Pioneer Spirit

Euclid was a pioneer in the development of dump trucks in the USA, making some of the first vehicles specifically for the off-highway market and continuing to produce best-sellers for many years afterwards

- Norman Chapman

Pioneering is at the heart of US-based truck maker Euclid’s history. From its iconic badge – a mountain man nicknamed ‘Pioneer Pete’ – to its role in the development of heavy-duty off highway trucks, Euclid was a longtime leader.

Euclid’s pioneering days started in earnest in 1933, when the company, already established as a manufacturer of heavy-duty trailers and equipment, built a bottom dump trailer that was capable of carrying a five cubic yard load. A modified Chevrolet truck with a reduced wheelbase towed the trailer in its off-highway role.

This was followed in 1934 by the 14-ton-capacity 1Z, making Euclid the first company to manufacture specific heavy off-road dump trucks. The 4x2 truck was better known as the Trac Truk and was powered by a six-cylinder Waukesha 100hp petrol engine. The cab was basic; without doors or windscreen, just a roof to keep the driver dry. The suspension was heavy-duty leaf springs all round.

A totally new Euclid design, again with the emphasis on heavy duty, was the rear axle, which was fitted with single wheels and 17.5 x 24 tyres. Also fitted were circular crawler type lugs around the outside of the rear tyres, kept in situ by the tyre pressure, for extra traction.

Articulated dump truck

Continuing its pioneering outlook, the company also experimented with an articulated dump truck, which saw the earlier modified Chevy tractor unit being replaced by a totally new Euclid prime mover. The outfit, named the 1ZW, was capable of moving eight cubic yards of load.

Euclid’s origins hinted little at what was to come. The company that became Euclid began in around 1904 in Wick liffe, Ohio, USA, when George A Armington formed the Armington Electric Hoist Co. The cranes produced by the company were mainly overhead units permanently fixed inside premises for lifting electrical transformers for servicing.