5 ton 6x6

[bjlffire]

Does anyone know the max weight or gallons a 5ton 6x6 can carry?

We will be geting one from the conservation department and are trying to decide wether to make it a heavy brush truck/tanker or a water nurse truck with 2500+ gallons of water.

Any help would be great

Thanks

Brian Fowler
Asst Chief New London Volunteer F.D.
New London Missouri.

[mtnfireguy]

Check out this site....

http://www.roscommonequipmentcenter.com/

[Doug12]

We have one, currently a 1500 gallon tanker. We are going to add a pump and some hose to use brush/tanker. The 1500 on it squats it pretty good already. It can shuttle water where no others can, that is its best attribute, other than the turbo sounds really cool.

Correct me if I am wrong, but
5 tons = 10,000lbs
2500 gallons water = 20,000lbs

[SilverCity4]

Doug, your math is right, but military trucks aren't rated the same as civilian trucks.

A 5-ton truck will safely transport 5 tons on a 60% grade--they'll hold considerably more on level ground.

[Doug12]

Not as much as you think. There is a plate rivoted on the inside of the cab that has the gross / max weights. That 5 ton max weight is on pavement, if I remember correctly it suggests a max weight around 6,000 lbs off-road. I will stop and look tonight and post what I find.
It has been a while since I read it, I could be wrong... wouldn't be the first time.

When we first got it in, there was talk of putting a 3400 gallon tank on it. Then we read the plate, and was supprised.

In any case, it is one mean machine and has proven its value quickly.

It may not be the same weight/class truck as the one we have. Reguardless there should be plate on the inside that gives the weights for that truck.

[N2DFire]

While you guys are ciferin* on things, Don't forget to allow for the weight of the tank that's holding the water (as well as the pump, hose, equipment, other body members, etc).

You can very quickly and easily get yourself way beyond the chassis capacity if you don't pay attention to all the numbers.

2500 gallons water = 20,000lbs

Closer to 21,250 (assuming water @ 8.5lb / U.S. Gallon). If I remember correctly from an old LHS* thread, the industry "standard" figure is 10lb/ U.S. Gallon for Water and Tank.

That would mean that 10,000 Lbs (5 Tons) / 10lb/Gal = 1000 U.S. Gallon Capacity (when allowing for the tank).


Brian - I would highly advise you to weigh the empty chassis once you have it in hand and stripped down.
Not only can you use that figure as a bench mark as components are added. You can also use it to compare the final weight to see how close to (or over) capacity you are.

* Cy-FER-in v: calculating.
From the root word Cifer meaning to calculate

(Please note this was for information with a bit of humor, no malice or ill will was intended)

[EastKyFF]

I will forgive N2D for quoting *LHS because the information was nonetheless useful. Some other considerations:

--Them things is tall. Don't think that just because you're OK on weight that you're OK on balance. To paraphrase REM: "Everybody turns....sometimes." Just make sure you're not turning over; it happens.

--Them things is slow. Even empty, they're slow. Don't put so much water on its back that you can't get it there.

[Doug12]

None taken... just round figues, I was basing off 8 lbs to the gallon.


Reguardless....

Tall is correct, even though its slow take caution you can find youself in trouble quick.

Side note, we had a call for a structure fire where we had 2 homes under construction ( read hilly dirt driveway ) and both on fire ( arson ), none the less tanker operations quickly went from dry dirt to muddy mess after a few minutes and the only tanker that could get in and out was the 6X6.
Worth it weight ( or wait) that night.

[SilverCity4]

Good points by all. There should be a plate that states the payload capacity in/on the cab somewhere.

We're kinda getting on a tanget about tanker design here, but high center of gravity is an issue with this trucks. Couple that with an unbaffled tank and you've got a problem.

We absolutely love ours. We have three 2 1/2 tons--two heavy brush trucks (600 and 700 gallons) and a tanker (1000 gallons). The tanker was a water tender in it's military incarnation before we got it. Them suckers will go just about anywhere.

[Doug12]

Other issue for us with military trucks.

The switch for the headlights confused many. I had it set so that all you had to do was turn on the battery switch and they where on. For some reason after starting the truck they would always turn on the lights or so they thought... which then they couldn't get the lights on. So as soon as who ever did that they would say its broke.

Eventually I set the switches and put enough tape on them so that they can not be turned. Anybody else run into this type of problem?

[SilverCity4]

The switch for the headlights confused many. Anybody else run into this type of problem?

Yep. Replaced the military switches with simple 'pull-on, push-off' switches. How? Don't know, but Bill (the Asst Chief) can tell you. Email him through the link at the bottom of this page:

SCVFD Feedback Page

(visit the rest of the site while you're there!)

[ArkFirFtr]

Several good points in the previous posts. We have a 2000 gallon baffled tank on our 5 ton. For what it is worth it is the maximum our state forestry dept. will put on one of these trucks. We have had a state program where forestry sales prefabricated tanks for these vehicles for a number of years. They have had much success with this setup. 2000 gallons works the old truck pretty hard but it will go where others cant when geared down. The tank is about 9 feet tall mounted. Although I would not consider the setup top heavy we use caution as there has been a couple departments who found its incline limit the hard way. One word of caution, the military made many 5 tons with only two oversized wheels per axle. These are death traps when used as tankers as thery are so easily rolled upon a single tire failure. Good luck on your new truck.

[HFRH28]

Memphis Equipment sells GI trucks. They have deuces, and up to 10 tons, and they even build a firefighting unit.

Firefighting unit: http://www.memphisequipment.com/Products/firetruck.asp
Memphis Equipment: http://www.memphisequipment.com/Products/default.asp

Here is some weight information i found on Memphis Equipment's website:
Weight:
Cab & Chassis...16,000 lbs.
Front Axle Rating...18,000 lbs.
Tandem Rating...44,000 lbs.

[gefd901]

Speaking of military 6x6s - we got our new Pierce calendar recently and one of the vehicles featured was their new Hawk Extreme. Talk about one bad a** combo brush truck and tanker! Built on an Osh Kosh (the company that owns Pierce and manufactures military vehicles also) 6x6 chassis, 2500 gallons of water, 500 GPM pump, turret nozzle on the bumper, ground sweep nozzles under the bumper, booster line, dump tank storage, 3 dump valves and able to ford 5 feet of water.

Check it out at http://www.piercemfg.com/ click on products, wildland and scroll down to the Hawk Extreme.

[RyanEMVFD]

we have one of those older 70's model trucks donated to us by the texas forestry service. our tank holds 1500 gallson of water and top speed is 45 mph.

one thing to remember along with height, top heavy, and speed (or lack thereof) is can the bridges in your area handle something this heavy? we have bridges that can't and we have to preplan around this little fact.

[Catch22]

You might ask your Dept. of Conservation rep. Ours told us for our 2.5 ton that it would hold 2000+ gallons, but most people suggested 1000-1250 because of handling and sinking (in muddy conditions). I'm not sure what kinda limits a 5 ton would have, if I remember right the two I've seen were both 1500 gallon tanker/heavy brush trucks.