Suggestions on a truck????

Im looking for a truck (not 1/2, 3/4, or 1 ton) but more along the lines of single axle semi. I want to be able to haul a JD 4040 around along with my equipment most likely not in the same load. I will also haul a good amount of hay too. I want to stay pretty cheap nothin over 5 or 6 grand. Suggestions please? What to look for and what to stay away from

Hmmm......Thats a tuffy. I have seen old dump trucks, like the 5 yard dump trucks on a F-550 platform. You might be able to get a rusty used one for cheep.......$5000 aint much to spend though.

Go to www.truckpaper.com, you"ll find plenty of single axle road tractors there. Mid "90"s Volvo"s go for $5 - $6K. International 8100"s are probably in the same price range.

I understand Detroit 60 series are good for about 750K before they need an overhaul. I"ve also been told Cummings M11"s are "throw away" engines and that parts for Cat engines are expensive.

That said, I bought an "02 International 8100 single axle, air ride with a 350 hp Cat C10 and a 10 speed to pull my horse trailer (42"; 9 horse). The combination works well for me.

I had a F700 Ford, 7.8 L diesel with a 6 speed before. However, with the 5.84 rear axle, 62 MPH was tops, meaning I was in the way on an interstate.

Be sure you have someone along who knows about road tractors when you test drive. That can save you $ down the road.

Not quite what you had in mind, but you can get a great deuce-and-a-half for your budget. I've got a 5400 lb, 8 brake trailer that mine pulls. No problem with an 8 ton tractor.

Great farm truck. Parts readily available and inexpensive, but everything's heavy. They don't come with a radio, for a good reason.

Ive always like internationals and theyre easy to find. Either a S1900 from the lates 80s early 90s or a 4900 series if you want to go a little newer. Id probably go for a single axle dump truck and a deckover tag-a-long trailer so you arent limited with just a tractor and trailer.

Freightliner FL 70 and for your application a single axle with a cummins engine and trans of what you can find.I would opt for the Auto Trans if given a choice. The ones you will find will more than likely for the amount of $$ you want to spend be high milage vehicles. Take a tour of the local beveridge distributors or used truck dealers. Stay away from the RV dealers,too much glamour,too much extra equipment not needed and too much price.IHC are sought after much more and will cost much more than a plain jane FL 70.My opinion.Keep in mind you will be dealing with a CDL Vehicle and don"t forget to file the proper paer work for the Hiway Use Tax.Even if used for Farm work you still must file even if no tax is owed.Maybe you know this.

Truck leaseing companys have quite a number of what you want in your price range these days around here. The suggestions below are good ones.

Reid,
Sent you a email.

Vito

If you're not afraid of building a truck, a good place to start is with a retired fire truck. Our rural depts update occassionally and sell the pumpers for bid. There's nothing wrong with them, just no one wants them because they're goofy out back. Buy one and throw the back end away. They are usually low mile, excellent maint, and kept inside. They have longer frames and make excellent grain trucks.

I have 6 older semis for custom hauling liquid manure. I like the Internationals, just my preference. I would recommend you take any semi you are thinking of purchasing to a truck shop for a good looking over before you buy. Repairs can add up fast, and soon your $5,000 truck will have another $5,000 in repairs. It will be well worth the $100 you pay the shop for inspection and not purchase a lemon.

Freightliner fl60or 70 with 5.9 or 8.3 cummins. International 4900 with at least a dt 466. Another great option is the ford L7000-9000 series (look on truck paper) with the ford engine or the cummins engine(5.9,8.3,L10,M11,or 855 (N14) and an auto transmission or the 7 or 9 speed tranny. In my opinion i would stay away from the 5 speed tranny/2 speed rear end deal but that is driver preference. The cummins diesels are reliable and common engines, parts are easy to come by and they make good power. Air brakes are definately desireable.

Did you know new CDL-class, 28000 pound and up GVW vehicles are CHEAPER than new 1 ton pickups?

