Buying a Rock Truck

[stooky]

Hey,

I am new to the Heavy Equipment game but I have crunched some numbers and it would really make sense for me to have a Rock Truck like this for the project I am working on (see link).

http://www.alaskanequipment.com/details.html?adid=6755416

Can I get some feedback on the process of purchasing something like this? Maybe comments on buying a Terex in general and the potential for resale.

So far I have bought a CAT and a Hitachi Excavator. What I have done is had each unit inspected by a professional 3rd party mechanic. In addition to that I have hired a professional operator (as I am not a professional) to try out the machine and give me their feedback as an operator.

Would the same process work well for a truck like this?

Any help is appreciated.

Chris.

 

[nickbowers]

have you considered renting one? if its only for one job unless it is a huge one.

 

[JDOFMEMI]

If you proceed, have it thoroughly checked by a person with experience. The Terex you show is noted for many transmission problems, and notoriously hard and expensive to get repair parts for said transmission.
Only thing worse is 4066 Terex

 

[John C.]

JDOFMEMI is spot on with his comment on that particular truck. I worked for a dealer that had a fleet of those for the rental department. I've pulled transmissions more times than I've ever wanted on those. They are ZF powershifts and were incorrectly sized. The transmission was one size too small for the horsepower and the application. Finding someone to repair them was impossible back then. All we could do was get an exchange and send the broken one back to the manufacturer's designated repair facility.

It takes about 40 hours to R&R one of those dogs. The cabs have to be unbolted and removed just to get access. Later models had a jacking mechanism where the cab was tilted off to one side for access.

I've hated all artics to this day so I'm really prejudiced against owning one. There are two many big repair costs associated with them. The only major brand I've seen live for any amount of time was the Volvo.

Good Luck!

 

[stooky]

I am going to pass on the TEREX!!

What are your thoughts on this bad boys? Rental in this part of the world is $12,500.00/mo but I need them sporadically as I am doing the development myself and I'm not trying to crank out a bunch of work in a couple of weeks.

I did the math, and I can load a 25-30yard rock truck myself, drive it myself, dump it myself and haul just as much material (close anyway) as two tandems with two drivers.

I'm only driving 1000ft per dump loop.

I'll need them for 1 year and then time to sell.

Oh yeah....here are the bad boys.


http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-heavy-equipment-heavy-trucks-Volvo-861-Articulating-Rock-Trucks-W0QQAdIdZ233549491

They want $25,000.00 Canadian for each truck. I was going to offer $30,000.00 for both?

 

[JDOFMEMI]

30K for both may still be more than they are worth. They are the older Volvo's, but still fairly well built. They wil have issues though, but you can work on them. With 2 you will have enough spare parts to keep one running.

Better than the Terex for sure.

 

[Cat Wrench]

30K for both may still be more than they are worth. They are the older Volvo's, but still fairly well built. They wil have issues though, but you can work on them. With 2 you will have enough spare parts to keep one running.

Better than the Terex for sure.

A wheel barrel is better than the Terex.

I have seen my customers have good service from Cat 300D's and 300E's.

 

[JDOFMEMI]

Machinery Trader values for the Volvo 861 trucks:

http://www.machinerytrader.com/list/list.aspx?ETID=5&catid=1049&Manu=VOLVO&Mdltxt=861&mdlx=exact

Arm yourself with info before looking at them.
Highest priced one sold was 11,000. Average about 8,000.

Figure retail at about a 40% premium to auction prices, and they are worth 22 to 25K for the pair. Ad says rebuilt engines. Who did it? I bought one with a rebuilt engine, and the work was so shoddy my mechanic took it most of the way apart and did it over. Every place that could leak did.

Cat Wrench is right. The Cat trucks are OK. Stay away from the ones with the hydraulic suspension though. They have issues.

 

[stooky]

Thanks Jerry. Good link.

 

[JDOFMEMI]

Some more that might help.
http://www.machinerytrader.com/list...ns&PT=50000&CTRY=canada&SO=2&btnSearch=Search

Ignore the rigid frame trucks at the top. There are a couple of deals there. A D-250 and a D-330C Cat, as well as a couple of different A-25 Volvo's.

I searched for just those in Canada.

Of these, I would look hard at the A-25C. It is in ON, not so far, relatively, and will have the best resale when you are done with it.

 

[stooky]

Thanks again Jerry.

What about the A25 above it for $20k? It's in Alberta which is right beside me. Lots of hours, but if it was well maintained it should be okay right?

-=c=-

 

[JDOFMEMI]

It looks pretty good too. Worth a trip to look at it.

PM me if you go look and I will give you some more pointers on what to look for.

 

[stooky]

Dang, that Volvo for 19k in Edmonton is sold, they just haven't updated the website yet. I'll keep looking. The only issue is time is ticking as I am looking. I have to decide whether to pay some tandem operators or hold off and hopefully winter doesn't hit soon!!