Big Bad V8 Dm8 In Action

[maxidyne237]

Check out this video. Turn up your speakers. My link

[ThaddeusW]

Check out this video. Turn up your speakers. My link

Awesome! Its the Conforti DM800 with 80k rears and 14.00R24 rubber. I forget what it has for power, John will know.

Just listened closer and yes it does have a V8! But I would like to know what it was rated at and what gear box is behind it.

[Guest 45LMSWM]

Awesome! Its the Conforti DM800 with 80k rears and 14.00R24 rubber. I forget what it has for power, John will know.

Just listened closer and yes it does have a V8! But I would like to know what it was rated at and what gear box is behind it.

This was a charity job we did on Tuesday, January 5, 2010. We moved this retired M60 tank from one VFW hall to another, all within the town of Brick, NJ. About 7 miles total. Conforti did the move for the VFW free of charge, and all of his employees worked for free that day. Just trying to give a little back to all the men and women who have fought and died for our freedom.

Yes, Thad, that is a V8, factory installed E9-400 and 12 speed Mack w/mud stick. I was glad you could here the sound in the video as she went by. It sounded even better from the driver's seat! All went well and it was a nice day. Something I am really happy I got to do.

-John

[Jocko]

nice truck

[usmcjimbo]

This was a charity job we did on Tuesday, January 5, 2010. We moved this retired M60 tank from one VFW hall to another, all within the town of Brick, NJ. About 7 miles total. Conforti did the move for the VFW free of charge, and all of his employees worked for free that day. Just trying to give a little back to all the men and women who have fought and died for our freedom.

Yes, Thad, that is a V8, factory installed E9-400 and 12 speed Mack w/mud stick. I was glad you could here the sound in the video as she went by. It sounded even better from the driver's seat! All went well and it was a nice day. Something I am really happy I got to do.

-John

Hauled quite a few tanks like that back in my USMC days with the M123 tractor.

[Guest 45LMSWM]

nice truck

Thank you. Its been a long time in the making. Still not quite finished, actually, but she runs great and will pull just about anything you can put behind her. We need to reposition the fifth wheel at some point to get more weight on the front axle cause she can be a little tough to steer under load, especially in the rain.

Here's a couple of pics of her right after we brought her home:

-John

[Guest 45LMSWM]

And a couple of more recent shots:

1980 Mack DM821SX w/1978 Rogers Jeep Dolly & 75 ton gooseneck

1980 & 1984 Mack DM800s down at Englishtown...the sweet dump truck on the right belongs to maxidyne237. And he's even in the picture!

An overhead view w/1986 100 ton Rogers

And one more with truck 26. Sorry 'bout posting a pic of a Pete but I have to give our driver Artie some coverage, too! He keeps a clean truck...and he was my escort during the tank move so here it is:

Enjoy...

-John

[Rob]

And a couple of more recent shots:

1980 Mack DM821SX w/1978 Rogers Jeep Dolly & 75 ton gooseneck

1980 & 1984 Mack DM800s down at Englishtown...the sweet dump truck on the right belongs to maxidyne237. And he's even in the picture!

An overhead view w/1986 100 ton Rogers

And one more with truck 26. Sorry 'bout posting a pic of a Pete but I have to give our driver Artie some coverage, too! He keeps a clean truck...and he was my escort during the tank move so here it is:

Enjoy...

-John

Nice heavy trucks. I enjoyed the photos. Don't need to apologize about the Pete photo. Nothing wrong with a good running Pete. It's the ones that require a lot of "shop time" that are the problem.

Thanks,

Rob

[Guest 45LMSWM]

Nice heavy trucks. I enjoyed the photos. Don't need to apologize about the Pete photo. Nothing wrong with a good running Pete. It's the ones that require a lot of "shop time" that are the problem.

Thanks,

Rob

That Pete(1993 379-119) and her bigger sister(1998 379-127) both spent quite a bit of time in the shop before getting back to the road. This one was a near wreck, very tired to say the least. Rebuilt the engine and trans, all new brakes, tires, 10 new Alcoa aluminum rims, new front and rear fenders, fresh paint, the whole 9 yards. No doubt about it, the Macks stay running under much harder conditions, but she ain't bad for a truck with nearly 700,000 miles on her. I'd tell the boss to trade her in a heartbeat to have my '79 Superliner back though, any day of the week. Wouldn't even think twice about it.

