Hello, I am starting my business and it will go one of two directions due to small coastal town demand; Either driven more toward heavy residential civil construction / minimal commercial (including excavation, septic, retaining walls, seawalls, driveway entrances, etc.) or more driven toward metal fabrication (with limited installation of entrance gates, stairs, railings, fencing, etc.). I currently have a 2024 Cat 305 excavator (12,500#) and a Maxx-D 20 ft gooseneck dump trailer (8,800#) that would be utilized for civil construction. As it sits currently, I am nearly at 23,000# (without attachments/materials) or 30,000# GCWR with 2016 Ram 3500 DRW. The trailer has a GVWR of 24,000#. Before this gets too long winded and I am happy to add any info. necessary, but basically looking to purchase a medium duty truck that would handle either business scenario. I currently have a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW and a 2005 GMC 3500 SRW; both of which are underrated with a loaded trailer. I have had several F450s on order for quite awhile; however, these too seem to be underrated for the weight I am likely to be hauling. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I have been researching Internationals; started with looking at older CXTs (I know they are unpractical in plenty of ways, but are fairly well priced for potential capability and outfitted with a custom gooseneck flatbed might work as a hauler) and CVs. Also newer HVs, although a bit pricy. I am looking for 4 wheel drive. I guess if the overwhelming recommendations are geared toward hauling equipment with a dump truck, I suppose I would not be opposed either. I have a long history of hauling gooseneck livestock and equipment trailers, so it was probably comfortable to me, as well as confusion when ordering the current dump trailer leading to a much more heavy trailer than originally anticipated. thanks.
I have been considering getting a 5500 CC 4X4 Chevy. I had a new 05' 5500 CC 4X4 years ago. So I have been down this road before. The medium duties can carry a lot more than a DRW 3500. They don't tow a lot more. I can' t speak specifically to Ford or Ram but the Chevy/IH medium duties, this is the case. The power is reduced in these trucks verse a 3500. My situation is I tow a lot, but I don't carry a lot. The trucks are much better now, the 05 I had was miserably to drive if you didn't have a bunch of weight or a heavy trailer behind it. The new ones are much better, much more comfortable to drive. Price wise, I think it is pretty compelling. I can get a LT 5500 CC 4X4 for around 80K. The medium duties (and larger) are just capable of a more grueling duty cycle. Less power, more heavy duty which and they in theory at least, last longer working them hard than a 3500. I just wish they could tow substantially more, but they don't.
Thanks KSSS, I appreciate the feedback! Limited towing capability is what I'm running up against as well, without going with a dedicated tractor or perhaps dump truck.
If it was my money, I'd be buying a tandem dump truck and a air brake pintle hitch trailer. If you are going the one man, dirt working route. I would think the ability to haul dirt and gravel either to or away from the site, would give you a lot more options. You aren't tied into hired trucks. I have a 13,000lbs forklift that we originally hauled on a tandem duel gooseneck, behind a 3500, and we don't do that anymore. I didn't mind driving it myself, but I didn't want my guys driving it. I'd rather have a little too much truck, as not enough. And as they say - a 4x4 just means you get stuck further away from the road.
Forget the 4x4 medium duties (class 6-7), way too many compromises to be made with those. The transmission, axle and gearing choices are greatly limited and they are really heavy and really expensive. They are only marginally better off road than their 2wd counterparts. Cross the 450/550 size trucks off the list, they are just overbuilt pickups and among the most expensive vehicles to operate on a cost per mile basis. If traction is an issue, I'd agree on the tandem. Set it up with walking rears, floats on the front, full lockers and good tires and it will go places the 4x4 medium duty can't. Get a truck with air brakes regardless if you get a class 6, 7, or 8. You'll have to choose if you want a single axle or tandem, but regardless I'd set it up with a 14' flatbed dump or a 14' contractor dump (with fold down sides), underbody tool boxes on each side and a pintle hitch. That would make for a very versatile rig for any general construction and small excavation contractor. Sell the dump trailer and buy a 25' pintle hitch equipment trailer with a weight capacity sized to your equipment. I personally run a IH 4700 setup as I described (although it's just a 14' flat bed, not dump) and a Ford LT9000 tandem dump along with an 11-ton pintle hitch trailer. If I could have only one truck it would be a tandem with either a flatbed dump or contractor dump bed, although that's a pretty rare setup.