[Steel Horse Cowboy]

If doing this deal lowers his monthly payment, then I truly think he should go for it. He has not made any profit yet, and won't unless he changes his budget and so on. If it saves him a few bucks each month then why not? I know it will take longer to pay off and prob cost twice as much, but right now he is working with 0 and it can only improve. Only other way out is bankruptcy, and if he goes that route, he might as well try this first.

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Mackman

I dont think no one will get thur to him.

Hey tracer what ever you do keep updating your blog. I read that thing all the time. BTW no one will buy them railroad ties for firewood.

I read it daily too. The guy has some good writing skills!

And firewood prob not, but down here in Texas they would call those the "El Cheapo" car lift....your be able to drop a trans in no time lol!

[allan5oh]

Originally Posted by Steel Horse Cowboy

If doing this deal lowers his monthly payment, then I truly think he should go for it.

But how much does it extend the payments? And it is still the 14%+ interest deal that he was complaining about just a few months ago. I don't know how he can justify buying new equipment just because he can't break the lease.

Stick with your current trailer Tracer, there's nothing wrong with it. Putting loads on load levelers is no big deal at all, as long as it's done correctly.

[Heavy Duty]

Originally Posted by tracer

[ATTACH=CONFIG]709[/ATTACH]

Click on the picture above and you'll see an example of my typical (not so typical in some respects) freight. This time I got light posts, 50 ft long, 27,000 lbs total. I AM hauling them on my step, but it'd be much easier and less stressful to carry them on a flat. By the way, this baby pays over 3 bucks per mile from Oklahoma to Alberta. So you cannot do it on a regular flat: you need either a 72" axle spread or a tridem. That's why I'm spec'ing a front axle slider.

In response to folks who hate leasing and financing: either you use new stuff and make payments for it or you use junk with no payments but then you have to take out a mortgage on your house each April when taxes are due. With my truck paid off and the $32,750 LEASED trailer, I'd be able to write off $10,000 in taxes during the first year. The payments are going to be the same or lower per month, but I'll get a much more useful trailer. The lease is structured in a way that I buy the trailer back at the end for $1. It WILL be mine.

I'm also getting rid of my apartment and that will improve my cashflow by almost $1,000 each month. Next in line is the car that is costing me $600/mo.

I know what I'm doing.

So you came to Oklahoma and didn't stop by and say hello. Looks like you got some of Arrows old freight.

[rank]

Originally Posted by tracer

The lease is structured in a way that I buy the trailer back at the end for $1. It WILL be mine.

Yeah, I did that with about 10 Suburbans. You get the advantage of 100% deductibility (instead of the capital cost allowance/depreciation) but you still wind up owning it in the end. Not sure how it works with trailers but there was a monthly maximum payment that they would allow on my trucks....$675/mo IIRC. Also, Revenue Canada can say the low buyback of $1 makes it not a lease, but in fact a purchase and reassess you. I did it anyway and got away with it. Just be sure to save some money for taxes in case they disallow it.

[rank]

Originally Posted by tracer

[ATTACH=CONFIG]709[/ATTACH] This time I got light posts, 50 ft long, 27,000 lbs total. I AM hauling them on my step, but it'd be much easier and less stressful to carry them on a flat.

I know there is a bit more work with levelers but IMO that is the price to pay for being able to carry tall freight.....and to have a built in headache rack.

I understand what you mean about the stress of moving something like that on levelers...I felt the same way at first but after a while I realized that the stuff never budged on the levelers and I got used to it. I don't think twice anymore.

If it was me, I would keep the step BUT since you're still making payments on the step I agree with Steel Cowboy. If you can lower your payments without a revenue penalty, they why not? Trouble is....I think there will be a revenue penalty. You say the equipmnet loads are 1 in 10.....well maybe....now. You're only just getting started Tracer. They will call you if they know you have the right trailer for what they need.

By that way, can't LS hook you up with some Baltimore to ON? My phone is ringing off the hook and the brokers are all saying trucks are tight. $2.50 - $2.95 without even trying....legal, SD, no tarp.

[monale770]

i dont think he realizes how valuable a trailer you have. i look at it this way, if you had load levers and a good set of tarps you can pull almost any step or flat load that comes your way. this means that it gives you better load/ reload options. as much as you hate to tarp, having the tarps can mean the difference between you sitting or hauling loads and making cash. i've some people get an extra $500 a load to tarp it, and it may only take an hour or two. the load levers can allow you to get a load that can get you back to where you need to be.

a quick story, theres a guy in ohio who has a flatbed trailer that is convertible to a hopper trailer. by doing this it allows him to haul a steel load out and bring a load of corn/or whatever can go in a hopper back, while others take a load out and come back empty. this guy found a way to make what he had work without going in the poor house. to convert your step into a flat all you need are some load levers and that allows you to handle a good amount of flat load while still being able to haul step load when they come.

[jagerbomber3.0]

Not to be a turd, but he did have load levelers when he first got the trailer but he got rid of those just like he got rid of his tarps when he decided he needed that high dollar conestoga that he no longer wants or uses.Its his business and he can do as he pleases but it is very frustrating to watch sometimes. I really do wish him the best but he has the strangest business practices I have seen since i have been on this site and i have been on here as a poster and lurker since about 2006 or 2007.I do love following his blog though. The guy can write.

[rank]

Originally Posted by monale770

...theres a guy in ohio who has a flatbed trailer that is convertible to a hopper trailer. by doing this it allows him to haul a steel load out and bring a load of corn/or whatever can go in a hopper back....

This is an idea I could use. How in the heck did he do that? Cut a hole in the floor then what?

[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by rank

This is an idea I could use. How in the heck did he do that? Cut a hole in the floor then what?

That style trailer has been around a long time. Wilson and Tempte both build them...Fruehauf used to.