Don’t discount the idea that the cabs might be hot even in northern climes, however; that enormous diesel engine has to dump its fairly significant heat load somewhere, and I’d be willing to wager the cab doesn’t need a heater option

I agree with you about the distractions, which still raises the question of why a CD player is even offered.

cl

The truck costs about US$ 3.5 million. CD-player and air conditioning systems are optional

Yeah, because when you’re spending 3.5 million on a vehicle, you really care about another $750. How much of a pathological beancounter would you have to be to decline those options? Better question: why aren’t they standard?

cl

The amount of published load capacity is usually always based on a 10% overload factor - meaning the trucks can actually handle loads of 10% more than the claimed number. I’ve seen data from our load weighing system that have shown loads of around 450 short tons!

However, the limiting factor that determines the amount a truck can haul isn’t the drive system or dump body, but rather the amount of weight the tires can handle. Lighter trucks mean more available payload capacity. Currently, there are only two major suppliers for OEM haul truck tires - Michelin & Bridgestone. Until they make a bigger/more robust tire - don’t expect to see bigger 2-axle trucks.

Liebherr currently holds the record for trucks that are actually in use. The 282b has a capacity of 400 Tons or 360 metric tons. That being said, Terex revealed a truck, the MT 6300AC, this spring that marginally outclasses the Liebherr 282b. It has a capacity of 362 metric tons.

(dimensions rounded)

Terex Titan
L-65′
W-26′
H-23′
Capacity-350T

Cat 797B
L-48′
W-30′
H-22′
Capacity-380T

Liebherr T282B
L-47′
W-28′
H-24′
Capacity-400T

So the Liebherr has the capacity trophy, but all, including the Titan, greatly outclass the Komatsu. While some of these manufacturers ‘claim’ to have the largest truck, they are leaving out such details as largest PRODUCTION truck, or largest capacity, etc. At least Liebherr says theirs is the largest single axle truck, which of course saves them from being compared to the dual axle Titan, which is, in fact, bigger.

There was only ever one Titan, though, and the Komatsu is a production vehicle.

Wikipedia thinks the Liebherr T 282B is considerably larger, though.

hey I don’t mean to get into a snarky “who’s biggest’ thread, just wanted to say when you are standing beside one of those monsters, they do look pretty cool.

see the titan here in Sparwood’s charmingly hokey website:

http://www.sparwood.bc.ca/titaninf.htm

I gotta get me one of those,just for the intimidation factor alone. SUV’s? BAH!