Help from dumptruck owners.

[Lynkage]

I am looking to buy a 79 International S2200 7yard dump truck. It has 274,000 miles on a 290 Cummins. 9 speed trans 32,000 GVW air brakes elec brake controller for trailer. All fluids were changed 1000 miles ago and a clutch was put in 2000 miles ago. Emissions are current as well.

Also looking at a 20,000lb heavy equip trailer all for around $11,000.

Truck runs great no knocks or anything.

Does this sound like a good deal?

Thanks for any and all help.
Shane

 

[BTDT]

Is this in the Denver area? Is it from an individual or a city or county sale? Sounds like a fair price to me for working equipment. Tires and lights in working order?

 

[Builder]

I am looking to buy a 79 International S2200 7yard dump truck. It has 274,000 miles on a 290 Cummins. 9 speed trans 32,000 GVW air brakes elec brake controller for trailer. All fluids were changed 1000 miles ago and a clutch was put in 2000 miles ago. Emissions are current as well.

Also looking at a 20,000lb heavy equip trailer all for around $11,000.

Truck runs great no knocks or anything.

Does this sound like a good deal?

Thanks for any and all help.
Shane

Without seeing pictures and the condition of the vehicles it's kinda hard to help. I have a '92 IH4800 4x4 dump with 75,000mi, DT466 250 hp, 7-speed, 33,000 GVWR, airbrakes & airshift 9 yard dump. It's a great truck. I had to fix some things when I bought it, but otherwise it's been very simple & reliable.

What you want to be leary of is buying a road tractor that's been converted to a dump. From the description you gave, it sounds like an old road tractor converted to a small dump box.

Check it out.

 

[Lynkage]

Is this in the Denver area? Is it from an individual or a city or county sale? Sounds like a fair price to me for working equipment. Tires and lights in working order?

It is an individual and all equipment works properly.

L39Builder

It did not look like a Road tractor. Frame was clean. Small dings but not bad at all. It is a little cold blooded But ran like a champ. It had no oil leaks and everything worked as it was supposed to.

He has had a hard time selling it because in Colorado you need a class B CDL to use it. He is a Fireman for trade and was a very nice gentleman. And of coarse he has a Deere 5500 for a daily tractor and a Cat 262 skid for other duties.
I did start it when it was cold and did not hear a knock from the bottom end.
Here is a pic.

 

[Builder]

Looks like a former road tractor. Most single axle dumps that old didn't have 290HP.

It's easy to convert a tractor to a dump: all you have to do is remove the 5th wheel from the frame and throw a dump body on it and call it a dump truck. Check the frame. If it has a single frame, it was almost definately a road tractor.

A lot of road tractors also have the air disconnect for the gladhands up on the dash. Almost all have a trolley hand brake handle on the right side of the steering wheel for the trailer brakes.

Almost all factory dumps have doubled frames when they're over 26,000 GVWR.

Not that it would be a disaster if it was a road tractor, but without a doubled frame, you can experience frame cracks, spring perch cracks, etc. Most dump truckers want a "factory" double inverted L dump frame.

 

[Lynkage]

Well maybe it is. This is why I ask questions here. The dump does look pretty new.

So instead of single channel frame it would be double? is this what you mean?

Would you possibly take a pic of yours and show me what it looks like?
Thanks again
Shane

 

[Builder]

Well maybe it is. This is why I ask questions here. The dump does look pretty new.

So instead of single channel frame it would be double? is this what you mean?

Would you possibly take a pic of yours and show me what it looks like?
Thanks again
Shane

Correct. Most dumps over 26K usually have frame reinforcement or doubling (even tripling) of the frame because the load sits right over the rear axle and it can shift around. When a dump truck gets loaded, it can suddenly get 6 tons dumped into it at a quarry, causing a lot of sudden stress on the frame. The inner reinforcement is usually an inverted "L" that sits atop the frame and is bolted to the sides or another "C" channel bolted to the inside of the main frame.

A road tractor usually "tows" more of it's load. The load isn't concentrated on the frame, or dropped suddenly on the frame like in a dumptruck.
Typically, road tractors are short wheelbase, single frame and higher HP than dumps.

"It did not look like a Road tractor. Frame was clean. Small dings but not bad at all. It is a little cold blooded But ran like a champ. It had no oil leaks and everything worked as it was supposed to."

They don't really have a "look" to them. You have to raise the bed and look at the frame. There's other cues to look for like the trolley brake handle, higher HP or bigger displacement engines, hangers on the back of the cab for gladhands, evidence of a 5th wheel plate that was removed, etc.

 

[Lynkage]

Builder

I will check those things. It did have an exhaust down low not a stack. I do think that if it was a conversion then it was maybe a better one than what could happen. The reason I say this is because it looked like it was a pretty clean install.

I do think if it is as you say, I could add frame reinforcements as needed. I do not own any benders, shears and stuff but I do have access to them.

If this is the case would you be willing to take photos of your truck so my friend and I could make this happen?

Shane

 

[Ductape]

Lynkage,
L39 is right. With a 290 and a nine speed, i would bet money it was a road tractor. Plenty of dumps have been made from road tractors. I agree with him that ideally, you would want a dump overbuilt from the factory. However.... you should figure out what your intended use is. If you aren't going to use it heavily every day, i think you'll probably be ok. If you are going to be going from the job to the pit 6 times a day, i would probably look for something spec'd heavier. As a road truck, that eng./trans could go 800,000 miles or more. You wouldn't get that out of it running locally, but the mileage on that truck now is no problem. I would say the price for the combo is in the ballpark for my area.

 

[Builder]

Builder

I will check those things. It did have an exhaust down low not a stack. I do think that if it was a conversion then it was maybe a better one than what could happen. The reason I say this is because it looked like it was a pretty clean install.

I do think if it is as you say, I could add frame reinforcements as needed. I do not own any benders, shears and stuff but I do have access to them.

If this is the case would you be willing to take photos of your truck so my friend and I could make this happen?

Shane

I can try to get some photos of the frame, but i'd doubt a photo will help you at all. What you need is to go find another IH and take some measurements then start reinforcing your frame.

Personally, I'd just buy the dang thing and run it with a single frame. You'll love the 290HP. I wonder if it's an N-14, an 855, or what? Like the guy said above, unless you're overloading the truck on a regular basis (I put 10-12 tons in mine without even thinking about it, it's only legal with 8.5) I wouldn't worry. It will be nice when you hook up to a trailer and have enough power to pull a dozer or big backhoe without struggling.

Worst thing that might happen is you crack the frame, that's a PITA to fix. Check for frame cracks before you buy. If it's void of cracks and you like it and you're not a heavy hauler, buy it.