This is the boom truck I drive at local lumberyard. My other boom trucks had been an older Sterling & '06 International (that was a nice truck). Now I am driving this dinosaur, but after driving it for a little over 3yrs, it is really growing on me! The 3306B CAT will pull anything I want it to & it seems to be geared just right mated with an Eaton 8Speed with 2L. It pretty hard to keep her clean since the lumberyard is gravel & 40% of the roads I have to deliver on are gravel also. Besides, really simple & cheap things to make her look a little better, nothing has been done as far as dressing her up. The problem I have is of course, is I am not dealing with my money - kinda hard to justify spending $400 on a new chrome bumper when the existing one is just fine. I have found that the aftermarket world for L9000 is non-existent. Not sure exactly what I would like to do to my truck, but I a, trying to save a little money here & there so I can buy a few things, even if it technically isn't my truck. The business has owned the truck since '05 & until I got here, the truck received no attention to cleanliness @ all - drives me crazy! Any ideas or suggestions of where I can turn to for some chrome? or any suggestions on what to outfit this beast with? Sorry, I don't have a name for her yet. Working on getting pictures uploaded, but they are taking a long time, even though I sized them properly, etc...
Hell, I can't get one picture to upload, I have read all the FAQ's - not sure what doing wrong
I think I got it figured out
looks real good
Thanks moneter76, I feel like I'm more or less polishing a turd when i washing it.
at the end of the day there is nothing like driving a clean truck. like my equipment and vehicles no where near show quality but servicing is quicker and less of a chore, more comfortable to be in all day, soem times i have to pick up my girlfriend in the truck and she doesent complain. just my opinion when it comes to that
I will agree with you on that! Being clean has saved me a few times when I get to meet a nice DOT officer. They usually say something like "I can see you take care of your truck, so I won't bother lookin' to close because I'm sure it's all in order.
A clean straight truck goes a long way in my book. Much respect for your respect of the truck. Makes you proud when everything is high and tight and in order. Lot of places use fleet style trucks with not much character. That one has got some character and so do you for taking pride in it. I have a L9000 and I know what you mean about the aftermarket parts being few and far between. One of the best things I bought was an 18" pleather wrapped steering wheel. It changes everything. If it's an 8 speed what is the 2nd switch for on the shifter? Is that the 2L you mentioned? Not familiar with that..
Nice clean truck. It looks good. I like the color and body of it. I would like to have that truck also.
Fastdirt - I appreciate the compliment. Your 9000 is the reason I stumbled upon this forum. What an amazing job you did on yours - talk about a complete transformation! I seen the pictures of your new steering wheel. Actually, I really dig the new grille & visor. Do you have to run a shorter seat base with that visor? Seeing how it has a nice drop to it. It has Low + 4 Low Side Gears & 4 High Side Gears. Its got a thumb switch for extra low reverse & low gear (thems is crawling gears!) I'm not sure what to call that I guess
Thanks! All of our trucks are red. The boom, frame, bed, outriggers, tanks, & everything else but the cab could use a fresh coat of paint. It looks like when the truck was put up for sale, they just took a paint gun, filled it with black paint & went nuts. Seeing how I doubt I will ever get chrome tanks, I need to somehow find a way to get rid of 20yrs of nasty fuel build-up on the side of the tanks. Which raises a question for you guys, does anyone else have trouble with fuel leaking out of the tank caps for about 100miles after filling up? I know that the caps are tight, the gaskets look good, & I'm not overfilling the tanks. I was only curious to see if that was a common thing with these trucks or not.
Thanks! All of our trucks are red. The boom, frame, bed, outriggers, tanks, & everything else but the cab could use a fresh coat of paint. It looks like when the truck was put up for sale, they just took a paint gun, filled it with black paint & went nuts. Seeing how I doubt I will ever get chrome tanks, I need to somehow find a way to get rid of 20yrs of nasty fuel build-up on the side of the tanks. Which raises a question for you guys, does anyone else have trouble with fuel leaking out of the tank caps for about 100miles after filling up? I know that the caps are tight, the gaskets look good, & I'm not overfilling the tanks. I was only curious to see if that was a common thing with these trucks or not.
I'm not a fan of bling, but I have always really liked the looks of those Fords. They seem to hold up well, must have been well built.
i believe they are very well built down here in Miami as far as dump trucks go i see tons of them working still
One thing I would do is talk to the owner of the truck first. He may not want you to start modifiying his truck. Even if in your eyes it improves the truck he may not want it there. We had a haul driver at an equipment company do that to one of their trucks and they we mad. He installed chrome lug and hub covers and a straight chrome stack on it. On his own time after work even.
it true though some guys are weird about that, my company (not big enough yet to hire employee's) i wouldnt care as long as it nothing that would make the truck unsafe go for it, ive always noticed something 99% of the time the guys who keep there trucks clean are also the one who almost never seem to have major failures but the ones who don't care and baja the trucks down dirt roads or play bull dozer on a job site always seem to be mad about there truck always being at the shop and saying its a total POS
nice truck. whats the hp on the 3306
I spent 20 years in the cabs of L series Fords, the pic of the dash brings back fond memories. They were my favorite truck to drive!
I have always been a chicken lights & chrome guy. I think that steps from my dad always have really shiny W9's. My truck is no frills for sure! I had to install a radio from a Ford Tempo when I first started working here. It makes it really easy to work on though.
The more you stare at it, the more it grows on you. Just to dress it up a little, I took out all the dash panel screws & put in stainless ones with little stainless washers - something that we had on our shelves & a cheap, small thing to make it more personalized. I was thinking of maybe putting a decal near the PTO switch that says "engage brain before engaging PTO".
I couldn't tell you that. I'm sure it is not what it came out of the factory with. It has 270,000 on it & no my knowledge, regular maintenance, new air compressor, & new alternator(since I have been here). I am sure it could at least use a good in-frame.
My boss is great about things like that. He sees that I take care of the truck way more than any of the other guys do with trucks. I think as long as didn't go crazy & put a stack on it or painted the wheels green, I will be ok. I wish I could find lugnut covers for it, but I am striking out. The lugnuts measure 1 1/4" outside edge to outside edge.
If there is dirt or gravel, my rule is keep it under 10MPH. I know that it takes a bit longer to get to some of my deliveries that are on gravel, but hey, why throw away 2 or 3hrs of cleaning in 5minutes on the gravel. I think it also has to do with the fact that guys who keep there trucks clean & in good shape notice things or inspect their trucks much more often. It's easier to see something wrong or out of place when your truck isn't covered in 6" of 2yr. old mud.
Fastdirt - "I have a L9000 and I know what you mean about the aftermarket parts being few and far between." Last year I needed a new muffler & the local shop said that there were 3 OE mufflers in the US & they were around $600. So they installed a little torpedo looking thing & it sounds like a jet taking off
That's the standard size for the lug nuts, you should be able to find chrome acorn covers easily. Any truck stop will have them or try Iowa 80
I mistyped, it has a 3406B CAT in it.
I have found that 1 1/2" or 33mm is pretty much what everyone carries. I did find some covers for 1 1/4", although not much of a selection compared to what is available for today's trucks. Local guy @ Mutual Wheel said he hasn't sold any in a long time. Nobody runs those old Dayton wheels anymore & if they do, they must not be interested in lug nut covers.
32MM! Found some at the local shop where I take the truck. There were sitting on the back of a shelf & the plastic bag was black from dust & general shop "stuff" that had been in the air for 10yrs. The parts guy didn't even know they were there & said if you want them, they are yours. Only problem is now I am 12 short for the one sides of the drives, now I know the size.