Best Engine for the Mountains

I did super b flat deck through southern B.C. With a 450 hp Mercedes and 40,000 lb rears.
It did it, but everything got hot, including the transmission and rear ends. And that was in the winter time.
Took me three hours to go 52 miles from Rossland, down into Trail and over the Salmo-Creston to Creston.
Definitely want 46,000 lb rears and something over 500 hp.

 

CAT power geared low will probably be the most efficient. That's what CAT motors are good at. Load them up heavy and run grades all day every day.

 

Why doesn't admin put a disclaimer on this guy that you have to discount what he is saying by 25-50%? The tallest mountain in Vermont is 4,300 feet tall, and the lowest point, 95 feet is Lake Champlain, about 60 miles away. 3 miles at 25% grade is 3,900 feet. Yeah, it's possible that the base of that mountain is less than the 1,000 foot average for the state of Vermont, but what is the reason to be hauling up that mountain? If it's a different mountain, then the 3 mile, 25% grade flies out the window.

The op asked a legitimate question, and he comes around, spinning a yarn, not helping the guy out.

 

Don’t rule out a series 60 with a good ecm tune and a borg Warner 171702 turbo. That motor will put 600 to the ground without breaking a sweat and do good on fuel. The n14 is also an awesome motor along with any electronic cat from the mid 90s to 2003 before they swapped to the bridge engine.

 

With just a few minor modifications a bridge CAT is just as good as the older CAT's. I've been running one myself for years. Although if looking for one in the here and now I'd still probably opt for a 3406E over anything 2000 or newer.

 

If I remember correctly, years ago there was a hand on here that had a black and white W900 that had modified a MBN, he hauled a reefer that matched the truck. That truck was running awesome, was it KW550 or something like that?

 

a old cat with everything manual was the best mountain driving machine I ever drove, then took a while to get used to them neutered engines you had to treat softly, heck if you tried to do that to that cat it would just bind up and be a baby, go full out it gave full out for a long time.

 

Yeah he quit posting 5 or 6 years ago maybe longer. 550CAT or something like that? I cant remember. Search for info on Cat's and his old posts pop up.

 

Get ready to spend some money if you want to find a decent heavy spec truck. I'm assuming your from canada because of the kg reference and cheap heavy spec pre emission trucks are getting old and scarce. Anyways 500 to 550 cat/18 spd/390 with tall rubber and 373 with short rubber and preferably super 40 diffs. 3/4 way locks are nice but not a deal breaker imo. 475 n14 Cummins second choice and 14l detroit a distant third. 13 spd will work too but you'll miss being able to split the lower gears especially if you go off road at all. Good luck.