converting to conestoga , cons and pros

The kit will add about 2000 to 3000 lbs of weight depending on the manufacturer. The aero kits tend to be pretty light but not very durable, merlo vango tend to be heavier but more durable. If you're not close to gross all that often the weight shouldn't be an issue. Since you tarp alot, it'll save you a lot of time on tarping. Upkeep isn't too hard, DO NOT use oil or grease or oil based lubricants on the caster wheels, water based lubes will be best, or just use water to clean the tracks and wheels. Grease and oil based lubes will attract dirt and cause the wheels to foul up and stick, when that happens you'll hate the systems.

Some shippers outside the steel mills don't like to load them due to the chance of them damaging the system during loading, some brokers are idiots and don't have a fan clue what a conestoga even is and when you tell them you're a conestoga, they just tell you no we can't load them.

When i pulled them at pgt we had merlot vango, aero, and some other that was real garbage, of the 3 aero seemed to be the easiest to use with decent durability, the merlot vango seemed to have more issues with the wheels but was a bit more durable. For price, i don't have a clue.
Check aero in Youngstown
http://www.aeroindustries.com/products/conestoga-xp/

 

Your best bet is to get a Covered Wagon Flated and stay up in the northern tiers of our states where it's cold and does not get hot for you.

Covered wagons are easy except on windy days.

I have had trailers like Conestoga but they were a step deck with European mini tandem wheels on the back (Hows that for a head spinner...) we were auto glass dedicated from kentucky to GM. There were many, many limitations and do nots. (Trees is one. Tear em right up. RIP.) Windy days cross the interstate is another. Blow you right into the next lane or into the shoulder to conflict with Mr Policeman Camera car or a broken down vehicle. And then hold your trailer there in sustained winds.

Winter weather is not fun. Mr Ice loves curtians. You aint living until you chop out that ice. chop chop chop. Even the salt and snow spray onto your stuff will freeze into ice that really needs a CHOP. Make you sweat. (If you know anything about cold weather survival you know enough not to sweat in physical work.)

Finally but not last. Throwing chains and strap against a loading to a flatbed tells me it's relatively secure. (Within working load limits)

You proabably are not that secure in a congestoga today, if they were anything like our decks inside long ago. Just plop the window racks down and hope they don't punch out the curtians on the way to chopping up a family next to you.

I hate to be difficult. But you best be in a covered wagon.

There are people who run them here. (Conestoga) They drive with nothing in front for half a mile, cannot stand to have anyone next to them at all and prefer no one to be behind them half a mile or closer. They get neurotic. Those trailers and load inside need to be kept stable.

 

Our aero kit is 1700 lbs heavier on a 53” trailer than exact same package with tarps in the box. if I pull it with my mid roof sleeper I lose 1 mpg.

After all that said, I just pull an open flat and a couple of tarps.

 

The worst thing about them is you’re dragging a 13’6” parachute behind you all the time, and you’re going to be 106”wide or so. What are you hauling? Are you tarping wood products all the time? If it’s steel then personally I wouldn’t take the mpg hit just to avoid tarping.

 

Full of fuel I'm 33,900 lbs. but I have a combo trailer. It sure saves a lot of time!! 95% of my loads need tarped.

 

Been dragging a Conestoga for over a year now up in the Great Lakes region, doing steel haul. And I love it!

Weight wise, I run a 2018 freightliner cascadia. With the 48' Rietnouer Big Bubba and a Fasttrack I tipped at 31400lbs. With the 45' East BST Ii and an Aero Conestoga I'm 30200lbs. Which is why I want to buy a 45' East BST II for my very own when I buy a truck.

 

One thing about running a conestoga, is that if you can find the right brokers to deal with, the rates can be very lucrative. There are more than a few items out there that call for conestogas. Manufacturing control panels, robots, welders, etc. Then there are specialty molds and tools. I did quite well with mine.

I had two trailers running these guys Eagle system. Home

The beauty of their set up is the track, it is a solid piece of aluminum, when the clown on the fork lift rammed it, not a scratch. That is why many shippers do not like to load, or refuse to load Conestoga wagons. Careless forklift drivers tearing up the tracks on the trailers. Do that, and the load does not ship, and they know the owner of the trailer is coming after them for damages. At least that is what I was always told when I ran my wagons.

 

They were a few bucks more, I want to say around $25,000. But, they were solid, I ran mine for a couple of years with no issues. My buddy had one and he lost a die out the side of his trailer, the guys at Verduyn had him back running in a few days.

And that is what I liked about these guys, something in need of attention, bring it in and they could fix it immediately. There were three of us all running these kits, total of 5 trailers, very high quality stuff, especially back then.

And, if you thought something could be improved, they actually listened and went about looking for a solution. I was one of their first customers here in Detroit and they have made many improvements. They have been around now for a few years, and have expanded their Detroit office and now have a Chicago office/shop. I honestly cannot speak highly enough of these guys. If you are in the market for a conestoga kit, you would be foolish not to call or visit these guys. If you are near Detroit, you can visit the shop and see how they build their systems, everything is done in house.

I see you are in NE IL, I would run over to Gary and visit their shop. Watch their videos, the shake test in the one, that was true, these systems did not budge going down the road, it was just like pulling a dry van back there. And Lloyd, in the videos, he is the owner, he sold us all our systems, honestly a fantastic guy that was serious about putting out a quality product. Much better than anything I have seen out here at the time, or today.

 

I researched a lot of brand names when I was bout to order my connie kit.
As far as build quality: Verduyn was the leader. ####in stout! OTOH the strap setup for tensioning and the "look" of some aspects of their designs felt way more "work" than "look". Ie the outer headboard. n those little flaps over the front handles. looks like #### in my opinion. Build quality was top notch tho.