(By Greg Rourke) – What has 8 wheels, two big ass Cummins diesels, and weighs 200,000 pounds? This thing, the Melroe M-870 wheel dozer.
Unless this is your first visit to these hallowed pages, you know we love big iron around here. It doesn’t get much bigger than this beast. Two 855 cubic inch 335 horse Cummins engines power it, one engine and torque converter run each side. Each side is connected by drive chains, which must be very large drive chains.
We mentioned Melroe, you may know them as the previous parent company of Bobcat skid steer loaders. That’s how this behemoth steers, by wheels on each side operating at different speeds, or even directions.
These were made for about five years, and only ten were produced. Another company in the 90s remanufactured a few units and marketed them as the M-880 with bigger engines. This one must have escaped them, as the seller notes one engine is weak, and the 23 foot wide blade has been patched.
Before you win the bid and show up with a U-Haul, be aware the seller won’t help you load it. Happy bidding!
Oh joy!
Can you imagine crushing that vile lifted limo under this beast’s wheels….
Throw a flame thrower and .50 cal on the roof and a giant snow blower on the front you would have the ultimate zombie apocalypse vehicle.
If memory serves me right, one of these sat at a strip mine supply companie in Clearfield, PA in the 80s. It was definitely an 8-wheel dozer. You don’t see that very often and when you do you remember it.