First time purchase of body job tandem dump truck

1: Will you be doing lots of off-road work, staying almost exclusively on the roads, what sort of terrain are you driving in, etc? Do you know what sort of rear end gears you'll be running?
2: 8LL won't save you anything on fuel... it's basically a 9 speed with a low range option on the low side. And, if you get stuck in mud, chances are, it won't be enough to get you out. Personally, I'd opt for the 18 speed.
3:I wouldn't go air ride on a dump truck, personally. Peterbilt, IIRC, has some hybrid vocational truck suspension which uses air and a beam, but I don't know a whole lot about it. You see an air ride on a dump, it's usually a road tractor with a dump body slapped on it. As for vocational truck suspensions, opinions vary... I like the Hendrickson Walking Beam... others prefer the ##### Back or Chalmers.
4: I really don't know your market, and it's been some time since I've looked at used truck prices.

Talk to some dump truck owners in your area. Ask them how their trucks are spec'd, why they went with those specs, etc.

By the way, the word that got censored by this forum's filters... I wasn't swearing at you.. the word I was using there was the name given to this animal:


So, yeah... I was saying Back suspension.

 

I've got a 99 Freightliner with a m-11 370 hp. 8ll with 4:10 on 22.5 great set up on my Tri axle. Avg 6-6.5. 18 speed might be over kill but an 8ll is better than a 13 for dirt. Make sure to get full lockers, save a pull out 90% of time. Buy the air ride for sure, saves abuse on body and truck plus you can put a air scale gauge on to stay legal or at least stay away from scales. Good luck!

 

I don't like air ride on vehicles that see heavy shifting loads or lots of off-road use. Walking beam, Mack camelback or whatever that rubber block one is called, are tough to beat. They'll beat you up when empty, but you're not buying a dump truck to drive around empty. Once you load them up, they're nice and and smooth, with none of the mushy wallowing of an air ride setup.

Oh, and full lockers are essential, unless you're best friends with a tow truck driver.

 

lots of good advice , checkout TRUCK PAPER lots of dump trucks listed in Canada for less than $70,000.00

 

I've got 18000 frt. 46000 rear Hendrickson. Never had back trouble until this truck and I was a lot younger. Installed a link air ride on cab it helped alot. Got me through 13 yrs. but I would by air next time. Dirt only shifts going out gate or your in process of going over!

 

How much weight do you plan to haul? Will you be working by the hour, by the ton, or by the load? These questions will point to the right specs for what you want to do. I have a tandem axle Pete dump on air ride. It works just fine for me. The 18 speed and full lockers would be big advantages if you can find a truck speced with them. I personally wouldn't spend $70k on a truck just starting out unless you have plenty of steady work lined up. It will be easy to upgrade to a better truck later when you have the work to support it.