Mack cab & chassis

[SimS]

Passing on this unit is a good decision in my mind. My big red flag was "find parts for the Renault diesel". Good luck in your search.

SimS

 

[aczlan]

I drive these Internationals quite often in my part time job for a USPS contractor. The ones that aren't 3/4 used up after age & miles aren't bad. I know the 4300 has some different GVWR configurations. I'm thinking that it would need to handle 12-14k as a water hauler. A Craigslist search shows that the truck in this link has had the price dropped $2k.
But the higher gross weight seems to jack up the insurance to a point where that type of business would have to haul a lot of water just to cover the insurance premium. I've asked a lot of questions of a lot of people, from truck owners, a retired Mack mechanic and several insurance folks. Looks like I've got more research to do. A trucking venture just might not be in the cards for me. I've got a successful seasonal business now. Just maybe looking to do something a little less labor intensive as I get older.

The other option, would be to go smaller with a F-450 and a 1000 gallon tank in the back. That will haul less water, but it will probably be significantly cheaper on insurance. My parents ran one of those for a while, but the town decided that they needed to significantly increase the price of water and require that they carry a two million dollar liability policy that covered the town as additionally insured, so it wasn't worth it for one or two runs a week ( there are other things as well, it was small town politics at its best).

Aaron Z

 

[JJZ 109]

Passing on this unit is a good decision in my mind. My big red flag was "find parts for the Renault diesel". Good luck in your search.

SimS

A friend recently retired after many years as a mechanic at a Mack dealer. He says it's quite a scavenger hunt to find parts. And if you do, bust out your checkbook.

 

[JJZ 109]

The other option, would be to go smaller with a F-450 and a 1000 gallon tank in the back. That will haul less water, but it will probably be significantly cheaper on insurance. My parents ran one of those for a while, but the town decided that they needed to significantly increase the price of water and require that they carry a two million dollar liability policy that covered the town as additionally insured, so it wasn't worth it for one or two runs a week ( there are other things as well, it was small town politics at its best).

Aaron Z

For that weight and volume that an F450 could handle (I've had 2 of them as bucket trucks) I could probably put a tank in my dump trailer.
I've got my eye on another truck in the Rochester area that's already got a flat bed on it. I may call and see if I can get a VIN so that I can get an accurate insurance quote.

 

[terryknight]

how much are you trying to move? how far? we used an old 5 ton ex military truck for a water truck for a while watering lots and lots of trees

as for checking prices you can use the completed auctions from ritchie brothers. easy to do and can search the whole continent for what things sold for some regions are higher than others. you do need to sign up to look at completed listings, but it's just a username, password, and email address

 

[JJZ 109]

how much are you trying to move? how far? we used an old 5 ton ex military truck for a water truck for a while watering lots and lots of trees

as for checking prices you can use the completed auctions from ritchie brothers. easy to do and can search the whole continent for what things sold for some regions are higher than others. you do need to sign up to look at completed listings, but it's just a username, password, and email address

RB Auctions pop up sometimes during searches. May just try the sign up and check complete auctions.
With cottages and summer places and some spots with just crappy or no water, along with swimming pool and hot tob fill ups, guys in the business of hauling water to folks in my area seem to be going full bore. So a truck would be for a commercial water delivery business. Not a huge radius, maybe 35 or so miles from home at most. I'm thinking 14-1800 gallon tank.

 

[RickB]

A friend has a Mack single axle conventional cab dump truck of that vintage with Renault heritage. It has been a good truck, but Parts availability is a serious challenge. He bought it new.

 

[JJZ 109]

A friend has a Mack single axle conventional cab dump truck of that vintage with Renault heritage. It has been a good truck, but Parts availability is a serious challenge. He bought it new.

Pretty much what my retired Mack mechanic said. Chances are it could be a good truck, but if the need for parts arises, watch out!
I found what could be a suitable truck closer and better priced than that Mack. But just running an online quote for insurance is giving me serious doubts about buying a truck and entering this business. I haven't asked around, but I suspect that some people are just registering the rigs as a flat bed truck and omitting the fact that there's a tank and water deliveries are taking place. Nice until you get denied a claim and start paying for damage to your equipment or other people's property or injuries out of your own pocket.

 

[SimS]

JJZ;

I'm curious on how much water you are planning to haul. You mention 12k-14k weight, that's as much as 1600 - 1700 gallons. How and where do you fill the tank with that much potable water?? Thanks

SimS

 

[aczlan]

JJZ;

I'm curious on how much water you are planning to haul. You mention 12k-14k weight, that's as much as 1600 - 1700 gallons. How and where do you fill the tank with that much potable water?? Thanks

SimS

Many towns around here have a place for water trucks to fill up with a swipe card.
If you are off of the water main, one of the water guys near me has a 2" metered line to fill his truck with.

Aaron Z