Hey all, I am looking at a little S/A dump truck for sale out in Califonia. Considering driving it home to Minnesota. I am wondering what to expect as far as being legal getting it home. I used to drive locally but have never dealt with logbooks, scales or crossing state lines. I also am wondering what to expect on I80 through the mountains. Would I be required to carry chains this time of year? I have a CDL and health card. I also registered for a DOT number ad assume I could make up something temporary to display that until I can get it lettered. The person I spoke with about the truck apparently just does advertising for trucks but thinks its currently licensed. Is there anyone here from CA that could tell me if there is anything state specific the truck should have before I drive it on the road?
I live in Washington state (Covid-central!) I bought a little Ford L7000 from around Sacramento area about 7 years ago. Plan your route and go online to each states DOT or state police to get info on trip permits. While I was still in Cali, I was able to call and have my Oregon permit emailed/faxed to the hotel I was staying at. My rig is an ‘82 and not ugly but not pretty. I was worried about rolling across scales with an old rig and temp permits in the windshield. Ran across several scales and never called in (even the port of entry coming back in to Washington! If I recall, I kept a log but, once past the last scale in Washington, pushed for home...fudging by a couple hours. I’m sure others will have some good points.
This truck is a 92', but really clean and well kept, so at least it wouldn't stick out as something not road worthy. I didn't know about trip permits. I will look into that.
Last time I did that I came from colorado on a temp plate pulling no load except me you wont get stopped if your going to push the hours run 2 paper logs but again you wont get stopped your not conducting business so no name or dot number
What GVW are you going to register it for?
The important thing is what is the GVW listed on the VIN plate. If its 26000 or under you are fine regardless. Personally, I've done similar, but never that far. Stay off the superslab and routes with fixed scales. A new trucker atlas is your friend.
I think it’s 33k gvw. I should clarify that. I considered secondary roads but don’t know what to expect going across the Rockies. There can’t be as many roads. Don’t really want to get myself into too big of a mess
Get a one-trip tag from your home state and slap it on the truck when you leave for home. Also, keep your logbook up to date. There should be no other problems with your trip home. I have done the same type of thing you describe, never had any problems needing permits, if you have that one-trip tag.
Forgot to mention: here they require chains be carried if traveling mountain passes Nov-April https://www.wsp.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Chaining-Requirements.pdf
Get it hauled. Its a long way across country, in a truck you don't know if its reliable or not. Tires, fuel filters, engine and trans, rear ends, condition, etc, etc. Do you really want to be broke down in the middle of wyoming with a 3rd member out? I'm all for saving $ when I can, but I wouldn't want to take off from Calif. to minnesota with a truck I know nothing about, except that it looks good in pictures. Get it hauled. Unless you are retired and its no big deal if you are broke down in the middle of nowhere for a week.
Every state has different chain laws. Check each one individually. A friend got stopped in Oregon last winter for a DOT inspection. He passed in fine shape. The officer asked if he had chains. Yes. How many? Six. That will cost you $350., Oregon requires 7, one steer wheel must be chained. He was legal everywhere else.
I’m assuming SA is a single axle
Just drive it. Permits for a single axle dump??
Yup, Just a single axle dump truck. International 4900. I am mostly concerned about the scales. Like I said in all my years of driving semi in-state I never dealt with them. As far as I know generally anything over 10k GVW and not an RV is supposed to scale? I know weight wise I would be fine obviously but don't want to get hassled about paperwork I wasn't even aware I was supposed to have.
Personally I agree with Crane Operator and just have it hauled. It could be far cheaper in the long run. I would imagine $7-800 as a back haul would get it there if you find the right guy.
Crane operator has a good point and one I have considered. Im familiar with the driveline in these trucks so that boosts my confidence a little. This one has under a 100k miles on it, so that helps also. That said if something major fails I'm likely screwed. Im a little worried its been sitting for an extended period because its got new tires and batteries. That makes me wonder if all the zerks would take grease ok and if there are some are hoses ready to blow out or anything. I haven't priced hauling it. It would cost me over $800 to drive it back when I factor in fuel and 2 night lodging. Gut level I feel like moving it would be a lot more than that but Zucker says if I could find the right guy needing a backhaul. Hell even meeting someone closer to MN and driving it the rest could be ok. I'm not sure if I am going to move on it or not. I am kinda torn. It's got a 10 speed in it which is kinda rare in a 4900/DT466 setup and its not all rusty like MN trucks are. I really like it and wish it was closer. I really appreciate the advice on this though. unless I find one local I probably will have to move it at least a little ways so this will all still apply. I guess worst case I can always go back to my original idea of putting one together from a semi tractor.
14 years ago I bought a 27500 LB 1976 Chevy. Drove from Pennsylvania to VT. No problems with law enforcement, but with two tanks I ran out of gas twice within a mile of the dealer. I later discovered the fuel pickup is four inches off the bottom of the tanks. We did six stops beside the highway. Air compressor kept coming loose from its mounts. It proved to be a 22 hour round trip. We did the same trip to pick up a new van a few years ago in 14 hours including paperwork, a Quigley factory tour, and meals.
yes but that's when they used to make real trucks. There used to be a guy around here with a truck like that. Gasjob with a trailing axle. He could haul more asphalt than the other trucks, because he was so light. Used to be funny seeing the young fellas trying to start our old service truck. They had never seen a manual choke.
We have had a fleet of those with the DT466. Would love to have the money that has come through the tailgates over the years. Let me tell you, half the dash probably doesn't work, and they might not be a lot of comfort, but they were a good truck. We have been having so many headaches with the electronics on the new trucks. One of our last international tandems. A 93 I think.... they just put a rebuilt drop in engine, and new transmission in. It has the 466 with the fuel pump up high, a bit more power. All the new Freightliners have to be tied to the shop to start in the winter, the 1990 and the afore mentioned 93 start every time. The single axle has that international 6 speed, and the rest have 13s. All good trucks, they basicly ran them to death ,and the 4 that have retired were mostlly body issues, that probably would have been fixed if they had know what a headache the new trucks would have been.
