Realistic "city use" payload of M927 extended wheelbase truck

[ichudov]

I have, in the last few years, been a very conservative and safe driver, driving 60 MPH when the speed limit is 55 MPH, my brakes on my pickup last for 80k miles etc.

I am contemplating commercial use of a M927 truck to move various equipment, forklifts etc with the M927 that I bought (this assumes that it is in a good condition).

I will need to get commercial plates for it and I want to understand a bit better, as to what realistic payload capacity I can expect from it, for city driving conditions. is 10 tons payload safe and realistic?

 

[swbradley1]

I believe conservative would be 54 in a 55. The other way is just breaking the law.

After having a M923A1 at the event Thursday night I don't think you will carrying forklifts in the bed unless you lay them on their side as they are tall. Gary's turning radius is huge in his truck and a 927 is only worse.

Running around Chicago in a 927 might be fun for a while but not day after day with a business. Other trucks would be a better choice. Now working in an oil field or back country then yes.

 

[ichudov]

When I go 60 on a 55 highway, everyone zips by me.

I looked up the turning radius in the operator's TM, it is the same as M923. 46 feet.

My forklifts are all under 8 feet tall, so if the bed is under 5.5 feet, I will be under the 13' 6" limit.

Anyway, how much weight can I realistically expect to be able to carry?

 

[jedawson1]

I haul gravel in an M929 (short wheelbase same truck) and weigh in at 44,000lbs. Having driven dump trucks and semi trucks a lot, i feel comfortable at that weight but no more. Just know your stopping distance is going to increase a lot. At that kind of weight there are no emergency stops, only planned stops. Driving in the city would not be fun at that weight where cars break at random and emergency breaking is common.

While it would work, I agree these trucks are better suited to county jobs.

 

[m16ty]

A forklift will fall through the thin bed skin.

I've noticed that when a M939 truck is loaded on the hwy they eat tires like crazy. Those 11.00-20/ 14.00-20 tires aren't cheap to replace.

I regularly gross 55,000lb in my M939 lime spreader truck. Truck stops fine but it can be real slow on hills.

 

[quickfarms]

The real question is what do you plan in using the truck for?

Does your application require an off road truck?

How many miles a week are you planning on driving the truck?

Have you thought about the maintenance issues? There is no power divider and the truck eat the rear tires. They have wedge brakes which are a pain to keep adjusted and are expensive to rebuild, when the time comes. The truck will need to be brought up to and kept in compliance with DOT standards.

Locally there is a towing company that runs 4 of the military wreckers for off road recovery and publics relations advertising. They have learned how to maintain them to DOT standards.

 

[m16ty]

There is no power divider and the truck eat the rear tires.

I have found that they actually eat the front tires faster. Loaded, the rears tend to push the front tires in a curve.

 

[ichudov]

I haul gravel in an M929 (short wheelbase same truck) and weigh in at 44,000lbs. Having driven dump trucks and semi trucks a lot, i feel comfortable at that weight but no more. Just know your stopping distance is going to increase a lot. At that kind of weight there are no emergency stops, only planned stops. Driving in the city would not be fun at that weight where cars break at random and emergency breaking is common.

While it would work, I agree these trucks are better suited to county jobs.

OK, it looks like you can carry 10 short tons, I will be happy with that. I will definitely try to be following at a safe distance, something that I try to always do.

 

[ichudov]

The real question is what do you plan in using the truck for?

Does your application require an off road truck?

How many miles a week are you planning on driving the truck?

Have you thought about the maintenance issues? There is no power divider and the truck eat the rear tires. They have wedge brakes which are a pain to keep adjusted and are expensive to rebuild, when the time comes. The truck will need to be brought up to and kept in compliance with DOT standards.

Locally there is a towing company that runs 4 of the military wreckers for off road recovery and publics relations advertising. They have learned how to maintain them to DOT standards.

I plan on using it to move forklifts and surplus equipment that I buy and sell, and sometimes scrap metal. I would say, I expect 50-100 miles of city driving per week.

As to off road driving, once a month we may get some work to be done off road, but not in conditions resembling "steel soldiers rally". Just regular muddy areas.

Bed height: I checked bed height, I found that it is 60 inches, it will work fine with docks.

I will see if the bed can handle forklifts. I think that my 5-6k forklifts will be fine on a bed if it has 3/16" metal.

 

[porkysplace]

The other thing to watch is with the height of the load is changing the center of gravity . You want to keep the mass of the weight as close to the bed as you can , if they get top heavy they will roll.

 

[ichudov]

The other thing to watch is with the height of the load is changing the center of gravity . You want to keep the mass of the weight as close to the bed as you can , if they get top heavy they will roll.

Great point, thanks. Not to exceed safe speed when making turns.

 

[quickfarms]

Remember that a typical forklift weighs about twice what it can lift.

I have a 6000 forklift that has a 10 foot high mast and it weighs 12000

Typical dock height is about 50", so a 60" bed will be an issue.

My bed height is also 60" and they have me park in the lot and load me there.

I would consider an equipment trailer for the forklift, a towable fork lift or a piggyback.

Based on your comments you will need to modify the bed to Cary the forklift then you will have to come up with a way of loading it.

Another option would be to add a knuckle boom crane or some other crane. I have a small auto crane that I am planning on mounting on a ISO pallet for self loading and unloading

 

[clinto]

I don't have pictures but I've moved 5K lb forklifts with my deuce.

Didn't fall though but definitely bent the floor of the bed in between the support trusses underneath. Would not do again without some way to distribute the load unless it was a truck I did not care about.

Don't know if I have any pics, I will see if I can find them (if they exist).