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my favorite truck mack dm-800

cat980

COPPA
Joined
Nov 13, 2009
Messages
114
Location
new jersey
Occupation
heavy equipment operator
i thought i was the only one i love mack dm800s i learned to drive in a dm800.
 

MichaelM

New Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2010
Messages
4
Location
NY
I was unware about this mack dm800, its looks really big..
the pics of mack dm800 are nice..
 

Dumpsterdavid

Active Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
Messages
30
Location
Raleigh,NC
Here's one of the nicest DM800's you will ever find...........
 

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RonG

Charter Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2003
Messages
1,833
Location
Meriden ct
Occupation
heavy equipment operator
I just watched a couple of vids of that on youtube.Nice husky V8.Ron G
 

Jumbo

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Messages
689
Location
Black Diamond WA
Occupation
retired
Drove a DM 800 at Weyerhaeuser for two years in mid 70s, worse truck I ever had the misery to drive. Found the best way to drive it was to try to stand up in the cab on rough road.

Weyerhaeuser Snoqualmie had half a dozen or so.

Original truck came to Weyerhaeuser with a 16yd rock box, but it was to heavy empty on the road. Pulled the rock box off and put a 12yd Columbia box on it with 3' side boards made with 1" plate. Had the 5 spd with the 2 spd Johnson bar. Top end was 32 mph. I did gross out once at 87,950 with rock spilling over the side.

Fenders were always falling off, frames broke all the time, Couldn't keep a rearend in them either. One cab, the door fell off in the rain, long drive back to the shop (40 miles) in winter on a muddy mainline with no door.

Mack salesman came out, said there wasn't a man alive that could break the truck.... He climbed in the truck with another fellow and before leaving the pit had twisted a drive line.

The shop took all the axles and scored them so that when we replaced an axle which was almost a daily occurrence we could put the scored end in the hub, so when it did break everything (broken parts) were easy to access.

My finest day was when I got enough seniority to be able to go back to a '64 KW with biscuits. Rode like a Cadillac compared to the DM 800
 

RonG

Charter Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2003
Messages
1,833
Location
Meriden ct
Occupation
heavy equipment operator
Drove a DM 800 at Weyerhaeuser for two years in mid 70s, worse truck I ever had the misery to drive. Found the best way to drive it was to try to stand up in the cab on rough road.

Weyerhaeuser Snoqualmie had half a dozen or so.

Original truck came to Weyerhaeuser with a 16yd rock box, but it was to heavy empty on the road. Pulled the rock box off and put a 12yd Columbia box on it with 3' side boards made with 1" plate. Had the 5 spd with the 2 spd Johnson bar. Top end was 32 mph. I did gross out once at 87,950 with rock spilling over the side.

Fenders were always falling off, frames broke all the time, Couldn't keep a rearend in them either. One cab, the door fell off in the rain, long drive back to the shop (40 miles) in winter on a muddy mainline with no door.

Mack salesman came out, said there wasn't a man alive that could break the truck.... He climbed in the truck with another fellow and before leaving the pit had twisted a drive line.

The shop took all the axles and scored them so that when we replaced an axle which was almost a daily occurrence we could put the scored end in the hub, so when it did break everything (broken parts) were easy to access.

My finest day was when I got enough seniority to be able to go back to a '64 KW with biscuits. Rode like a Cadillac compared to the DM 800

I have been around Macks for a long time.I admit that they are not the best riding truck in the world but Macks strong points,the things that Mack is noted for are the very things that you had trouble with.For instance,drivelines (driveshafts) are not where they break on a Mack.It will be something in the rearend usually and if anything breaks in the rearend it is usually the result of abuse provided that the truck is being used as it was designed to be used.I cannot imagine the frame breaking on a Mack DM-800 if the proper frame was installed when it was built.
Something does not sound right here in your post and I take exception to it,in other words BS!!Ron G
 

Dumpsterdavid

Active Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
Messages
30
Location
Raleigh,NC
I have been around Macks for a long time.I admit that they are not the best riding truck in the world but Macks strong points,the things that Mack is noted for are the very things that you had trouble with.For instance,drivelines (driveshafts) are not where they break on a Mack.It will be something in the rearend usually and if anything breaks in the rearend it is usually the result of abuse provided that the truck is being used as it was designed to be used.I cannot imagine the frame breaking on a Mack DM-800 if the proper frame was installed when it was built.
Something does not sound right here in your post and I take exception to it,in other words BS!!Ron G

I agree. Unless we've found that one in a million that can actually screw up an anvil.
 

Greg

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
1,175
Location
Wi
Occupation
Excavating Contractor
I have one RD and two RB Macks. RD is lowboy tractor, the RB's are quad axle dumps. Love the RB's the way they are but wish the RD had camelback rather than hendrickson rear suspension. They get it done for me real fine. Been around a few DM's but never owned any. Can't stand the off set cap and the screwed up mirror system with the passenger side stuck out off of the air cleaner and the driver side so close to the door. Doghouse over the engine with two cylinders in the cab is also a nightmare. Have seen lots of frame breakage problems with them because the way the frame is designed and built. Will stick with what I have
 

cat980

COPPA
Joined
Nov 13, 2009
Messages
114
Location
new jersey
Occupation
heavy equipment operator
those dm800 are the best hands down strong rugged trucks i think we got ours still out running everyday shes my pride and joy there is only 2 people that driv my truck me and my dad those are the only people we trust. truck preforms awsome we got the 2stick 6spd they called it and she aint fast but she can haul and keep going threw anything.
 

Dumpsterdavid

Active Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
Messages
30
Location
Raleigh,NC
I have one RD and two RB Macks. RD is lowboy tractor, the RB's are quad axle dumps. Love the RB's the way they are but wish the RD had camelback rather than hendrickson rear suspension. They get it done for me real fine. Been around a few DM's but never owned any. Can't stand the off set cap and the screwed up mirror system with the passenger side stuck out off of the air cleaner and the driver side so close to the door. Doghouse over the engine with two cylinders in the cab is also a nightmare. Have seen lots of frame breakage problems with them because the way the frame is designed and built. Will stick with what I have


The DM800 has a longer hood and no dog house. They also used a different frame than the DM600. It is the same frame that was later used on the RD800. Every one I've ever seen was a double or triple.
 

john1066

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
211
Location
attleboro ma
We have all macks
2 DM800's one is a 5000 gallon water truck the other has a 3000 gallon tank and a dump body with a quad box
3 Ten wheel R model's
1 rd688 tractor
1 RD688 ten Wheeler
1 rd688 Tri axle roll off
1 DM600 Boom truck
1 CV713 Granite Tractor with 58000lb rear ends Low bed Tractor
1 CTP713 Tractor

And i just bought a Mack RM with a Scania engine and Automatic transmission i will get some pictures of it once its all painted and put back together
 

Greg

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
1,175
Location
Wi
Occupation
Excavating Contractor
Well Dumpsterdavid, that would be a definite improvement with no doghouse and the other frame. The off set cab still does not appeal to me in my experience.
 
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