Should I buy this truck?

[yanmars]

Almost all front discharge here in western Ohio, only in the cities do I see the rear discharge

 

[Bg357]

I assume you’ve already considered this, but buying a 20yr old truck whose brand disappeared years ago carries some risk. Sterling was kind of a hermaphrodite anyway, and that can have only gotten worse in the 15+ years since they ended production.
Obviously, engine and driveline parts won’t be too problematic, one would hope, but all the unique parts that had Ford and some Freightliner DNA are probably hard to find now, if not completely impossible. I’m sure you’ll be able to keep it going, but there will be frustrations and modifications along the way, as you have to replace some parts with generic alternatives, or fabricate workarounds where generic parts are insufficient.

 

[Merck]

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.

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Having worked on trucks this size and larger for a living many years ago I would leave it alone. It is a business truck and knowing people it was probably beat to death every time someone other than the owner drove it. It is also not what you really wanted. Don't do a settle for. It may be fine but I feel you would be buying trouble. But you know what opinions are.

 

[neilpaku]

If you can find one, a truck with central tire inflation is excellent for traction. My brother's logging truck gets the tires reduced to 30 pounds and with the interlock and cross locks engaged, it's unstoppable. We're talking dirt logging tracks on clay and silt loaded to 54 tons truck and trailer. You can fit CTI to any truck aftermarket

 

[Hay Dude]

If you can find one, a truck with central tire inflation is excellent for traction. My brother's logging truck gets the tires reduced to 30 pounds and with the interlock and cross locks engaged, it's unstoppable. We're talking dirt logging tracks on clay and silt loaded to 54 tons truck and trailer. You can fit CTI to any truck aftermarket

I was thinking of putting super singles on it, that would get me pretty close to 6x6 traction cross locked, but that would be spendy.
It is VERY hard to find a large displacement automatic with a 24’ flatbed and cross locks for $20,000. Maybe do some checking around and see for yourself?

For everyone who thinks it’ll be beat to death, or as 5030 so ignorantly says a “turd”, remember, this going tom be a FARM truck for hauling HAY bales, not a show truck to impress your friends.

I’m expecting a basic flatbed for short hauling hay bales, not 55 gallon drums of gold.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Before I retired I operated a lot of hi line bucket trucks and other equipment on some terrible ROW's and I was most impressed with tri-axle trucks with the air boss system , I have gone as far as I could quite a few times and then aired down and crawled on down the ROW to the next pole all day long, if not for those tire systems we would have had to matted in to everything, all the single axle trucks stayed up at the highway.

 

[Hay Dude]

Having worked on trucks this size and larger for a living many years ago I would leave it alone. It is a business truck

What other kind of truck would it be?

and knowing people it was probably beat to death every time someone other than the owner drove it.

I don’t know about that. Some companies have drivers who are very responsible. For all I know, it could have had a decal under the door with the name “Joe” on it and he may have been the only one who drove it. Then again, it could have been abused, like you said.

It is also not what you really wanted. Don't do a settle for. It may be fine but I feel you would be buying trouble. But you know what opinions are.

Yes, I do appreciate your opinion. It was given with class.

I wouldn’t consider it “settling” too much, trying to find a 6x6 auto with big power and a 24’ flatbed for 25-30K is impossible. I been looking for 2+ years.
Every truck I looked at would be trouble to some degree, right? You have to remember, my budget, so what would be realistic to expect at that price point?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

just checking if you bought the truck.

 

[Hay Dude]

just checking if you bought the truck.

Not yet. I just did a 70 hour work week last week. I don’t have much free time.

 

[Hay Dude]

I assume you’ve already considered this, but buying a 20yr old truck whose brand disappeared years ago carries some risk.

Crap, buying a 5 year old truck still in production carries some risk, too. You seen what the exhaust aftertreatment trucks are costing truck owners?

Sterling was kind of a hermaphrodite anyway, and that can have only gotten worse in the 15+ years since they ended production.

“Hermaphrodite”, huh? That’s quite the description. What do you know about hermaphrodites? lol

Obviously, engine and driveline parts won’t be too problematic, one would hope, but all the unique parts that had Ford and some Freightliner DNA are probably hard to find now, if not completely impossible. I’m sure you’ll be able to keep it going, but there will be frustrations and modifications along the way, as you have to replace some parts with generic alternatives, or fabricate workarounds where generic parts are insufficient.

Show me what you think would be a better buy in the 25k range? I’d be open to the alternatives you find.
Has to be tandem, auto, lockers, at least 300HP, preferably 400, with a 24’+ flatbed with no rust and towing package. Exhaust brake and good tires a plus.

This truck has all those. Show me what else is out there….I might buy it.