I am looking at new trucks to pull a 38 foot ranco end dump. I have narrowed it down to the t800 or the mack ch 613. Alot of people here in utah run the macks and swear they are the most durable for construction work. The mack is also abot $15k cheaper and has the same warranty. Is there any reason I should'nt get the mack? Thanks
A lot of the old school guys still swear by Macks, but I have talked to several guys that really like there Volvos.
All depends what are you looking at new or used ? The T-800 Kenworth is the workhorse of the vocational industry they pretty well set the standard in B.C. Canada. If you have severe service jobs Kenworth is the first choice. For a end dump doing local work a T-800 with N-14 Cummins or 3406 Cat power or C-15 Cat power or ISX Cummins power hp ratings no less than 450hp a 18spd behind it. 14,600 Front axle 46,000lb rear axles double locks on either Kenworth 8 bag suspension or Hendrickson Rubber Block. A lowbed tractor would be the best spec'ed truck for vocational work. My second choice would be a Western Star 4900SX sort of looks like a T-800. Mack used to be good the newer trucks not so much ask Jeff about his Mack Vision :laugh
This is my belief also. I've a CX-613, and I'm unhappy with it's quality. An example, tonight after I do my run I've to drop my truck off to have the another radiator tank replaced. They are made of plastic and crack after about a year. This tank I'll have replaced twice already. They know it's a problem, have done a redesign of it now, but it's still not covered under warrenty. Personally I would lean towards that T800. I've heard alot of good from Kenworth owners. Their intial purchase price might be higher, but their fit, finish, and overall quality have a reputation for being good. Good luck deciding.
Go with the T-800. I know a bunch of guys who have the new Macks and they say thay just aren't made as good as to used to be and they have had several problems with their trucks. Like Ford LT-9000 said also take a look at Western Star.
t800, prolly could get away with a C13 though at 470 hp, unless you plan on lowbed work as well.
T800 for sure, they own the roads out here. I'd say 75% of the trucks out here are Kenworth T800's, 15% are Pete's, and the rest are a jumble of other brands. As for engine choices, you could get a Cat C13, but I hear the new Cummins ISX/ISM are good engines. That's all personal preference though.
I found a really nice specd t800 with a 170 wheelbase, Is that too short of a wheelbase. Also what about a w900? I hear they run alot cooler in the hot temperature due to the larger radiator.
W900's are real nice trucks. They were the highest resale value truck around (even higher than Pete's 379), don't know if they still are. The only drawback I can think of is fuel mileage. The big hood, air cleaners, stacks, etc. cut down on aerodynamics. They're easier to get to the engine on though.
A T-800 with a wheelbase that short might be a little tough with a end dump you are going to need enough frame rail to hang a decent sized juice tank to run the hydraulics. As for the T-800s not running cool enough they come in the high hood model with the larger radiator but you would have to be really running in hot conditions. The standard T-800s here are grossing 140,000lbs and up to 150,000lbs illegally. The problem you will have with the W-900 is manueverability. Most W-900s are set up for highway unless you order a new 900 as a vocational truck.
Jeff, I think we need to sign you up for that "Trick My Truck" thing on CMT. Joe
Joe, I wouldn't want them to waste their money on this truck. If I had another truck perhaps. When I fianlly do get rid of it I'll have to have someones else sell it for me. Otherwise when the prospective customer ask's how I've liked it I won't have to worry about getting some weird eye tick when I say "Oh, it's a fine truck!":bouncegri
I don't know but Mack never could produce a highway tractor they were good at building vocational trucks but long haul trucks always been a flop. Macks traits were very bare bones basic cab, small displacment low power engine,lots of gearing,heavy suspension and axles. The cabs on old Macks were pretty well a milk crate for a seat and a steering wheel. A good budget wise truck if you are buying new would be a 9500 Sterling a basic truck with heavy driveline under it. Its not no T-800 but the Sterling will do the job the cab might deteriorate a little quicker. I would probably avoid the 450hp Mercedes been hearing mixed reviews it does get good fuel mileage thou.
