Will a Mack Granite 713 with the 375hp motor and 10 speed be enough Hp to pull a good load of dirt/gravel or my 941b or 953c loaders and trailer? From what I have read the camelback suspension is the way to go How important is an engine brake Thanks for any advice
We pull my 953C with a 3116 and 5 speed Allison ('97 C7500 & 40DLA trailer). It does it very well. So does my Mack R model with a 300 7spd in a tandem.
I bet it would do fine. I gross 45k with my 195hp single axle with a 6 spd.
Mack granite was built to pull 65k on her back and walk up hill, so yeah, you'll be fine. Yes camelbacks are the superior off road suspension imho, but come with a cost. The ride sucks. Cab air suspension helps take the edge off. As long as you're not crawling near vertical up the mountain, you'll wonder how you ever doubted her. Jake's and dynatards or brake savers are worth their weight . Practice on flat land and mild grades before hill climbing. Others with many more miles than me will tell you.
I wouldn't consider a truck in construction work without an engine brake, it an added measure of safety if nothing else.
And then, there's the residential crybabies.
The camelback is an outstanding offroad/construction suspension in my experience and as stated the air ride cab probably helps. I don't even find it that rough, having had older IH trucks in the past may have altered my view on that. I have the 465 hp engine in my 613, so I cant speak to the smaller engines, but I can pull my 160 up and down any pass in this area without issue. Love my Mack.
Truck specs are so regional we are pretty flat here overall and pull 80k+ all day with 350 macks same with the jakes I can take them or leave em we dont have any hills big enough to over heat the brakes it all depends on were you are pulling same driver will kill the brakes with or with out