Gravel truck owners or operators?

[Merc63]

Peterbilt 348. Flat bumper, I was wondering why some have different bumpers. 190inch wheel base.

 

[Merc63]

Better side view.

 

[Stompin Tom]

not real familiar with the 348, but it isnt a true SBA, more of a hybrid with a short hood for manuverability, I suspect you have a fairly big dog house in the cab, the motor appears to be fairly far back. The real factor with weight is the wheelbase, if you look at the center of your box it is nearly above your 1st drive axle, therefor there wont be to much forward weight transfer. If it was my truck I would run 385/65R22.5 steering because I like the floatation in the softer ground as well as the smoother ride in the summer. But if you are going to use it allot in the winter an 11R24.5 or 11R22.5 will give you much better poor weather traction.

I am not sure where you are know for tires, but one consideration is running 2 sets of tires. You can get a very good Michelin XZE2 11R24.5 for around 600.00, another 300 for a Accuride machine finish wheel and have a spare set of steering tires for winter which will last you probably 4 to 5 years if you only use them in the winter. Keep your boots for summer use. Around 1800 and your good for a long time. If your really worried about steering traction and go this route you can sipe them as well and be astounded by the traction.

I am a firm believer in Michelin steering tires, they cost more, sometimes allot more, but in my experience they make by far the best steering tire and its money well spent.

 

[Stompin Tom]

just read back through the thread, and yeah, if your only able to get 5500kg on the steering your 425's will be horrible in the winter, great in the summer. If your current boots have miles left in them I would go with the 2 sets of tires and be application specific, 11R24.5 or 11R22.5's would be a huge improvement in the winter. What ever you do, dont cheap out on the quality of tire you install on the steering, in my opinion that is the most important place to spend the money.

I am curious what you get for weight on your steering when your empty as compared to full? I suspect that is a very light truck and when your empty you are in the 4200kg range?

 

[Merc63]

Thanks for your advice, appreciate it!

Nothing in the cab for the engine, maybe slightly in the middle on the floor, but the dash is flat. Its only a 8.9litre cummins with 6 speed allison. So it looks like the shorter wheel base hurts the front axle weight as the drive axles are close to the center of the box and take most of the weight..? If the drives were back behind the center of the box more, weight would transfer to the front better?

 

[Stompin Tom]

Thanks for your advice, appreciate it!

Nothing in the cab for the engine, maybe slightly in the middle on the floor, but the dash is flat. Its only a 8.9litre cummins with 6 speed allison. So it looks like the shorter wheel base hurts the front axle weight as the drive axles are close to the center of the box and take most of the weight..? If the drives were back behind the center of the box more, weight would transfer to the front better?

yes, the farther back the drive tires are compared to the center of the box, the more weight transfer you get. But your truck should also be very light on the front end. My tridrive is 6300kg empty and 8300kg loaded, for a 2000kg extra pay load on a 60,000 kg total load. Your probably just above 4000kg empty and 55 loaded for a 1500kg transfer of weight on a total load of 22500kg. Your actual transfer percentage wise is much more than mine.

 

[Stompin Tom]

by cummins spec my ISX weighs 1344 kg dry and your engine ISL weighs 769kg dry. Almost 600 kgs just on the engine, not counting heavier tranny, rad and all other parts.

 

[Stompin Tom]

oh, and if you deceide to buy a set of wheels for 11R24.5's, dont buy them from your local tire deal, go to Peterbilt, you can usually get aluminum wheels for about 25% cheaper.

 

[Merc63]

Unloaded I am 4100kg on the front. I told the loader to load to the front of box other day and got 6000kg. So maybe we should have compared the difference between loaded and unloaded first, I'm less right off the bat. So about 1500 to 2000kg on the front is the Weight transfer I can get, sound better now? Yes I have the ISL it's a light engine

 

[Merc63]

The reason I was asking all this because some other guys I spoke to are loading their trucks, gvwr minus tare, 14 ton. But if you weigh the drives with 14 ton (at least I am) over the 17k kg limit on the drives.

 

[ippielb]

If you take any advice from iceroad truckers tv show your not a real trucker. They are idiots and dont have a clue.

I meant it as to reference the tires. There's nothing about that show that is real.

Just get the tires that will last the longest.