The new mack interiors are preety nice, and spec for spec the mack ch 613 is about $18k less than the t800. I like the t800 but is it worth $18k more than the mack? They both have the same warrenty. Thanks
Are we talking brandnew trucks ? It all depends on how the trucks are spec'ed if you spec'ed two heavy haul trucks both of them had 475hp 18spd 14,000lb front 46,000 rears double locks Day cabs Wet Line Kits 24.5 Aluminum wheels Air ride Then compare the two for price but I looked up Mack's website and the model truck you want is a CL series that would compare to a severe service T-800. This is similar to what you would want www.internationalmachinery.com/MoreTruckPictures.asp?ImageFor=1126
On a side note for Jeff D, My dad, brother and i were at the truck dealer this morning looking for another truck when my dad spotted a mack like yours, he starts heading that way when i started laughing, figure i dont have to drive it so i just went the other way!
:bouncegri Yup, run, RUN away!! To be fair though, Mack does have some good points. I'm impressed with their cabs. They're solid, the paint job is good, they're warm in the winter, the doors close well, and the interior is alright. Mine rides fairly decent, with a 239" wheelbase. The cab air ride does a good job. The dash electrical is BAD. Guage quit working all the time, and my engine just dies and fires right back up whenever it feels like. Many CX's do this and Mack can't fix it.:beatsme Also the CH's had a better reputation than my CX. I didn't realize they still made them, but I would've taken a CH over a CX. It's their electrical, engines (E-tech's for sure)and cooling systems that are the troublesome parts. They also have a used trade in price at or lower than Freightliner(which is low) so that should be considered when purchasing new too. Is it worth the extra $18k for a Kenworth??:beatsme LT, I'm suprised by that t-800 you posted. It looks like a W900, with the big hood and cleaners. I'd never seen a t-800 like that. I assumed they all had the slanted hood. I learned something new.
Yeah I am talking brand new trucks.I got a price from my kenworth and mack dealer for the same specd truck,and the t800 was $18k more.
The link of the KW I posted are T-800 High Hoods you find them to be common around here. They have a larger rad usually they have a 475 plus horsepower Cat or Cummins. They do look like a W-900 with a set back axle you have to take a second look. Around here with them being so common they are easy to spot that dealer that has that one truck has few of them forsale. I'am surprised Mack is 18,000 dollars cheaper than KW I guess its market demand. Out here Kenworth sells allot of trucks, Mack sells allot of Granites for dumps and redimix trucks.
I have a 01 Vision broke the neck on the top tank of the radiator, found a company that makes a all metal radiator for the vision, I'd like to kick the mans *** at mack who though plastic radiators was a great idea I haven't had the electrical problems and really like the truck use it on lowboy and hoppers
I have some old iron Mack trucks and I have been lucky i guess. They never crap out on me. The newest being a '96 CH613. I always end up buying used trucks from people i know , so I will know if the truck was a lemon or not.
Jeff D I'm with ya. My Vision has had the coolant tank replaced twice. They are made so cheap it is not funney. Now yesterday was my first day back to work in 3 months and the truck was spraying antifreeze everywhere. It was leaking from the water conditioner where it hooks up by the thermostat . My truck is a CX 613 with a 460 and 13 speed. The cab is nice, it is warm during the winter but could be cooler in the summer. With all the dust I run in don’t help. THe paint job is nice and the cab is solid. It use to ride like a a Cadillac but when I put the recaps on all they had were Good Year. Man what a difference in the ride with the Good Year compared to the Michelins I took off. I would had, had them caped but they were shot. They were on there 3rd capping.
