I own a 89 mack rd690 and I think that for that vintage the rd690 was the most realiable truck made in 1989. The truck has been very tough truck, no comfort but tough. I am ready to upgrade and the time couldn't be better to buy. I want a late 90's to early 2000 truck. Can anyone give a make and model that for that vintage stands out as a tough realiable truck? I am not looking for a truck debate just any one that knows late 90's trucks. Any trucks to stay away from, I think I have to move away from Mack from what I have been told.
trucks You are correct, those old Macks are tough and rough riding I have owned about 15 trucks and the Ford L9000 is my pick. Easier to work on and lots of parts available. I spent less money on the Fords, than any other. Good engine is the Cat 3306, its now a power house, so if you need to pull hills, go with the Cat 3406, more fuel, but lots more power. 8LL is my pick on the tranny, but I work mostly flatland areas, so I dont have to pull hills, just off road alot My 2 cents
Thanks Willis I didn't think Ford, I was thinking Pete, KW, Western but Ford would be cheaper to buy. I do pull hills and want a tri to haul 22 ton and a 20 ton tag. I was thinking 400 hp and 8ll min. The trucks I have looked at have 300,000 mile or so, a realiable truck to begin with and pre big emmision. I have found that trucking on the slow days pays bills and need to haul 22 ton instead of 15 ton if I want to run the truck when ever site work is slow. I will keep the old Mack it owes me nothing, million miles on it.
Go with a Pete or KW, the ford is too much for a flatland truck, we have a 97 RD 690 and that truck is great, but as i said you need some hp up there, my uncle is near oneonta and he only runs a pete with a 700 hp cat and a 13 sp. road ranger tranny,
I'd personally tell you to go with a Volvo, just make sure you get one with a cummins in it. We've got several w/ cummins and several w/ the Volvo VED7 motors and the VED7 motors are some great running little motors, but they've got some issues that'll make you sit back and say "why the heck did they design it like that"
Pecord, any models to look for, I know the specs I want.
I looked at Volvo, the Mack dealer had one but had air bags so I passed. The rest of the truck looked good but I do a lot of off road, the old Mack has yet to get stuck, one nice thing about only 10 wheels and no lift axle with rear lockers, much newer trucks are stuck on the same job site.
Look at the IH Paystar too. That's a tough old truck designed for severe service. I have to admit though that the L series Ford was my favorite truck to drive. Visibility is great and the dash is laid out easy to read plus the turning radius can't be beat.
Think of service too. What is the closest dealer that will be able to work on the truck? We went with the Mack, and to get serviced I have top go to VT, so I have to get a permit, not a real big deal but... Our next truck will most likely be a Western Star. There is a dealer about an hour away, you see more stars around here than anything. Good Luck, and we will need to see some pics!!!
If it's of any use you can check out the various specs and run comparisons at Spec Check . They have a huge amount of machine specs and a comparison tool. If you email them they can set you up with full access for a limited time.
I have heard good things about WS late 90's trucks. Hows the Mack doing ? At one time I dreamed of a Granit. Not alot of WS here mostly Mack, Pete, Kenworth, Ford, Paystar. We have a Mack, Pete, International, Freighliner dealers but the Mack dealer stocks used dump trucks. I am looking state wide if not all over the east coast, my 89 came from Kentucky. The only truck I have been told to stay away from is the Mack.
trucks I guess my favorite truck was my 95 KW T800, quad. It was a repoed truck and someone had chromed it out. Cat 3406, lots of power. I bought the quad, because, in my area everything is going to tonnage and the tandems just dont do it. It had the new style walker beams and it didnt ride that bad. I still likethe Fords, for my work, even though I also have a International and a Sterling, all quads. I had a older WS and a 99 paystar, they were too heavy for me, to haul the tonnage I need to haul. Almost 2500 lbs difference. There is no local truck dealers close to my area and it doesnt seem to be a issue for me. The local repair shop can get the parts they need (if they dont have it) most dealers will have to order the parts anyway. Just my 2 cents worth
what ever you do don't buy a converted road tractor. Buy a truck that was spec'd as a dump from the get go. with the right suspension and severe service parts to survive the job My preference will always be towards paccar as their huck bolted frames and fabricated vs stamped cabs just hold up better.
