How lite is Liteweight ?

Thanks in advance Overland

Yes I do recall alloy walking beams
I believe Peterbilt had aluminium cabs, could be wrong there

Back to Swishmans brochure of the S model with the 671 in it

A 671 according to Google is 2185 lb or 991 kg's
A 8V71 is 2415 lb or 1095 kg'

So little to zero point there except the 320 HP 8V71 is well within its capabilities of hauling 45 ton gross weight at sensible highway speed, but not forgetting that as with any GM 2 stroke theres gunna be some serious gear changing going to keep motivated

So with alloy spiders, axle housings engine blocks trailers and cabs etc etc I wonder just how lite they got these trucks

Fuel companies I seam to recall were quite dedicated to having ultra lite weight and yet still carrying maximum loads at highway speeds

I also seem to recall I think it was Shell that had R model Macks with like 34,000 lb ass end or maybe lighter if there was such a thing

I guess getting down around the 10 ton tare truck and trailer might be a challenge but getting under 12 should be doable

Put a quad axle trailer into the mix with the road friendly suspension and I reckon hauling as much grain in one trailer as b double in 2 isnt out of the realms of a possibility

Mrs Mack tares at 24.6 with the float on and must be around 19 with a double rail McGrath flat top
Yeah heavy but very strong

Paul

This K125CR used a lot of alloy.

An excerpt from Bruce Gunter [Cunning Stunt] HCVC Forum story on
Max Keough's K125CR





LN700

He's got quite the rebuild going on with that truck, very impressive rebuild at that

Well worth a look if your on Facelessbook


Paul

Right Paul, fuel companies and fridge pan haulers were keen to
keep prime mover tare low as possible. Recall Louisvilles being
promoted at about 7 1/2 tonnes. Some of the whites and later
Western Stars were built light too. Some KW models too?
Caltex ran R600's, later bought by another group.
Eastoes KW's on Fridge work real thoroughbreds.
Mind you, no frills or extras.

Tah for that Paul

I guess companies bought trucks to be driven and to be over done blinged up show ponies


7 1/2 ton is pretty lite, guessing that might of been why Lindsay Brothers had them for many years


Paul

Freightliner also had alloy cabs.. Do not know how many you got down there?? But they held up fairly well up here.

FBT took on some of Caltex R600's.
Couldn't remember last night.
The Western Star Wedgetail 64 was considering
came in at about 7 tonnes as a C & C for a long tray.

8000 Louisville single drives are reasonably light. Couldn't find the tare for my own as it was farm registered with the trailer but tracked down a spec sheet @ around 4T's.


My old Eastcoast K125 VT903, steel framed on torsion bars tares @ 8200kg, (scales confirmed) a similar speced truck with alloy rails I looked at first tared @ 8000kg.Both cabover Kenworths and Petes use alloy cabs with fibreglass roofs, engine tunnel and headlight panels. Petes do have alot more steel components in the cab, a goofy steel insert around the windscreens which are known to rust out badly. Where as the 74 on K100's being an all one piece roof and fibreglass windscreen cap have to deal with the ocassional loose fitting, leaky windscreens.I've noticed cabover Kenworths tend to use more alloy struts, baracketry in the entire cab construction (and plywood floors) than Peterbilt cabovers of the same era.One reason I guess why there are still so many of them still around. Worst part as far as corrosion in concered seems to be around the rear cab horse collar where the steel collar meets the alloy rear cab sheet.

Thats a lite weight Louisville, even the KW were or are relatively lite weight compared to a lot of modern trucks

Paul

Louis LNT 8000 tippers with 9m bodies and hoist weighed a bit over 7 tons ,maybe 7 1/2 tons............the brickworks up the road had a fleet of Acco butterbox eight wheelers with 392 petrol and Allison that weighed 7 tons with ally tray.......they were late 60s trucks ,and lasted up until about 1984,when Brickworks sent up some S lines and dogs from Sydney..........which unfortunately none of the drivers could drive........Just inside the front gate is the office ,all on a very steep driveway..............and an S line with a 466 motor and 9speed ,just couldnt lift off on the slope......so they had to get in subbies with a yard full of trucks............and they still had subbies last time I was there about 15 years ago.