Earlier this month I had my plastic/aluminum radiator replaced with an all metal radiator. $1800 installed.:crying I was loosing about 1/2 gallon per night, from it's cold water leaks(but it wouldn't leak when warmed up) The plastic recovery and overflow tanks are truly a joke too. There is an air filter for the ventilation system in behind the heater control box/cupholder that clogs up fast. That'll reduce how free the air flows through the ventilation system by alot. Makes a big difference in the AC too.:yup Truckie, have you had any of the electrical gremlins? Gauges just bottom out, and come back, engine stumble/quit, and fire right back up. (code 97 IIRC)
Your Mack Vision would not do well in a vocational roll,because it is not a voc truck.It is made for longhaul.For a end-dump tractor,look at the RD-mack
This is one of the first Tridrive Mack Truck tractors this one was sold to a company up the coast from me. A tridrive truck will go anywhere.
I'll agree with that and add it doesn't do well as a road truck either IMO.:beatsme But Mack feels they are suited for dump trailer application in the daycab configuration. From Mack's site: I only brought up my CX "Vision" as an example of their quality. They use many of the same parts throughout their lines.(engines, drivetrain) Mxsledder mentioned "New" trucks. I don't believe they're making the RD's anymore.
Truckie, What's with the sleeper? I figured for your application all of your trucks would be day-cabs. Maybe Jeff snuck down here to Western PA and hooked to one of your trailers? Good to here you're back on the job. Joe
Jeff yes I do have the electrical gremlins . Cranken down the road and all of a sudden ALL the gauges bottom out like the truck was shut off and then the come back to life again reading like they should. I have also had the fan kick on for a split second and almost kill the engine and then the fan will stay off, but it will create a electrical malfunction . I cant remember the code off hand. Sorry. I also have had the engine cut off and start back up. Talked to the dealer about it and they don’t know.:beatsme Last year I was having a problem when the truck was cold it would set injector code and cut the power by half. I had 2 injectors replaced and 2 EPU's replaced, along with the waste gate. The dealer also took out the limp program for me. No matter what happens the truck will run with what ever power it can make, it wont cut the power at all. Electra glide we do have 2 day cabs, but I liked the Vision with the sleeper :bouncegri and at the time we were looking for a truck that was all that was available, I love it. The sleeper dos get used quite a bit. I like to get to the other scrap yards and mills early. I have no problem with this road tractor in a vocational application . It performs extremely well for what I do with it. In the picture I posted I had just gotten the truck 2 days before the picture was taken. Yes I'm back on the job, but I don’t know how long. Jeff may shoot me if I say this. I have to go to the dark side for about 2 months while my foot finishes healing. I am having a hard time with jumping in and out of the truck 70 sometimes a day and walking on all the uneven gorund. It is hurting my foot pretty bad. So I talked to the boss and the owner of the company and they are going to let me run one of the Link Belts for a while. I was supposed to go to the doctors in 8 weeks to get the foot rechecked but I may have to go sooner. I hope I did not mess anything up. :Banghead I did what the doctor wanted me to do and that was go back to work, he said it was healed enough to go back to work. I explained the situation to him and he said try it. :spaz I am trying all the options I have before I have to go back on workmen's comp. I hope being in the machine for the next 2 months will let it finishes healing. If not the only other alternative is to go back on comp and sit in front of the computer and stay off the foot until it fully heals. You know how you have to play the games with the doctors.
what year is your vision, so far I havent had any electrical problems with my vision its a 2001
It is a 2003.
does it have the egr, and fancy turbo and are these problems isolated to the 460's
No, it is the old school turbo, it just has the waste gate on it.
Mine is a 2003 also. I've a friend who had a 2000, and another who has a 2003 like mine, and both of their's do/did it too, albeit only occasionally.:beatsme
have you thought about a pete? class pays
Here's my .02 Kenworth. Old Macks were the workhorses off road and on vocational work but the new trucks don't seem to be of the same caliber.
Been reading alot of troubles from the new macks. mostly electrical system problems that cause all sorts of engine troubles. Never read anything bad about any Kenworth. Guess they are still hanging in there doing there own thing. They have really gained alot of ground in the vocational market lately.