Any Metalurgists out there?...

[imalumberjack]

   I have been offered a free lowboy ..... A shop caught on fire last winter and we are demo-ing it. Lowboy was sitting inside along with several other vehicles, pretty much a total loss. Lowboy is 55 ton 16 tire expando. Maybe it would survive as a 25 ton? Looking at it: there were aluminum wheels on rear (outers) they melted so it got to 1200 degrees, the electrical wiring is still intact I guess copper melts at 1800 degrees? I think it would cost 12 to 15 thousand in parts to make it roadable? Any thoughts?

[Nostalgic]

Not a metallurgist, but I do know that with something in a fire like that, there are a lot of variables. Just because the wheels melted doesn't mean the rest of the frame hit 1200F. The tires burning produces enough local excess heat to do that. Metal harness can be checked, but I don't know how they do it, or if it can be done in the field? Wiring intact, as in still has insulation, or the copper is still there?

[Rawze]

(08-19-2018 )imalumberjack Wrote:  I have been offered a free lowboy ..... A shop caught on fire last winter and we are demo-ing it. Lowboy was sitting inside along with several other vehicles, pretty much a total loss. Lowboy is 55 ton 16 tire expando. Maybe it would survive as a 25 ton? Looking at it: there were aluminum wheels on rear (outers) they melted so it got to 1200 degrees, the electrical wiring is still intact I guess copper melts at 1800 degrees? I think it would cost 12 to 15 thousand in parts to make it roadable? Any thoughts?

If you put it on the roads, A weld or something on it breaks at some point and kills a family of 6 in an S.U.V. behind you,... the DOT/NTSB will throw you in jail for a very long time for knowing it was not safe. -- Cut it up with a torch and sell it as scrap. Don't chance it. Trucking has a higher standard than other businesses when it comes to safety of the motoring public.

[imalumberjack]

(08-19-2018 )Rawze Wrote:  

(08-19-2018 )imalumberjack Wrote:  I have been offered a free lowboy ..... A shop caught on fire last winter and we are demo-ing it. Lowboy was sitting inside along with several other vehicles, pretty much a total loss. Lowboy is 55 ton 16 tire expando. Maybe it would survive as a 25 ton? Looking at it: there were aluminum wheels on rear (outers) they melted so it got to 1200 degrees, the electrical wiring is still intact I guess copper melts at 1800 degrees? I think it would cost 12 to 15 thousand in parts to make it roadable? Any thoughts?

If you put it on the roads, A weld or something on it breaks at some point and kills a family of 6 in an S.U.V. behind you,... the DOT/NTSB will throw you in jail for a very long time for knowing it was not safe. -- Cut it up with a torch and sell it as scrap. Don't chance it. Trucking has a higher standard than other businesses when it comes to safety of the motoring public.

Rawze, that was my thoughts exactly. I did contemplate it for a few hours while I looked it over but it would be hard to move it down the road unless it was empty and then its ..... worthless.

[imalumberjack]

(08-19-2018 )Nostalgic Wrote:  Not a metallurgist, but I do know that with something in a fire like that, there are a lot of variables. Just because the wheels melted doesn't mean the rest of the frame hit 1200F. The tires burning produces enough local excess heat to do that. Metal harness can be checked, but I don't know how they do it, or if it can be done in the field? Wiring intact, as in still has insulation, or the copper is still there?

You can do a Brinell test for hardness of metal and it can be done in field. From my research Metal is good up to 450 degrees at 600 degrees it starts taking a toll and as temps increase its fairly significant. The copper was still there most of insulation was gone, some of the braided air hose was there and the spring with chain that you pull for pin on neck was there (its relatively small). I have backed away for the reasons that Rawze voiced but its still available. Early this week it goes for scrap.

[Nostalgic]

I could see a farmer or contractor snatching up something like that around here lol. People here in Pennsyltucky don't worry about stuff until after it breaks, and even then, it still depends. On the other hand, if it wasn't guarded, it would have already been recycled into meth or heroin.

