Should I buy this truck?

[Hay Dude]

My 2-year search for a hay truck might have finally ended.
At the outset, I wanted a long tandem, 6x6, automatic.
Budget was only $30,000, so as you can imagine, it greatly limited my choices.
Looked all over the country and found many of them, but most were over $50,000. They would also need the auger or bucket body removed and a 24’ flatbed installed. That adds another ~ $10,000.
Also most were grossly underpowered (DT-466, CAT C-7, etc), because they only needed enough ass to pull the truck with a auger or man lift.

So I gave up on 6x6 traction and decided that a 6x4 with full locking tandems would give me the traction I need most of the time.
That opened me up to a lot more choices since so few trucks are 6x6.

Then the battle turned to finding a long tandem 6x4, full lockers, automatic, but now I had more choices in bigger power.

So anyway, I found a 2006 Sterling with a CAT C-13 @ 415/1400 and as a bonus, it has a Allison 4000 series. Most smaller displacement trucks have a Allison 3000 series.

I can buy this for way under my 30K budget. Even with shipping (1,000 miles from me)

The only downside is it will need painted. 310,000 miles on it, but seller showed me a video of engine running. No blowby. He also drove it while face timing me. It seemed to run & shift fine. AC works, has trailer brakes, jake brakes, locking diffs and a PTO. Bed has sliding ratchet straps and tool bin/box. Also has air to rear and pintle hitch for PUP trailer (which I am going to try to find the one that went with this truck).
There’s nothing by some minor surface rust as it has been a southern (Tennessee) truck most its’ life.

I know it ain’t pretty. I will paint cab white or dark green. It will be tagged as a Farm Truck.

 

[2manyrocks]

Why not paint the passenger door to match the rest of the body? Makes me wonder why the main body has camo paint when the passenger door is delivery truck white?

Thought about hiring a mechanic to check it over before proceeding?

 

[JJT]

How is the frame? Tennessee uses road salt.

Can you fly out, checkout the truck in person and drive it home? I've done that in the past.

 

[Joel/ak]

Surprised it has a 4k tranny in it. 3k is a solid transmission if maintained. I've built many of both.

 

[EddieWalker]

Back in the late 80's, my first job out of the Marines was driving a water truck. They all had the second locking rear axle that really made a huge difference when out in the dirt. Even with an empty tank, it was pretty easy to get stuck with just the one rear axle driving it. Lock in the second axle and it was night and day different!!!! You might be fine with the front axle, but if this is a long-term commitment, I think your original goal of a 6x6 is the way to go.

 

[mrmikey]

Why not paint the passenger door to match the rest of the body?

Not a bad looking rig, looks to be in good shape. Paint the wheels, I don't know why people let them get so gross.
I agree with the question on the white door, I presume the door was damaged at one point, I sorta like the camo look.

 

[Hay Dude]

Surprised it has a 4k tranny in it. 3k is a solid transmission if maintained. I've built many of both.

I have a 3000RDS in my International 7500. I was under the impression the 4000 series went behind larger displacement, higher torque diesels.

 

[Hay Dude]

Not a bad looking rig, looks to be in good shape. Paint the wheels, I don't know why people let them get so gross.

Front wheels are aluminum. Back wheels steel. Could replace outer rims. Would really like to put super singles on back axles if I can accumulate additional sheckles. That would give even more traction. I know there’s downside to SS, too.

I agree with the question on the white door, I presume the door was damaged at one point, I sorta like the camo look.

Yes, the door was damaged and they put one on from another truck. I was going to paint it dark green, like the 7500

 

[Hay Dude]

Why not paint the passenger door to match the rest of the body? Makes me wonder why the main body has camo paint when the passenger door is delivery truck white?

At first, I thought it was a “wrap”, but the company that owned it previously painted all their deliver trucks camo.

Thought about hiring a mechanic to check it over before proceeding?

Yes, but owner did a face time video with me and I was satisfied. He drove it out over the road while videoing, too.

 

[ultrarunner]

A lot of heavy equipment left California for a time because of tightening emission requirements… made for some great buys for out of state guys.

Some loggers I know had to get rid of their rigs or repower… most just retired.

 

[Hay Dude]

How is the frame? Tennessee uses road salt.

Just surface rust here & there. That truck looks almost rust free compared to a PA or NY truck.

Can you fly out, checkout the truck in person and drive it home? I've done that in the past.

