Rollback/Dovetail?

rvaitor · Jul 17, 2005

Greetings,

I am looking at some trucks and not sure what size and what I need to be looking at. These are mid-80s GMC 7000s with either rollback or dovetail beds. 8.2L Detroit diesel engines.

Mileage seems moderate. Not sure what they were used for most likely to haul light dozer or equipment.

I need to be able to haul tractor weighing roughly 8000lbs.

Thanks

krickard · Jul 17, 2005

If these are the type you see now towing cars and what ever off the highways,Looks like a good idea don't know the load capacity but we hire a roll back truck to load large feed tanks, milktanks, farm equipment and the concept is good, back into position attach winch cable and drag onto the bed of truck pull bed onto truck and be gone.and truck can maintain highway traffic speed.of course still have to use chains or web bands to keep it from falling off.
To unload the same thing back into area wanted to unload pull load off at ground level less chance to damage things.
These trucks at a Auction or dealier sale?
se'ya ken

rvaitor · Jul 17, 2005

I've done a little more research and it appears these have a 24K GVW so should be able to handle the tractor. The rollback seems to be more useable with the moveable bed. The dovetale would be fine for moving stuff as well. Detroit diesel engine is okay - I think.

It's a public sale coming up in about a week.

krickard · Jul 17, 2005

went through Nashville July 5th to get a load of cattle in Penn. State are they ever going to finish the bebuilding of the I-40 interstate there?Almost a moving parking lot.
The roll back still looks like the best for adverage person to use, and wouldn't have to worry of the trailer length causing problems. se'ya k

rvaitor · Jul 18, 2005

It's finished - for now - on the west side. It'll be nice once they finish from Downtown to the airport - I think they're getting close - maybe before the end of the year.

The rollback seems to have much more interest than the dovetail -- maybe 40% higher price.

tlbuser · Jul 18, 2005

My want to check on the little things like road taxes and insurance before you totally commit yourself to this plan.

krickard · Jul 18, 2005

Here in Arkansas the taxes on a 20 year old vehicle are nothing compared to a new,Insurance about the same and added expense of trailer, add the tires cost,and if going to be used mostly off interstate the shortness of vehicle the roll back would seem better, I have used both.
Agree though to think the cost both ways and check with several users first.
se'ya ken

tlbuser · Jul 18, 2005

Agreed that a rollback would be a much better option than trailering. No doubt. My thinking was mostly along the lines of insurance. Last large truck I had, International 4700 w/ 21' rollback unit, insurance was just over $5,000.00 per year. Sometimes you don't realize these things until after the fact.

Highbeam · Jul 18, 2005

An 8000 lb tracor is going to be pretty tall. The bed of those rollbacks sits at least 4 feet high (guess?) so if you have a cab or a fixed ROPS I would be sure not to get into an overheight condition.

My shipping container was delivered on a rollback. Very nice. The incline of the rollback was not too steep and you could use the whole bed for transit storage. The beavertail setups like they use for a single dozer would be cheaper and less prone to break but the usable length of the storage area is reduced since you can't (?) utilize the ramped area for storage. The dozers on those rigs seem jambed up against the cab of the truck with barely enough room to fit.

If your tractor can negotiate the steep beavertail and then fit on the falt area. I think taht would work. Detroit diesels are a fine engine in general, it's not a cummins but they were used for a long time because they worked.