-John

[David]

John, Thanks for posting the pictures of the "World's Nicest DM800". Really enjoyed seeing that truck in Macungie last summer.

[Guest 45LMSWM]

John, Thanks for posting the pictures of the "World's Nicest DM800". Really enjoyed seeing that truck in Macungie last summer.

Thank you for your kind words. That truck has kind of become my baby over the past few years, especially since the owner sold the 1973 Autocar that I used to drive for him. It has really been alot of work transforming this truck from what it was to what it is now, but I think its been worth it. She's a very fun truck to drive, air conditioning or no air conditioning...gotta get that back in one of these days as she came with it from the factory.

I'll try to have her out at Macungie again this year. Its a little tough cause we need to order permits to take her anywhere out of the state of NJ, but we'll most likely be there. Hope to have her out to Gerhart's again this year, too.

She's somewhat of a "parade truck" now. The new weight laws here in NJ are pretty much the death null for all this big stuff. But we'll still take her out here and there for revenue jobs, albeit much smaller machines then she pulled before. She'll have a good retirement, no doubt about it.

Got to get her two sisters back up and running, too. Both tri-axle tractors, one is an '85 DM822SX with a factory E9-440 and 12 speed, 18 front, 20 lift, 58 rears, and the other is the very last DM800 built, a 1988 DM888SX, 350 2 Valve with a 12 speed, 18 front, 20 lift, 58 rears. Will make for a nice little DM800 fleet.

1985 DM822SX back in the shop:

1988 DM888SX in better dyas when she was "LOOKING GOOD"...

John

[Joe Ditchkus]

John Do they still have Constructor Plate for tandem dumps in New Jersey? I had a heavy tandem working in N.J. in the 1980'S. it was nice to gross 70,000 with no axle weights on a tandem. I think the man I worked for Bill Maddox rents from your Boss.Nice Jersey Iron. Joe D.

[Guest 45LMSWM]

John Do they still have Constructor Plate for tandem dumps in New Jersey? I had a heavy tandem working in N.J. in the 1980'S. it was nice to gross 70,000 with no axle weights on a tandem. I think the man I worked for Bill Maddox rents from your Boss.Nice Jersey Iron. Joe D.

Joe,

As far as I know, they haven't repealed the constructor plates here in NJ, as of yet. Its still 70,000 on a 3-axle and 80,000 on a four axle straight truck with the constructor plate registration. But they have pulled the rules covering "Specialty Weight Tags" and are now heavily scrutinizing axle weights and axle spacings. You can hardly get 22,000 lbs per axle in many areas.

Yes, Bill Maddox parks his equipment in Frank's yard. He's been a customer of ours from the start. That guy moves some dirt!

John

[macks and brockways]

Looking at the original picture before the redo....it looks like it had the lighter weight front axle (1 Lug) ...in the later pics it appears to have the heavier (2 lug) axle...is that correct...what else did you change? An e9 dm800 is by far my favorite truck of all.....I just like the dm better than the RD...but they are rare as hen teeth down here.thanks is advance

[Guest 45LMSWM]

Looking at the original picture before the redo....it looks like it had the lighter weight front axle (1 Lug) ...in the later pics it appears to have the heavier (2 lug) axle...is that correct...what else did you change? An e9 dm800 is by far my favorite truck of all.....I just like the dm better than the RD...but they are rare as hen teeth down here.thanks is advance

When we bought the 1980 DM800 it had an 18,000 lb front axle and 65,000lb rears on Camelback riding on 12x24 rubber. We replaced the front axle with a 23,000lb. axle out of a mixer that we got in a junk yard, redid the brakes, wheel bearings, king pins, etc. and had the springs redone.

