New tow rig, forget the 1 ton

26Red

Member
Thinking about setting up a tractor hauler like this:

3n73p83lb5Y05O45Z6b9ia63ad739955d16e9.jpg


But my wallet says I should use an old grain truck like this:

3n93k33p25O25Z65T5b9f55a52e3fbadc1758.jpg


I would like to haul 3 Farmall tractors H, MD & W4. (18k lbs)

What vintage of truck could I use? Any of you guys have a similar setup?
 
That first one looks like a 4700 or 4900, they replaced the 1700 and 1900, I think in the early 90s, and you can probably find one in decent shape cheap. Most likely will have a DT466 and a Spicer 5+2 in it. Hard to kill them. A DT466 with an Allison auto is a nice combination.

Something like a Freightliner FL70 or FL120 would be a good choice, too. Or a factory or factory converted Century class daycab, but the converted one will probably be a long wheelbase tandem. The factory conversion has a very spacious cab.

GM used to make a good medium and heavy-duty truck, I don't know how the quality was on the later ones though.

Basically look for one that hasn't rusted away.

Pulling a gooseneck with a semi is nice. They are slower when you have to make a lot of turns, but you hit the brakes, and you STOP!
 
its a good and safe way to haul, enough truck for the job, but its to your advantage to stick with a new enough rig to get one with a diesel engine, more power and better fuel economy than a gasser those old 2 to 5 ton gassers i used to drive did good to get 4 to 6 mpg on the road and were about wound up tight at 55mph
 
i had a ih like the first one, had a special made bed by a g.e. engineer, wish i had it now,,had a 466dt auto, carpet, air ride seats/brakes, a/c,,,fifth set up...
 
I would look for a clean, possibly restored GMC or IH duece and a half from the WW2 era for cool factor, and put a 12 valve cummins in it. For cheap, I would find an old Kenworth or Pete with anything but a detroit (prefer cummins 400 or 3406A) and a 13 or 15 speed. Can be had for dirt cheap most areas, and much more comfortable on the highway, and can be made a single axle real easy if wanted. As for my tractor hauler, my dad and I go farther than most (bought most of our equip. in Washinton state, hauled it to Alaska) so we went a little classier.
3153.jpg
3154.jpg

We shopped around and spent about half as much as a good friend spent on a heavy-duty gooseneck and dually duramax, and get better mileage per pound than a lot of medium dutys, per pound hauled at least.
 
The old Detroits were good motors, you just had to have them wound tight to get anywhere, and needed a 13 speed minimum, to keep it up in the powerband.

The 60 series pre-emmissions engines are good motors, too. They get a bad rap, but they'll run a million miles, hold up to the rookies running them in the big fleets, and with both set at 470 horse, will pull as well with a 10 speed as a 3406E Cat will with a 13.
Personally, I'd get a 4900 IHC with the 466 and Allison auto, with air ride (and a suspension dump valve), and short wheelbase. A longer wheelbase will ride better, but you give up a lot of maneuverability for it. And the suspension dump makes hooking up a gooseneck a lot easier. Less cranking.
 

The biggest reason I would stay away from the old detroits is noise....they are the best thing out there for converting fuel into noise :) As for the 60 series, our Western Star has a 500 horse 60 series in it at 900,000 miles and runs great and gets around 7MPG, I`m fond of it. I spent quite a few miles with a 475HP 3406E, and my seat-of-the-pants dyno always leaned towards the cat making a hair more power, definately a bit lower RPM power band, but I can get a speeding ticket with either one, so it don`t add up to much.

I have to say for a tractor hauler the versatility of a fullsize tandem axle truck is nice, mine has helped pay for itself helping other folks out with loads a single axle would struggle with, but generally the single axle is cheaper to register and insure. Either way beats apickup hands down.
 
I have to agree there. Though for pulling a gooseneck, you lose so much maneuverability with a tandem, with the extra wheelbase. You have to put the hitch way out back, and it's a long way to the back of the trailer from the seat, compared to a pick-up.
 
How about this one? It is a 1989 International S1900. I bought it4 years ago with only 135000 mile. It now only has 137800 on it . The engine had been majored 5000 mile before I bought. It came with 3 different hitch set ups. No plate. 2 wireing plugs.
It has a DT 466 with 6 speed. I have hauled 2 tractors (Oliver 1600 & JD 530 WF and a 3 bottom mounted plow) with no lack of power. I bought it for less than what a good used Heavy Duty PU will cost you. The plates are $288 a year and I only put Insurance on for the 6 months I use it. It cost me around 1.70 mile to operate and I average around 10MPG on fuel.
 
