Results 1 to 10 of 10

Vehicle capacity

| Tools and Equipment
  1. #1
    Russell started this thread.
    Russell's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Chicago,Il
    Posts
    815
    Thanks
    495
    Thanked 707 Times in 324 Posts

    Vehicle capacity

    What kind of vehicle do you use? For those that would like to participate... Can you kindly measure the cargo area of your vehicle height x width x length. ( for example the trailer I use is 16' long It's 85" wide and I have 4 ' sides on it I'm averaging about 2700 lbs each weighing) This is for general steel hauling. Not heavy melt or vehicle hauling. If you could also tell how much your typical load weighs. I'm trying to find out what an average cubic foot of general steel weighs. I know this varies but with a large enough sample it can be approximate. Thanks...



  2. #2
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Nov 2011
    Location
    boise, ID
    Posts
    1,605
    Thanks
    469
    Thanked 1,462 Times in 668 Posts
    My appliance trailer is about 18 cubic yards. When it's stacked right, I average about 3200 pounds a load. The 4 yard dumpster bin the yard gives me holds about 5000 pounds of compressor bodies.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to freonjoe for This Post:


  4. #3
    c4f5's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Mar 2011
    Location
    northeast CO
    Posts
    387
    Thanks
    112
    Thanked 149 Times in 89 Posts
    At 25' x 8' with no walls, I average right around 5 tons, when hauling iron.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to c4f5 for This Post:


  6. #4
    Russell started this thread.
    Russell's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Chicago,Il
    Posts
    815
    Thanks
    495
    Thanked 707 Times in 324 Posts
    How high would you say the loads are typically stacked, c45f?

  7. #5
    c4f5's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Mar 2011
    Location
    northeast CO
    Posts
    387
    Thanks
    112
    Thanked 149 Times in 89 Posts
    Usually around 10-12 ft. from the ground, but my trailer deck is around 2.5 ft. Today's tallest point was right at 12'. Was 2 compact cars on top of a load of tin......11,300#.........5,220# of it was tin.

    Last edited by c4f5; 06-14-2012 at 05:16 PM.

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to c4f5 for This Post:


  9. #6
    Russell started this thread.
    Russell's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Chicago,Il
    Posts
    815
    Thanks
    495
    Thanked 707 Times in 324 Posts
    Awsome picture!

  10. #7
    c4f5's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Mar 2011
    Location
    northeast CO
    Posts
    387
    Thanks
    112
    Thanked 149 Times in 89 Posts
    Thanks. When you live as far out in the sticks as I do, you have to make every load count.

  11. #8
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    MN
    Posts
    72
    Thanks
    19
    Thanked 33 Times in 22 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by c4f5 View Post
    Usually around 10-12 ft. from the ground, but my trailer deck is around 2.5 ft. Today's tallest point was right at 12'. Was 2 compact cars on top of a load of tin......11,300#.........5,220# of it was tin.

    Nice load.

    If you crush the roofs in you'll have more room. You can get another car on this one easy, if not two. It's pretty easy to crush them down to the firewall.

    EDIT:
    Make sure to crush them on the ground. This way you won't put any additional stress on the trailer.
    Last edited by Dex; 06-15-2012 at 12:25 PM. Reason: More info

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to Dex for This Post:


  13. #9
    c4f5's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Mar 2011
    Location
    northeast CO
    Posts
    387
    Thanks
    112
    Thanked 149 Times in 89 Posts
    Nice tip. I appreciate it. I have tried it a couple times in the past, and I don't do it for a couple reasons. I work from home, and although it does happen, I try to avoid breaking any glass in the drive.....happy wife = happy life My trailer starts complaining when it gets over 6 tons on it. I also get paid more for cars than I do for shred, so I split the roofs of the cars to stuff as much shred in as I can and get paid car weight for it. The red '89 Toyota Corolla on the back weighed 3320#. The blue mid 80's Nissan Sentra up front had no engine or transmission and still weighed 2760#, after they clawed the stuffed wash machine out as shred. And last. but not least, my loader only goes up to 10.5' with the forks flat.

    One day soon, I hope to remedy the wimpy trailer syndrome.
    Last edited by c4f5; 06-15-2012 at 01:19 PM. Reason: added comment

  14. #10
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    MN
    Posts
    72
    Thanks
    19
    Thanked 33 Times in 22 Posts
    I usually put four or five tires in the car before I crush it. The yard allows five tires per car and they don't have to be the original but they can't be tractor or truck tires. I have a bucket on my machine so I crush with that and have to bucket chain cars to load.

    When I crush, I start with my bucket as far forward as possible, come from the side and push the center of the roof in. Then I get the bucket on the far side door and pull that in on top of the roof. Then I back up and push the near side door in on top of the roof. Finally, I flatten the bucket and crush the whole shebang.

    For the glass I minimize a mess by simply rolling the windows down. It still breaks, but it's contained in the door. You could also put a tarp under the car and fold the tarp full of broken glass at the end. Windshields usually don't shatter.

    Make sure you don't overload your trailer and break an axle or something, and lose your money maker. A guy can't make any money if he has to constantly fix his equipment.


  15. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. DIY forklift with a 500lbs lift capacity
      By otp57 in forum Tools and Equipment
      Replies: 3
      Last Post: 09-28-2012, 04:12 PM
    2. Vehicle ECM's
      By EcycleDan in forum General Electronics Recycling
      Replies: 1
      Last Post: 09-13-2012, 10:25 PM
    3. vehicle of the day
      By wescrapmetal in forum Vehicle Recycling
      Replies: 17
      Last Post: 08-23-2012, 03:54 PM
    4. Deal on HF 1170 lb capacity 4x8 Trailer
      By patricke in forum Tools and Equipment
      Replies: 17
      Last Post: 03-27-2012, 01:32 AM
    5. Small capacity hard drives
      By ScrappinRed in forum General Electronics Recycling
      Replies: 20
      Last Post: 03-02-2012, 08:18 PM

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 5 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 5 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook