Bobtail Dump Quandry

I'm looking to buy a single axle dump and hopefully get into one for less than 30k. Main uses will be pulling a 10t tag trailer and SVL90 everyday (est 18k lbs total), shuttling loads back and forth on jobsites and hauling an occasional load for customers. I would like to keep the truck under 26k so we can disconnect the trailer and have a non-cdl truck available but it's not mandatory. I keep finding more and more projects where we could use a dump and it sure makes more sense to have one on the job than a 1 ton flatbed hooked to a gooseneck trailer.

So what are some good engine/trans combos and what do I need to stay away from? I sure see a lot of Cat 3126 and VT365(6.0) trucks out there and haven't heard great things about either engine.

Probably gonna get more value with a 33k truck. In general 26k trucks wind up overpriced b/c people trying to stay under CDL. Local guy has what i think is a rebadged 8.3 and a Allison in a t370 and loves it.

I agree on the 8.3 Cummins (PX8) and Kenworth T3xx. I have run the daylights out of several trucks of that combo and they seem to be great.

I too am not a fan of the Cat 31xx or the successor C7.

The small Cat and VT365 seemed to be standard equimpent, cheapest possible option for mass purchase fleet trucks.

Stay away, very far away, from the VT365. It has an EGR cooler which fails and causes all kinds of problems.

I have an 06 IH 4300. DT466 with an Allison auto transmission with a PTO gear. GVW on the tag is 25500. Bought the cab chassis out of ATL and took it to Cottrel Truck and Equipment in Crossville Tn. They shortened the frame and swapped the air ride for springs in the rear and added 3 leaves in the front. Bed is 11 f0ot 6 inches long. I run 44K farm tags and have come out of the quarry at 44k. The HP is only 230 and the sweet spot is 11 to 11 1/2 ton payload. Since I had the truck built I added Alcoa front wheels with float front tires. It will hold just shy of 11 cubic yards. Truck has 250xxxK miles on it and I use it at least 3-5 days a week. More HP would be helpfullbut for local it is not required.

F3, what did your wheelbase end up at?

Sorry to take so long to get back. Last 2 days have been heavy work wise. Best I can tell with a tape by myself the WB is 166 inches and the cab axle is 102 inches. With 230 HP she will run 70 down the interstate but I always keep an eye on the temp gauge. More HP in the 275 up range would be better. It costs about $1500 to put a PTO gear in an Allison if it is not factory installed. You will want to put float front tires on any dump truck. If you want to talk over the phone six one five six eight six seven seven six five. Joe

Know of three small users with SA dumps and a few light tandems doing as you search for. Business class Freightliner w/6BT seems to be the go to right now, older GMC's with the 3116 were pretty decent but parts get a bit scarce. KW & International still make a reasonable medium duty chassis but not many others out there save absolutely foreign builds. Make certain you get something with air brakes, just simpler to deal with.