The truck is going to get a load test later this week

[86Scottsdale]

Well, being a grad student with a thesis topic involving non-destructive testing of concrete, I get to play around with the heavy stuff a lot. We're about to enter into a test phase and have to pour 2 small (4'x4') slabs, but the budget is tight, so no ready mix truck for me. I get to go to Home Depot and buy 20 80lb bags of the stuff (1600lbs), in addition to a few sheets of plywood and some 2x4s. So, all told, with the cap and the rest of the junk I have in the back, I'll probably be pushin 2000lbs in the bin (rated for 2475). Should prove to be interesting with the poor ol 305 and 3.42 rear, especially climbing up the mountain. Anybody want to give odds on whether she'll hold up or blow up? Good thing I have the heavy duty springs/brakes option on top of the regular C20. Maybe I should wimp out and make 2 trips, any opinions? You know if something breaks, I'll be crying to you guys for help

[swervin ervin]

I do hope it is Portland Cement you are buying and not, the junk they call concrete, named Sakrete. Of course with Portland, you have to get sand and gravel to mix with it, but it is still a bunch cheaper. I'm not real sure on the ratio, but a bag of Sakrete will do something like a 2'x2' @ around 2" thick. Besides, there should be a law against them being able to call it concrete in the first place. Not much more than sand and gravel, with a tiny bit of cement added to change the color of it.

Good luck on the haul. It is going to be a load for sure. I'm guessing your tires are up to the task?

[Kopper]

Dan,

Just a thought but why not give one of the ready mix places a call and tell them what you are doing. I'm sure that they would give you the leftover cement out of one of their trucks as long as your forms were ready. They are usually looking for places to dump the excess concrete.


Ken

[old Rusty C10]

as a self proclaimed expert of abusing my trucks, i can honestly tell you that i doubt 2000 lbs will hurt your truck just go easy and slow and dont try doin 0-65 in like three seconds flat and dont try to stop in like three feet andyoull be fine.and for Gods sake turn off the overdrive while doin it.

[Zilverado]

Go for it - give that HD suspension a workout.

I've hauled quite a few BIG loads of "stuff" with my HD package as well. Two yards of moist top soil - no problem. I think my biggest haul was a load of demolished stucco, shingles and crap from a house renovation. Tipped the scales at the landfill at just a hair over 6900 lbs. I'm not sure of my tare weight, but she was loaded. I don't do this routinely, but it's nice to know I can if I need to.

Speaking as one who works with structural engineers all day, Good luck with your thesis.

[86Scottsdale]

Well, Quikcrete was going to be that of choice, but I may doctor the mix a bit, throw in some more cement and an accelerator since the bay in the testing lab is mighty chilly this time of year. I'm not actually looking for strength, what I'm testing is to see if I can consistently measure the speed of pressure waves as it cures (they get faster as it gets harder). Swervin, I sure hope the tires can handle it--they have a load rating for more than the factory wheels. LT235-85-16s, Load Range E (3042# max): BFG AT T/A K/Os on the front, Cooper Discoverer S/Ts with studs, on the back for the winter. I just gotta find a compressor capable of gettin 'em up to ~75-80psi, since being typically unloaded I run them at about 40psi so I don't skip off the road on a bumpy curve (I love PA). In some sort of sick way, I'm actually looking forward to see how much this bogs it down. 2 problem areas, one of which is the climb up the mountain, the other is the merge onto one of the deadliest stretches of highway in the country, US 22 through Allentown-Bethlehem. PA is famous for having onramps curving hard so you need to slow to 15mph and then giving you about 100' of straight road to merge into 2 solid lanes of 55+mph traffic, and at the end of that 100' is usually a nice bridge abutment or another offramp. Well at least it'll hurt those hondas a lot if they slam into me. I wish I had 3.73s and a TH400, but the 700-R4 oughta be ok, has the low 1st gear which I'll certainly be takin advantage of (O/D won't even be considered, probably will barely make it out of 2nd). I'll give you guys an update after the deed is done.

[swervin ervin]

I think you'll do fine. Just hope they ain't any big rigs coming down the highway at the onramp.

Good luck with it.


Reminds me of a trip I made a long time ago. I had a 73 long bed half ton, with a wimpy six in it. No heavy duty suspension here. I was building play ground equipment for some apartments. I had to have sand for the sand box. This was a very big sand box. I can't remember exactly now it's been so long ago, but I think it was 12' x 12'.

Anyway, I went to a mica mine that is pretty close to where I live. They sold white sand that had been washed, which was perfect for the sand box. The guy driving the loader was a idiot. Here he comes with a big, did I say big? I mean bigggg loader bucket full of sand. Wet sand BTW. He procedes to dump this stuff all over my truck. Top, hood and all. When he got done, the rear step bumper was around 6" off the ground. No joke. I drove this thing about 35 or so miles this way. Up a busy interstate too. Front tires were barely touching the ground.

Damndest ride I've ever had. I felt like I was doing wheel stands all the way there. But you know what, it made it like a charm. Would I do it again? Hell no, not now. I'd probably be killed with the roads as busy as they are now.

Mike

[79BIG10]

I can give you first hand knowledge that it will be fine. I usedto sell/load that stuff all day. No fun at all especially for what I was making. Anyways we used to load up 42 bags (a crate worth) on our 1 ton dually flat bed for deliveries. It handled it fine. In a pickup we weload 20 bags at a time making sure to spread the load between the fenders of the wheels and afew on either side. This is the optimim placee for the wieght.

Mike- I see you have problems with this stuff? I know I've used it for post holes, repairing etc. Nothing big like a sidewalk or driveway.

[86Scottsdale]

Well, I made the big haul tonight. They built them tough, what else can I say? Under probably close to 2000lbs total load with everything else that I have in the bin, the suspension sunk about 2". The little 305 was obviously working hard, but it didn't sweat it too much, which was a surprise to me. And there ain't nothin like the sound of a sbc roarin up a mountain with the duals.

[swervin ervin]

Cool. Glad to hear it all went well.

Did you ever have a doubt.

[old Rusty C10]

well i hate to say it lol but i told ya so lol