cabover trucks vs conventional trucks

[hrcarver]

I've been keeping an eye out for a 15-18k gvwr truck for a while. Been looking mostly at f450-550's but was wondering if anyone had any of isuzu/mitsubishi style trucks. What do you think about them?

Advantages/disadvantages?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Guy on here, Flusher, has one. His is a gas 6.0L GM Isuzu...

His does just what he needs. Its not quite as HD as you are looking for. He was in the market for a 3/4 ton and trailer but settled on the cab over.

Do a search and you will find all his info.

Chris

 

[hrcarver]

I was looking at the bigger ones, something like this with 18k gvw and a 26k combination weight.

2005 MITSUBISHI FUSO FE180 Medium Duty Trucks - Flatbed Truck For Sale At TruckPaper.com

They do seem to be lighter (ok, a lot lighter) on power, but I dont need a dragster truck. IMO, that's the main reason reliability has been so bad in the fords and chevy's the last several years.

...and I have a 6.0 gas in my pickup. I was hoping for more grunt than that.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Yep, they are light on power but they were developed for around town stuff, not out on the highway or cross country trips.

Here is the guys I was telling you about.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/190454-got-tractor-hauler-finally.html

Chris

 

[hrcarver]

thanks, I was gonna try pull a trailer (14k max, 11k typical) with mine. Never crossed my mind to put the tractor on the bed!

...Ok. enough of that, lets keep it simple on the trailer.:laughing:

 

[flusher]

I've been keeping an eye out for a 15-18k gvwr truck for a while. Been looking mostly at f450-550's but was wondering if anyone had any of isuzu/mitsubishi style trucks. What do you think about them?

Advantages/disadvantages?

I bought this 2004 Isuzu NPR stakebed (8 x 14 ft) last Dec. $11K off eBay.
49,500 miles on the odometer, 6.0L (360 cid) V8 (LQ4) Chevy engine. 12,000 lb GVWR, 18,000 lb GCWR. Weighs about 7100 lb with me, my tools and 3/4 tank of gas. Runs great--75 mph unloaded on the freeway. About 12 mpg unloaded-- 9-10 mpg with a load (my tractors are in the 3000-3500 lb range)



Use 10 ft aluminum ramps (5000 lb rating) to load my parade tractors. You need to place a couple of jacks under the rear end to keep the truck level when loading.



Assembled a lightweight rear fence so I don't have to wrestle with those
heavy steel fence sections



Installed an 8000 lb remotely controlled Warn winch



The NPR diesels are also nice, have higher GVWR (15000-18000 lb), but run $4-5K higher in cost than the 6.0L gas engine. The tilt cab makes engine servicing/repair pretty easy since there's no fenders in the way to limit accessibilty. The front axle is pretty low to the ground so it's not that easy to work under the truck in that area without ramps--no big deal.

Most NPRs are rigged as box trucks--stakebeds are a lot rarer and ones with a Supreme bed like mine are even more rare. Of course, you can always upfit a NPR box truck to stakebed configuration.

Good luck.

 

[Taylortractornut]

I have a 90 model 4000 Chevy Isuzu truck with an auto matic. Im sorting out a few shorts in the lights but other than that its a jewel. Empty just a chassis cab I was getting 21 mpg out of the little 4 cyclinder. I m making a dump truck out of it. I old the original bed I built it didnt fit my truck like i liked so I sold it to a friend on his same truck. I used his a few weeks to see how Id like mine set up. Its great delivering mulch and topsoil. Alot better than my 87 Ford 350 dump. Its alot shorter and you dont have the nose trying to steer into things backing into yards.

Im building my dump bed to have a set of ramps inside the frame to load my little Case skid steer on for tight jobs. THe only downside to the trucks is your the first one to the scene of the wreck

 

[Bird]

In 1997, one of my brothers became a Matco Tool Distributor with a GMC (Isuzu) diesel cabover. In 1998, he added a second truck and our other brother drove it. I just don't remember which engines they had. Both trucks were automatic transmissions with a 4 cylinder diesel and almost trouble free, but the first one had a smaller engine and it was difficult to hold 65 mph with any uphill slope at all. The second one had much better power.

 

[farmboy12]

We have two of a little lower GVW than you were looking for..

One is a 1999 Isuzu NPR with a 5 speed manual. Gets used for a day as a self contained duct cleaning truck with a PTO on the transmission and a huge vacuum tank avery week or two.

Our other is a 2002 NPR HD with a 4 speed auto. This one has a 12 foot enclosed-toolbox sided-walk in unitility box. It is run every day by 3-4 different drivers. It is our main installation truck for our HVAC company. It has crazy low gears, like 5.13s or 4.96s. It is quick off the line however, not the best top end.


Both have the 4 cylinders, and any of us swear by them. Never a lick of trouble. Rough riding and slow depending on a lot of things. Very tough trucks, would reccommend them to anyone. Kinda like driving a brick wall, slow, and rough, but tougher than anything.


Kyle

 

[flusher]

Forgot to mention that my NPR has a 4 speed automatic tranny. And it's wheelbase and overall length are nearly the same as my 2001 F150 short cab long bed truck.