Considering adding a 5 ton to the family and had a few ???

[redcheetah]

I have a rather newbie, “real world” based question for those that are much more familiar with these trucks than I am . I currently have the tow set up that is below and love it. However, I have had a few instances this year when 4wd (or 6wd) would have been helpful and I am realizing that I need 4wd more than I thought. Also, we recently bought a house at the Col. River and there is a private boat launch in the community. But of course there is a catch, which is that the launch was built some time ago and the lower level of the river now requires you to get into the sand a bit to launch. My 2wd Dodge 2500 would become a stuck whale in this instance as would the Kenworth. Hence, my search for another tow rig has led me to the 900 series mil. Trucks. I am fairly early in my search and I can tell from my searches here that there are numerous build combos/options. For my needs I would need a larger motor like either of the Cummins options or the Detroit, the ability to add a small sleeper/box for sleeping/passenger transport, and the wife/baby will need AC. Are my needs reasonable for this truck choice? What models came with factory AC? I can add AC so it is not a huge issue, just wondering.

In another thread I found via search regarding a guy that wanted to make a family 5th wheel hauler out of a deuce, I noticed a few people make reference to the inherent reliability issues of the trucks. This is the exact antithesis of what I had heard/read re: these trucks. I had the understanding that these were trucks engineered with reliability in mind and could go from sitting for months and be thrust into hard labor immediately with no issue. Are there reliability issues on the 5 tons that warrant grave concern or prevent longer trips from being safe endeavors to take?

Also, is govliquidation.com the primary source for the boxes, shelter, sleeper options etc?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I doubt any AC you add would be satisfactory. I think the top speed is what would keep you from long road trips as long as you keep up with PMCS.

GL is as good a place as any.

 

[redcheetah]

I guess I need to clarify the top speed issue. The current laws and vehicle set up I have keeps me around 60-65 and it was my understanding that a 5 ton with either the 14/20 or 16/20 tire variety would allow a cruising speed of around 60MPH which is plenty for me as I like to keep it safe when I am in the big iron.

Also, i will be towing a trailer sometimes in the range of 6,000 - 12500lbs. Besides going slow, I don't see this being an issue for a tractor of this size. Does anyone have any real world input re: towing the smaller loads with one of these beasts?

 

[av8or]

I believe that either a M809 or M939 series will do what you want. the M939 has an auto and runs a little faster, cost more but has a much roomer cab. None have AC but it is possible to addand not to costly (600). The 5 tons all have power steering (very nice ) They will handle the loads you indicated with ease. The M809 series have no air brakes and are a little simpler to understand systems on. Welcome!

 

[redcheetah]

I believe that either a M809 or M939 series will do what you want. the M939 has an auto and runs a little faster, cost more but has a much roomer cab. None have AC but it is possible to addand not to costly (600). The 5 tons all have power steering (very nice ) They will handle the loads you indicated with ease. The M809 series have no air brakes and are a little simpler to understand systems on. Welcome!

What AC option is available for $600? That sounds like a reasonable investment for AC in the truck.

As I mentioned, I wanted to add an area for passenger, dog transport. I saw this shelter but I cant tell enough in the pics to see if the unit would mount on frame rails. It also looks like there is a small cubby that could hold a generator.

Is there a shelter or comm box that was designed to fit onto the frame rails of the 939s? I am thinking that I would like to have something like the sleepers you see on the class 8 trucks. Does such a thing exist or am I dreaming?

 

[Csm Davis]

Keep your coe truck and get a 931 or 932 and put the coe cab on it that will give you the air and room and you might want to use the engine out of your old truck too according to what it is.

 

[commandojeff]

Just get a window unit AC for a normal house or something. Get a generator and you have AC. Plus you keep the truck original and you can easily take it off.

 

[redcheetah]

Just get a window unit AC for a normal house or something. Get a generator and you have AC. Plus you keep the truck original and you can easily take it off.

Interesting that you suggest that as I had planned to install RV air powered by a generator so I could have AC whether in motion or while in the campground.

For the soft top cabs, is there a hard top available in the case that you wanted something more secure and to protect against the weather?

 

[commandojeff]

I'm all about keeping the truck as original as possible. A small generator fits perfectly right on top of the toolbox on the right side of the truck. I'm going to make a mount that fits into the bed sockets for the AC unit. Simple and easy way to get AC for parades and stuff, without drastically modifying the truck.

In your situation, looking for a tractor. You will have to mount it a little differently, but still pretty easily done. I'm pretty sure you can get a hard top from somewhere for the 9 series that will bolt right on. Maybe someone else will chime in on that though, cause I'm not sure.

The possibilities for these trucks are endless and everyone has their own opinions. They are fun trucks.

 

[redcheetah]

CommandoJeff, your idea for the AC is real close to mine. I am thinking of utilizing some of the storage/void space behind the cab or sleeper when I get it to mount the generator. I anticipate having a gooseneck hitch on the back of the truck so i will have to space the items out accordingly.

The next thing I was going to plan on completing was a tire swap and had some questions. I noticed some of the 931 tractors already have singles on them. I wanted to upgrade to the 395/85R20 variety. Will the 395/85R20 tires fit on to the single wheels already on the truck or is 395/85R20 supposed to be paired with a specific wheel?

Also, for those that have the larger tires on a 9 series tractor, 14/20, 16/20 or 395/85R20, how high are your frame rails in the rear of the truck? We have a gooseneck horse trailer that I would want to pull sometimes and I am not sure how high the frame rails are going to be once I swap tires and if that height is going to cause me any issues. I was thinking I could mount the ball a bit lower in the frame rail to reduce height if there is appropriate trailer clearance. thoughts?