The Chevy is a gas hog! It had a 366, I couldn't time. 50,000 miles all the local mechanics said it must be timing chain wear. I swapped to a rebuilt 427, using parts from my engine, Upon putting the distributor back in we discovered a broken widget allowing the distributor entrails to move around. I probably switched engines for no reason. I do have a bit more power. My engine rebuilder had been around in the day when these engines were in everyday use. He said:" If you could get them running just right, they had just enough power to drag a sick whore off a **** pot."
I would vote for getting hauled as well since it will be going through several states. You never know what could happen, not to mention the time you could spend putting together the proper paperwork or being stuck tagged out of service IF you get pulled into a scale and have a ticket happy inspector. There goes the money to do some work to the girl. Pay someone that does it for a living and be done with it.
There's good advice here but me I and myself put insurance on it and drive in the dark just dont make habit of it.......
If you plate it, have insurance, and have no DOT number on it you should be fine. Just keep it empty. Have your new Bill of Sale with you just in case. I drove my 71 KW from CA to MN with my pickup on the drop deck and got waved thru every scale I hit. I also had Not for Hire stickers on it. Make sure the tires are good and not outdated. But as said if nervous, get a new Truckers Atlas and go around the scales. If on I-80 cut up from Laramie and across South Dakota coming out by St. Cloud. Its a nice drive and is 100 miles shorter if you can't run 80 MPH freeway speed anyway. Pretty hard to bypass the 3 scales by Lincoln.
I don't know if I'd do it but I love the romance of this adventure! I can't imagine how sore I'd be from riding over halfway across the country in a dump truck... If you embark on this I'd love to see a travel journal or at least some pictures of the trek!
Too bad you can't get the bandit to run cover. North East bound and down
I thought you have like 3 or 4 days to get a newly purchased truck home?? I'm dating myself a few years so maybe the laws have changed. Obviously you would need proof of insurance but I thought you could basically drive it home on 'in transits'.
I don't know. I wanted to buy a truck from Connecticut, I made a few calls. It wasn't a dealer able to issue an IN TRANSIT PERMIT. I found no alternative. If it had been a done deal, I could transfer, or register new.
You guys are great Yes, part of the reason I was considering driving it home was the adventure. Cuttin edge - I had completely forgot about the cluster issues these trucks had. I drove a lot of them for work at one time and now I recall issues with the cluster in several of them. Wille B - you're an electrician too? After sleeping on this for a few nights I think I am going to hold off on this truck for now. If its still for sale in a few months I might reconsider. Its the cleanest little dump truck ive ever seen but the bed is a little shorter than I want ideally and with all the sudden uncertainty about the economy this summer I suddenly don't feel great about spending my savings on something I don't really need. I think I might just watch for a deal on an older tractor with a wet kit and make my own bed. I like to weld.
Your insurance company should be able to insure you for an in transit permit from the DOT. I bought a dump truck at an RB auction and the in transit permit was good for 3 or 4 days if I remember and cost $25. Longer distance you might be able to get an extension for a few bucks more. I'm holding off getting insurance for my MX and flat tracks until I know if I'll even be able to have people out.
My dad and some of his buddys bought and sold trucks. When i turned 16 i started helping move them. We never had plates or insurance and alot of times no batteries. Most of these trucks hadnt been in use for sometime. We were very lucky i never got stopped or had much mechanical problems but close to home i have had several tickets for no plates.
Mine was flawless & nicely painted when I bought it 14 years ago. First load of rocks, the floor blew out. My 30 year old wood was dust. The steel components were in poor condition under all that filler & paint. I rebuilt mine with heavy steel. I prefer the flatbed 14' deck with wooden sideboards I can remove. The truck is more versatile to me.
Thats about exactly the bed I would like. I have had several flatbeds with wooden sides in the past and found them handy. I want more of a utility truck than something that will see rock and dirt every day.
Got a local guy that hauls a lot of gravel in a single axle Volvo with a flatbed with grain sides, looks for all the world like a farmer. DOT never messes with him. Not saying it's right, but he runs pretty steady. Could be road gravel for his farm for all I know.
Short story for ya' Many years ago my cousin bought a 96' freightliner from colorado and drove it back here to washington state... I think it had 4-500k miles on it series 60 motor 13sp... seemed like a decent truck anyways he calls me up about a week later to tell me he would be delayed getting out to my place to do a service on it... he was just leaving his house about three miles down the road coming up to a tee intersection and lost power as he made the lefthand turn onto the intersecting road??? So he pulls off the road gets out and there's a cop pulled up behind him with his light going So he says what's wrong officer??? and the cop proceeds to tell him that when he made the corner his right front set of drivers didn't turn with the truck!! they kept going and veered right and flattened a stop sign and still kept going for a few hundred feet before coming to rest on an embankment! I ran over to help him out and I gotta tell you just that one set of wheels and axle is heavy!!! it was all the two of us could do to get it in the back of my pickup. He flipped the interlock and drove it out to my place with the axle tube chained up the only real damage was a stripped axle nut... I was shocked... but then I tell him we should check the other axles.... every single axle lock nut was not even at 20 pounds!!! and he just drove it here from colorado!!! whoever worked on it last had basically turned it in to a time bomb... he was extremely upset -- kept telling me what if this had happened on the freeway!!!! that set of wheels could have caused some serious damage and injuries or deaths!!!! So check out as much stuff as you can before starting on a trip with this truck, not that you can check axle nuts but anything else you can check spend plenty of time beforehand checking!