Parts availability for older trucks?

[Offroadingrlife]

On 1/24/2021 at 9:08 PM, Rob said:

I very well knew what you meant but you will tire rather quickly at making less than a "living wage". If you have no, or limited experience in this business you would be well served securing employment with an employer for a period of time to get your feet wet; then make your decision. A small entity will usually allow you to see how the administrative functions of a business works. No experience in running a small corporation, or a sole proprietorship can yield both rewards, and/or nightmares. A small business class at the local community college can also be a large benefit.

If you don't plan on bringing in at least $150K a year on the gross side you are going to have a rough go. At least 2/3 of your gross receipts, (conservative estimates) are going to be placed right back into the business and it's operation and if your not planning to pull at least $50K yourself, you would be wasting your time and efforts.

It may be caustic sounding but I really hate seeing young guys going broke right out of the gate.

I understand what your saying, obviously I don’t want to buy a truck right out of the gate make mistakes and go broke! I’ve been researching this for a little while now.

I do have some experience running a business, but not a lot. 
 

ive done a bunch of math on paper and if the weather holds out and I can work the truck as much as I’d like to, I think I can do pretty well. The issue before jumping into it is finding the truck. And that’s where I’m stuck, I have a budget in mind, but Eveything in the budget that I’ve found the rest is the trucks are clean but the frame has some seperation and I just don’t know enough about it to know if it’s going to cause me issues. The season is fast approaching here and I need to start making some decisions on if it’s something I’m going to do or not this year. 

[Offroadingrlife]

45 minutes ago, Rob said:

The best thing you can do, (my gut feeling) is go lockstep with someone who's been, or is there. My suggestion would be to hire on with someone for a year or two and as mentioned earlier, "get your feet wet". You won't drown that way.

I really don’t have any interest in working for someone. I know it would be the better way to get into it, but that’s what I’m trying to get away from and work for myself. 
 

The whole idea behind buying the cheap truck with cash is that I then have a good size emergency fund for the unexpected repairs that can come up. I’ll have to see if there’s any local companies that are hiring, and explore that possibility. For now the truck hunt continues but with exploring the possibility of employment. 

[Mark T]

Like anyone else here, not trying to be discouraging. As of late another thing you may need to consider with an older truck is if you'll be able to work anywhere with it. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but any federal money spent on construction may very well have some kind of stipulations about compliance of equipment on those jobs. Then you'll be stuck with an old truck no one will have much use for. 2021 is not the best time to start out in this game, and no offence but some of the questions you ask suggest you're not in a position to be the lucky guy who makes it. 

[Offroadingrlife]

21 hours ago, Mark T said:

Like anyone else here, not trying to be discouraging. As of late another thing you may need to consider with an older truck is if you'll be able to work anywhere with it. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but any federal money spent on construction may very well have some kind of stipulations about compliance of equipment on those jobs. Then you'll be stuck with an old truck no one will have much use for. 2021 is not the best time to start out in this game, and no offence but some of the questions you ask suggest you're not in a position to be the lucky guy who makes it. 

Why is 2021 not the best time to start out? I’d anytime really the best time to start? Regarding the compliance I doubt that’s going to happen, if so a good chunk of the companies around here won’t be able to work their trucks and jobs won’t get done. But who knows what’s going to happen. 
Im Young, I figure what’s the worst the happens, I try and it doesn’t work out, I move on and rebuild. Atleast I tried 

[Offroadingrlife]

Is there any advantage/ disadvantage with the bed overhang over the cab vs the other style in the pics below? One sticks out more than the other style 

[terry]

Just keeps a sloppy operator from bouncing rocks of the top of cab, they will just land on the hood!😂   terry

[tjc transport]

yup, what Terry said. 

some people like short cab shields, some like full shields. then there are some who do not run anything at all. front wall of the bed comes up, and just stops. 😵

i prefer full shield. it not only protects the paint, but also me if anything is dropped near the cab. 

[hicrop10]

Here’s a truck you may be interested in.It’s a 2007,600,000 miles,425 hp,eastern fuller transmission.One owner, has all service records 

[Offroadingrlife]

Any downsides to running Dayton style wheels? I found a 98 rd that every wheel is this style I believe it’s Dayton. I don’t believe they are the split style but could be wrong. 

[storkmack]

99.99 chance they are not the split style.  Dayton’s are simple and no impact needed to change one if you are in a bad spot.    They are heavy and the brake drums are expensive. 

[Offroadingrlife]

4 hours ago, storkmack said:

99.99 chance they are not the split style.  Dayton’s are simple and no impact needed to change one if you are in a bad spot.    They are heavy and the brake drums are expensive. 

I’ve watched some videos on them, they look a bit complicated, but I’m sure after a few times it becomes a lot easier. Just something else to have to learn I suppose. But I don’t think it’ll make me pass on a truck because of it. 

[mrsmackpaul]

I'm a bit late to the conversation, so dayton or spiders as we call them are quick and simple to change and are stronger, at least that is what is found in Australia 

I wouldn't let it faze me at all, to me it would be a bonus especially if I was starting out as I dont need any special tools to change a flat tyre

Reading back thru the posts here it appears your pretty fixated on how many miles something has done

While I understand your reasoning I think it's a bit flawed 

If you find a truck 25 years old with only a few hundred thousand miles on it to me it would have been around the clock, so it most likely has 1.3 million miles

This isnt and shouldn't be a deal breaker, almost every truck of this age will have a huge amount of miles on it and had a lot of work done to it, that's just normal for a working truck

In fact I think if it hadn't had a lot of work done to it that it would be of more concern 

I always look for something that isn't modified in a big way as this makes it so much easier to get parts, especially these days when you stroll on up to the parts counter and they ask you for the vin number first

The modifications I think of are drive line etc as in different motors, transmission and assend 

Good luck and keep the dream alive 

 

Paul

[Offroadingrlife]

I decided to try to up by budget a bit, I found a 96 cl713 locally been rebuilt, has 7-800k total on truck. Price seems pretty fair for it. But it’s got a 18 speed. I don’t know much about the 18 speed but I feel like with an 18 your going to be shifting so much it’s going to get annoying. But just figured id throw in a little update 

Edited March 3, 2021 by Offroadingrlife

[terry]

Just because it has a 18 spd. don't mean you have to use all of them, i drove a side dump with a 18 spd. most of the time i could use the low range like a 5 spd. then use the splitter on the high range when needed. just nice to have the low range splits when you need them.    terry

[tjc transport]

Same with high side splits..90%of the time I run the 18 speed in the low boy as an 8 speed. Only split them when i need to.

