BAE SD Brazos Chassis now available through GXV

Ford Prefect

Expedition Leader
Oops, the brontotrucks.com website is "suspended."

My thoughts precisely Chip.

I did not see anything in the PDF that I did find that said they could work in the USA. Sure would like the truck if it did, but I doubt it.

Heck that would be, IMO a far better platform for the Unicat Americas trucks than what they have now.

Maybe they just did not pay their bills because they are too busy selling trucks... yeah right, or out of business already.

Edit: I should say that I am specifically speaking about the bronto truck/co, not the GXV truck.

Also on the unicat bit. Well GXV has some really nice trucks already, but the unicat ones just suck IMHO. K, cleared that up. Cheers
 
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Ford Prefect

Expedition Leader
Titan, Brazos, Bronto?

What does each dealer get to pick the name they want to call them? Geez they are all the same truck in the photos, why all the different names?
 

jgolden

Adventurer
Hey Chip -
Someone should contact Worldwide Machinery and try to get one on display at the Overland Expo.

jg
 

DzlToy

Explorer
There's a Dealership in Edmonton Alberta that is carrying these, listed as Bronto trucks, they have both the 4x4 and 6x6 at the dealership.

Prices are: $169,500 4x4, $179,500 6x6

Will be happy to build you a complete cabover 6x6 chassis cab with 400hp Cummins, Allison auto, CTIS and lockers in all three axles for about half that price.

Wonder what the dealer cost is from BAE?
 

cwsqbm

Explorer
Will be happy to build you a complete cabover 6x6 chassis cab with 400hp Cummins, Allison auto, CTIS and lockers in all three axles for about half that price.

Wonder what the dealer cost is from BAE?

A completely brand-new truck, with all that? Where? I assume its all warrantied too.
 

DzlToy

Explorer
Truck would be custom built cab and chassis with new and/or reman parts: rebuilt Cummins 12 valve or 5.9 common rail, Suncoast or Goerend Allison 5/6 speed auto, reman NVG/NP or Spicer transfer case, new 12k axles (4x4 or 6x6), media blasted cab (large Isuzu, Fuso, UD or Iveco) with undercoating, sound deadening inside, your choice of paint, new frame rails (powdercoated), Suspension or air ride seats, new audio and video, back up camera, MP3, Navigation, etc., selectable lockers in all three axles, LED and/or HID lights throughout, 38-44" all terrain or mud terrain tires on 20" beadlock wheels (all new), selectable manual front hubs, air shift or electric shift transfer case, hydraulic assist steering, etc, etc, etc.

PM me if you are serious, dont want to derail the thread, but 180k for that truck in a chassis cab is ridiculous IMO.
 
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mogwildRW1

Adventurer
Will be happy to build you a complete cabover 6x6 chassis cab with 400hp Cummins, Allison auto, CTIS and lockers in all three axles for about half that price.

Wonder what the dealer cost is from BAE?
For 1/2 that price I'd buy 2 Used unimogs. Mine only had 15,000km's on it when I bought it, and the other one I bought had 4900 original km's.
 

762X39

Explorer
For 1/2 that price I'd buy 2 Used unimogs. Mine only had 15,000km's on it when I bought it, and the other one I bought had 4900 original km's.
Gee only 2, I would have figured 3 used Mogs but I digress. How much does an over the road truck cost nowadays?
 

Ford Prefect

Expedition Leader
Gee only 2, I would have figured 3 used Mogs but I digress. How much does an over the road truck cost nowadays?

You can pick up a really nice brand new Volvo for about 100K and to spec it out with all the bells etc you can get up to 120K if you really want to (edit: I should add those numbers are ball park numbers from my Volvo dealer about five years ago, so they may have changed a little, but not likely much.). Mac trucks are a little less if I recall, and I would presume most trucks are in that price range for a typical long haul truck. Obviously those are the same trucks that most people are turning into dump trucks as well. The Mac trucks have an oil field reputation of being one of (if not the) strongest trucks in the fields. Personally I drove a MAC, but I always took the opportunity to drive a Volvo if it came up. Those were, IMHO, by far the most comfortable pleasing trucks to drive. I also drove a Kenworth several times, and they are ok, but I did not care for them at all. Peterbuilts are nothing more than a Kenworth with extra chrome and crap on it. Really not worth it IMHO, but they do cost more than the Kens in general.

