gman07

My dad just bought a 41' grain trailer and is looking for a truck to pull it. It'll primarily be used for hauling grain in from the fields and to town. Some of the lanes into fields and building sites are a little narrow, so maneuverability could be an issue. I don't really have any experience, so I don't know what to look for and what to avoid.

Any tips on make, model, engine, transmission, wheelbase length, rear end ratio, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Nick02Ram

You could look into something like an IH 8600, daycab. I worked on quite a few of those when I was wrenchin, and they seemed to be pretty maneuverable. Only problem they really had consistently with many of em was a fuel transfer pump issue. (They were mostly 04's and 06's) I was thinkin maybe you could get away with a single axle, but if you get into any soft dirt or mud in the fields you'll wanna have a diff interlock (prolly why all the farmers around me have tandems) ...just my .02

2006Mega

you need to check with your state on weight laws, you might need a long wheel base to be legal weight wise.
i personally like Kenworth t800, N14 cummins and a 13 speed. but you probably dont need that.
do you plan on to just haul out out the field? or are you going to also haul fertilizer and all the other stuff that farmers haul.
what ever you get i would definitely get a full locking rear, which will help get out of the fields when then are damp.

gman07

Thanks for the advice. I think we'll probably go with a tandem.

It'll just be hauling grain, no fertilizer or anything like that. It probably won't get more than 10,000 miles a year either. I've heard good things about the N14, ISX, and cat 3406. What about the Detroit Series 60? And how many miles is too many?

2006BLKMegacab

I have run both IHC's and KW's farmer trucking and for what you are doing with it go for a Kenworth, they have better ground clearance (great in the mud) I have had great luck with my cats (both a 3406B and now a 3406E) they seem to have better low end than a cumapart, i know, i drive a dodge but i love my cat power too. the t800 I have isnt short in the wheel base (232") but it will turn real short for narrow driveways, and smaller yards.
as for how many is too many it depends on rebuild history, mine made 635000 miles before it got a rebuild, but ive seen some that gotan inframe done at 350,000? for the right money buy what you believe to be a good truck from a guy you can trust and hope it works

Guardrail

Wheel base on a truck has nothing to do with the weight you can haul. A 140 inch wheel base twin screw can haul the same weight as a 320 inch wheel base.

Nick02Ram

It's gonna mess with balancing out the total weight among axles, though.

2006Mega

some states have different laws on weight limits and some follow bridge weight limits. so if you have a short trailer and short wb tractor, you cant haul 80,000 lbs. you need to spread the weight out with a longer trailer and tractor.
here in Michigan they go my their own set of rules, basically keep adding axles until you get to 11. spread them out a little and you can gross 164,000.

dodgepower88

It is your overall length that counts and your ability to get the weight over the axles. For a farmers truck my ideal combo would be a kenworth with gear ratio from (3.36 to 3.70) with an Eaton 10 speed. I personally like the 13 speed, but for a smooth easy driving combo a 10 speed works well. On the horsepower side of things I don't think that you can go wrong with a "big block" from Detroit, Cat, or Cummins. Between 375-450 hp will be plenty for this specific application. Daycabs usually cost more in my area of the country and once you are used to driving your truck the advantage is overrated. I realize that my post scattered, but this is my 2 cents.

signature600

Set back axle...like a 377 Pete, T800 KW, something like that will turn better than a long hooded set forward axle.

Also, 425hp at least if you'll be at 80K+ coming out of the fields. Not like you can't find those trucks cheap anyway.

Look at bridge laws...with a 41' trailer to haul 80K, you may need something like a 220"+ wheelbase to pass bridge laws. Around here you do.

You aren't putting enough miles on to tear it up or wear it out, so a lot of miles is cheaper, but will take some general maintenance to keep it up in case you should get inspected.

Chris

TurboDeezul

You can practically STEAL an older cabover these days. Easy to work on, Short turning radius, no EPA crap to deal with....Nice.

CRToney

T800 N14 13sp is what I pull a 44ft tridem grain trailer with. I have 4.33 gears and a double over. 18 sp is nicer in the field. If the field is soft just put the jakes on 1 and shift w/o clutch with the 13.