Picking a Suitable Truck

Dr. B. C. Paul 2000

Revised 2009

Hi!
The Rear Dump Truck
 Truck Configurations
Rear Dump
Solid bed elevates and dumps
material over the back
Solid bed can take abusive
handling and loading
Can be lined
Traditional liners steel
Carbon composites now
Lighter bed liners avoid loss of
payload
 Variations
Most manufactures offer different
bed for different material weights
Coal and iron ore for example
Trucks are sized by weight and
volume - most limiting controls
productive service
Like to get both to limit at same
time
 Maneuverability Issues

Back dumping forces drivers to back

into spaces blind
Most rear dumps are two axle with
double tires on rear - fair
maneuverability
Some very large have had double rear
axle - hard to turn
Articulated versions are smaller but
highly maneuverable - often have
flotation tires for soft underfoot
The Tree Axle Rear
Dump
 Rear Dump Power
Have relatively high HP to
payload ratios
makes very gradable
gas mileage marginal makes best for
short in pit hauls
Generally geared low so 42 mph
typical peak speed
Weight centers on drive tires for
traction (can have 4 wheel drive)
 Powering Haul Trucks

Diesel Engine (common in US)

gas guzzlers frequently around 1 mpg
Trolly Electric
Rare in U.S. because it limits mobility to
areas with developed lines
Trolly Assist
Keeps down engine size
boost power on steepest grade
Loosing ground because full electric drive
systems loosing to mechanical
 Three Axle Bottom
Dump
More of a tractor trailer
arrangement - open top and bottom
opens to unload
More popular with lighter material like
coal because of bed bottom abuse
issues
More of vehicle is hauler
less power to payload
larger bed relative to size
The Three Axle Bottom
Dump
 Properties of Bottom
Dumps
Geared higher for more speed
Gives poor gradability

SMCRA limits most ramps to 10%

anyway
Speed and payload to power favors
longer hauls - coal to processing
facility
Have lower loading height - works
better with FELs
Impact of Bottom Dump
Cant stand impacts
Allows truck to use regular truck
dump
Dump time may be 25% of rear dump
Material must be free flowing and
not prone to freeze
Three axles tend to maneuver
poorly
Getting the Best of Both
Worlds
Two Axle Bottom Dump
Improved Maneuverability

Looks like a three axle body only

solid and on two axles
Has Intermediate Power to
Payload ratio
Bottom dump still means light
free flowing non freezing material
Two Axle Bottom Dump
 My Considerations

My Benches are relatively narrow so I

would like maneuverability favors rear
dump
The Hauls are moderate length with some
steep grades and rolling resistance on the
sand dunes favors high power to payload,
again rear dump
Oil Shale is kind of heavy and blocky, could
beat on truck bed one piece beds of a
rear dump would be handy
Ill pick a rear dump
 Turns Out That Was Also
The Choice of the Problem
You have been assigned to pick the trucks and
loaders for President Ahmadinejads Truck fleet of
International Peace and Love. The following
trucks are to be considered
Cat 769D Dual Slope
Cat 773E Flat Floor
Cat 777D Flat Floor
Cat 789D Dual Slope
Cat 793 C Dual Slope
(Specifications for all these trucks are available in
the 35th Edition of the Cat Handbook)
It is often very handy to have your truck specs
available a copy of the Cat Handbook is great
Reading Cat Specs

Truck Model

Truck Data Label

Numerical Values
Truck Weight

Total truck weight and

Payload can be 157,000 lb
(78.5 tons)

Basic Body and Chasis

Is 70,706 lbs

I could carry a load of

86,294 lbs (>43 tons)

But if I use a bedliner it

Will cut my payload
By 7280 lbs
And leave me with
79,094 lb payload (<40t)
A Truck Can Be Limited By
Weight or Volume

If I heap the truck it can

Handle 31.7 yd^3
(but that could mean a
High load at the middle
Of the truck

Struck even with the top

Is 21.6 yd^3
 Truck Size

Width 168
For 2 way traffic you would
Probably want a road 2.75 times
this

Probably want about 1.5 times width 1/4th truck

For single direction traffic width
Loading Height

Loader will have to be

Able to get over 102
To get over the side of
The truck
(that does not guarantee
It can heap the truck)
Turning Corners

Clearance to turn a full

Circle is 667
Traction Games

How much of the weight

Is on the drive wheels
Can control traction

When the truck is empty

50.3% of its weight is
On the rear drive wheels

When full 66.7% is on

The rear drive wheels

Of course you can put

4 wheel drive on but that
Is pricey to buy and
Pricey to maintain
 More Considerations

I would like a big truck so I can

minimize the number of trucks I
have to run
Problem is that big trucks have
a big turning radius and I have a
narrow bench
Need to consider how I will load
for maneuvering