I could, but that’ll cost $1,000 and take me off my work for at least 2 days. I hate flying. I might have someone look it over, by I’m real limited on contacts in that neck of the woods.

 

[Hay Dude]

Back in the late 80's, my first job out of the Marines was driving a water truck. They all had the second locking rear axle that really made a huge difference when out in the dirt. Even with an empty tank, it was pretty easy to get stuck with just the one rear axle driving it. Lock in the second axle and it was night and day different!!!! You might be fine with the front axle, but if this is a long-term commitment, I think your original goal of a 6x6 is the way to go.

Almost all tandems have “tandem axle interlock”. That turns the truck from just the front axle of the tandems driving to both axles engaged, but they’re not locking side to side. This one has optional diff locks, too. So all rear wheels can be made to drive. It’s an “8 wheel drive” (all rear wheels locked). Not as good as a 6x6.
I actually found a 6x6 in S. Georgia, but 275HP and smaller driveline. Thats pretty low on power. There were some 6x6 automatics with big power, but most were $100,000 or more.

I want to find the PUP trailer that went with this truck and haul even more square bales.

 

[5030]

Not a bad looking rig, looks to be in good shape. Paint the wheels, I don't know why people let them get so gross.
I agree with the question on the white door, I presume the door was damaged at one point, I sorta like the camo look.

At one time, those were polished Accurides, at one time that is. Cannot see the drives, so no comment on them.

Generally not fond of Sterling anything. Just a worked over Freightliner.

 

[Hay Dude]

Interior

 

[Joel/ak]

I have a 3000RDS in my International 7500. I was under the impression the 4000 series went behind larger displacement, higher torque diesels.

Actually they are used interchangeably. Generally they are behind higher HP engines.

I know garbage trucks run both and also coach busses.

It's basically the same transmission. If you have worked on the 3k, then you are familiar with the 4k family. Just bigger and heavier parts.

 

[Hay Dude]

Bigger heavier parts would make them heavier duty, too. I think the oil capacity on the 4000 is much greater. Also handles up to 800HP.

 

[Hay Dude]

Freightliner took over Sterling parts. My local repair shop owner gave me a luke warm to warm thumbs up. I don’t think anyone realizes how little $20,000 buys in the big truck world these days.

 

[5030]

With the cost of a basic Class 8 road tractor approaching 130 grand, I do. I don't mean a Petercar either. I mean a Freighthaker.

All Allisons are basically bulletproof so long as you change the fluid and filters in a timely manner (and keep the tranny cooler clean for efficient heat exchange as well.

One of my hunting buds is part owner and manager of a fairly large fleet of road tractors leased to Fed-Ex and he handles all the contract maintenance as well as new road and local truck purchases and he just ordered 10 new Freightshaker Cascadia's to replace 10 that will be coming out of the fleet (He turns them at a million miles) and the lead time on 10 units, all speced the same is a YEAR and the cost of them is right around 125 grand each, bulk sale discounts applied. All Eaton Autoshift, all have disc brakes and all are set up as dual operation as he runs team drivers in the OTR operation. I believe they are all ISX Cummins, not sure however. Could be DDEC post 4 powered.

The day of the independent operator is basically gone btw.

 

[ultrarunner]

About the only place I still see independent husband wife operators are with collectible car transport…

It’s a niche market covering the continental United States…

At work we have weekly and daily drivers at the loading dock…

I see a lot of Volvo tractors…

Stericycle is another that just rotated their fleet and it’s sad to hear the drivers saying they miss their older high mileage rigs but the lease was up so out they go.

The fuel jobber showed up in a new Peterbilt a few years ago and I said looking sharp and he said very disappointed…

For some hauling in and out of the ports they had little choice as it was repower, but new or retire… lost a lot of small guys.

 

[5030]

If you are referring to Passport Transport or Reliable, the trailers are company owned and leased to the tractor owners but the road tractors have to be purchased to the Passport Transport or Reliable specifications and painted to their requirements. I know the owner of Passport Transport or should I say the owner's immediate family as the original owner, Tom Lester is passed a while ago. Very specialized aspect of trucking, much like Yacht transport. I don't mean little boats either, I mean big yacht's as in 100% permit loads. Over width, over height and over weight. Same applies to moving heavy construction equipment like dozers, backhoes and pans. All specialized equipment but in the case of heavy construction equipment, most of that is handled by a couple specialized carriers and company employees, not contractors.