Scared to jix myself! Nothing major yet, just a little engine brake issue, and I need to have a rear wheel seal replaced. If it werent for tight quarters everywhere we work a tri-axle would be much better for us. The way our truck is spec'd really has worked well for us for the most part, it would be nice to be able to run 22 Ton though.
If you shopping something 2000 and better the KW T800 w/ either Cat c11,c13, or c15 or the cummings. Or you can get a 90's version Western Star 4900 and get the cummings n14 engine. With either you can get the job done.
here is what i would get, and its in NY too... http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=2014264&GUID=1F6F78C0BD58436E8C12271FA8BEA3A5
Thats what im talkin about, nothing better than a KW
What does qball think??
I bought the sister to this one last week. basically a new truck for 45k less, if you are looking for a 10 wheeler. Has good specs and was all set up. Tri axle will only haul 3000 lbs more than this legally. Needed the short wheel base for tight sites. http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=2067340&GUID=4c96b51a0a5c48258123e47ff9043962
The KW is real nice, a freind of mine has two just like that one, the International nice but a lift axle is what I am looking for. Tri,s stop better, ride better and I want to work the truck more when competing against other trucks that are tri, just a mind set here but I have not worked becasue my truck is a not a tri.. Find a truck just like that KW for 60k. I would also like to have air to the back for trailer but can add that. Coal shutes are nice and has to have AC.
http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=2066632&GUID=71c2e1ac608c4593acd5d7bdd42aa312 http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=2071825&GUID=71c2e1ac608c4593acd5d7bdd42aa312 http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=2094078&GUID=71c2e1ac608c4593acd5d7bdd42aa312
Something like this? http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=2001654&GUID=e9cd3149285243b8adb26f2605f00513
Thanks Tonka, and Trippatone all of those truck are real nice but they have air ride and I wanted to stay away from air. I spend a lot of time on site and no pavement and can be very rough and soft condition. A double frame, spring, factory dump would be best. Kinda hard to find bit they are out there, under 500,000 mile, under 300,000 would be real good.
I like that International Not sure if i could live with the pickup truck interior though. Here i a nice new truck http://www.thetruckguys.com/pre_owned_detail.asp?sid=0659939X7K22K2009J10I13I20JPMQ3661R0&veh=772699&nv=y Looks like $100,000.00 might buy it.
well my two cents is if u want something that u can do some work one like oil changes, turbo swaps, etc. and u want the manufacturer to stand behind the truck STAY AWAY from sterling. we bought one brand new in 2000 and have had nothing but problems trying to work on it and freightliner told us "we sell trucks, not work on them"
Another Star http://www.bestrucks.net/bethel-pa/6032s-used-western-star-4900fa.html Was the king of off hiway - heavy haul trucks = AUTOCAR http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=1931192&GUID=0aa281a13ebf43e4a9ab1d8f37fbe883 http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=2015599&GUID=0aa281a13ebf43e4a9ab1d8f37fbe883 And if you really want to go hard core; King of the dirt pile = Brockway Here is a good buy? http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=2077055&GUID=0aa281a13ebf43e4a9ab1d8f37fbe883
I know you werent considering a mack, but this granite is in clifton park. Already has the permit, and a third axle could easily be added. Take a look.Not a bad deal!! www.wantaddigest.com its under heavy duty trucks. Add looks like this: MACK CV7 2004 tandem axle, 1800# f/a, 44000# r/a, 16' steel ox body, 10spd overweight permit, 18T, 83.8kmi, $69000 B/O Clifton Park, NY
What can you register a truck for in NY state. Total GVW on this truck is 62,000 lbs, assuming the front axle is 18,000 lbs? In NH you can go to 65,000 lbs for a 10 wheeler, and 73,000 lbs for a tri axle. Plus it has an OX body, so it proably is a southeren truck without body heat. The pick up truck interior is easy to clean. Doing site work the trucks always get dusty inside.
NH is 64,000# at least when I called thats what they told me.
Here's some http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/...=Vermont&txtStates=&LS=&SO=2&btnSearch=Search All with less than 500,000 miles and under 60,000
I use to drive an '87 Pete 359 10-wheeler with the 8LL....i loved that truck...I'm not sure of the engine it in...but we replaced our '76 Mack with it...the Mack could run circles around it as far as power but I both those trucks were work horses...older Petes are just as tough as the Macks in my own opinion
You would have to get an overeweight permit to lisence it for the full 62K, otherwise the max you could register is for would be like 54K or so, they use the bridge formula to determine it. With a lift axle added I would think it could be lisenced for 70K or so. I think thats a decent truck, and a decent price. I think I might be the only Mack fan on the board!! Plus I found a Mack dealer right near the WS dealer about an hour or so away!
