Looking at older truck tractors to set up a rig for hauling debris, brush from land clearing, etc. Currently, conventional tractors with wet kits are bringing big bucks, even older ones. I have seen a number of older cabover tractors at very low prices. Even newer cabovers are reasonable in price it seems. I know they are harder to climb into and out of, and somewhat harder to do engine work on, due to access. However, is there any "big" disadvantage in using an older cabover for pulling an end dump trailer. I have never owned a cabover, nor an end dump trailer. Just conventional 10 wheelers. I have found a nice looking 94 Freightliner cabover near here, and am leaning toward a purchase if it checks out good. What do you think: Cabover, or not??
The shorter wheelbase might be good for getting around.I don't see anything that could be negative.
Cabovers are nice in tight spots you no exactly were your front bumper is. and once you get the cab up not bad to work on.
The bad, cramped for legroom, ride like a bull, cold in the winter. The good, light weight, look really cool when stretched out ta 240" :cool2
the climbing in and out gets old quick when you have to get out to open tail gate then back out to close it and thats just to dump. then try to find a driver for it most of the guys that liked driving them are to old to climb in them any more. how about getting a sleeper cab truck and removing the sleeper and putting a panel kit in (day cabs.com) sometimes you can get them cheaper than a day cab
Cabovers are very popular outside the US. The only issue I have with them is if your in a head-on accident, you're the first one on the scene. Seriously, if the truck checks out and fits what you need go for it. There are millions of cab overs running the roads all over the world.
they can be very classy trucks! But I have driven one a couple times and definitely prefer the conventional, but hey personal preference :beatsme
Slight change to that - They are very popular outside of North America. (We don't have very many up here in the north either!) Andrew
It's funny, in the late 70s I bet cabovers made up 50% of the trucks on the road.
Unless you're hauling big stumps or something odd like that, you shouldn't have to get out to open the gate, the ones I pulled had air trip and lift cylinders, the gate went way up out of the way. The newer end spills tend to be really light on the fifth wheel when empty so a cabover of roughly the same wheelbase as a conventional might have traction issues. Up here we would have to run the same wheelbase and maybe a drop axle ahead of the drivers to get the legal weight up for crossing bridges.