1988 Mack Superliner RW613 Tri-axle heavy hauler.

[Georgia Iron]

I have been out looking for a haul truck now for several weeks. Been looking online for months. This is a one owner truck that was sold off in a business sale.

I was looking for a truck that could have the ability to haul any machine I could decide to buy. This truck is going to be for my personal use, limited type use. Just needing something more than a 25 ton tag my dump truck can handle.

Not that I am planning on a d9 or d8, I felt like this truck could drag home about whatever I decide to buy for my land clearing work.

Truck does not currently move something is broke in the rear end. So it is getting towed to me. Here is my next project.

What do you guys think about this ol truck.
It has a dual frame, wet line and a 50k hydraulic winch, air lift 3rd axle and a 350 mack engine with mack rears.

 

[Georgia Iron]

It seemed like it fit my personality more than all the newer stuff I looked at. Most everything had sleeper cabs. It reminds me of over the top with Stallone. Super excited to get to bring it back up speed.

 

[mowingman]

Those old Super Liners are tough trucks. I know a company that has rebuilt one for everyday aggregate hauling, and is currently working on one or two more. They are replacing much newer Petes. Hopefully you did not have to give too much, as you never know what problem you are going to wind up with. Nice find.

 

[Acoals]

Looks like it's nice and strait; I always liked those old Dogs. The Mack tranny's drive a bit different than a roadranger, but I always liked them.

 

[crane operator]

I like the mack's I've owned and driven. Most of those e-6 make great torque even down low in the rpm range. Its got jakes (or at least the switch is on the dash), but jakes on the e-6's don't do a lot of braking, compared to some other engines. But any jake is better than no jake.

Is the tag picture from the rear axle? I'm guessing they are top loader rears. If that's the rear ratio- its kind of tall geared for a top loader set up. Most of the macks have a "4" for the first number. Looks like neway air suspension, which is a good suspension.

I really like the old mack R cab's. I find they have good room, and great visibility. They also hold up under years of hard use, which isn't true of a lot of newer stuff. As long as there isn't rust in the back wall around the floor. Most stuff from up north rusts out there.

Now you get to go trailer shopping! That's worse than truck shopping, and just as expensive. Mechanical or hydraulic RGN ground bearing or non ground bearing, single drop, traveling axle tilt, folding neck, air, spring suspension, tandem, triple, triple with 4th flip, 30-40-50-60 ton? your options are about endless. You're going to have to narrow down a bit on what you want to haul.

 

[Coaldust]

Ol’e 488. She’s a helluva rig. Nice looking gal. Wide hips and built to pull. I’m in love.

 

[Welder Dave]

Ol’e 488. She’s a helluva rig. Nice looking gal. Wide hips and built to pull. I’m in love.

The Mack cabs seem very similar to Ford cabs. I think Ford is a little roomier than the older R series Mack's though. Maybe Ford took design elements from Mack?

 

[cuttin edge]

I got excited, thought she might have had the V12

 

[Georgia Iron]

I like the mack's I've owned and driven. Most of those e-6 make great torque even down low in the rpm range. Its got jakes (or at least the switch is on the dash), but jakes on the e-6's don't do a lot of braking, compared to some other engines. But any jake is better than no jake.

Is the tag picture from the rear axle? I'm guessing they are top loader rears. If that's the rear ratio- its kind of tall geared for a top loader set up. Most of the macks have a "4" for the first number. Looks like neway air suspension, which is a good suspension.

I really like the old mack R cab's. I find they have good room, and great visibility. They also hold up under years of hard use, which isn't true of a lot of newer stuff. As long as there isn't rust in the back wall around the floor. Most stuff from up north rusts out there.

Now you get to go trailer shopping! That's worse than truck shopping, and just as expensive. Mechanical or hydraulic RGN ground bearing or non ground bearing, single drop, traveling axle tilt, folding neck, air, spring suspension, tandem, triple, triple with 4th flip, 30-40-50-60 ton? your options are about endless. You're going to have to narrow down a bit on what you want to haul.

The tag is off the front axle in the tandems . I have a few more pics.







I do want to get some trailer advice. I have already been looking. I went and looked at the truck trailer combo. His was sitting at 80k. More than I was looking to spend.

 

[cuttin edge]

If you can find something with rear wheel covers, it cuts down on broken windows from rocks flying off tires. Few excavator windshields lost over the years. If the covering is heavy enough, you can haul something over the back axles. I've hauled a small excavator like a 308 over the back, and a D3 on the deck. Sometimes a gas engine and pump can eliminate the need for a truck with a wetline, although I have been in situations where the engine wouldn't start.

 

[JaredV]

Like this. I could put the grader tires on the beam between the middle and back axles but I'm maxed out on the trailer. This moves about 3400 pounds into the truck which was only grossing 41k before. It makes a big difference on logging roads. I've been forced to unload at the bottom of a hill and reload at the top but haven't had to do that since we put the fenders on. Someday it'll get plastic removable fenders like our Aspen trailers have on the back axle.

 

[Joe H]

Looks like somebody loved it, you got lucky.