To me, its more about condition than make. Also, there is the CDL consideration. If you stay close, there are exemptions and a Farm Exempt plate for bigger trucks. But, if you cross the river into Indiana or Ohio with a bigger truck you got to have it. For me, thats enough reason to go with a well used but mechanically sound roll back. I'd definitely only consider a Cummins or DT 466 International.

for 5 grand your in uneasy territory. you can buy a older unit for that BUT that truck will be very worn, and may not pass a dot inspection [ if you leave your driveway sooner or later you will run into a random roadside inspection], plus at that price the engine is usually ready for overhaul, and thats expensive, we overhauled a 3406 cat in a peterbilt,last year, that was running fine, just high miles, it was overhauled for reliability out the door was over 18,000 dollars, were i you and was going to use the truck fairly regularly id go for more twice that amount and get a better truck with a recent overhaul, i paid 16,000 for a late 80's kw tractor, new tires, new brakes and drums, rebuilt engine from a cat dealer with all the warranty and paperwork to back it up , its a buyers market right now and used trucks are cheap , just know what your buying for a example, if the seller says it had a overhaul 100,000 miles ago, ask from who? a overhaul from a reputibal mechanic or a good dealer is great, espeically if all the paperwork for work done is available, one form a buddy in his yard for a trade out deal half of which was beer, not so good, when you get seroius and have narrowed it down to 1 or 2 trucks draw a oil sample from the engine and send it for a annalisis, that is money well spent and will give you a excelent report on what condition the engine is really in like another poster said dont go for a 2 speed rear end in a big truck you shouldnt need it for what your doing any truck with a 350hp engine or larger will work and will have a 9,10, 13, 15, or even a 18 speed trans and will be way overkill for what you are doing, but the diesel will get better fuel economy than a mid size gas rig and a giant amount more power and touque

Agreed.

We had an IH Eagle that was a 1984 model and used as our tranport unit for almost two decades. It had about 500K on it and was actually in pretty good shape when we sold it (with wet kit). We only got $7000 out of it but has spent over $8,000 on the rear axles the last year we owned it and another $5000-$6000 on other driveline repairs. Had we switched drivers a year earlier we might have avoided all those costs.

If cheap is your main goal you have far better chances of getting something good if you look for tandems. There's seldom any good used single axle tractors for sale around here for that money but there's often good tandems.

Again, thinking cheap... at 5 grand that should get you into a late 90's FreightLiner.... like a Century or something. A linehaul tractor that has an M11 Cummins and Super 10 transmission. Mind you, you won't have the nicest setup on the road but a Super 10 would drive a lot like the 5 and 2 but probably work a bit smoother.
If you want a larger engine like the N14 or Cat 3406 you're looking at spending more money, particularly with the Cat. The smaller Cat's like the 3176 were also prone to having head problems with the injector tubes and such things.... so they're mabey not the hottest thing to go looking for.
Basically, just get something with a common drive train that's easy to get parts for because some day you WILL need parts. It is afterall, still a truck...
The little Detroit's are good to (60 series) so don't be scared of one.

Best thing is just look the truck over. Check all your air lines. Check the brake shoes. Check the maxi chambers for leaks and broken springs... and slop in the S-cams. Check the lights, the windsheild, wipers, cab iteriour... the frame, etc.
If you can, jack it up and check the king pins and spring bushings especially if you see abnormal tire wear. Keep in mind that the spring bushings are only allowed 1/4" of slop. That's not much...
Lastly, make sure you've got some decent rubber left on it because that's a big bill if it doesn't.

If you cover all the points fo the DOT inspection when you look it over... and it starts crisp and clean, doesn't knock, holds good pressure, doesn't smoke... andit drives and shifts well, then you have as good a shot with a hard looking 5 grand truck as you do with a dealership princess with all the made up paperwork.

The only other thing I'd suggest is that you stay clear of Macks, and especially Mack powertrains. That's not to belittle Mack as they are good... but they're Mack. THe only place you get anything is Mack and they make you pay.
Stick with common stuff.
Also watch that the power divider is not bad, particularly in a Dana/Spicer axle often found in the binders.

Rod