Bell B20D 6x4
Series: Bell Articulated Dump Truck
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Bell articulated dump trucks B18 to B50D – the specialist from Richards Bay, South Africa: the number as payload in tonnes, D as generation, 6x4 and 6x6, Mercedes-Benz engines
Bell Equipment of Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal is the only maker that puts nothing but articulated haulers at its centre: founded in 1954 as a farm-machinery workshop, the company built articulated dump trucks from 1985 and became world market leader by units in the 2000s – also because it has built the articulated haulers for John Deere in yellow since 1999. The type logic: B stands for Bell, the number gives the payload in tonnes – B18 18 t, B25 25 t, B40 40 t, B50 50 t – D the generation of the 2000s, 6x4 and 6x6 the number of driven wheels; on its appearance in 2004 the B50D with 50 t payload was the world's largest articulated hauler until Volvo followed in 2016 with the A60H. The engines come from Mercedes-Benz – OM 906 LA in the small and medium, OM 501 LA and OM 502 LA as V6 and V8 in the big models – with Allison transmissions.
Read on 3 more paragraphs
The register lists 9 versions with 126.8 to 283.4 kW, torque from 810 to 2,200 Nm, lengths from 8,992 to 10,802 mm, widths from 2,560 to 3,901 mm and heights from 3,390 to 3,930 mm.
Bell's hallmarks are full suspension on all axles, the onboard weighing system and the lightweight construction that gives the B trucks a lower unladen weight than the competition at the same payload – the result of experience in the mines and sugar-cane fields of South Africa for which Bell built its first trucks.
On used trucks, operating hours, play in articulation joint and oscillation bearings, the condition of body cylinders, brakes and transmission and the tyres count; parts run through Bell dealers and for the engines through Mercedes-Benz.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Bell knickgelenkte Muldenkipper, Bell Equipment (manufacturer)
Technical data
Engine
| Engine model | OM906LAcorrect |
|---|---|
| Power | 172.4 hp (126.8 kW)correct |
| Torque | 810.1 Nmcorrect |
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 8,991.6 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 2,560.3 mmcorrect |
| Height | 3,390 mmcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Gearbox type | ZF HP592correct |
|---|---|
| Forward gears | 6correct |
| Reverse gears | 1correct |
| Tyre size | 20.5R25correct |
| Top speed | 65 km/hcorrect |
Working data
| Fuel tank capacity | 200.2 lcorrect |
|---|
More machines with this engine (OM906LA, 8)
Frequently asked questions
How much power does the Bell B20D 6x4 have?
The Bell B20D 6x4 delivers 172 hp.
How fast does the Bell B20D 6x4 go?
Top speed is 65 km/h.
What are the dimensions of the Bell B20D 6x4?
8,992 mm × 2,560 mm × 3,390 mm.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Load the hydraulics and watch for sag.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 13 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
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Other models in this series
Sources: RitchieSpecs equipment specifications (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Dump truck in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.