Around here it 55k but with over wieght permit it is 64k. Then with a tri you can hual with over wieght 73k. As for you being only mack lover, not so I think they are a great truck there tough as nails and I also like there look. But from my childhood memories I don't ever remember them being at all comfortble. Also am a huge fan of the autocar.
The R models are not comfortable at all, the granite is very comfortable, I think anyway. I was driving a GMC 7500 before that and that sucker is uncomfortable. I get reminded once in a while when I hafta drive it!
I thought it was 64K also, but last time I was in the Epping DMV I asked and was told 65K. Was going to wait till Aug 1 to register, then I will know. Clerk could not tell me how much $$ till she put in the computer. 55k was something like $555, but has gone up to "help balance the budget", obviously there's, not mine!!
I would recommend a Western Star, but I am obviously biased haha. Everything I've heard about KW T800's has been good as well. What part of central NY are you from? I live in Steuben County, and as far as ordering parts for my Star, Tracey Road Equipment, and Cook Brothers Trucks have been able to get anything I need. Each of these companies have a few locations throughout the area.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2007...76&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65:10|39:1
I have a 88 Pete 379 with a cummins BC IV 400 with a 15 spd OD with 4:11's 15ft Davis dump bed and it does great . but wanting to upgrade to a newer truck found a 2003 Volvo VHD64 F with the D12 volvo motor rated @395 hp , it has a RTO 14709LL withT ride susupension and 4:65 rears geared low but boy it should be great in a pit also has 20,000 frt and I think it was 44 or 46 rears .
The mention of the Volvo engine made me do a quick search: "D12 volvo motor reliability" What made me curious was that the companies i was around all got out of Volvo power. Expensive parts and hard to find a mechanic for. Anyway the general reply to this motor is that it is a dog. Gets fair fuel milage but has trouble with heavy loads and mountians. Thanks for helping me stay up to date. Sounds like a nicely speced truck other than the motor.
Ditto what amunderdog said regarding the engine. Other than the engine, it sounds like a great truck. The T-ride suspension is one of the best. A little expensive to rebuild, but is tough and gives a good ride. The 9LL will do everything you want and with the OD you will be OK on the top end. Before I bought my Western Star, I seriously looked at a truck very similar to the one you describe, but backed out due to the motor.
Jmac I found this while looking on Ironplanet, and I thought of you and this thread. http://www.ironplanet.com/jsp/s/item/219716?h=405,2967 There is a twin to the one link I posted. I have had good luck on Ironplanet if you read the reports well. The details I got here are 320,000 miles, looks like some form of Hendrickson suspention. Definately a heavy spec truck. 20K front and 20K lift with 46K rears and 5.38 gears. Sounds plenty heavy to me. L-10 cummins at 300 Horse. You won't hurt it with that one, but I have had real good luck with the L-10's I have had. Even the one the driver hydro locked while "washing" it under the water tower. Looks like a 8LL trans as well. I bet it will go in the 25 to 30K range, maybe less in this market.
Jerry, thanks thats not a bad looking truck. I went over all the photo's no problems that we couldn.t fix. Did you notice the spreader under the tailgate wonder what that was for? The truck looks to a factory dump with and spec heavy, alum box with liner is good. The color matches my truck I have now. I will watch that action, NH is close to me also. It that truck goes for mid 20's that would be a good deal, only thing bad is the 300 hp a little under powered, any one know this motor? Cummings L10? The suspension looks to be block or are those air bags? Thanks Jerry for the help.
Here's one also in NH sorry but no pics but hp is much better. http://nh.craigslist.org/cto/1268626226.html
And here's an autocar in pa. It's a tandem but looks to have enough room to put lift. http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=2078789&GUID=CC04FDDDB1264DC1BF76FBCC53900881 Also this mack http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/...5&GUID=CC04FDDDB1264DC1BF76FBCC53900881&dlr=1
We had 300hp L10 motors at the freight company I drove for. It was first used with my company in '89 and the first trucks had cooling issues which led to head gasket problems. It's a single head too so changing the gasket was quite a job. Once White worked out the cooling deficiencies, these trucks were as reliable as the NTC engines we had prior. We grossed 80,000 pounds and ran the Hudson Valley with all the rolling hills and mountains. We weren't the fastest trucks on the road, but not the slowest either.