[imalumberjack]

(08-19-2018 )Nostalgic Wrote:  I could see a farmer or contractor snatching up something like that around here lol. People here in Pennsyltucky don't worry about stuff until after it breaks, and even then, it still depends. On the other hand, if it wasn't guarded, it would have already been recycled into meth or heroin.

Pretty tough for me to turn down also, the joke was that I would through a coat of paint and some tires on and sell it in Mexico .......:angel:
I am hauling the scrap into Reno Nv. worst part of town and they actually hand you a check right there with an ATM machine on sight for cashing check .. many people bringing in small chunks of steel and I would imagine from looks of them it buys a lot of drugs.

[Rawze]

(08-19-2018 )imalumberjack Wrote:  

(08-19-2018 )Rawze Wrote:  

(08-19-2018 )imalumberjack Wrote:  I have been offered a free lowboy ..... A shop caught on fire last winter and we are demo-ing it. Lowboy was sitting inside along with several other vehicles, pretty much a total loss. Lowboy is 55 ton 16 tire expando. Maybe it would survive as a 25 ton? Looking at it: there were aluminum wheels on rear (outers) they melted so it got to 1200 degrees, the electrical wiring is still intact I guess copper melts at 1800 degrees? I think it would cost 12 to 15 thousand in parts to make it roadable? Any thoughts?

If you put it on the roads, A weld or something on it breaks at some point and kills a family of 6 in an S.U.V. behind you,... the DOT/NTSB will throw you in jail for a very long time for knowing it was not safe. -- Cut it up with a torch and sell it as scrap. Don't chance it. Trucking has a higher standard than other businesses when it comes to safety of the motoring public.

Rawze, that was my thoughts exactly. I did contemplate it for a few hours while I looked it over but it would be hard to move it down the road unless it was empty and then its ..... worthless.

Good choice. -- On a farm or something is one thing. On the highways with heavy equipment is another all together. The only exception you could make on something like this would be to send it back to the manufacturer and have them re-build it and include a written re-approval on it for highway use, putting the liability fully on them.

[Hammerhead]

(08-19-2018 )imalumberjack Wrote:  I have been offered a free lowboy ..... A shop caught on fire last winter and we are demo-ing it. Lowboy was sitting inside along with several other vehicles, pretty much a total loss. Lowboy is 55 ton 16 tire expando. Maybe it would survive as a 25 ton? Looking at it: there were aluminum wheels on rear (outers) they melted so it got to 1200 degrees, the electrical wiring is still intact I guess copper melts at 1800 degrees? I think it would cost 12 to 15 thousand in parts to make it roadable? Any thoughts?

As someone who pulls multi-axle lowbeds for a living, I have three words for ya...

HELL
F#%^*NG
NO!!!!

Here is the one thing most people don't know about equipment trailers...
They break.
Yup, all of them.
Nope, not kidding.
They ALL do, it's not if, it's when...
I have an emergency fund set aside just because I know this.
Broke 'em once, sure I'll do it again.
Fact of lowbedding.
There's a reason I shake my head laugh my ass off at redneck engineering adding neck length for longer/more axle jeeps, piss poor lugs added to the rear for spreader bar boosters n sh!t.

That's a Cozad.
Don't need to see the badges to tell you that, didn't enlarge the photo.
If I know that by looking at it quick, how much do you think I know about those trailers?
Here's a hint, QT100 grade steel, minimum!
Cozad would happily recertified that for ya...they'll peel the VIN tag, build you a new trailer and reinstall "Re-Built" VIN tags, and that's the ONLY way they'll do it. And I haven't even asked them...
Don't have to.
Know their reputation, and they wouldn't consider it, so why would you?

The only non-scrap use for that trailer is; paint it, put wheels n tires on it, and put a 5 gallon overhauled old Cat Dozer on it with an old non running truck in front of it for a cool company sign...

Only other option, scrapyard...but I just told you, it's high grade steel, so make sure you don't get screwed on the scrap value.