Posted: 30 January 2010 at 04:35 | IP Logged

For the first time in my tow truck sales career I got this question.
Will a O-degree carrier pick up a 20ft loaded container? NO!
But you can get an empty one, but you must be able to chain it down. Not straps. The O-degree is only 90.6 inside width & 21ft. long with a load rating of 6600lb.
Thanks,

Posted: 31 January 2010 at 16:26 | IP Logged

The Zero Degree is not for the application that is being adressed here, whoeve is asking the question would need a roll off truck, ....Plus We never advertiz the Zero Degree for container hauling anyways, ....As we have shot so many video clips to explain the application, ....

Posted: 31 January 2010 at 17:30 | IP Logged

We won't do loaded containers on rollbacks either.  They fit on all our decks with removable rails, but there is no way to verify the load distribution inside the container. Which makes it a bad idea.  Although we've seen lots of containers on other rollbacks. 

It's like having a 8000 lb piece of equipment sitting on the deck.  All the weight is in one spot.  (we won't do that either.) It's not that it can't handle it, but why put that much stress on your deck if you don't have to? It isn't designed for it.  And a 0 degree clearly isn't designed for that type of load. 

Posted: 31 January 2010 at 22:27 | IP Logged

Thank you Mags, being that said, what was the puropse of the post fom the begining, ......When I sell that truck to someone, I tell them, that design is not for every tow company, I will let Bill may be explain it as an end user, so he may advise that whome interested in the zero degree,....Like I said, its a unique design for special demands on the type of use that will be used for......We use 24.7 for high end cars, where we get better pay, we use the 10 series for container hauling, that is being installed on a 26K gvw and above, ......Motor Cycles is another application that we use the zero degree for, we had 6 Motorcycles towed at once on that bed,....That is a revenue bringing unit, again why would I use it for containers, ..... Roll offs, a lot cheaper, more practical, for the kind of wieght that is being asked about.  

Posted: 01 February 2010 at 13:09 | IP Logged

Ok without getting into a long explanation I agree that the zero degree is not a good candidate for that kind of work but I also have to say that it's not for the reasons you would think.

Typically, a container is going to spread the load evenly even if it's contents are loaded a little off kilter so the issue of the load bearing down on a single point doesn't hold water. The only issue here would be to have the bulk of the weight aft of the rear wheels reducing steering axle weight and creating subsequent loss of steering control concerns.

The zero degree is probably better at carrying a single point load (like a forklift or a roll of steel) than other beds if you can get them loaded (and that's a big if). The way the bed is designed, the entire length of the bed sits on top of the frame rail evenly distributing the load across the entire frame. On other beds, like Centurys and Jerrdans, the load may be carried at only 4 or 6 points where the slip pads hit the frame rails. This would create a situation where you are carrying the load at 4 or 6 small points creating unfavorable stress points that can bend or break something.

Having said that, loading a zero degree from the extended (flat) position creates it's own concerns for two reasons. #1 and the most important is if the load is too heavy, it will strain the connection point between the bed and the lifting arm & #2, the rams may not have the power to overcome the weight to lift it anyway. I can tell you from experience that the bed will lift 8000lbs from the lowered position but it will struggle to do it. Loading a Porsche Cayenne will show you this as that vehicle weighs in at nearly 8000 lbs.

On the other hand, the zero degree does very well, and in a lot of cases, better than a conventional bed when loading from the tilted position. When we load a 1 ton dually, we set the bed where it just touches the frame rollers, winch the truck up and secure it with conventional means and the bed can then very easily overcome the weight because all it has to to is fulcrum the load into the loaded position without actually having to lift the weight. If you could find a way to easily drag the container up the bed in this position, loading it from that point would be a no brainer.

Again, I would never send my zero degree after a container as it's just not that feasible when there are so many other ways of carrying it that are far better suited but it could be done if you really had the desire to think it out. Large skates that would allow the bed to slide easily would be one solution.

Posted: 02 February 2010 at 05:31 | IP Logged

As for starting bs, I don't think it is me.
All I said was, I got a phone call with that question. It has been my life's work to try to help towers any time ask. No question is stupid, they just don't know so they ask.

Thank you