Do any of you guys run Stars? If so what do you think they seem like a really solid truck.
My mother husban runs a Star with 1,400,000 miles on it and going strong. We also run on at work with a Prentic 120 log loader on it. We have had great luck with it.
John H can you post some pics of that avatar imagine? looks like some interesting equipment, just can't make it out too well.
Ill see what I can do.
I never drove a Star, but I see a lot of them in the line of work I do. All the guys I have talked to love them. A lot of guys are running them here as roll off trucks and tractors . They get a pretty good work out in the scrap busness. I know back in the day people use to complain about the weight of the truck. I imagine they have lighten up of the years with technology. That is about all I can tell you.
Look in the showtime section.
some western stars for ya http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hICRro9dEHg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvDYFq6f-w4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5Wa2Q3PckY love these videos:notworthy , i got more just didnt what to post them all at once
I have a 98 Western Star super 10 dump truck (extra air drop axle). It is a pretty well built tough truck - heavy frame, chalmers suspension, Detroit series 60 motor. The cabs are a little small but that is my only complaint. If you are over 6'2" you might not like the cab. It has the vocation truck cab - air ride cab with all the padding and guages etc. It rides real quiet, steers very well, has good visibility and turns well considering it has a forward front axle. I am very happy with it. If you have any specific questions I can answer, just fire away.
I haven't personally run any Stars, but I know some truckers who have them, and have talked with them about 'em. They're all being used to haul coal to the mines pulling end dumps, or pulling logging trailers. The impression that I get is they are a well built truck, and indeed are tough. I'm sure alot depends on how they're spec'd out, running gear, etc. I've heard the same thing about the old ones being real heavy, too. But I guess the newer ones are more in line with the other manufacturers, weight wise.
My 98 Wester Star as described in previous post weighs exactly 23K lbs. with 85 gal of diesel and me out of the cab.
I forgot to mention that the dump bed is a 15 foot Davis high side (4ft w/boards) 17 yard capacity. The bed itself is pretty heavy.
Bob Horrell, I like the sounds of your truck. What is your GVW and how much can you haul legally? Are you able to get an overweight permit in Cali? Do you have any pics to post? We used to have a Mack so I will be used to a small cab!!
Yeah we want that with and without you in the cab Bob :wink2
I don't know how he pulled that load of logs without dropping a driveshaft or blowing a rear! Crazy! Western Star has a reputation of being as tough as the old Autocars with more comfort built in. There aren't too many of them around me, but I think that's due to the lack of a good dealer being around.
With the stupid bridge laws here in California, the max GVW is 55K, so I can haul 16 tons legally, although it is cabable of a lot more. I had it loaded to about 60K last weekend hauling some loads in a really hilly area and it did great. The jake brake really makes it nice in the hills. With 500 hp it climbs real well also. I plan on posting pictures here sometime soon when I have some time to downsize them etc. Squizzy, I only weight about 180lbs. so I don't count for much. If I weighed a whole lot more, I probably wouldn't like the cab. It is fine for me at 6' and 180. Look at it this way, if I really stretch I can reach over and roll down the window on the passenger side - who needs an air operated window (about the only option it doesn't have). I always like to look on the positive side.
Kenworth is a heavier built truck you can't beat a T-800 its the number 1 choice vocational truck especially for tridrive logging trucks. I driven Western Stars the cabs are tiny with the pre constellation series cabs. Oh ya those trucks are T-800 High Hoods they have C-15 550hp Cat power 69,000lb rear axles with tripple difflocks.
I was at a landing yesterday where a friend of mine is doing some logging. There was a star tractor trailer there picking up a load of pulp, so I had to sit in it to see how it was, I liked it, I would like to own one. There are a lot more Stars around here than Kenworths, mostly because there is only one KW dealer and 3 Star dealers. They are both good trucks.
Western Star sales have increased in the US market because of Freightliner and now the Western Star is produced in the US your going to see more of them. Kenworth is the most dominant brand in B.C. because they have been used since the 40s and 50s along with Hayes and Pacific. "Theres more worth in a Kenworth" Those tridrives in the pictures I posted are around 150,000 dollars without rigging. I personally don't like the looks of the new Western Stars I the shape of the Constellation cab looks funny bulging out the middle. It makes more room in the cab but why didn't they make the whole cab wider instead of making the hip room wider. The pre constellation cab the Star cabs are narrow if your a big person you will find it tight. I'am only 5'9" and 180lbs I find the Stars cramped but I'am used to Louisville Cabs thou.
The old western stars were super trucks, much of it hand built, new ones not soo good.
You bet soon as Freightliner took over good by quality they are not as bad as a freightliner yet but when you had a small operation that was in Kelowna B.C. taking pride in the trucks they built. Freightliners attitude is get them built quick as you can and on dealers lots.
What year did Freightliner take over? Curious if was before my 98 was built.
In '81 Diamler-Benz bought Freightliner from Consolidated Freightways They bought Oshkosh Chassis and American LaFrance in '95, Ford's heavy truck division in '97 (became Sterling), Thomas Built Busses in '98, Western Star in 2000 and launched North American Unimog in '03 Info from the Freightliner LLC site (cause I was wondering the same thing):thumbsup
I can't remember when Western Star got bought out my uncle probably does he used to work at Western Star. Bob I think your truck is when they first started putting the Constellation series cabs on the vocational trucks. I assume you must have a 4964FA. The problem with Stars is the cabs are prone to rust being a steel cab I know the plow trucks I drove time to time they were rusting from the road salt. The other problem I have is I have big feet so any time I drove the Western Stars my foot used to always straddle the brake and throttle and I asked others they said they have the same problem. Hopefully Freightliner keeps a decent quality level for the Western Stars they turned the Sterlings into cheapo wagons. When Ford built the Louisvilles they were never that cheaply constructed.
LT-9000, you are right, it is a 4964F. I don't have a problem with the pedals with my size 11 feet. The cab is just a little narrow and short as compared to say a Peterbilt. My International 4900 had a wider cab but not any longer front to back. Looks like I just beat the Mercedes takeover. There is no rust in the cab. It came from an area of the States where there isn't a lot of moisture and we don't have a lot around here so I should be good on that one.
Then you have the pre constellation cab the truck looks nicer they are a little on the narrow side.