Which Truck is Best To Haul Flatbed?

flat top or mid-roof.

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Adequate storage compartments for tarps, straps, and chain-rigs.

 

Okay, making the assumption that you are going to haul general flatbed freight with a 45-53 foot trailer around the country, not in just an area with specific road conditions, like the pacific coastal mountains, then here's the specs I would look for in a tractor.

370-430 hp, prefrerably a split power rating that provides the higher power rating on the cruise than on the pedal. If the truck needs to meet specific weight limits, then I would look carefully at the lighter weight motors like the Cat C-12/13 or the ISM Cummins, either of which will drop you about 800 pounds from a larger motor. If no weight concerns, then feel free to go to a larger displacement motor. 370-430 hp will return the best mileage, and lowest maint costs compared to larger hp motors.

10 Speed or 13 speed trans. Set the truck up to run your preferred road speed at the lower to middle of the engines "sweet spot". Each engine has a different rpm it likes to run, but usually it's somewhere in the 1400-1500 rpm range. Gear the truck to run this speed through a combination of RPM, trans choice, rear end ratio, and tire size.

For a truck with s shorter sleeper, (under 50") look for about a 210-215" wheelbase. For a longer sleeper (72") then go out to about 225-230" wb. If you plan to haul over dimensional loads where you might have to have the loads stick over the front of the trailer, then you might have to include a longer wb to make the clearance needed to put 4 -5 foot of cargo there.

I don't care for exhaust in the front next to the doors, but if you strictly pull a flatbed, they make it much easier to mount the headache rack. Some headache racks are made offset on one side which allows you to have the standard exhaust on the right rear of the truck.

Sleeper height should be flat top to midroof for best aerodynamics on the truck. You don't gain the advantages of having a condo, and having one means that when you are empty you are just pushing fibreglass through the air to no purpose. I am not a fan of side skirting, but if you have it on the truck then I would not have wheel to wheel skirting. End it at the back of the cab and you will save the repair costs when a rear tire blows and takes out the rear of the skirting. No skirting also allows you to install storage boxes or gen sets with much greater ease.

You will need a headache rack on the truck unless you know that the trailer you will pull will always have one. I prefer the ones with an enclosed storage space, because they do a much better job of protesting your chains and straps from the weather and theives, and as long as everything is concealed, the DOT will not be able to ticket you for not having those items secured properly. A good headcahe rack will cost in the 2000 dollar range, a cheaper more basic one will go for about 800 or so. There are usually some decent deals on Ebay if you can drive out and pick the item up, which might save you some money getting started. Only mount the headache rack wiht high dollar hardware, grade 8 bolts, This is not the place to buy bolts and fasteners cheaply. The headache rack is the only thing tht will prevent the load from joining you in the cab when something goes really wrong. I saw one early this year where a guy without a headache rack pulling I beams had something go awry, and it was the engine of the truck that eventually stopped the load's movement, and the driver was in between them.

 

Wow, do you Know what you are talking about... I am sadend that i don't know more about flatbeding( i have always secertely addmired flatbeders... don't tell my fellow tanker...lol) GREAT POST!!!!!!

 

I'm a tanker too. Dry bulk in Pneumatics. In a lot of areas, the specs for the flatbed match ours pretty well.

 

Your probably right,I just never saw the coralation before. I said i am a tanker, whille i do drive a tanker, I pull Oxygen, I am not allowed to even inspect the tank, my day goes like this, I go throw two security check points( in my car) The first check's my I.D, the seconed checks my car..
then i get to the building which is 300 yards from my truck, but i have to go into the building first so they can check my lunch,( because i can not stop at a truckstop) i am not alowed to bring anything else.. I get out to my truck, were it is already runing, which is kida nice in the winter, hehe). I am allowed to do a pre trip on the truck(not trailer), but it must take less than 5 minuits.... There are three paces i deliver to on a daily basis, all of witch have the same level of security... I drive less than 250 miles a day, and it takes me 10hours if i am 1 minute late i get a call on my phone(company) asking why am i late, and do i need the police?( not kiding).
I must stay in the slow lane, and never exced 57mph, if i notice some one
following me for more then 5 blocks in the city, and more than 3miles on the freeway i must call in... I have been told by coworkers that it WAS ALOT EASIER BEFORE 911.. It'S a pain in the butt, but i work 4 days a week, get two 3 week paid vaction a year, plus the coolest thing is telling
people " I am not allowed under penalty of law, to tell you were i work"
Come on,How cool is that... I have goten a loan from my bank twice, since i started here, the first time i was woried about my employment infomation, i talked to my boss and he told me to give the bank his number
Now more than 20 minutes after filling out app. i had a check in my hand(both times)... It is a verry nervracking job thoe, My frinds know i am a truck driver, but i can not tell them were i work, my own girlfriend has never seen my truck, or even a picture of it.. It's funny a few times i have seen her in her car. and asked her what she was doing at such in such....
Since 911 it is soo hard to transfer chemical's on the road, and my boss told me it's going to get alot worse, Starting january 1st, i will no longer
be allowed to have a cb in the truck.. How am i supossed to call my self a trucker without a cb? BE WARNED, IF YOUR COMPANY HAS A GOVERMRNT CONTRACT, YOU WILL EXPEREINCE AT LEAST SOME OF THIS,IF NOY ALL.
IT'S THE SAD REALITY OF THE WORLD WE LIVE IN......

 

I thought flatbedders did it with whips and chains.....

 

So what kind of money are we talking? All this security just for Oxygen?