Tractor wheelbase for chip/log trailer hauling

Need to hear from some voices of experience. The wood-using industries are making a real come-back here in SE Virgina/NE North Carolina and the wood producers are picking up steam. I'm planning on coming out of my early retirement (not trucking) and rather than go OTR have decided to pursue some contract hauling of whole-tree wood chips and probably some tree-length logs as well. Need a daycab. While the KWs are pretty popular round here, I'm thinking a good, used Freightliner might be a better value from what I see advertised (looking at something in the '05 to '07 range). But to the point: what would be an acceptable wheelbase range to look for? While I've looked for something in the 190" range, I've come across quite a few 210"s. Do any of you with experience in the logging industry think 210" will work all the way around...from logs to chips. From hauling into the paper mills, to wood pellet plants, to co-generation facilities? Thanks for any advice!

 

I should probably have pointed out that we're talking about tandem drive axle tractors (no drops) pulling tandem axle trailers. I believe with the proper forest-products overload permitting in place, we can gross 84k on Virginia state roads with these standard 5 axle rigs. I suppose our mid-Atlantic/southern logging is a little different than the Northwest!

 

Hey, thanks for sharing the info Y2K. I just did a quick TruckPaper search limited to the southeastern states and all of the new chip trailers listed are either 42' or 45'. We still have loggers utilizing old 40' containers for hauling chips around here!

Hopefully we'll have some southern loggers chime in on my wheelbase question.

 

Wow...small world! I was born and raised in Franklin! Still living close by. You may know that IP closed the paper mill in May 2010. And then Franklin became the first IP paper mill to ever be re-purposed when they spent $85 million and restarted one (of the six) machines to produce "fluff pulp" from pine pulpwood last year. Now a second machine was bought by another company and is producing tissue product from recycled fiber. (IP announced just last week they are closing their largest paper mill later this year in Cortland, AL.)

And there's currently a new hardwood pellet plant being built just a couple miles outside of town in Southampton County. (That same company opened two other pine pellet plants last year just across the state line in NC.)

Also, Dominion Power is currently converting the Southampton plant from coal to wood (hog fuel) plus they have already done so just 50 miles up the road in Hopewell. T

This summer it was announced that the shuttered pine sawmill (beside the paper mill) has been sold and will be starting up by year's end after spending $14.8 million.

Then I heard about a brand new pine sawmill to be built in NE North Carolina.

Ought to be plenty of work hauling wood!

Yeah...R Model Macks! Drove one for our family business in late '70s to early '80s. Gave it up just before CDLs...drove under the old Chauffeur's License. Still see a few of those tough "all mechanical" trucks with camelback suspensions around. Got a friend who bought an '89 model and started hauling chips and logs back in the spring. I've even thought about it, but not sure my back would appreciate it!

Just trying to gather advice on the best specs for a truck to haul chips and logs for a quality logging contractor.

 

Nope, at least not for the most part. Just tandem axles. Here's a typical example: http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=4525289