Larger 4X4's of modern/current manufacture...

[Gordon Maney]

For the most part we confine our discussions to 1/2 ton to 1-ton trucks. I can recall over the years seeing IH 1600-1800 trucks with front drive axles, and they were pretty neat looking trucks. Does anyone know whose axles and transfer case were used in those IH trucks? Of course there also were the W500 and 600 Dodges.

What kinds of trucks are being produced in this size category today? Does Navistar still produce trucks in that size, or have they abandoned that size entirely?

Using the language of days past, I think a 1-1/2 to 2 ton truck with about a 12 foot bed would be really handy, if it was a 4X4 (with lockouts, please), and had a good diesel, and hopefully a limited slip differential in the rear.

The F450 and 550 Fords are headed in that direction, but I am imagining something a bit taller. Those Fords seem more like a pickup on steroids, rather than a larger series truck.

And, I am talking about something smaller than the dimensions and drive train parts under, say.... the M-series 2-1/2 ton 6X6 trucks.

I almost never buy lottery tickets, but if I win, and I mean win big, then there are some thing I want to get. A truck like this would be one of them. I remember once being at the state fair and seeing a 1600 IH 4X4, it was the series made in the 60's and 70's, with the split hood. It was a brand new truck, with new bed, being displayed by a truck body company. I often wonder what happened to it. I am sure that one was a gasser, but today a diesel would be great with an OD trans, and A/C, and......................

[Russ Erickson]

When I was freshly graduated from college and without a job, I worked for a farmer/rancher cooperative hauling grain in a brand new GMC Astro 95 semi. Another nearby cooperative had a new IHC all wheel drive semi tractor that made the Astro look wimpy. The IHC was a cabover and had a massive front differential and was very impressive to see.

A few years ago, I picked up a WC-51 in Havre, Montana. A short distance from where the WC-51 was parked was a monstrous Autocar all wheel drive drilling platform. This monster had tandem front differentials so all 4 wheels up front turned to steer. The rear tandem differentials were even more massive. That's a monster truck.

Two years ago, Denise and I went to Wendover, Nevada for the weekend and spotted the swamp monster in the attached photo. It was a fair distance from the road, so the image is small. My guess is that it was used for salt harvesting along the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

[PhilS]

Gordon,

Did you see the article in the Sept/Oct'03 issue of Truck Trend on International's Big Red 4x4 Monster Pickup? Not exactly what you were looking for at 27,000 GVWR. Pretty awesome looking truck though. Comes with an International DT 466 diesel, 215hp, 540 lb-ft, Allison 5-sp, 10ft bed.
I admit to knowing nothing about trucks this huge, in the article they called this a Class 7 truck but also said it could be de-rated to a Class 5.

http://www.internationaldelivers.com/assets/severe/73004x4Pickup_1.jpg

http://www.navistarinternational.com/site_layout/news/newsdetail.asp?id=510

[Gordon Maney]

I like it....

[Jeff in N.Tx.]

That "swamp monster" is called a Rollagon. My spelling might be off a little. I have seen a lot of those in Louisiana and south Texas in the swamp lands on oil drilling projects

[Terry Newton]

I think they are Internationals with the booms.

The Pulaski Electric System is also using that type of variant. They have a wider tire all the way around in place of the duals on the rear. The front axle is driven.

I have seen many belonging to Alabama Power that also have a winch mounted on the front.

God, I love trucks. I am with you Gordon. I like 'em big. They make me drool.

In Columbia there is a Dodge flat bed with the big, round cab. I love the way it looks, but don't know anything else about this model. Saw one like it in Auburn with a short dump bed mounted. It may have been front driven as well.

Saw two of these in Lexington, KY with the letters C-U-M-M-I-N-S on the side of the hood. Whoa! They looked good.

[Russ Erickson]

NOT!!!

The attached picture is an all wheel drive tractor with the name 'PACIFIC' on it. I've never heard of this make, but it's very impressive. It's much wider than a standard over the road semi tractor and is built like the main beams on the Golden Gate Bridge. The tires are 18.00 - 25's, all ten of them! Notice the rears are all chained up. I believe this rig was being used to contruct the wind towers just outside of Evanston for a 144 megawatt wind farm on top of the First Sister. I'll check into what engine and drive train this beast has.

[Russ Erickson]

This is my Scout II with 31 X 10.50 X 15 tires next to the PACIFIC tractor for comparison. I'll take a tape measure along and get some info on width, heighest point of cab, height of tires, etc.

[Gordon Maney]

All I can say is..... WOW!

