I have been checking out trucks today, and am probably going to buy this one unless someone can convince me otherwise. This is by far the best truck for the money that I saw today. I am not an expert, so I NEED your thoughts. Here's the spec's. Westen Star 4964F N-14 Cummins 460 HP. Fuller 9 speed. 410 gears. 12,000 lb front 45,000 lb rears. 57,000 lb GVW 378,430 miles Beam Suspension. Not sure what make. Air Lift gate and PTO Controls. Ox Box Dump Bed Excellent Shape. All Paint is Excellent. All Tires are 50% + Rear Drives 80% Locking Diffs What do you think of this Engine-Gear combination? This truck has power out the Wazzoo, but I may get about 3 gallons per mile (LOL)? The cam followers are leaking, and will be repaired before I pick it up. I have about 10 more trucks to look at tommorrow, but I doubt that they will be in this kind of shape for the $. Here is a pic.
Sounds like pretty good specs but not crazy about the 9 speed. I bought a 98 Western Star road tractor a year ago, has a 13 speed, N14 500, 3.73 rears. I get almost 7 mpg, but run at least half my mileage unloaded, or a lot of light loads. The 425hp 3406 I had only got around 6 with 3.55 gears, running the same loads.Love my Western Star. George
Thanks Trucker. I am not sure what to think of the 9-Speed. I don't really know what that will do to fuel costs. I think it will pull the mountains just fine, but at what cost?
Western Star This may help, Western Star is a great truck, N14 is and OK engine, 9 speed in my opinion, is what you need, but different areas require more gears. If you are going to be in soft areas, off road, it would be good to have a LoLo 9 speed. Walking beams, great for trucks that go off road, rough on driver on highway uses. I have 2, both are air ride, great on highways, but you have to be careful dumping. Buy a factory dump, you wouldnt be sorry. Ive been bit by this, spend it now or later You didnt say anything about the price I have a Mack CH, this is a good truck, but its a little heavy. This means, when I haul rock and get paid by the ton, I haul about 1 1/2 ton, less than the other truck, most cases that means I lose a load a day. So check the old trip tickets and see how much you can carry legal. This does matter, some contractors will not use you, if you cant carry 15 1/2-16 tons Looks doesnt always mean anything, I know people that looks to see if it has a CB radio, music radio, nice seats, color paint, before even thinking about the engine and other components. But it looks like a good truck Do your homework.
trucks Forgot something, the guys in my area that bought new Internationals, are having alot of problems, they are just not holding up. A friend of mine has 2 almost new, as of today, both of them are in the shop again. This is the fifth time in 6 months, all different problems. the newest has a bad cam, truck will be down about 2 weeks. Good for me, he uses us now to help him. Stay away from Ford/Sterling, older Fords were good, with the right setup. Macks, Western Star, Pete, Volvo (some) are good Just my opinion, do your homework and the good looking paint job, is not always the best way to go.
Thanks Willis. The paint on the Cab is original, it has not been repainted. Price is upper 30's.
Front axles are light. I know here in NY they only allow 34000 on the rears plus your fronts without a permit. So the way I figure if it its the same where you are, 34000+ 12000= 46000 total alowed without a permit and if your trucks net is around 24000 that only leaves you with about 22000 or 11 ton you can carry. Now if you permit it your good for 16.5 ton. My 2 bits. The truck looks sweet though. Good luck with your serch.
Since it has 12,000 lb front axle it was probably a tractor converted to a dump. Things to look out for, Does that 9 speed have a low enough forward and reverse gear? Nothing worse than a dunp truck that backs up to fast in soft ground. Does it have a double frame?.............It is a nice looking truck deffinatley. These trucks dont work that well for us in NY because if you run a permit, the front axle is always overloaded.
It is a double frame. The forward low is definitly low, but I didn't notice the reverse. Another day of truck shopping. I looked at a 98 Western Star that had an 8LL and a Cat3046E in it. It was 375 HP, and had the hendrickson air bag suspension, 16,000lb fronts. They wanted 6,000$ more for it and it had 580,000 miles. I will be looking at this tommorrow.
