Horsepower Needed

The 3rd world offroad jobs run on Mack R models with 46k camelback rears. I helped export many of them and theyre hard to find now.

A military 5ton 6x6 is probably the cheapest, simplest, most bomb proof whole truck that is still plentiful. Theyre a goto item down in tennessee quarry and log operations for getting trailers up to the header. Huge rated lug tires are quite cheap for places with sharp rock and big sticks. Gearing is toploader with 6.xx ratio. Allison autos and i think 2 speed tcase.

If not that, find a dumptruck with double frame, crosslock diff and locking power divider, and a shot box or bent piston. Toss dump bed, Put hitch and gladhands on that. You want 46k rears on hendrickson or chalmers, [make sure the pivots in the hendrickson arent tearing out] a floatation front, twin steering boxes, as close to 5.xx gearing as you can get and an 8ll or 15. Deeper diff gears will take much strain off the driveshaft, trans, input shaft and clutch/engine and thus give better service life.

300hp and up will do it with those specs. 6CTA, DT466C, NGD466 and L10 are the only small engines id consider and thats ONLY if this is a 10mph and under gig. Small engines break less parts. No V8 cats. Im not sure about 11.1 or C12s. They seem to come in a lot of vocational heavy trucks. Ford LTL9000 or IH is usually cheaper than your peterworth with same specs. No matter what a dumptruck will always be specced a lot closer than your average road truck for this work.

 

Beware if you use a engine that has been turned up to high HP, drivers will be holding the pedal down to climb hills, exhaust temp will rise and you’ll burn a valve or burn a hole in the top of a piston.
Moderate horse power with low gears to keep engine alive.

 

In all reality, if these are never going to hit a public road, I see small used off road dumps sell at auctions anymore cheaper than you can buy an engine for a road truck
I watched 3 volvos sell not too long ago for 3500 bucks a piece, most companies have gone to bigger rigs and these little ones just cost them money to operate.

 

What's the condition of the haul roads,and who maintains them?
Also is there an hourly amount you're expected to haul,ie to keep a crushing plant supplied,?