Log Truck

So......Boston, I am anxious to hear what you have come up with for that log truck. What kind of specs for the truck and box are you going with as well as which loader have you found that you think will do best for you overall?
 
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So......Boston, I am anxious to hear what you have come up with for that log truck. What kind of specs for the truck and box are you going with as well as which loader have you found that you think will do best for you overall?

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As I said in the first page of the thread, we are still in the research stages. we are leaning heavily so far towards Prentice. Great reliability, dealer, and parts are readily available. It is also a bullet proof loader that picks lots of weight, and is easy for anyone to jump on and learn.

As for the truck, it will be either International or Mack.....so far. I would like to see another Paystar. Decent turning radius, LOADS of power, and high GVW. the new workstars are nice too, but you leave 20Klbs in GVW on the table by saving a few dollars. With a log truck, you dont want to leave GVW behind, IMO.
 
The GVW rating of the truck is limited by the axle. Bridge law says only 20klbs per axle and defines an axles as anything with wheel centers under 40". States existing laws can be grandfathered in (Michigan for example allows 164klbs GVW on 11 axles).

Even still, a standard tandem is typically only good for 34klbs under bridge law. From 40" to 96" spread is good for 34klbs. Going to 96.1" makes it go up to 38klbs. It takes 3 axles over 97" to get 42klbs. To meet bridge law and get 40k on a 2 axle group, the axles have to be 10' apart.

One exception is that 2 sets of tandems can carry 68klbs provided the front and rear axle are spread 36' or more.

Soooo, all that to say I don't know for sure what Mass's rules are, but I think they follow bridge law as they have a GVW of 80klbs max. To meet bridge law, 3 axles won't be carrying 80klbs. For 4 axles to carry 80klbs, they need to be spread over 57' (too long for a straight vehicle).

Soo, for example take a Chevy T8500 tandem, add a steering pusher, and you're good for 76klbs, excluding bridge law. It's hard to get a legal 80klbs on a straight truck.

Page 127
http://www.gmfleet.com/pdf/2009_car_and_truck_guide.pdf#Chevy_T-Series_T8500+Tandem

I'm out of time, but other mfg's make other class 8 cab overs. A behind the cab knuckleboom normally has to be set back to get a full chart so that rarely makes sense. On a rear mount, I'd go cab over for sure.
 
Lots of good points! I will bring it up with the powers that be. One concern I see, at a glance, is the POSSIBLE need for push/tag axles. Another concern is ground clearance on the front......again this is just at a glance of Chevy and Internationals cab over units.
 
What's wrong with a pusher axle? I call a pusher an axle that you can lift when it's not needed.


What clearance up front are you referring to? Ground clearance?
 
If you want a cab over, there are a couple Freightliner Condors sitting at the dealer here, a few years old but still never been used yet. A single front axle and tandem rears. There are also a couple tandem front axle and tandem rear trucks there also. Freightliner makes a good truck. Your Mack dealer wil probably also have some cabovers to choose from if you want to go that route. One thing with cabover configuration is that it is easier to overload the front axle, or to at least put plenty of weight on it. Remember, the heavier the truck is when empty, the less payload it can carry. If you want the higher licensed weight like Lumberjack was saying, you would have to add a pusher or tag axle, depending on the original wheelbase. The weight laws can be pretty confusing until you get a good understanding. Just because the salesman tells you you are legal for 58,000 pounds does not mean that you are. Like Lumberjack said, (in Minnesota), per axle, you are limited to 20K on Ten ton routes (say "state highways") and 18K on Nine ton roads (most county roads) and a tandem with eight feet or less of spread can only carry 34,000 pounds. Once you are at your limit with the three axles, you can only gain legal load carrying by adding axles. There are plenty of excellent manufacturers out there. I would recommend Silent Drive or Link. The 13K axle is a pretty common one to use as either a pusher or tag application.
Hope this doesn't make things more confusing for you. Keep the comments and questions coming.
 
Don't mean to intrude on your thread again BB, but I'm also curious, what do you all prefer as the bed for your log truck. A trash type body (enclosed bed with open top) where you can stuff brush and logs, or just a log stake body.
 
Anyone have one of these log loader trucks? These look like they would be awesome.

JMac Trucks

This loader could load both the truck and a trailer. And it can dump. More versatile than other loaders. I'd love to have one of these...
smirk.gif
 
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