Joe H

 

[crane operator]

I do want to get some trailer advice. I have already been looking. I went and looked at the truck trailer combo

@Junkyard has owned a lot more trailers than I have, and I know @Pops52 has done a lot of equipment hauling, but here's my take:

The blue lowboy rgn trailer is a side drop--center rails higher than the outside deck. I have one, it works good for my rough terrain cranes, because they are wide, and tall, and top heavy.

A side drop trailer is a pain if you try to load something with low ground clearance- it will hang up on the front hangar pins, or if the equipment is narrow- it won't have a enough wheelbase width to spread over the rails (not handy for skid/ compact trackloader/ small dozer, roller). Side drops work well for large tall equipment, and it gets the center of gravity down. Big excavator, wheel loaders, Big dozer, RT cranes work well on a side drop.


If I didn't have my RT cranes, and was a dirt contractor, I'd rather have a flat deck RGN, than my side drop. Its a lot of blocks on the ground, if you want to put your pickup on the deck to deliver my side drop RGN somewhere and drive your truck back. which we were trying to do the other day, and didn't because its a pain, just had to send someone to pick the driver up. We have to put blocks down just to load one of my smaller RT's, because that crane doesn't have enough clearance for the center pin area. Flat deck opens up a lot more possibilities of what you can haul.

I would not buy a ground bearing rgn, I prefer a non ground bearing. Ground bearing have a cylinder with a foot to raise and lower the deck for detaching. Usually the ground is too soft and you push the foot in the mud, or break through asphalt etc. That will ruin your whole day. Plus, you can't raise the neck like you can with a non bearing, to get you over a high centering situation. A non bearing, has cylinders up in the neck, and you just kneel the nose of the trailer down on the ground to detach, can raise it to get out of a high center.

I'm too lazy for a mechanical detach, but they are real popular in california. They are a lot of in and out of the truck. They are lighter than non ground bearing RGN, because you don't have all the cylinders and the heavy neck. They are also a pain if you get high centered.

I've also got a traveling axle tilt deck tandem, (look up landoll) mine is a Trail-Eze. Its handy for small low clearance like my forklifts, but whatever you are hauling can't be too tall. Lot of paving and dirt guys like them for moving equipment. Its just a single drop, so you have to watch the height of what you want to haul. Mine is a tandem, landoll makes a triaxle if you need the load capacity. Ground clearance isn't near the issue, as with a RGN

You've got a winch, so you could buy a folding neck trailer, where the goosneck becomes the ramp on the ground. They also make ones with cylinders to fold the neck, so you don't have to use the winch. There's a local dirt worker that has one. Its gives you a little more gradual slope than a RGN.

If you need lots of ground clearance, there's always the heavy single drop tandem or triple with ramps. You can go a lot more places, but big ramps aren't the handiest.

 

[Georgia Iron]

@Junkyard has owned a lot more trailers than I have, and I know @Pops52 has done a lot of equipment hauling, but here's my take:

The blue lowboy rgn trailer is a side drop--center rails higher than the outside deck. I have one, it works good for my rough terrain cranes, because they are wide, and tall, and top heavy.

A side drop trailer is a pain if you try to load something with low ground clearance- it will hang up on the front hangar pins, or if the equipment is narrow- it won't have a enough wheelbase width to spread over the rails (not handy for skid/ compact trackloader/ small dozer, roller). Side drops work well for large tall equipment, and it gets the center of gravity down. Big excavator, wheel loaders, Big dozer, RT cranes work well on a side drop.


If I didn't have my RT cranes, and was a dirt contractor, I'd rather have a flat deck RGN, than my side drop. Its a lot of blocks on the ground, if you want to put your pickup on the deck to deliver my side drop RGN somewhere and drive your truck back. which we were trying to do the other day, and didn't because its a pain, just had to send someone to pick the driver up. We have to put blocks down just to load one of my smaller RT's, because that crane doesn't have enough clearance for the center pin area. Flat deck opens up a lot more possibilities of what you can haul.

I would not buy a ground bearing rgn, I prefer a non ground bearing. Ground bearing have a cylinder with a foot to raise and lower the deck for detaching. Usually the ground is too soft and you push the foot in the mud, or break through asphalt etc. That will ruin your whole day. Plus, you can't raise the neck like you can with a non bearing, to get you over a high centering situation. A non bearing, has cylinders up in the neck, and you just kneel the nose of the trailer down on the ground to detach, can raise it to get out of a high center.

I'm too lazy for a mechanical detach, but they are real popular in california. They are a lot of in and out of the truck. They are lighter than non ground bearing RGN, because you don't have all the cylinders and the heavy neck. They are also a pain if you get high centered.

I've also got a traveling axle tilt deck tandem, (look up landoll) mine is a Trail-Eze. Its handy for small low clearance like my forklifts, but whatever you are hauling can't be too tall. Lot of paving and dirt guys like them for moving equipment. Its just a single drop, so you have to watch the height of what you want to haul. Mine is a tandem, landoll makes a triaxle if you need the load capacity. Ground clearance isn't near the issue, as with a RGN

You've got a winch, so you could buy a folding neck trailer, where the goosneck becomes the ramp on the ground. They also make ones with cylinders to fold the neck, so you don't have to use the winch. There's a local dirt worker that has one. Its gives you a little more gradual slope than a RGN.

