Towing HEAVY

[brain55]

This is what we use. 2011 IH 4400 with a 20,000 lb rear axle, air brake, air ride, air suspended cab. It is still a rough sob to ride in and I would not be happy using it for daily duties. It was $90K new plus the custom deck. If you're going to use a gooseneck or a fifth wheel over a flat deck you will want to order a low profile unit. ( like how you see rollbacks configured. )

I would also stay far away from any IH engine.... We have had three major repairs in 30,000 miles of easy use. Two of which were not under warranty.

The tractor on the trailer can weigh up to 19,000 lbs depending on how it is configured.

View attachment 474616

This is what it replaced. 2003 F-550 with the max towing option, which I believe was 30,000 lbs GCWR at the time. In this configuration the tractor was only 13,000 lbs. The truck pulled the weight fine, but the trailer brakes were always problematic. I got pushed through an intersection in the rain on one occasion...

View attachment 474622

The International 4400 was what I was going to replace my F450 with. Though I was only towing 17,000+ lbs it was day in and day out 30,000+ miles a year which beat that F450 up pretty well.

Brian

 

[tcartwri]

The International 4400 was what I was going to replace my F450 with. Though I was only towing 17,000+ lbs it was day in and day out 30,000+ miles a year which beat that F450 up pretty well.

Brian

Would stay away from anything post 2010. The warrant claims on their egr equipped motors almost bankrupted the company. On ours the high pressure pump failed at 50 hours, one of the emissions sensors failed with 30K and the last repair was for a leaking seal behind the bellhousing. About $11K in repairs if you were paying out of pocket. The pump and the sensor problems left me on the side of the road...

 

[tcartwri]

http://www.overdriveonline.com/navistar class-action-lawsuit/

 

[QRTRHRS]

One must have when you are looking at a single axle medium duty truck is a locking rear. The difference is not much, ie; totally useless off of the road to nearly useless off of the road but it will still keep you from chaining up in the mud.

Anyway, IMHO, when your endeavors have you on the not so soft and fuzzy feeling when pulling with a 3500 or so, by all means step up to a real truck. There are plenty of considerations but one "biggee" is no true engine brake on the engines typically powering this class, C7 (3126), 8.3, 44?. Look for one that at least has an exhaust brake. The service brakes by themselves will work quite well mind you, but on a hill, any hill, you are going to be on them.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

One must have when you are looking at a single axle medium duty truck is a locking rear. The difference is not much, ie; totally useless off of the road to nearly useless off of the road but it will still keep you from chaining up in the mud.

Anyway, IMHO, when your endeavors have you on the not so soft and fuzzy feeling when pulling with a 3500 or so, by all means step up to a real truck. There are plenty of considerations but one "biggee" is no true engine brake on the engines typically powering this class, C7 (3126), 8.3, 44?. Look for one that at least has an exhaust brake. The service brakes by themselves will work quite well mind you, but on a hill, any hill, you are going to be on them.

I have an exhaust brake and engine brake on my dt530. The exhaust brake currently isn't hooked up but I often have to blip the throttle to keep my speed up coming down the mountain. I think you meant no real Jacobs brake.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I have an exhaust brake and engine brake on my dt530. The exhaust brake currently isn't hooked up but I often have to blip the throttle to keep my speed up coming down the mountain. I think you meant no real Jacobs brake.

A Jacobs brake is a true engine brake where as the valves are all held closed to build holdback compression. Honestly, I have do not know if the offerings by say Detroit Diesel are inhouse or by whomever. I was not aware that IH offered a true exhaust brake on the DT530.

Jacobs or "Jake" is trademarked, hence, I stated engine brake. Note that Jacobs will readily take a town to task for erecting signs that say "No Jake" brakes.

 

[oliver1555]

A Jacobs brake is a true engine brake where as the valves are all held closed to build holdback compression.

That is not how a Jake Brake works. It opens the exhaust valve near the top of the compression stroke. Basically, it turns the engine into a compressor.

 

[QRTRHRS]

That is not how a Jake Brake works. It opens the exhaust valve near the top of the compression stroke. Basically, it turns the engine into a compressor.

Well, I got the compression part right.

 

[Renze]

That is not how a Jake Brake works. It opens the exhaust valve near the top of the compression stroke. Basically, it turns the engine into a compressor.

The interesting part is that the Jake brake was invented by Clessie Cummins, after retirement, and he found the Jacobsen manufacturing company (known from the spanner drill chuck) to produce the system as an aftermarket kit.

Clessie Cummins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[oliver1555]

The interesting part is that the Jake brake was invented by Clessie Cummins, after retirement, and he found the Jacobsen manufacturing company (known from the spanner drill chuck) to produce the system as an aftermarket kit.

Clessie was quite the innovator. This is an interesting read, based on an article written by his son, Lyle. It tells the whole story of the Jake Brake, including Cummins Engine Company turning it down for production. I wonder how many times that has been regretted!

https://www.asme.org/getmedia/1db2c2a5-ecb3-43c6-98e6-0f2fdca6e61d/108-Jacobs-Engine-Brake-Retarder-1957.aspx