Well after tossing it around and talking to the owner (my wife ) we have decide that with soft job market with the jobs that are out there we have decided to wait till we have got our Pete paid off before buying something else that way if the job market goes to crap at least we can make the payments on the Pete if we had another truck then we would be scatching trying to make 2 payments Does that makes any sence? or am I just scared to stick my neck out a bit father that I want too . Worked too dam hard to be able to go to our banker and ask them for 40,000 dollars and they say yes amost before I finish my sentence of asking for the money . Thansk for all the replies tony
I'm looking at a 81 F-800 dump with a 6 yd box, 11' plow and a UTG sander. 85,000 miles but only 2,500 on a new 429 engine. Apparently it has only been used to plow a feed store lot for the last 3 yrs which the owner no longer owns. He says the tires are "great" and it has a new master cly. He is asking $6,700 for it. Anyone have any ideas as to if this price is in line and any thoughts on a 429 in this truck?
Unless your going to just plow your own parking lot i would run from this one! 429 = Gas guzzling menace. Its a good engine but LOVES fuel. Might be able to rate it in gallons per mile. AND New master cylinder = either or on a dump truck would send me packing. Both combined would definitely force me to look else where. IF it was under a grand and everything worked then MAYBE. Atleast when the truck needed something major you could sell the engine bare block at a swap meet to some sucker and scrap whats left of the rest.
Thanks for your reply. I am thinking of only using this truck for sanding. Things are slow up here for my other dump and skid and I"m thinking I might try to make some extra cash this winter. Don't follow your comment on the master cly.
my comment on the master cylinder means the truck has hydraulic brakes. Hydraulic brakes on anything bigger than a pickup are a BAD idea. I know that a brake job on a Lucas girling F-800 can be well over $7000!
Had my truck certified for 65,000 lbs the other day in NH. Officer only looked at the line sheet. GVW on the truck is 66,000 lbs. That is the max you can certify a 10 wheeler for in NH.
:usaFind the newest Mack RB with a 400 and 18 speed in you can get. Second choice Mack CL same way.
JMAC Did you get one of the trucks on Ironplanet?? I see the one sold to someone in NY They looked like they were a really good deal.
Are you asking me? If so, no. Have had mine for years.
Not unless your handle is jmac
my first fleet I'M LOOKING FOR A FINANCE COMPANY THAT WILL FINANCE MY FLEET OF DUMP TRUCKS. I'M A START UP DUMP TRUCK BUSINESS AND I'M LOOKING FOR A FINANCE COMAPNY THAT WILL WORK ONLY IN THE BUSINESS WITH NO PERSONAL GUARANTEE. [email protected]
Why you shouting?? someone stand on your tail
Don't yell to loud. No. 1, Why do you even want to get into the dump truck business? How big of a fleet do you want? Is there a history of insanity in your family for wanting to get in the dump truck business and put up with the bloody hired driver nightmare? No bank is going to back you without you guaranteeing the loans, especially if you are a start up operation.
I know this thread is a little old but here is my 2 cents. I've run all kinds of Macks and the best one I've been in was a 1997 CH with the 454 and an 8LL. Had plenty of power and rarely had any maint. issues. I've run Mack 350's, 454's, 370's, 427's, 460's and the new MP7. The 350 wins the reliability hands down but the 454 gets the best all around. The 460 was powerful but had ALOT of mechanical issues, The 427 was a dog all around. This was in Ga hauling a max of 64,000 lbs though. When I was running huge loads in Mo, I was running a W900 with a C15 and it was great. Thirsty though.
I can give a suggestion. I personally do not own one but i worked for a gravel pit that owned its own Sterling dumptrucks and they were non-stop running in and out and tough. The 99' model is a solid truck. If you go to tractorhouse.com they have some 99' models triple axel, 16' bed, cummins or Detroit in some for $20k. On another note I'm trying to start up a land clearing business and can't decide to invest in a good dump truck and start hauling or try to get a dozer and pay to get it hauled any insight on this i would appreciate it.