Pulling a trailer with 237 HP

[roadusercharges]

we had a single drive r model, 237 and 12 speed, towed a 2 axle gravel semi with 2 axle trailer behind it, used it up and down the coast and hills Blenheim to Christchurch in south island , always around 36-38 tonnes, never missed a beat, saw off many other trucks on the long pulls up the mountains.

[roadusercharges]

here it is after a repaint

[thomastractorsvc]

nice truck, where is it at now?

[j hancock]

That is a great looking rig!

[bulldog man]

We had a 77' DM685S Tandem dump w/ 237 & 2 stick 6spd w/ 5:73 ratio gears double frame 16' bed 18k f/a & 44k r/a .

I Wish I had a dollar for every load of sand , mulch, road gravel , oversize wash gravel , crushed limestone, rip rap, brush from clearing jobs & demolition from jobs we done & of course what was our bread & butter West Tn Red Clay Dirt. I'd be rich .

Here in W. Tn we are allowed 20 tons on a tandem dump & 25 tons on a tri axle I can guarantee that Red Dog carried 30 tons of dirt out of dirt pits & through out The Millington area more times than 1 .

Top speed on that truck was somewhere around 58mph to 60 mph but didn't hesitate to pull the loads out of the pits & always pulled hard through soft ground loaded .

Most of my grandfathers friends ran brand X Trucks & when they got stuck on a job they were doing together it was always Red Dog that pulled them out if a dozer or excavator wasn't available. You may have out ran Red Dog on the road but in the field that ole Bulldog was Hard to beat & out pulled & pulled out a lot of brand X Trucks in the 2O Plus years my grandfather owned that truck .

Matter fact I made $500 extra on a load when a buddy of my pops bet me when I was 21 yrs old that I couldn't get 20 tons of 57 Rock (code here for oversize limestone like on a railroad ) in a muddy field On a Clearing job my pop & his buddy was doing @ the time .

I told my pops buddy the only stipulation was he have his D6D LGP Winch Cat ready to pull me out after I was empty & have the money ready !! I had my had out before he put the cable to the truck . My granddad that raised me & his foreman laughing their ass off cause I got that load in where his KW COULDNT GO !!

I love a 237 w/ a 2 stick 6 spd tranny w/ 5 reverse gears .

[Mr Black]

I drove a 237 at around 32 tons )metric) back in the 70s when we had an 88 KPH speed limit in the midwest. It was quite on top of the job, pulling our short small hills in top gear and dropping a gear for the longer grades coming out of the river valleys. Also drove a 237 one day at around 40 tons and it was clearly beyond it's comfortable limits- Even thought the route was flat as a pancake freeway, it barely made it to that 88 KPH speed limit after a kilometer or too and was running wide open most all the time. On a very minor 1% or so grade it was down to around 70 KPH, barely able to maintain the freeway minimum speed.

So while the 237 puts out an honest 237 and then some HP and will run with the 300s from Cummins and Detroit, on the used truck market here in the U.S. a 285 or 300 can be bought for about the same price and is a better choice if you're going to be running around the 36 ton (80k pounds) legal limit. That said, at 30 tons or less the 237 works fine, but if you buy that 237 and work it at 42 tons I suspect you'll soon be back here asking how to "turn it up" to 300.

The thought has already crossed my mind!!

[double d]

I dont remember exact numbers but didnt the 237 have 900+ lbs of torque, while in comparison, a 335 cummins of the same era was only putting out 800 lbs or so? Again not a race winner, but it will finish the race every time.

[2stacksuperdog]

Well a mack transmission is designed to take 1800lbs of torque so i would say a Mack motor produces up around there. Hence the triple counter shaft tranny. A mack motor would brake the fullers in half.

[Green Dash]

I'm pretty sure the torque ratings for the early Maxidynes are as follows:

237-906

285-1080

325-1100

These numbers are either correct or darn close.