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[Cyle]

The reason I was asking all this because some other guys I spoke to are loading their trucks, gvwr minus tare, 14 ton. But if you weigh the drives with 14 ton (at least I am) over the 17k kg limit on the drives.

It does happen a lot, I think it's partly because people loading assume it's going to get too heavy on the front end, and most of the heaping ends up on the back. But in reality filling the entire box evenly you should see roughly the right amount of weight on all axles. Not a lot you can do about it. Though i'm confused why on the lighter trucks they are putting boots. Have 11 22.5's on the truck and it's just fine never overloaded the front yet. Got the same thing on my tractor weighed it the other day, 17,300 on the drives and 5300 on the steer.

 

[Merc63]

I think they spec the heavy front end and tires because you get two steering boxes, makes it easier in tight areas that dump trucks frequent. Also a stronger front end to take the off road use these trucks see more often. The big tires are good in the soft ground, they dont sink, but they dont have great traction either.

Another plus side is road bans, weight on the front wont go over.

 

[Stompin Tom]

I think they spec the heavy front end and tires because you get two steering boxes, makes it easier in tight areas that dump trucks frequent. Also a stronger front end to take the off road use these trucks see more often. The big tires are good in the soft ground, they dont sink, but they dont have great traction either.

Another plus side is road bans, weight on the front wont go over.

steering axles are not affected by road bans, they are exempt, otherwise you couldnt drive your truck empty down a banned road.

 

[Stompin Tom]

I meant it as to reference the tires. There's nothing about that show that is real.

Just get the tires that will last the longest.


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From somebody who as been a trucker a long time I can tell you that is very poor advice. You buy the tires that do the best for your application. Mileage is only one small factor. If your a strait highway tractor that never see's winter conditions, sure get a high mileage tire. But traction, road conditions, type of load, if your pulling decks or vans or trains, hills are all factors that should be considered when purchasing tires. You might save a few dollars buying a mileage tire, but it can end up costing you a vast amount of money if you dont choose wisely. Penny wise dollar foolish.

 

[Cummins610]

Thanks for all the information Stompin Tom, will be buying a set of Michelin XDN2's this week, truck is a single axle and it's crazy how little traction it has with the China rubber.


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[Cummins610]

Thanks for your advice, appreciate it!

Nothing in the cab for the engine, maybe slightly in the middle on the floor, but the dash is flat. Its only a 8.9litre cummins with 6 speed allison. So it looks like the shorter wheel base hurts the front axle weight as the drive axles are close to the center of the box and take most of the weight..? If the drives were back behind the center of the box more, weight would transfer to the front better?

Do you find the 8.9L is always on the verge of overheating during hot summer days? My 8.3 always has the engine fan on when working hard, blew out the rads and changed t stat and was no difference until the cooler temps now..


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[Stompin Tom]

It does happen a lot, I think it's partly because people loading assume it's going to get too heavy on the front end, and most of the heaping ends up on the back. But in reality filling the entire box evenly you should see roughly the right amount of weight on all axles. Not a lot you can do about it. Though i'm confused why on the lighter trucks they are putting boots. Have 11 22.5's on the truck and it's just fine never overloaded the front yet. Got the same thing on my tractor weighed it the other day, 17,300 on the drives and 5300 on the steer.

I know in this region if you run a gravel truck and dont have boots you are at the back of the list when contractors are hiring. In BC if you have a 20,000 front end and 445 boots on you can carry 9100 kg's on the front. Almost everyone around here will run a 232 wheelbase, set back front axle and a daycab and can easily get their 9100 kg up front. If you dont, your the last guy working and the first laid off.

 

[Stompin Tom]

Thanks for all the information Stompin Tom, will be buying a set of Michelin XDN2's this week, truck is a single axle and it's crazy how little traction it has with the China rubber.


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Thats a good choice, an expensive tire and when you first look at it you wonder how the heck it gets traction but with its deep siping it works really well and gets good mileage for a winter tire.

 

[Merc63]

Do you find the 8.9L is always on the verge of overheating during hot summer days? My 8.3 always has the engine fan on when working hard, blew out the rads and changed t stat and was no difference until the cooler temps now..


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Never a problem with over heating and the fan is never on. There is about 10 different tunes for this engine, could have something to do with it. Have you checked your rad, my dads duramax was stuffed full of debris, he had to put a new one in. Im running 180-190F water temp.