I currently run a 2009 5500 C/C with a 25' tandem daully trailer. During the summer months I am hauling 26,000 lbs of mink feed 250 miles every second day. During the remainder of the year I haul approx 8,000 lbs of feed twice a week. So as you probably guessed I use the trailer in the summer and have a flat deck on the 5500 that allows me to haul up to 8,00lbs all winter and spring. The 5500 has only 60,000 miles on it and I am having some major drive train issues. Twisted u joints, transfer case boken in half, crack in the tranny casing. All of this has been covered under warranty but it takes them forever to fix it and cost me more money subing out my trucking than it would to pay someone to just fix it. Any way, I would like to be able to not haul the trailer in the winter and not be stuck with a 30 foot straight truck hauling 8,000lbs of feed. What is available out there and does anyone have any suggestions?

 

I have a friend that was having similar troubles and he pulls a 48' four horse Trailer with a large living area , he runs on the prca , at about 75,000 miles a year. The trailer without horses or stuff for living weights 33,000 . He went to a GMC ,either a Topkick or Kodiac , 4x4, CC . He is running a Cat with a 7 speed and loves it. Last time I talked with him he said he had almost 200K with out any major issues. The trucks are a little pricy though... Around 90K to 100K

 

A medium duty International might be a good candidate. My friend has an 05 4300 at work and it has an 8' flatbed and he grosses 50K+ pulling various trailers with no problems yet. It has a dt466 with a 6 speed and he loves it. No major problems just oil and filter changes.

 

You are really going to give up a lot of mileage when you drop the trailer in the winter. Also expect the big truck to have sluggish towing performance compared to your little Dodge.

If you are willing to consider imports, my company has had good success with Hino trucks

 

Right now I am looking at a Hino 258. Seems to be the right mix of capacity. I wonder what the max towing capacity of one of these is??????

 

Cant get the Caterpillar anymore. I believe all you can get in a GM product is the Isuzu engines... GM is no longer producing the C4500 and C5500 trucks. I'm sure they produce something different..??? I don't know.
Ford makes a medium duty that can be powered by the new 6.7l Ford diesel, or the 6.7L Cummins.
I "hear" that sometime next year International/Caterpillar will be selling a Caterpillar branded On Highway truck. I also "hear" that the engine is a join venture design that uses the bullet-proof Cat bottom-end components with an International emissions control system... don't quote me on that, its just what I hear.
Medium Duty choices are slim right now....

 

Here's an article on the CAT truck.It seems like Australia gets them first.
http://www.roadtransport.com/blogs/b...irst-cat-.html