[b61mack]

I'm pretty sure the torque ratings for the early Maxidynes are as follows:

237-906

285-1080

325-1100

These numbers are either correct or darn close.

I'm pretty sure the torque ratings for the early Maxidynes are as follows:

237-906

285-1080

325-1100

These numbers are either correct or darn close.

wasn't the Maxidyne era engines rated at the rear wheels and the Cummins at the flywheel. if so that explains why the ran so good

[Lmackattack]

I'm pretty sure the torque ratings for the early Maxidynes are as follows:

237-906

285-1080

325-1100

These numbers are either correct or darn close.

That sounds correct.....and I also recall hearing it was rear wheel HP but can't say if it was or was not the case..

[mowerman]

i used to run one in the 80,s i wouldnt bother with it,,,if your trying to make a living with it,,,,you would be alot happier,,with atleast a 300 plus,,,you will be down to 10 mph on a good hill with a good load...bob

[MACKS]

If it has a 10 speed, it may not be a 237... 237s are high torque rise engines that usually came with a 5 or 6 speed wide ratio transmission.

Yes absolutely,don't take anyone's word for it,that engine should be marked in front of the inj pump on the timing cover,you need to know what the rear ratio is to figure top end and if tranny is direct or over drive..good luck

[other dog]

That sounds correct.....and I also recall hearing it was rear wheel HP but can't say if it was or was not the case..

That sounds correct, we considered a 285 hp. 300 Mack the equivalent of a 350 Cummins as far as running and pulling.

[Green Dash]

That sounds correct, we considered a 285 hp. 300 Mack the equivalent of a 350 Cummins as far as running and pulling.

The 285 even had more torque than the early NTC-350's.

[Mr Black]

Thanks to all for comments and feedback. After all this, I didn't end up going with the 237HP. I came across a '85 R686 with a EM6 300HP and bought it - will be picking it up in a couple of days. The main reasons were that it has a galv cab and a longer wheelbase so will take a larger sleeper. I hope no one has anything really negative to say about the EM6!!!

[masterwelder]

Thanks to all for comments and feedback. After all this, I didn't end up going with the 237HP. I came across a '85 R686 with a EM6 300HP and bought it - will be picking it up in a couple of days. The main reasons were that it has a galv cab and a longer wheelbase so will take a larger sleeper. I hope no one has anything really negative to say about the EM6!!!

What transmission is in it? Any pics?

[Mr Black]

What transmission is in it? Any pics?

It has a Mack 9 speed. Will post some pictures once collected. Cheers

[Maddog13407]

so where are all these GUTLESS 237's? that no one seems to like? I could use about four or five or them for free that nobody wants. I think Freighttrain might take one to.

[220cummins]

I have a spare 237 in the corner of the garage when my 673 takes its last breath...the maxidyne 237,285,300+ we fine running and pulling engines.

[j hancock]

I sure do like my 285 hp.

It will never make me try and figure out a "code" or flash any lightning bolts.

Jim

[Maddog13407]

the 300 was a Maxidyne, the 300+ was a Thermodyne I believe. not that it matters. all of the E6's were good engines

[Lmackattack]

It has a Mack 9 speed. Will post some pictures once collected. Cheers

That's a good combo....if the rears are speced right it should be about a 68-75mph truck topped out. A lot of people don't like the Mack 9 speed but I liked them..

[Mr Black]

That's a good combo....if the rears are speced right it should be about a 68-75mph truck topped out. A lot of people don't like the Mack 9 speed but I liked them..

That's good to hear - I had heard the 10 speed is a better box but this truck ticked most other boxes so I went for it. Hard to come across a good rust free R model in Australia and this one had a galv cab so I bought it.

[terry]

I have a spare 237 in the corner of the garage when my 673 takes its last breath...the maxidyne 237,285,300+ we fine running and pulling engines.

They are bullet proof engines, like the energizer bunny, they run and run with never a problem! Terry