A new rig I am considering

[XLS]

This is what I am thinking will be our locations primary rig. I am considering a F-450 truck with a 4 door cab chassis pulling a 24`-32` open trailer hauling 5# 60" ztrs rated at 10 mph .
What are your idas.

I have had 2 full service crews running older box trucks for 13 seasons and 1-2 floater crews and it is time to replace the complete outfits.
We are currently unsure the trailers total length,
it will be long enough to haul the 5# 60" mowers and a port-a-potty. Loaded it will be a 7 man crew 4 string trimmers ,2 hedge trimmer, 4 blowers and handtools for bed work.

This crew would have to visit close to 300 lawns a week and complete all task on the properties.
I am unsure the actual number simply because we are picking up 3-5 accounts a day.

[MASTERMOWER]

Where are the pictures? Need pictures! :alien::alien::alien:

[XLS]

I do not have these pics lol. We made the decission to try the setup Monday this week I just priced the trailers yesterday at $ 3500.oo for 24` long 8` wide and $4230.00 for 30` both with dual brakes and 5200 LBS axles with 3` high walls. The equipment is ...... comming in February... hopefully. Tomorrow I will start looking for the truck and I am expecting a $36,000.oo price tag on that, not sure but we will not be a brand new truck.. I can order the trailers untill February 15 and get it by march 1st.

I am yet to figure out the picture issues. Be glad to e-mail to you or someone so they could post for me on here when we get it going.

[KS_Grasscutter]

I don't see how a 7 man crew is going to fit in a 4 door pickup, and I don't see how it would be anything close to efficient to send 7 guys to do a residential lawn. 2 or 3 man crews are where your efficiency is on residential.

I would run (2) 3/4 ton regular cab pickups ($10k a piece), 2 16' trailers ($1500 each), with each trailer having 2 60" zero turns (52s for my area though), and a 36" hydro WB, as well as 2 trimmers, an edger, and 2 BP blowers. Would work great for a 2 or 3 man crew. Then run another 1 or 2 man crew with a half ton pickup to do landscaping work.

[sjessen]

Don't know what kind of accounts you are servicing, XLS but 30' is one long trailer!! Add that to the length of a f550 and you are not much shorter than a semi. Seems like parking and negotiating cul-de-sacs and turns would be tough.

[XLS]

30` is long , with out a doubt . We were doing 4 trucks and had reached a point where growth was slowed by the fact we couldnt cut them fast enough . We would play chase on bigger lawns where both mowing crew would arrive at the same job area for 4 days a week. we need a way to mow 30 acres of lawn a day and do all the landscape work also.
A 7 man crew 3 on mowers 2 blowing edging and string trimming and 2 doing the debris pick up and bed work, when there is no bed work needed or it`s finished they jump on the other 2 mowers and run the lawns. these guys are cutting 5-7 acres a stop and some dont have 5 minutes of edging ad trimming and 10 minutes of bed work. so its a way to ensure the extra work is done as needed and they cut the grass faster.

[XLS]

KS_Grasscutter I have alot of 2 men crews and it depends on what you call done on a job and your standards it getting the job fiished that determins overall efficiency. A 3 man crew is fine on small lawns or 12-14 1 acer lawns a day . I need 4 times that production a day .with all the extras.

[LindblomRJ]

The new F450s and F550s crewcabs are amazingly maneuverable. It used to be it would take 40 acres to turn it around. Now it is far less. Are you thinking gooseneck on the trailer? If so it might be doable.

[MASTERMOWER]

The new F450s and F550s crewcabs are amazingly maneuverable. It used to be it would take 40 acres to turn it around. Now it is far less. Are you thinking gooseneck on the trailer? If so it might be doable.

Same with the GM offerings. :alien::alien::alien:

[XLS]

The goose neck is the only option on the 30` length I am thinking as well .today a guy said a F-350 would do all I need in a truck .
I want to ask you guys a honest question.

Will a F-350 pull a 24 foot bumper pull trailer loaded with 4500 lbs of equipment, 1750lbs of passengers and a load of trimmings from the days bed work? . I am guessing it to be 1500 lbs of trimmings.( no grass just trimmings from shrub trimming and dead limb pick up.The total loaded weight would be approximatly 7750lbs plus truck fuel. This is our expected weight .
I have worked on these numbers and included the equipment fuels in these weights.