C500's, what are the differences in

[Hallback]

The trucks from the 70's to mid 90's?
I am looking for one to move our yarder with.

 

[Truck Shop]

Well for starters the cab-81 and down has the A model smaller cab and 82 up the larger B cab. Most of the A models had rounded fiberglass fenders and the later B's were
flat construction type. The B model had longer springs on the steer axle for a better ride. As far as frames not that much difference. Of course the engine, trans and drive
axles had more choices with the B. I think the B cab is much tougher than the A model was. And the air valves and air lines were better on the later series of KW like most.
The electrical components on the later B cabs were much better than the early A's.

Truck Shop

 

[Hallback]

So if I stayed post 84 I am better off.

 

[Truck Shop]

So if I stayed post 84 I am better off.

Personally I would look for 88 to 92 mechanical Cat powered or later N14 powered. IMO

Truck Shop

 

[Hallback]

Thanks TruckShop!
I have an opportunity to buy one that is well setup for off highway moving but it would make a less than ideal all around truck.
It has Mack planetaries, Big cam III, 18 speed & 4 speed brownie but just isn't a very good highway rig.

 

[Hallback]

Also IIRC my 83 was the A model cab & my buddies 86 is also?

 

[Mother Deuce]

Hmmm That sounds like Weyerhauser specs! She should be double tough.

 

[Hallback]

Have you been spying on me....???

 

[Mother Deuce]

LOL Used to do a boatload of work for them. Mostly Snoqualmie and Vail. Really liked the shop boss Art up in Snoqualmie. I used to own and than after I sold, operate a heavy haul outfit in your neighborhood for 17 years. Those specs could only belong to a handful of outfits.

 

[Birken Vogt]

Was the Mack running gear an option when you are as big as Weyerhauser, or did they buy them without axles and put them in themselves, or do something else?

 

[Hallback]

You know the truck very well then. It is just hard to justify the cost for 4-5x a year use.

 

[Truck Shop]

Kenworth produced no A model cabbed trucks after 81, 82 up were all B model cabs. Are you sure those rear drives are Mack? Rockwell made and makes planetary rear drives
that look like Mack drives. Plus Kenworth made Big Six rear suspension that looked somewhat like Mack camel back. If it does have Mack drives someone put it under there.
Kenworth would never build a truck with another brands suspension or drives no mater who was buying or building for.---Is that truck your looking at painted white? I seem
to remember one on line for sale that advertised it with Mack drives and suspension not long ago.

Truck Shop

 

[Hallback]

The Mack rears were installed by owner and no, it's not white. Same owner for 21 years.

 

[Shimmy1]

You know the truck very well then. It is just hard to justify the cost for 4-5x a year use.

I am by no means familiar with the woods, but I know what a yarder is, and it sounds to me like a perfect truck to drag a yarder up to the landing. With that 4 sp, you would just pick the gear to give you the top end you want (I'm guessing either 2nd or 3rd) and have fun. Some might argue that a Cat would be better, but isn't a BCIII the same vintage as an A model 3406? With that gearing in the hills, 350 hp should be plenty.

 

[Junkyard]

With a 4 speed and planetaries a Briggs and Stratton would do it!

 

[Truck Shop]

I am by no means familiar with the woods, but I know what a yarder is, and it sounds to me like a perfect truck to drag a yarder up to the landing. With that 4 sp, you would just pick the gear to give you the top end you want (I'm guessing either 2nd or 3rd) and have fun. Some might argue that a Cat would be better, but isn't a BCIII the same vintage as an A model 3406? With that gearing in the hills, 350 hp should be plenty.

The BCIII is the best out of the NTC's nothing wrong with that engine, the BC IV on the other hand well we won't talk about those.
I use to move two yarders for a logging outfit Madill and Skagit with a 78 W900 with a 375 hp A model Cat, 9X4 transmissions and 4:56 ratio SSHD's on Kenworth Big Six suspension.
Never had a problem it did a good job.

Truck Shop

 

[Shimmy1]

The BCIII is the best out of the NTC's nothing wrong with that engine, the BC IV on the other hand well we won't talk about those.
I use to move two yarders for a logging outfit Madill and Skagit with a 78 W900 with a 375 hp A model Cat, 9X4 transmissions and 4:56 ratio SSHD's on Kenworth Big Six suspension.
Never had a problem it did a good job.

Truck Shop

That's the problem nowadays. Everybody thinks that if they don't have 500 yellow horses under the hood they are going to end up rolling backwards down the hill. I ran around for 10 years at 92k gross with an L10 and 8LL, 4.44 gears. More hp would have been nice, but the real difference would have been 35 up the hills instead of 25. What a lot of these new guys don't realize is this country was built with trucks that had less power than your average passenger car today.

 

[JPV]

If I am thinking of the right truck the front of that Mack that donated the rearends is sitting in a boneyard in Cathlamet. Can't think of a better one for dragging a yarder around!

 

[Hallback]

You guys are both correct! We often forget that most of the old off highway trucks had half the power of the trucks of today!

That "boneyard" in Cathlamet has more good stuff in it than any LKQ!
When I lived there I would drive by it daily!

 

[Junkyard]

Not to hijack but here's a set of rears for ya. My youngest daughter was 6, she turns 14 this month. Time flies. Those are 100k Rockwell rears in a 64 A-car. Cummins 5+4.