year, the extra 4k lbs payload of the new trucks makes up for it.

Timpte will be lighter than a Wilson spec for spec. May not be enough to make your decision but on a triple axle when I priced new and asked for manufacturers weight it was 800lbs. Timpte had 100cu ft of more volume than the Wilson. No idea how they compare to cornhusker but I have personally witnessed seeing one in the repair shop that was starting to crack in the middle of the trailer. Don't know the story behind why but I am not taking chances.

Our build sheet says 7,700 lbs +/- 3%. Aluminum king saves 425-450 lbs and sub is 200-250 if I remember. Tractors stamp at 15,020 and 15,200. Never weighed them separate though. Yes we have had issues with these new Timpte's, but the factory and our dealer have worked well with us to try and resolve them.

As a guy who has built trailers for 4.5 years and having a buddy that runs a repair shop from what I have personally witnessed I would say it is probably all a matter of luck. My buddy says he has worked on all of them. He says guys going down the highway don't have many problems but as soon as you overload them and twist and turn them that is where you run into problems. So if you are just going to run down the highway you shouldn't have to worry about it but if you are going to run overloaded out of the field at harvest, don't expect it to hold up.

Nice! I pull a 50' Timpte triple spread where I can gross 90,000 without getting in trouble. I had a 2007 Pete 379 without a pusher and had a 550 cat with an 18speed. Traded that one in for a new flattop 389 with 550cummins and swapped trucks with the old man and now have his 2007 Pete 379 with a pusher and 550 cat. Gonna drive it until I find the kenworth I want or until someone offers me enough to take the 379 off my hands. It is hard letting go of a pre-emission truck but it would make the wife happier if she could ride along on some trips. I just don't know if the 500hp paccar would satisfy me since I am used to the 550hp cat? I thought about doing a glider but I was told that in the near future more states are going to be like California and pass laws where you have to have the emissions on your truck or you won't be able to run them. It is way more expensive to add it later than to just buy a new one with it on it already. Too many ifs in today's world.

Ya that's how I do it