New sap hauler

[maple flats]

Realizing that I'll have lots more sap to haul I have been looking for a new truck (new to me that is) for over a year. The last 3 weeks my search intensified and after looking at and driving several I finally made my move today. I made a deal on an 01 F250 4x4, ext. cab, with Fisher Minute Mount plow, 7.5" and a 7.3L diesel. I tried some other 250's and a few 350's before deciding. I was open to any make but Ford is by far the most common around here. I had tried a F350 and a F 250 earlier in the week with 6.0L diesels, both 2005's. The mechanics at work warned me to avoid that engine (injector problems are common). They said the older 7.3 is far better.
At this point I'm thinking I will haul the biggest tank it can carry and maybe add a small trailer behind to carry a 165 gal tank like I did last year if needed. The second year I'll buy a 7 ton gooseneck equipment trailer to haul my tractors and excavator, then for maple season I'll get the biggest tank it can haul with the F 250. Then the next year I might trade the 250 for a 350 and set a bigger tank on the gooseneck trailer. For now I'll just start smaller. In another year I'll grow enough to need a bigger tank to haul in.
Is anyone here hauling a tank on a gooseneck trailer. How big can I go with this set up? The truck GVW is only 8800 #. Some I tried were as high as 10,000 # on a 250 and 11,700 on a 350.
I'll also be getting a 5th wheel mount to haul our 5th wheel camper some.

[Greenwich Maple Man]

Realizing that I'll have lots more sap to haul I have been looking for a new truck (new to me that is) for over a year. The last 3 weeks my search intensified and after looking at and driving several I finally made my move today. I made a deal on an 01 F250 4x4, ext. cab, with Fisher Minute Mount plow, 7.5" and a 7.3L diesel. I tried some other 250's and a few 350's before deciding. I was open to any make but Ford is by far the most common around here. I had tried a F350 and a F 250 earlier in the week with 6.0L diesels, both 2005's. The mechanics at work warned me to avoid that engine (injector problems are common). They said the older 7.3 is far better.
At this point I'm thinking I will haul the biggest tank it can carry and maybe add a small trailer behind to carry a 165 gal tank like I did last year if needed. The second year I'll buy a 7 ton gooseneck equipment trailer to haul my tractors and excavator, then for maple season I'll get the biggest tank it can haul with the F 250. Then the next year I might trade the 250 for a 350 and set a bigger tank on the gooseneck trailer. For now I'll just start smaller. In another year I'll grow enough to need a bigger tank to haul in.
Is anyone here hauling a tank on a gooseneck trailer. How big can I go with this set up? The truck GVW is only 8800 #. Some I tried were as high as 10,000 # on a 250 and 11,700 on a 350.
I'll also be getting a 5th wheel mount to haul our 5th wheel camper some.

Congrats. on your new sap hauler! Welcome to the Ford family. I have a 05 350 with a 425 pickup tank that I use for hauling some sap and it works great.Could handle lots more. I also deliver alot of hay and it handles all different trailers with ease. I'm sure you will be thrilled with your pruchase, plus the 7.3's are bullet proof.

[Flat47]

Not too long ago we "discussed" the issue of GVWs and payload on here, so it's worth searching the forum for that topic. I'll say it again, though: DO NOT overload your truck. Sure it's got a bunch of power and torque and all and you might feel that it's able to haul a million gallons, but you have got to stick to the truck's weight ratings. Liquid is a "live" load - it reacts to every motion input. It's made worse in an unbaffled tank. All that sloshing can created powerful surges fore and aft as well as side to side.

Edit:
Here is the link to the past discussion: http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=10560

[maple flats]

I am well aware of that since I have experience hauling tank trucks many years ago, I hauled fuel truck for my dad's trucking company when just out of high school, for fueling the equipment in the gravel pit. But thanks for the reminder. Our fuel tanker was unbaffled, the roads were not good and the turns were sometimes sharp. Young drivers don't slow down, so I got well trained.

[Flat47]

I am well aware of that since I have experience hauling tank trucks many years ago, I hauled fuel truck for my dad's trucking company when just out of high school, for fueling the equipment in the gravel pit. But thanks for the reminder. Our fuel tanker was unbaffled, the roads were not good and the turns were sometimes sharp. Young drivers don't slow down, so I got well trained.

Yeah, that was a bit of an over-reaction. Sorry. I didn't mean to jump all over you.

We run an '04 Chevy 3500 diesel w/ auto trans for plowing and heavy hauling. And, an '05 Chevy 2500HD gas/auto for all around jobs. Wish the '05 was diesel, too, though.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I find the violent rocking motion you get at stop sighs relaxing and interesting on snowy roads. I built used to build spray rigs for the tree industry and we would get 3 year old fiberglass tanks with the baffles busted up with cross contamination of chemicals. Liquid in motion is a funny thing.

[maple flats]

I just picked up my "new" sap hauler yesterday. Blew a huge hole in a $100 bill at the diesel pump on the way home, and the dealer "claimed" he sent his son-in-law with $50 to fuel it before I came. Not sure which tank I have. Manual gives several choices. I can rule one out I think, since the gauge read 1/4 full, and ran smooth, and I added 19.031 gal it is likely not a 19 gal tank. Others range up to 38 gal. There were a few sizes in between. I'll try to decifer it based on which models had which choices.
The only thing I have found so far is that the seat is much harder than my last F 250 supercab 4x4 which was a '78 and I had it thru much of the 80's.

[Bucket Head]

Dave,

The hard seat was put in purposely by Ford. Its a safety thing. They did'nt want anyone dozing off while operating it. I guess someone told one of the engineers that sugarmakers are sleep deprived from late Feb. to early April.

I'd write a letter to Ford thanking them! LOL.

Steve

[maple flats]

I should have realized the change was an improvement. On a trip I'll need to stop and walk around more often too, which is better for my health. Wow, maybe Ford IS on my side (and not JUST a P.I.T.A.).
Do you think I should write them a long thank you letter?

[BryanEx]

How much is diesel going for these days in the States? It was around the $5/gallon mark when I did some trucking several years ago but I haven't been cross border since then.