The only thing I'm worried about is the long haul comfort. I like to pickup project tractors myself, and they are usually 800-1500 miles away. I usually see 2-3 tractors I could pickup cheap, but there is not enough room on the trailer. Some of the day cab trucks don't look too comfortable for the long haul. Which models would be the most comfortable & quiet to drive (if there is such a thing)
 
Older S model Internationals are available very reasonable. You can pick up one with a 466 and six speed or allison for $5-7K. You might have to buy a box truck and pull the box off which can be sold or used for storage. I bought one last year,1994 LO-Pro on 19.5 tires,466 with allison,has 400K miles on it,but it runs every day pulling an equipment trailer or a 30' gooseneck. Don't hardly know a trailer is behind it. It was a box truck that I sold the box off of, shortened the frame, put a flatbed with a GN hitch and a plate in the rear with a pintle and a reese receiver.It averages 10 empty and around 7-8 pulling the loaded gooseneck.
 
Just my opinion on it.
Big truck=better brakes,trans.,frame,tires, engine??.Bad part=less driver comfort,(unless you spend megabucks)maybe not geared or equiped to run 55-65mph on interstates for long distances,plus you can get stuck on a banana peel.Jail bait because the law is going to look at you quicker and closer.CDL,Fuel permits Required.Yes I have Ford 750 fixed up to tow with because none of the 3 mfgs are now building one tons(since 2002) I feel I can trust to pull the trailers I have in the long run.
 
The S series (1700, 1900, 2500, 2600) Internationals wouldn't be too fun on a long trip. The newer 47 and 4900, along with the 8100, 92, 93, 94, and 9900 would be pretty good choices, but not a lot of single axles out there in the 9000s. A daycab version of just about anything out there with a factory sleeper would be OK. Freightliner Centuries, Columbias, FLDs, Pete 336, 378, 379, KW T300, T600, Mack's traditional small cabs, like the R models, even older ones, aren't all that tight of a fit behind the wheel.
Don't count out the square-nosed Petes and Kenworths. The later ones turn a lot better than you would expect them to.
Also the Internationals models that end in an "I", on the 9000 series trucks, which came around about 2000 I think, have a curved windshield instead of flat, and the dash won't hold anything that's not secured, but the climate control is a lot better in them, and the wheels cut a lot farther for better turning radius.
I'd avoid Cat motors, too. They like their fuel more than the Detroits, Cummins, and Mack/Volvo's. Especially the ACERTs, the bottom end will last forever, but the top end has a lot of problems, especially valve actuators. And they take special tools to even just lash the valves.
 
I have been looking at used Schwan's Ice Cream trucks. The trucks are late model Chevrolet C5500 and a 12'-14' flatbed fits nice. They have good maintenance records, lo-pro 19.5" tires, 8.1L propane engines, automatic (w/ park), hydraulic brakes, and <200,000k miles. Most are cheap, maybe because they are propane.

CT
 
I'd suggest a single-axle tractor with air-ride suspension. You can get a quality one for less than a late 90's model diesel p/u. The IH 466's were generally underpowered for the size truck they were put in, and generally didn't have enough gears in the tranny to travel distance with. I'd suggest a late 90's, early 2000's FLD Freightliner, I have a single-axle 2000 model, air-ride with a 330hp M-11+ Cummins turned up just a bit, with a 10-speed. The truck will run 80 (empty) on the freeway in 10th at about 1800 RPM. I have yet to run short of power. You will hardly know 18K is behind you. Plus, it turns much much shorter than my '03 crew cab F250, and rides as good or better. The later Ford L9000's are nice trucks too, and can be had for cheap. Larry Stigers in north eastern KY often has some, just google them. A place called www.mikesrebuildables.net in Celina, TN had a good running Volvo (ex-rodeway freight truck) with air ride for around $4500 I believe if they still have it. They had two or three, one didn't need work, the other two did if I remember.
 
About a year ago this one was for sale in KY for $1500 and I had plans for it but things went south at work and had to pass on it. It was a 1969 HI 1700 392 5 and 2 with 900x20s with air brakes single axle city truck. If I had a choice it would have done everthing I wanted it to do and then some, Just fine for 100 mile round trips. The days of pulling a goose neck with a 1ton are about over because they are just not heavy enough to handle the loads safely. One day I will have one just not today. Bandit
a50173.jpg

a50174.jpg
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top