Kenworth W900 or T800

PNECAT · Nov 25, 2012

Hey everyone I have a few questions about theses 2 trucks W900 and T800, something around 425/475Hp and price range 25k max.
I am in the makret for a truck that will be halling a caterpiller 315BL and do other multiple jobs well end dump/ logs ect.... The truck will be for my excavating business owner operator so i will be the one maintaining it also. Looking for pros and Cons and which truck will be the better for my operation. Any other information will be helpful. Thanks Chris

mrkw77 · Nov 25, 2012

the best truck i have ever owned was a 1995 ch613 mack. the 2nd best was a 1998 T800 with a 14 liter detroit 18 speed with 411 rockwell rears. when i bought it i cut the 8 back air ride off and put a 98 pete low leaf air ride cut off on it. the mack would still pull off and leave it. I used trucks with a set back front axels to get into tight places like turning in off a 2 lane through a gateway. The mack was a 350 hp and the 800 was 550.hp

johndeere123 · Nov 25, 2012

I've worked on both and from what i see they are almost identical trucks except for the hoods. As far as the engines go, that all depends on what you like. I have seen them with series 60 detroit, cats, and cummins. If I was buying one, I would look for one that does not have the 8 bag suspension. I think the 4 bag ones are more dependable. Make sure you take a good look at the frame and cross members if the truck was previously on heavy haul. Alot of them tend to break behind the rear spring hanger on the front axle if they are abused. Also the metal pieces that connect the cross member to the frame tend to crack.

PNECAT · Nov 25, 2012

Thanks for the good information on the frame and bag suspension, its something i will look for when i find something im interisted in. Im going to go with a cat motor with this truck as everyhting else i have are cat. Thanks for the help

Tiny · Nov 25, 2012

The 800's will haul , While I have always liked the looks of the big hood on the 900's the 800's are better for vision .

johndeere123 · Nov 25, 2012

Have you ever had any problems with snapping bolts in the cross member under the fifth wheel on that truck? One T800 I worked on had to have new bolts put in that cross member every month. It would also break those white metal pieces between the cross member and the frame. The truck would also gross 185 000 quite a bit.

willie59 · Nov 25, 2012

The only thing I don't like about the T800, compared to the Pete 379 we used to own, is it doesn't have a tight turning radius. Aside from that, it's a solid truck.

Willis Bushogin · Nov 25, 2012

I bought a 2000 KW W900, dump truck, C12 engine, 13 speed. It was a quad axle dump, but it had been abused before I got it
The chassis was broke and repaired on both sides, just forward of the front springs, rear support
The aluminum cross member and attaching plate was broken ( the one just behind the cab) I had to replace the whole support
The aluminum cross member and attaching bracket, just forward of the front tandem was broke. I had to replace all of it
I did replace the parts with used parts, new parts cost about $2200 and had to come from Canada, about 2-3 weeks
I sold it shortly after I fixed it, I always was afraid of a repaired chassis on the front
I have owed several T800 and loved everyone of them.
I have two trucks, with Cat/C12-410hp, quad axle dumps, total weight around 68,000 lbs. Engines have great power, I recommend these engines anytime

mike in idaho · Nov 25, 2012

I drive a T800, 475 horse Cat, 18 speed, Eaton rears. Great visibility from the driver's seat, easy to turn around and pretty decent ride. Put a clutch in it last fall,what a pain in the ass to work on, took a whole day just to get the transmission out of the damn thing.

Greatwestcam · Nov 25, 2012

The T800 is the only truck that stands up to any off road work up here in the north, most popular set up is Cat 3406/c-15, 18 spd and rockwell diffs, 3.90 and 4.10 ratio with full lockers. Eaton diffs are okay but not as reliable as the rockwells. The old N-14 is a good engine also, see few problems with it, not like the newer isx with emissions on it (stay away), thats what I work on most at the dealership.

Tiny · Nov 26, 2012

johndeere123 said:
Have you ever had any problems with snapping bolts in the cross member under the fifth wheel on that truck?

None that I know of . Company owns two of these trucks . Company has a 9 axle 150 ton trailer with the stinger and jeep that the T 800 pulls

PNECAT · Nov 26, 2012

So it sounds like the T-800 is a better truck in some aspects than the W900. cant get around **** breaking as its going to happen as its made to work and with people driving the hell out of the trucks which they are for work. It may be a diffrent story with a owner operator truck as we are the ones making the payments.
sorry I am just a firm believer on maintaining my equipment. cool.... :drinkup
13spd C-12 to C-15 CAT sounds to be in my ballpark of motors. I will cheak out the entire frame as it sounds like thats a big thing on them??/? I am not looking to buy any truck that will need any major repairs. Turn Key and work. Thanks for all of the info guys, keep it commimg

PNECAT · Dec 1, 2012

I have decited to look at some T800s. Seems to be the better truck for more off road use and also sharper turning for tight spots, any pictures of a T800 with a lowboy or end dump set up would be nice to see. thanks

willie59 · Dec 3, 2012

PNECAT said:
any pictures of a T800 with a lowboy or end dump set up would be nice to see. thanks

How about a beaver tail.

Tiny · Dec 3, 2012

changexlt · Dec 3, 2012

GPC · Dec 4, 2012

Is that milling machine really that heavy to need a 6 axle trailer? I have moved several around here and normally use just a tri axle truck and a tri axle trailer.

As for my preference of W900 or T800 I have driven them both and they are the same. The T800 is allot better for visibility while the W900 just looks cool.

changexlt · Dec 4, 2012

It's a W2200 with 8ft head 98,000 lbs. Used jeep to get easier permits. Blue trailer 24ft well 9ft wide was maxed at 20k per axle (32-J in Monanta 3 days to get a permit), maroon trailer 25.6 ft well 8.5ft wide made Montana DW-21 conditions (annual permit via Helena), just barely.

ford2diesel · Jan 5, 2013

i drove an T800 for six years, C12 with eaton fuller ten speed and kenworth 8 bag susp. was a good truck but gutless pig. just moved into a 2012 W900L with 550 cummins, 18 speed eaton fuller and hendricks 4 bag susp. big difference in power and deffinantly like the four bag over the eight bag. as far as getting around and tight places no big deal took a couple of days to get used to that long nose but would never go back.

Dualie · Jan 6, 2013

i never understood the love affair with the KW 8 bag suspension. its pretty much the last suspension i would ever order on a truck

Kenworth W900 or T800

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