Heavy haul van... anything I should know?

The myth of having to have a 700hp cat is just that.
Guys used to drag 100k payload around with 238 detroits and a lot of gears.

It takes 264hp to maintain 80k at 65mph.

Hp is expensive. How much can you afford is the question.

 

My favorite would be pulling up Lolo or Lost Trail pass with my 475 and no chains going around the high hp guys that were spun out and putting chains on because they had to put their foot in it coming out of a switchback.

You also have to weigh tire, transmission, and differential life versus a few extra mph when it comes to dragging weight around the mountains everyday.

 

I spent alot of yrs behind 318s and 265s hauling logs in the Winter. That was just dirty work. The more hp the easier on the throttle application. Got to admit I like hp on the hills when it's someone else truck.

 

For even comparison, with both trucks at about 97,000, the Haney trucks could pull Cabbage at about 45 mph. The newer black trucks pull at about 35-40 mph, if I remember correctly. I may find out again, thinking about leaving my hostler position, now that it's pretty well established, and hitting the road again. Since my divorce, I've been living by the skin of my teeth. Time to try to make a little more money.
Wilson pays .51/mile, including deadhead, plus detention, breakdown pay, and an optional $63 per diem for every day out. For Monday-Friday, it's about 2,000 miles, with an option to work weekends if you want.