# Man I hate it when this happens



## coltont (Feb 9, 2015)

Stuck. It is Monday this stuff is to be expected I guess. The driver told me when he pulled on the scales at the mill his gross was 96k.


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## Mike-M (Feb 9, 2015)

How does it turn with all those axles?


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## treeslayer2003 (Feb 9, 2015)

holy chit Coltan, that things all wheels. bet ya had to unload it.


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## coltont (Feb 9, 2015)

The front two are steerable . unload and drag out . Stuck:


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## treeslayer2003 (Feb 9, 2015)

yea man i been there done that to many times..........you need some truck matts


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## coltont (Feb 9, 2015)

I need winter dammit!!


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## treeslayer2003 (Feb 9, 2015)

it leaving bro........it gonna be cold this weekend.


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## 1270d (Feb 9, 2015)

no push bar? Or is that thing on the back of the loader a pusher? looked like a light bar. Must be tough working for you guys that cant freeze any ground.


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## coltont (Feb 9, 2015)

To heavy to push or pull


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## treeslayer2003 (Feb 9, 2015)

you cannot pull or push a loaded truck with the axles dragging.........pull it in half. matts boys, never a problem.


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## 1270d (Feb 9, 2015)

we push and pull our guys when needed (usually loaded since it takes an hour for them to load). They are not stuck the way Coltont's truck is though. Usually just spun out or ditched. Our trucking has to stop if the roads get soft.


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## treeslayer2003 (Feb 9, 2015)

1270d said:


> we push and pull our guys when needed (usually loaded since it takes an hour for them to load). They are not stuck the way Coltont's truck is though. Usually just spun out or ditched. Our trucking has to stop if the roads get soft.


the way you guys are set up, im surprised you don't matt the road. i thought you did???


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## 1270d (Feb 9, 2015)

Never been around a matted road or landing. Actually haven't heard of it being done here, though it has been I suppose. Maybe its done further west of here where the soil turns to red clay.

The soil in most of the areas I work is one of three types. Sand, rock, or black organic muskeg/bog. Not a whole lot of sand and no roads in the swamp unless its cold. Rocks are plentiful. 

Lots of the logging roads have been in place for 60 or 70 years, sometimes more, and are well graveled. Its not uncommon to be 10 mile or more on the job road.


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## treeslayer2003 (Feb 9, 2015)

well i wouldn't want to buy 10 miles of matts lol.
i like to truck on um but i hate buyin um. if the woods is on a road, a few matts laid in a hole punched in the woods on an angle and i can work. skidder seldom has much trouble working.


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## northmanlogging (Feb 9, 2015)

Think I'm spoiled having gravel pits nearby, 

Load a of rock for $20-40 and whatever gas to get it there... nary a problem.


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## epicklein22 (Feb 15, 2015)

coltont said:


> Stuck. It is Monday this stuff is to be expected I guess. The driver told me when he pulled on the scales at the mill his gross was 96k.


That must be an Ohio truck to have that many lift axles. The surrounding states have a lot looser weight restrictions, so you'll see Ohio trucks with that many axles quite often. I drove 6/7 axle dump trucks for a year and a half. The 6 axle was legal with 70,000 and the 7 axle (like the log truck pictured) was legal with 73,000 I believe. I usually hauled around 80,000. Had numerous loads over 90,000 though. It's tough on the truck and you'll be bent over hard if caught by DOT.


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## coltont (Feb 15, 2015)

Nope that's a Pa truck


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## epicklein22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Man, tri-axles in PA can carry over 70,000 legal. What is that thing legal with?


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## coltont (Feb 15, 2015)

I'm not sure. That's the sawmills truck. They send it when our truck can't keep up. There is no loggers in Pa that haul legal weight.


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## square1 (Feb 15, 2015)

> The front two are steerable . unload and drag out . Stuck:


that's about the steepest hill I ever seen


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## towingace (Feb 17, 2015)

It looks like all the axles are lifted, except the drivers. That's done to cut down the resistance, but at the price of putting a LOT more weight on the front & drivers. Pushing or pulling, or both, would likely remove the axles from the truck (at least partially). Also would end up with a bent frame.


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## Gypo Logger (Feb 24, 2015)

The bright side is that the trucker set off the trailer.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Feb 24, 2015)

You guys sure have odd log trucks!

We use a normal 5 axle truck and trailer, self loader mounted near the cab. Legal to 80,000lbs... about 9-10 cords depending on the wood.


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## shamusturbo (Mar 15, 2015)

epicklein22 - what is the legal weight in PA for a typical (tandem with a tag?) "tri-axle" log truck? 73,280 I'm guessing. How do you get away with pushing the limit? Even local cops stop you where I live (Mars, PA) if you look suspicious....


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## coltont (Mar 15, 2015)

Run the back roads as much as you can. That's all we do.


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## coltont (Mar 15, 2015)

There are no local loggers that haul at legal weight. DOT really does not mess with us much. We get more crap over hauling on roads with 10-20 ton weight limits. They want thousands of dollars per mile to bond the roads. More often than not the roads are nothing more than a cattle path already. I'm not for totally destroying public roads but local government will capitalize on any chance they have to screw the guy trying to make a buck around here. Except the farmers. They can run there over loaded **** spreaders down the same roads we haul on and never get pinched. They can drag as much mud out onto the road as they want too. Not us loggers though.


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## bitzer (Mar 15, 2015)

Its the same here except the DOT is all over us too.


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## treeslayer2003 (Mar 15, 2015)

same here. we don't run heavy no more......no money in payin fines. and they will write a fine.......its their job lol.


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## coltont (Mar 15, 2015)

They would eat us alive if we ran main routes or interstates


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## coltont (Mar 15, 2015)

Some more full trucks.


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## epicklein22 (Mar 15, 2015)

shamusturbo said:


> epicklein22 - what is the legal weight in PA for a typical (tandem with a tag?) "tri-axle" log truck? 73,280 I'm guessing. How do you get away with pushing the limit? Even local cops stop you where I live (Mars, PA) if you look suspicious....



Ya, you are right about the tri-axle weight. 

It's a numbers game mostly, you just hope to haul enough heavy loads that it will pay more than the cost of the overload fines. You're gonna get popped, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. We always tried to keep an eye on the DOT and give a heads up to other drivers when possible. Then you just haul legal when DOT is around or find another way around.

I got an overload out of downtown Cleveland last year and the cop gave me a 4th misdemeanor. I had to go to court twice, got a plea deal eventually for a just a fine.


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## epicklein22 (Mar 15, 2015)

towingace said:


> It looks like all the axles are lifted, except the drivers. That's done to cut down the resistance, but at the price of putting a LOT more weight on the front & drivers. Pushing or pulling, or both, would likely remove the axles from the truck (at least partially). Also would end up with a bent frame.



Those axles are steerable and only meant to be used going forward. If you leave them down when backing up, they will turn sideways and skid, plus you'll probably bend or break them. We call them lift axles, tags or cheaters. It seems like every axle you add, you're good for another 2k pounds. Length factors in too.


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