Should I buy this truck?

[Hay Dude]

I’ve been eyeing this one, but its a lot more spendy. ($36,000)
Mercedes 450/1700. Allison 4000. Air to rear, pintle hitch for pup.
311K mi. Full locking tandems

 

[Hay Dude]

Learned a lot about tandems in the past few months. Generally, there’s 2 types.
There’s standard duty tandems, typically with a 7L to 9L engine 275-330HP and an Allison 3000 series. Usually a 12-14K front and 40K rears.
The standard duty tandems with have tandem axle interlock and usually an exhaust brake. Maybe locking diffs.
Then there’s heavy duty tandems with a 10L to 15L engine 300-500HP and an Allison 4000 series. Usually a 16-10K front and 44K rears.
The heavy duty tandems will generally come with locking rears, air to rear, jake brake and a pintle hitch.

I’m leaning toward a HD tandem. Mostly because if I’m buying a high mileage truck, I’d rather it be heavy-built. Also, I have pretty much put locking diffs on my list as a must have.

 

[ultrarunner]

A good friend works for a redwood logging outfit hauling…

It took him a very long time to get the rig he wanted because of the extreme terrain and loads… often just a rough trail at best.

I believe his current set up is ex Utility and low hours… the big problem is he must repower or the truck cannot continue to be operated in California.

Who knows… that might change in a Federal level so he is waiting it out.

 

[DK35vince]

Learned a lot about tandems in the past few months. Generally, there’s 2 types.
There’s standard duty tandems, typically with a 7L to 9L engine 275-330HP and an Allison 3000 series. Usually a 12-14K front and 40K rears.
The standard duty tandems with have tandem axle interlock and usually an exhaust brake. Maybe locking diffs.
Then there’s heavy duty tandems with a 10L to 15L engine 300-500HP and an Allison 4000 series. Usually a 16-10K front and 44K rears.
The heavy duty tandems will generally come with locking rears, air to rear, jake brake and a pintle hitch.

I’m leaning toward a HD tandem. Mostly because if I’m buying a high mileage truck, I’d rather it be heavy-built. Also, I have pretty much put locking diffs on my list as a must have.

Exhaust brakes are helpful up to a single axle, pretty much useless on anything heavier IMO.
Get the jake brake.

 

[civilian]

Had firewood delivered here a few years ago by a self loader. Truck had a boom mounted clam/grapple controlled by a hydraulic operator station. I think it had a lift axle after the three drive axles, plus self steering axle in front of the drives. And then the actual front steering axle. I had never seen a triple dual wheel drive axles on straight truck. Way out of HD's needs, but just another setup. Driver said if he locked them all in, forget steering, it ws going straight. Non drive front axle. Jon

 

[Hay Dude]

I actually started off a few years back looking for a 6x6 to avoid the problem of locked 6x4 rear axles pushing you straight forward.
When I lock the rear in my IH7500, it’s steering diminishes to straightline pushing a lot, too. Lockes 6x4 would be worse for sure.

The problem with the utility 6x6’s is they are usually grossly underpowered and often run by utility company monkey employees who ruin them.
I did manage to find a Freightliner 6x6 with big block diesel and an allison, but it was 2,000 miles away and gone in a few days.