If you need lots of ground clearance, there's always the heavy single drop tandem or triple with ramps. You can go a lot more places, but big ramps aren't the handiest.

Wow Crane. That is some great information. Thanks.







I am leaning towards a rgn non ground bearing. Saw this one stopped in traffic the other day and thought it was a nice setup. I am thinking I want to be be able to haul upto probably a d8 with ripper or possibly a very large excavator. In all likely hood I probably wont go bigger than a d6 or d7 and possibly a 325 or 330 sized excavator. I have been watching auctions for a long reach so I am unsure of the length of trailer, I need.

It seems that I can get a larger machine for less than a medium sized machine. My initial use will be for cleaning up Hurricane damaged woods, then moving on to a about 60 acres of heavily stumped and logged planted pines. And finally building a small pond in some bottom land for some wild duck habitat.

I have been researching GAs hauling laws with 7 axles they allow 148k and with 8 150k. I am thinking this is because the super load permit only let's you go to 150k max.


I went out this week and looked at 5 different trailers. There are lots of dual axles, a few triaxles and i have not seen many or any used 4th axle flips for a fair price. Honestly a trailer has been harder to find than a truck Rusted frames are the norm. I am finding. I was also told that trucks are a 1/3rd of the cost of what they were 3 years ago and now is the time to get one price wise. The hunt goes on.

 

[Georgia Iron]

Like this. I could put the grader tires on the beam between the middle and back axles but I'm maxed out on the trailer. This moves about 3400 pounds into the truck which was only grossing 41k before. It makes a big difference on logging roads. I've been forced to unload at the bottom of a hill and reload at the top but haven't had to do that since we put the fenders on. Someday it'll get plastic removable fenders like our Aspen trailers have on the back axle.

View attachment 333615

So of all things a driver that used the truck in the past before it was broken called me and gave me some history on it.

He stated that they had a very large excavator on the truck and that it pushed the tires into the wheel covers and that they had to cut them off with a Sawzall for clearance.

He stated that the machine grossed 117k and that the trailer combo did not allow them to get enough weight off the trucks rears and that the steering got light. They had to leave the rig and get a stinger for the trailer and a 1 day move turned into 2 full days. On the first day the bucket had to be removed from the hoe. He said that the wet line blew out and would not pickup the rgn so that's why the bucket was pulled before they could get going. Then they had to stop because of the light steering.

He gave the truck high praise and stated that it would do the job and that it had no problem with heavy weight. He was upset that they let the truck go. He also stated there new rotator trucks weigh 80k.

As far as the broke rears, he thought that a new driver shifted the truck incorrectly and broke something.

I was kind of thinking that maybe that move was part of its problems...

 

[crane operator]

I've been shopping upgrading my trailer. I'm planning on $40-50,000 for a 10-15 year old trailer. I also want rust free. Mine has some small rust areas, but my main beams are good.

My current RGN is a talbert, and I really like it. I'm most familiar with trail king, etnyre/blackhawk, kaufmann and eager beaver, from guys we do a lot of work with. I've unloaded all different kinds. I didn't think the kaufmann and eager beaver are as good of trailers, as the trailking, etnyre blackhawk, or my talbert.

Probably one of the little things, is how the neck pins on the deck. Trailking, etnye/ blackhawk and talbert all have two large pins facing forward, that the neck grabs. Fontaine uses two big hooks and a matching pin arrangement. If you are unloading on soft ground, the fontaine can sink in, and then you can't get the pins under the hooks on the deck. The forward facing pin style, you would have to really bury it in, to not be able to get back on the deck with the neck.

First two are forward pin style ( a trail king and blackhawk) , last picture is a hook fontaine.

 

[Georgia Iron]

Some bigger iron...

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952 21k

 

[Welder Dave]

I'd question the 8000 hours on the D8H and the 60% undercarriage. Sprockets are pretty pointed and rails look significantly worn too. The one pic. is too dark to tell but sprocket segments look even worse than the side you can see.

Wouldn't think parts and service support would be that great for a smaller Liehberr excavator. Komatsu looks pretty rusty like it was operating in wet or sloppy conditions. You might want to up your budget and get machines that are in better overall condition.

 

[terex herder]

As you get into trailers, don't forget to ask/confirm what the trailer weighs. I have a 50T hydraulic folding neck, and the trailer alone is about 23,000#. I've been told if you need an additional axle, its cheaper to sell the trailer you have and buy the trailer you need. Which is why I was able to buy my trailer, it was cheaper for them to buy a 4 axle than to add a 4th axle to the current trailer.

 

[Georgia Iron]

As you get into trailers, don't forget to ask/confirm what the trailer weighs. I have a 50T hydraulic folding neck, and the trailer alone is about 23,000#. I've been told if you need an additional axle, its cheaper to sell the trailer you have and buy the trailer you need. Which is why I was able to buy my trailer, it was cheaper for them to buy a 4 axle than to add a 4th axle to the current trailer.

Thanks. Will do.