New Lowbed tractor being spec'd

[Hallback]

I'm getting ready to place an order for a new lowbed tractor. Here are what I have come up with for the specs that I want, please give feedback to see if there's anything you would change. This tractor is being designed primarily to move large yarders in the woods and then all of our swing machines on a 3 axle general 70 ton low bed trailer and a 2 axle booster.

C500 Kenworth, double frame 216wb, 22k steer, 25k dual tire drop, 52-190 double lockers rears in 4.56 on 52k Neway suspension. 445 steers, 11r24.5 drives.
X15 605/2050, 22189 trans with 2 speed auxiliary box.
Wet tank built into the headache rack, full length 5th wheel slide with scale pads, dual stainless breathers, dual cab height pipes (I will delete/tune/connect second pipe) 150 gallons of fuel, batteries under passenger seat.

 

[petepilot]

I'm getting ready to place an order for a new lowbed tractor. Here are what I have come up with for the specs that I want, please give feedback to see if there's anything you would change. This tractor is being designed primarily to move large yarders in the woods and then all of our swing machines on a 3 axle general 70 ton low bed trailer and a 2 axle booster.

C500 Kenworth, double frame 216wb, 22k steer, 25k dual tire drop, 52-190 double lockers rears in 4.56 on 52k Neway suspension. 445 steers, 11r24.5 drives.
X15 605/2050, 22189 trans with 2 speed auxiliary box.
Wet tank built into the headache rack, full length 5th wheel slide with scale pads, dual stainless breathers, dual cab height pipes (I will delete/tune/connect second pipe) 150 gallons of fuel, batteries under passenger seat.

sounds good except battery placement

 

[Hallback]

Nowhere else to put the batteries with that short of wheelbase. The DPF takes up under the passenger side step and the fuel is the driver's side step.

 

[Spud_Monkey]

Better get AGM's if going that route.

 

[LN Pipeline]

I’m curious if you’ve considered a tri drive.

 

[pushbroom]

Batts under the seat last a long time. They will be agms from the factory.
Dont get the nav system in the dash, it still is rather buggy.
I would spec an underslung dpf system and mount another fuel tank/toolbox on the passenger side. Also mount the def tank right in front of the drives so if all that stuff falls off you have a normal truck after.

 

[pushbroom]

Butterfly or tilt hood?

 

[Hallback]

Steel fendered 500, yes butterfly hood.
I have the navigation in the dash of my 990 and HATE it!
Tri drives don't give the bridge distance we need here and it makes the WB too long.

 

[Truck Shop]

One item see if KW will change-the frame. Single rail 1/2" wall grade 100 steel. No bolts on crossmembers or suspension-huck bolted only. Shoes-no disc brakes and grease-able drive shafts.
Manual clutch linkage, no hydraulic. And last make sure the power steering pump is big enough that's an area that's scrimped on.

 

[Hallback]

I have been waiting to hear back from engineering if they will do a 13 inch tall 1/2 inch thick rail. I'm not a fan of the double rail either. I tried to originally get a 9/16 rail but they said no. I really like the disc brakes on the 990, are they not good?

 

[Truck Shop]

As far as disc brakes from the stand point of serviceability and cost down the road they are expensive and labor intensive. The rotors are inboard so to change a wheel seal-2 hrs compared to 3/4 hr with drum.
A set of Wabco pads average 165.55 per axle Rotors are 200.00 caliper 500.00 air can 175.00-----With labor to change out rotors, pads and wheel seal is 2,000.00 Disc brakes don't like mud. Our average mileage
on disc through out the fleet is only 210,000, we use to average 300,000. That's on 65 trucks plus Wabco
has already had a rotor design change.

4 drums 70.00 each 280.00, 8 4707 shoes 19.19 ea 153.52 4 hardware kits 5.44 ea 21.76. and 1 hr real labor time to change all four corners.

All of our OTR tractors have 7/16 rail and that's the only good thing about the Freightliners the company owns. The frame and cross members are about the only thing that hasn't broke.

 

[Truck Shop]

 

[Junkyard]

I didn’t see the big air compressor on there, if I remember correctly they have one that is essentially double the standard, something like 36 cfm. Get the option that unlocks the rears when you flip the trans to the high side so you don’t accidentally cook a set of third members. I don’t know if that high capacity 18 speed comes with a filter, I added that as an option on my trucks. I also liked the air assist clutch on a KW. I’d be happy to take a look at the specs if you want to email them. I’d also entertain an offer to drive it once it’s built

 

[Truck Shop]

I already put in for driver JY. The air assist clutch in cold weather I don't know.

 

[Junkyard]

I already put in for driver JY. The air assist clutch in cold weather I don't know.

I’ll be the backup then lol. I never had any issues with the air assist. Worst case it doesn’t act right, you plug off the hose and go on like normal.

 

[Truck Shop]

No I'll just ride on the right and nag like an old ******. The only reason I say air assist is a hauler here has it on a 2016 and last winter it froze up -and he was servicing the dryer.

 

[Hallback]

The 990 has an air assist clutch and it is pretty damn nice as it is hydraulic with air assist. It has not given me any problems but of course that truck only has 12 thousand miles. Lol

 

[Hallback]

The only time I use the lockers is to take off on a hill. As soon as I'm going I flip them out so when I make my first shift they come clean

 

[petepilot]

fwiw I still don`t like the idea of batteries sitting on top of the furnace

 

[pushbroom]

We run air assist clutches up into -50 here. They work fine, just gotta service the air drier every fall.
2 speed fan? If its primarily hot weather get the 2 speed. If its mostly cold get the single on/off fan.