My driving experience comes from primarily Dump Trucks, and I have had hauls that are, at the most, one load in 14hrs of driving. Mostly commercial and residential construction, and some time in the Fields (maybe a day or two per month.) This is over the course of driving CDL vehicles for about four years.

On this truck in particular, I would think one would need a really REALLY difficult to get to area for this truck to be of any bother. Ten ton payload sucks as a half! When you think that the dump bed will run you 1/3 that weight limit, then you really are only able to carry seven tons. A typical dump truck, with a heavy duty rock bed, will run you about 22-25k lbs and max weight is in the 50-54K range, ergo you have a good fifteen tons AFTER the dump bed is on there. This thing can carry less than half of what a typical truck can carry. Plus I believe I read someplace that it does not do hwy speeds? So really you have a "truck" that can not get the job done in any way, but can get farther back into the muck than other trucks.

Two to three trips (that are slower going) in this truck to match one trip in an OTR truck. It would have to be really nasty stuff to make it worth it. (then you can factor in haul trucks, and well... most of them can carry a fully loaded OTR dump truck (weight wise).



Regards,
 
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dzzz

I didn't see anywhere on the specs what the top speed is on these things, but I am guessing maybe 85mph with that cummins??? If so that would definitely be another plus over a U500. Anyone know a price for one of these? I would guess $130k+ ??

Yikes. 85mph in a 25000+ pound camper? More power might be nice sometimes when going up a pass, but I would never normally cruise much over 65. I don't think tires would be rated at 85mph either.

Hopefully we'll get to see a long 6x6 GXV build on one of these chassis.
 

foxhunter

Adventurer
Well, I made that guess based on what my 1ton dually does with the 6.7 cummins. Not to worry though. We now know the top speed is 60 mph for the Brazos. Also, I can no longer find any mention of the Brazos on the GXV website. I suspect it is not a vehicle that is going to find many buyers in its present available configuration.
 
Well, I made that guess based on what my 1ton dually does with the 6.7 cummins. Not to worry though. We now know the top speed is 60 mph for the Brazos. Also, I can no longer find any mention of the Brazos on the GXV website. I suspect it is not a vehicle that is going to find many buyers in its present available configuration.

A little difference between your pickup and the MTV: the curb weight and GVW is 2-3 times as much. And the frontal cross-section is much greater. Believe me, 65-70 mph is more than fast enough in a truck this size. And of course with tires that size as well - the top speed rating for 395/85R20s made by anyone is 70 mph.

Charlie
 

Ford Prefect

Expedition Leader
Could one not simply put on an over the road truck tire?

You can get them with a pretty meaty tred pattern, so why not just go with that? Those tend to be spead rated for something like 80-85 and would certainly do the job.

Also I have to ask why people are in such a fuss about it going more than 60 and how scary that would be etc. Am I missing something? thousands of OTR trucks do 75 mph all day long every day in this country. Why would it be a big deal for a truck half that weight going the same speeds?


GXV still has their pages up and online that deal with the Brazos (as of the writing of this post).

Thanks
 

LukeH

Adventurer
You have to remember that otr trucks have firm short travel suspension and the or trucks have softer longer travel. Any direction changes will provoke greater body roll and be somewhat alarming to handle. Even in cars, nobody expects a real live axle 4x4 to manage the speeds a road car can; and those who do have to modify so it's no good off road.
Also a FC truck at 75 is much less reassuring than a long nosed hauler. You're on top of the front axle so it feels different.
I'm very happy to potter along at the EU regulated speex of 90 km/h. Foot flat in the floor my (obligatory for HGVs) acts like a cruise control. Remember in one of these you're on holiday not rushing around.
And IMHO if you have one of these and you need to rush around you've got your priorities wrong.
But that's just my opinion.
 

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