[Offroadingrlife]

On 3/3/2021 at 11:07 AM, tjc transport said:

Same with high side splits..90%of the time I run the 18 speed in the low boy as an 8 speed. Only split them when i need to.

So it’s possible to drive an 18 as an 8 speed without issues, and I’d you needed to slit you can? To me with an 18 speed in a dump truck is imagine your going to be shifting nonstop and would get old fast with an 18 speed?

[Joey Mack]

just select youre gears based on load and demand. there is probably a dozen ways to use the gears, skip shifting and such...  Hell somedays i just felt like easin down the road grabbin all the gears... jojo

[mrsmackpaul]

I can't comment on a 18 speed as I have never driven one

But any Road Ranger or Mack box I drive the same, as Joey has already said, just grab what gears you need when you need

Every time up and down thru the gears is going to be different 

12 speed Mack box and 100 ton gross I might only use 8 gears most of the time

2nd low 

3rd low

3rd high

4th low

4th high

5th low 

5th high  is 12 th over driver and we are rolling along at 90, more likely 80

Drop back to single trailer

2nd low

3rd low 

4th low

4th high

5th low

5th high back into over drive toodling along 

Bob tail

2nd high

3rd high

4th high

5th high

My point is there is no set pattern and it is going to change every time you drive, every time you lift off and slow down 

Every hill you climb and every road you travel

Dont over think things to much,I  find it best if I just jump in the deep end and have a go

 

Paul

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by mrsmackpaul

[doubleclutchinweasel]

You definitely DON'T need to use every gear every time!  In fact, it is extremely rare to need all of them.  Just use whatever you need to keep the RPMs where you need them and keep the truck under control.

On the old Quadruplex boxes, MOST of the time I only used 7 gears.  Sometimes 8.  The most I ever used in sequence was 13...or 14 if pulling out of a deep hole.

Using too many gears on those 2-stickboxes was a sure way to miss a gear, let your road speed drop, and have to start hunting for a gear that would work!

Drove lots of 13-speed RoadRangers, using them like an 8- or 9-speed, and only using the splitter in high gear as an overdrive.

[tjc transport]

as the guys said, us what you need. 

i ran a kenworth dump every now and then for 2 years with a 18 speed. when empty i only needed to use 4 gears with the 600 HP cummins under the hood.  

3 and 5 high in low range, and 8 and 10 in high range.

[Pete Wallace]

There are a million different parts to your question with no definite answer. It all depends on how the truck was run and taken care off. An old well maintained truck that was driven properly will be there at 2,000,000 still going. If it was not taken care of and run like a bitch it might not make 500,000 without needing work. Too many questions no answers but the ones your eyes, ears, and common sense can give you.  It will always be that way buying a used truck. 

[Pete Wallace]

I can almost promise you that what you have figured out “on paper” will not be reality. It never is.  And if you think trucking is going to make you tons of money, it won’t. I was born into it started at 13 had my own truck at 16 (yes I’m old you can’t do this today) but I never made what I thought I was going to make.  There will be expenses that you never dreamed of. Buying an older truck is a hit it or miss it proposition, especially as you seem to be new to trucking.  You really don’t know what you are looking for. Or what you should be looking for.  My personal opinion and it’s only mine I know you really want to do this but I believe your are jumping into something you may not be prepared for. 

[mrsmackpaul]

To be fair Pete we all end up buying things with out been fully prepared for it, I  dont think it matters how old we get this just keeps on happening as we try new things

That been said I think you are pretty spot on with what you are saying

Some times we just need to take a educated risk and jump in, and sometimes we need to know when to walk away 

I have never had work come thru as promised, "buy this and we'll give you all the work you can handle"

The work either never really was there and even if it is there's usually a good reason they can't find people to do it 

Just some thoughts 

Paul

[Offroadingrlife]

On 3/7/2021 at 4:17 PM, Pete Wallace said:

I can almost promise you that what you have figured out “on paper” will not be reality. It never is.  And if you think trucking is going to make you tons of money, it won’t. I was born into it started at 13 had my own truck at 16 (yes I’m old you can’t do this today) but I never made what I thought I was going to make.  There will be expenses that you never dreamed of. Buying an older truck is a hit it or miss it proposition, especially as you seem to be new to trucking.  You really don’t know what you are looking for. Or what you should be looking for.  My personal opinion and it’s only mine I know you really want to do this but I believe your are jumping into something you may not be prepared for. 

While I will agree with you that I’m jumping into something I’m not fully prepared for, it’s a risk, and sometimes you have to take the chance and give it a try, if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world and I’ll move on to something else. I’ve always heard to make a million dollars trucking Start with 2 million. It certainly won’t make you rich but.

[Offroadingrlife]

The 96 ended up being not working out after looking at it in person. So while looking today I found a 03 that looks decent, but again almost 600k miles and motor hasn’t been touched. Going to take a look at it later this week. Trucks a 1 owner and extremely well taken care of but the miles still scares me.