12, The 8LL and 3406 is a nice combo, Air bags are ok, just have to watch a little closer with your dumping conditions. What is the history on that motor? Has it been overhauled and when? In most cases a truck set up originally as a dump truck is going to spec out better than a converted tractor. That how it is here in NY anyway. Keep on searching!
trucks As I stated before, the air bags are just OK, if you are going off road alot, its not the best. If you are doing a lot of highway driving, it rides a bunch better. Just make sure you dump the air bags, before you dump and try to stay on level ground. Dont jerk the truck to finish dumping the dirt that sticks at the top. If you see this done, its kinda scarcy. The regular beams are the best, just ride a little hard. I have 2 dumps with air bags, its really not what I perfer, but its what I have, because of the long hauling. If I was going off road alot, it would be beams, not bags
Thanks Guy's. The truck I looked at today is a 99 Freightliner that is a conversion. Detroit 60 435 HP. It seems to be a real nice running truck. 630,000 miles on it. The demo box is in great shape 18', and has a new ram and PTO. The guy was telling me the GVW on this truck is 80,000 now, and I just don't get where he is coming up with this number. 12,000 front 20,000 rears and he said the lift axel was 12,000? Anyway he is wanting 43 for this one. I am looking to put a plow on the front for next winter, and I think the Western Star fits this bill better. It is shorter and will be somewhat more manuverable. Decision time I guess.
I hope we helped you out here. Thanks for sharing and good luck with your choice...:drinkup
speced pretty well
I appreciate all the help! I have figured out the western star has a Chalmers suspension. I am still dealing with them on it, but after looking at 17 or 18 trucks, this and the Freightliner are the only 2 I would own. The rest have been abused pretty bad or just a conversion to sell it, and still priced pretty high.
As I have read all of the post but not that carefully, nobody has mentioned resale value of a used truck. I have a '94 WS (haul truck) and love it, but if I was to sell it I would take about a 50% price cut. I used to own 4 trucks (2 petes and 2 WS) that we used for over the road appilcations and when I sold them I almost had to give the WS away. IMHO if I could find a good used pete or KW instead of the WS or FL, that would be my first choice. I dont want to be accused of bad mouthing WS because they (the older models) are very reliable, but have no resale.
That truck is in Idaho Falls is it not? I looked at also. I did not care for the bed, I believe it was 14', cant remember exactly but that is what I recall. I have been looking for a newer truck as well. The issue as mentioned with these trucks is resale. There does not appear to be much. Although they always seem to be speced good (heavy fronts, 46 rears and big power). I will continue to look as well. KW in Idaho Falls has WS that specs very well, they are asking just under 50K for it.
If it was me I'd opt for the Western Star. The Chalmers suspension is probably the best there is on the market today when you leave the pavemant. Western Stars are tough. I drove one for a while in the early eighties hauling drilling fluids. The front end might be a little light for a plow but will ride way nicer than a heavier front end. It has enough power to compensate for the lack of gears. You could smoke most everyone coming over the sisters pulling your hoe!:cool2
Western Star Well heres my 2 cents worth again, I think someone stated, they thought it was a 14ft bed. I thought when I saw the photo, it was a short bed (14ft bed) I dont know what you use the truck for, but I dont recommend a 14ft bed, its the first thing in our area that the customer asks (what size bed) I know that some trucks with 14ft beds can carry 15-16 tons, but not many. Do your homework, dont buy a truck, if you are for hire, if you cant carry the payload required in your area. If you have to make payments, it maybe tough. Good Luck
Lol! You remember the Sisters! You can pretty much tell what kind of power a truck has on those babies. Nice pic by the way. Are you sure you don't want to come back to SW Wyoming? I know you hate Alaska.:Cowboy
It is in Idaho Falls. It is a 15ft bed, and not my first prefence but it will work for what I need. I wish it was tarped. I looked at the WS at the KW Dealer there. It was better in some areas, and lacking in others. 200,000 more miles with 100 less HP for 5,000$ more.
I would also add that you consider if you want to add a pony pup to the truck down the road. We've run the RR15 with @ 410hp which works nice; has nice low range with 10 highway gears. Finding a truck set up with the pintle & plumbing saves dollars later as well.
My 98 Western Star is speced very similar to yours with the exception of the drop axle. 500hp Detroit 60, 10 speed, 4:33 rears, Chalmers suspension, and 15 foot bed. I live and work in the hills and have absolutely no problems with a 10 speed - the 9 speed isn't that different. I get around 6mpg on short trips around here in the hills and have gotten 7.5-8mpg on a couple jobs where driving distance was pretty long and flat. According to Detroit, my engine gets best mileage at 1400rpm which is 55mph in my rig which is also the legal speed limit here in California. So that works out well for me. My bed is a high side bed and with the boards it is 4 ft high. It will hold 16.5 yds full, which is more than I can legally haul here with the bridge formula. The Chalmers suspension is great off road, which I do a lot, and it isn't that rough riding with the air ride cab and air seat. I am very happy with my truck and think you would be also with the 99.
Thanks Bob fo the info. I will be dealing on it this morning, so we will see what happens.
I did not see the truck there the other day. Did you buy it?
The truck is still there. Was sitting in the vey back of the lot when I left. And yes I am buying it. They are installing a pintle hitch before I pick it up.