Best Tractor Units for On-Off Road Applications

It’s not just 8-wheel tippers and hook loaders that have to venture into quarries, waste depots and onto building sites. There are many occasions when a tractor unit has to venture ‘off-road’. That doesn’t mean scaling ridiculously steep slopes, but simply entering areas that require improved ground clearance, grip and protection of the underbody and lights.

Applications for this type of operation could be the movement of plant machinery onto building sites, agricultural areas, quarries and bulk tipping operations to name just a few.

Venturing into these areas with a standard tractor unit could mean it could find itself grounded or worse, sustains damage to the sump, radiator etc.

‘Construction Specification’ Tractor Units

Over recent years, truck manufacturers have brought out special models or sub brands of existing models to meet this tractor unit segment. Examples are the Mercedes Arocs, DAF XDC or Volvo FMX where a totally new model range has been introduced (based on exiting cabs – the Actros, XD and FM in these examples. Scania have chosen the ‘XT’ sub-brand to apply to their trucks that have the ‘beefed up’ options.

In addition, there are more extreme models in the range. For example, Volvo offer the X-High chassis for additional ground clearance and Renault offer the ‘Range C’ construction range with the beefier ‘Range K’ for more extreme operations. Similarly, Iveco offer the X-Way for ‘light off road’ duties saving their recently launched ‘T-Way’ for more arduous operations. Again, the X-Way can be configured depending on the nature and frequency of any off-road incursions. Choose from ‘ON’, ‘ON+’ and ‘OFF’ set up which increases the ground clearance and adds bumper protection.

If you are looking for a tractor unit that has all of the on road capabilities, but a slightly more rugged cab, then consider the DAF XD or XF ‘Extra Robust’. These trucks use a totally on-road chassis but the ‘C’ cabs from the XDC and XFC.

Who Makes the Best Tractor Unit for On & Off-Road?

The construction type tractor units will always be outnumbered by the rigid versions – there are tonnes of tippers and hookloaders running with a ‘construction specification’ but fewer tractor units. The examples often seen in the used market tend to be Mercedes Arocs with some Volvo FMX advertised. This may be because they have been on the market longer as models in their own right. So, if you are looking for a used example, you will have a wider choice of trucks available if you start searching for used Mercedes Arocs tractor units for sale, rather than trying to find an X-Way or Range C or Range K. Remember to check the specification of the used truck very carefully, as it is likely that no two on/off road tractor units are identical.

So, the best used on-off road tractor unit has to be the Mercedes Arocs. When buying new, the options for specification for each and every range are so broad that it will be the model from the manufacturer that gives YOU everything you need from the truck.