[MoparNorm]

From the Dodge family, here are class 5 trucks. (up to 19,000 gvw) FYI, my Dodge Cummins cab/chassis Ram is also a class 5 truck, I have no idea how they got away with calling it a 3500!

http://photos.imageevent.com/moparnorm/editingalbum/Freightliner%20M2.jpg
Freightliner.

http://photos.imageevent.com/moparnorm/editingalbum/ActerraSportRecreation1.jpg
Sterling.
MN

[Gordon Maney]

Did you mean here are class 5 trucks or there are class 5 trucks?

Are you saying those are Chrysler products in the photos?

I am seeing a lot more trucks of the size pictured. Not too far from me is an example of a giant pickup, it has a pickup box, made from such a truck. Several of these I see are used to pull trailers.

[MoparNorm]

Ha!Ha! I need to get more sleep.

What I should have said is this, Class 5 trucks refer to GVW's of up to 19,000 lbs. The trucks pictured are both, class 5 trucks. Freightliner is owned by ****ear/Chrysler, as is Sterling. The HD version of the Dodge Ram has been scrapped. As long as D/C owns Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star and Mercedes, you will never see a HD version of the Dodge truck, so this is as close as we get.

FYI the Mercedes Sprinter Van, sold here in the USA as the Freightliner Sprinter, will now be called a Dodge Sprinter, the ads are already out in the print media. That means bye, bye to the beloved A-B series, or as it is now called, the Ram Van.


Last bit of trivia, D/C owns diesel production made under the names, Mercedes, Mitsubishi and Detroit Diesel, it is therefore questionable if the relationship with Cummins will last much beyond the current contract. That would be a shame.

Dodge had plans for a HD truck line several years ago, in an effort to revive the Big Horn and 2-5 ton market, much like ferd did with the 450 and 550 pickup. D/C killed that program and tried to rebadge Mercs as Dodges, that plan was fought by the Chrysler side of D/C. The battle goes on.

MN

[Bruce]

Originally posted by Gordon Maney
All I can say is..... WOW!

Me Too!! double WOW! The Scout is dwarfed big time.

[chewie]

The Freightliner dealer up here also deals Unimogs. There's one on the lot right now. Come on up and take a look, I'll buy you lunch. The truck has a 33,000 GVW and is a COE (Hey Marty!)configuration. It has a 260 HP Mercedes diesel with semi auto 8 speed tranny. There's a PTO for the front, and enough hydraulic hoses out the rear to run a backhoe. The bed is a short side dump type. It's ten feet long and about six feet off the ground! Michelin XZL 395/75/20's and (of course) portal axles, front and rear. All for a slick $125,000.
It'd better have power windows, too...
Chewie

[HWooldridge]

In WW2, when a Tiger tank got stuck, it took another Tiger to extricate it. Keep that in mind when you look at the big rigs. <LOL>

[S.Swanson]

Originally posted by Russ Erickson This is my Scout II with 31 X 10.50 X 15 tires next to the PACIFIC tractor for comparison. I'll take a tape measure along and get some info on width, heighest point of cab, height of tires, etc.

Reminds me of that old garbage bag commercial -- wimpy, wimpy, wimpy - HEFTY, HEFTY, HEFTY... ;)

Steve

[Russ Erickson]

I took my tape measure along (the 25 footer) and made some measurements on the Pacific truck. The tires are 61 inches tall, but have some wear, so I'm guessing they were about 62 inches tall when new. The distance across the outsides of the rear duals is 154 inches, or 12 feet and 10 inches. Height at the top of the cab is 145 inches, or 12 feet and 1 inch. The engine appears to be a 60 series Cummins straight 6. The cab was locked and the windows very dirty, so I couldn't see how many gears the Allison tranny had. The transmission and transfer case appeared to be one unit, or very closely married.

Today, we disconnected the power source from the plant so PacifiCorp could tighten some loose terminals in their electrical tranmission equipment. They had a Freightliner all wheel drive truck with a cherry picker on it. This Freightliner had tandem duals on the rear and a huge front differential that had a center pumpkin that was about 18 inches in diameter and about 3 feet long - sorta pill shaped. It's one that I've never seen before. It also had a large Braden winch on the front bumper. Overall, a very impressive truck. I didn't get a chance to take any pictures, but I'm sure I'll see this truck again soon.

[Cheyenne Dave]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MoparNorm
[B]From the Dodge family, here are class 5 trucks. (up to 19,000 gvw) FYI, my Dodge Cummins cab/chassis Ram is also a class 5 truck, I have no idea how they got away with calling it a 3500!

I've seen a pic of your truck...Is it rated that-a-way because it was cab and chassis? My dually's GVWR is "only" 11,000#. What gives? What size tires did your truck come with?


DAB