20 Nov Low Bed Truck Buyers Guide – What You Need To Know
Low Bed Truck Buyers Guide – What You Need To Know
Helpful info and options for prospective Low Bed Truck Buyers.
So you are looking at buying Lowbed trucks? This handy guide for Lowbed Truck Buyers gives you all you need to know.
With our rugged pacific northwest environments, we use a vast array of heavy equipment. That means someone has to move all that gear, who better than you?! Being a low bed owner operator on the West Coast will take you thru every type of grade up and down, sometimes paved, other times a logging road with steep grades and numerous switch backs. From bumper to bumper traffic, to climbing Grant’s Pass, you need a truck that can handle this diversified and demanding order.
The three go-to heavy haulers in the USA are of course Kenworth, Peterbilt and founded in Kelowna B.C, Western Star. With all three manufacturers Kenworth ,Peterbilt and Western Star all offering spacious day cabs, the KW and Pete have their extended day cab option for the low bed operator looking for a little more room in that day cab.
Popular Low Bed Tractor Rig Up Models
Another popular low bed tractor rig up is the wheel base saving 36″ aerocab sleeper on the Kenworth T800, T880, and the timeless W900. You will find Peterbilt has there 36″ unibilt bunk option on there 367, 388 and the All-American Highway Tractor, the 389 models, and Western Star sporting there 36″ Stratosphere style sleepers on the 4900 series trucks.
Going long distance heavy hauling?
All three heavy truck builders offer sleepers all the way up to 84” and can be equipped with fridges, sofas, double bunks for team drivers, even work stations for completing your paperwork on the road.
Buying Late Model Low Bed Trucks
For those looking for a new or late model used heavy spec truck should not over look the specifications of the truck. A combination of the right horsepower, torque, transmission, steer axle, drive axles, frame size and suspension are a low bed operators life line to a successful operation. Knowing your weight hauling requirements are important factors towards purchasing the right quality used heavy haul truck. If it’s a Kenworth or Peterbilt you have your eye on, the Cummins ISX and X15 platforms are the way to go. Making 450 horse power all the way up to over 600 horse power from the factory and some capable of over 2000 ft lbs of torque, the tried and tested big block Cummins diesel will pull your multiple axle Low Bed with ease. Having an 18 speed manual transmission is standard issue for British Columbia requirements. 18 gears still not good enough? Equip that 18spd with a 2 speed auxiliary or 4 speed auxiliary transmission to have the right gear for the speed and RPM required.
Low Bed Truck Buyers Need Heavy Iron
Rolling all this heavy iron down the road requires a sturdy set of heavy axles. With pioneering companies Eaton and Rockwell, they have developed the tandem configuration 46,000 pound rated, 8’6 wide drive axles. When equipped with with a set of double lockers in the rear axles, going off the pavement while loaded wont be a problem. Muddy job sites and steep gravel off highway roads are no issue when equipped with locking rear axles.
Standard steer axle selections are rated from 14,600 – 22,000 pounds. Having a 20,000 pound rated steer axle is a pretty safe bet in keeping you legal at the scales no matter what configuration you are hauling.
A local reputable dealer will be more than happy to go over your upcoming heavy truck needs and provide quality options towards finding your next used heavy hauler for sale.
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