Just a general question, since I'm not in need of anything specific... Where are all the big truck junkyards these days? Twenty years ago, I could have driven to five of them within a 30 mile radius of downtown Pittsburgh. Today, I know that 4 of those 5 are defunct. I just wonder where all the worn out trucks are going, and whether it's the same in other areas; are there fewer yards parting out big trucks? If so, are they bigger, like Walmart Supercenters putting the local grocery store out of business?
Don’t know Digger.:beatsme Good question. I work in the scrap business and only once in a while I get a newer truck in, but most of the trucks I do get in are old and beat. The only big rig parts yard I know of is Butler Pa. Amoles or Butler Truck Parts, which is the same I believe. I know I talked to one of the big sales men at Hunters one day when I was picking up a new truck for the company I was working for and he told me the older trucks they cant sell or action off here they sell and ship them to Mexico .
Many get shipped overseas. There's a pretty big salvage yard in Ohio I've mentioned here a few times, I can't remember the name now.
I think a lot of the junk yards have been regulated out of business, If its not environmental issues it because someone drives by and doesn't like the view.
there is one in Hazelton Pa called Gallergers Truck Dismantlers
The times are changing many people are not running old trucks anymore. I also assume enviromental rules and regulations is killing the wreckers.
Steve, your probably thinking of Adelmans, in Canton OH. I drive by it almost every day. They are a large dismantler, as well as heavily into used truck sales. They have just about anything you could want. They also sell alot of trucks that have been on the lot awhile overseas.
That's the one!! I see their ad every month in Rock and Dirt.
Digger, there are a few here in Mn, atleast 3 I know of. The one that's here in Duluth I wouldn't consider "Big", and alot of their inventory is really old stuff now. I still love to stumble around and look at their "new" inventory every so often though, incase I see something I didn't realize I needed till I saw it.
Thats funny! I have this same problem at quite a few places.:usa
Thanks for the replies. I was mainly just curious as to whether the same sort of thing was happening everywhere, or if it was just peculiar to my neck of the woods.
My guess is a large portion of used trucks are going to Mexico. There are no less than 100 truck dismantling businesses in my city. And we are one of many cities along the US/Mexico border. Used trucks cannot be exported intact so they haul them down here, chop them up, export them as parts, reassemble them upon arrival to Mexico, then register them and put them into service. Almost like a legal chop shop. Also, all VIN's are checked with the DMV before any export documents can even be drawn up.
I think its that, people not running old trucks, many getting shipped overseas, and the fact that new chinese parts are cheap enough anymore not wroth buying some used stuff anymroe when a new valve or whatever is100 bucks
Here's a few. As mentioned, a surprising amount of trucks/parts are exported these days. I searched for a common Peterbilt Airleaf suspension cutoff last year for 5 weeks, until landing one from Vanderlely's Used Truck Sales in Ottsville, Pa. between Easton and Doylestown. He gave me the fairest price, and was absolutely a pleasure to do business with. Tom Vanderlely is an honest man that's been in the business for 40 years, and I'd recommend him to anybody for any Peterbilt used parts, anytime. Don't bother looking for anything non-Pete or other than the major components, because he doesn't deal in anything but Pete or an occasional KW. Gamex is a huge one in Canada, but it's expensive to get things shipped down here from them also. I resized the attachments, but sometimes they are cut off due to having to be the size required...
Steve, You're probably thinking of Adelamn's in Canton, OH. I've never been there, but I know a few guys that have dealt with them, and they're supposed to be pretty good. -- Joe