We replaced the 65K rears on Camelback with 80K rears on Mack Walking Beam, The "elephant ears" for the 65s are the same part number as the ones used in the 80,000 lb. rears, so we unbolted the trunnion tube and hung the 80K rears in the place of the 65s. The 80 rears were rebuilt before they were installed, and the truck was regeared for 42 MPH with your foot against the floor(2000 RPM), but she will do 45 before on a down hill without overspeeding the engine(2300 RPM max...but I've only ever had it at @ 2150.)

Other than that, just put a set of brand new 14x24 Michelin XMP radials on her and a larger fifth wheel.

John

[macks and brockways]

The truck is very nice for sure , I love to see them on 14.00x 24's...but got to say the red 1985 is more my speed....more road friendly and right wheelbase etc..Is it for sale?

On another note, don't know why it has taken me 29 of my 39 years to notice this...but the radiator area on the e9 trucks looks a little different...I'm gonna guess the sheetmetal sides and bars being out further is due to an air to air? is that correct? Any body got it closer side by side views? thanks Rob

[maxidyne237]

I can tell you for sure that the red Dm is not for sale and John could tell you the same, but it doesnt hurt to ask. The 6cyl Dm's were all equipped with tip turban cooled charge air coolers while the E-9 trucks had front mount intercoolers. Ill try to post a pic of the radiator on both style trucks. Green Dm has E6 285

[macks and brockways]

thanks, I figured it was probably for an air to air. I have found several DM800's for sale, but most are to short for a third axle. I'd love to find a E9 1 for sale, but seems most want a chunk for a E9. I'd just like to find one with 55, 58 or 65 axles and enough factory rail for lift axle and I'll slip my 863rwhp C-15 in it. If any body knows of a affordable DM800 for sale call me at 704-507-2453 or gradingman@aol.com...did not mean to hijack thread...RW

[Guest 45LMSWM]

The truck is very nice for sure , I love to see them on 14.00x 24's...but got to say the red 1985 is more my speed....more road friendly and right wheelbase etc..Is it for sale?

On another note, don't know why it has taken me 29 of my 39 years to notice this...but the radiator area on the e9 trucks looks a little different...I'm gonna guess the sheetmetal sides and bars being out further is due to an air to air? is that correct? Any body got it closer side by side views? thanks Rob

No, sorry, the red DM800 is not for sale. When we get around to it, she will be going into the shop for a frame rail replacement and complete overhaul/paint job. The rear of the frame is heavily spread, in fact the outside rail is split wide open in several spots along the lower flange.

The DM800s with E9-V8s had a front mounted air-to-air aftercooler, which required the radiator shroud extentions, both forward and out on both sides. The forward extention makes room for the air-to-air box itself, while the side extentions make room for the bonnets which come off each side of the air box and the hump hoses that pass along each side of the radiator to and from the engine.

Here are some pics...

John

[Bullheaded]

That's a really nice truck John. Do you have any interior pics?

[Guest 45LMSWM]

That's a really nice truck John. Do you have any interior pics?

Thank you. I do have some pictures, but the interior is not 100 % finished. The truck was built with the tan interior with the fake wood grain panels in the dash. I put an interior kit ordered using our '88 DM888 s/n in t last Spring just before the Florham Park ATHS show. The majority of the pieces are in, but some of them just don't fit, like the windshield pillar covers, which I need to cut down. The dash was painted black, and I need to have new panels made up to match cause the old wood grain panels are tired and full of holes. The heater controls and vents need to be redone, too.

I put the black floormat, headliner, overhead console, firewall covering, & cab back panel in, along with two brand new air-ride seats, think they were Talladega's but cant remember. It's 1000 times better then when we were driving around with the steel floor and one tired air seat-did that for 4 years with no passenger seat either, or even a head liner for that matter! It's a work in progress.

John

[Bullheaded]

Thanks John, keep the pics coming as you get her finished up. I think that might be my new favourite truck.

[ThaddeusW]

Thanks John, keep the pics coming as you get her finished up. I think that might be my new favourite truck.

Agreed. They are better than porn.

[Bullheaded]

Agreed. They are better than porn.

[Guest 45LMSWM]

That's a really nice truck John. Do you have any interior pics?

As requested...a couple of interior pics. The interior is not the cleanest right now, and it still needs some work before its finished, but here it is. Seats are Bostrom.

-John