Who here Hot Shots?? I am thinking about getting into it and was wondering how you all like it. What kind of truck do you use?? I am looking at 3500 dodges w/ a 6-speed. We will be hauling oil pipe on 40' GNs and total GCW will be 20-25k lbs. Do I really need a dually or will a 1-ton SRW w/ airbags be fine. I am worried about the lack of snow traction with a dually. Let me here what you have to say!!opcorn:
Lack of snow traction with a dually? I would think the opposite on that, duallys provide better stability in bad weather conditions.
I think you should go with a Dually with a load like that. Every post I've read people say they love the way the Dually handles the trailer vs. a SRW. Good choice on the Dodge Cummins/6 spd though. waytogo
He won't be unloaded, he'll have at least the empty trailer. That should be plenty to make it stick well.
The problem with duallys and snow is that you have more surface area to slide across the top of the snow/ice and since the dual wheels stick out you are basically pushing twice the snow of a SRW truck. The stability is definetly better w/ the DRW but I will be relatively light probably only 12-17k trailer weight.
Well how much of your time are u going to be in the snow? I think if you use the weight of the trailer and maby put a little weight in back of bed for winter mounts Yuel be All rte.
I disagree. Maybe with a dually that is completely unloaded, but with any kind of decent trailer the extra weight added more than makes up for the loss in tire PSI on the ground. I'd take a dually with weight on the rear axle any day over a SRW in the snow, because I've had both in the same situation.
I say both wouldnt be that bad if one is spinning more than likely in the snow and ice both will be spinning if a guy could get those drive chains from a ambulance or fire truck it would be a beast loaded.
ALRIGHT, i am way confused! What exactly is hot shotting? or Hot Shots? Im guessing its like private hauling or something. Isnt that what Justice does?
Yes that is what I do. I love it. I run with a 2006 CTD Dually 6 speed. Just didnt really trust the autos in the dodges. I got the dually just cause i thought it may provide a bit more stability with big campers or enclosed.
Alright, thanks for answering that question. I googled "Hot Shotting" and there were a couple other Deisel websites with forums who were talking about Hot Shotting. I read the whole 2 page conversation and aparently there is alot more to hotshotting than what i thought. Depending on what your pulling, you have to have some kinda special insurance, then if your hauling something special or something like an open trailer, you have to get a USDOT number and all that bs. Sounds like alot of work but it does sound like something i would like to try some day!!! waytogo waytogo waytogo
Do I really need a dually Yes you really do need a dually pulling 20 to 25 K lbs. If you are going to be running in that much ice & snow get a 4x4. If it that bad I am going to be in a nice warm motel. It don't pay to tear up a nice truck and trailer just to be able to say that you got there. Yes I am old and have driven 2.5 million miles safley.
Yeah the insurance is not cheap and the DOT stuff is not alota fun. Once you get past all the rules and regulations and set up and all that its not so bad. I really enjoy it. I have seen more of the country in the last year than i had in my prior 29 years and I was makin money doin it.
I don't hot shot but, I have a duramax dually and my nieghbor has a SRW duramax; we both have the same trailer at 15K. He parks his in the wind, I don't even notice it.
Not to poke at the hot shotter guys, but I heard there wasn't the money in it. What I heard is years ago there was because you didn't have to run commercial insurance and no one asked questions as far as DOT, ICC, CA numbers, which is why it got popular. Once uncle sam caught on and the cost of hotshotting went way up, the rates didn't want to climb like the cost did. Knowing what I know being in the trucking business with fullsize class 8 rigs, I could believe it unfortunately. What kind of money are you guys getting per mile?
My dad said the same thing. Apparently, my dad did a little of that in Kansas on the farm and it was good money. Nowadays, there is a ton of papers on it, and there is little money in it. Plus my dad said your only gonna make money if you have established a good company or customer basis for what your doing, so it would be hard at the start.
The main problem with being an owner operator with a single rig is you are far too small to get your own clients and contracts. Most companies move multiple loads per day, or have schedules that are difficult to fit into one truck's route. Many times owner operators then have to go through a sub and/or a broker. A broker gathers multiple owner operators together, uses them together as a "force" which creates a presentable company capable of the transportation tasks at hand, and can provide much better service to get good contracts with premium loads. We use owner ops. along with our own trucks in our trucking division.
I have an established account that pays the bills just fine. Aside from that I work the phones and talk to people everywhere I go to find new accounts. Im happy with what I have been making.
