Truck purchase dilemma

[johndeere123]

What kind of work do you do? Are you going to be doing contract road work, or just putting around a farm, or are you going to be doing customer work. I always found the smaller boxes good for ditching and delivering to customers. When ditching here anyways you get paid for the hour and a small box means they cant overload you too much. And for the customers, a small box means a bigger looking load and they are less likely to complain.
:my2c

 

[Seaside LPS]

Danvers, for this area they are fair prices. Not a lot of saturation with trucks around here. Most people either run them into the ground or send them to auctions in Florida.
John deere, I do landscaping and small excavation so I want something that can get more materials there in less trips for doing septics, driveways or loam for yards. I doubt I will ever do delivery for clients. What really made me make this move is I did a lawn job last year and wasn't big enough to make sense for delivery but was a pain in the ass making 6 trips with my 650 at 5 yards a piece. Was an hour and half round trip to the pit so it ate up a whole day hauling loam. I hate renting or having someone else do it for me and if Im going to be in the business want equipment that will make me as efficient as possible to increase my profits. Ill attach the 2 pictures

 

[johndeere123]

The pete has the wide front tires and offset rims that are usually used for heavy front ends. If it has a heavy front end, that is the one to buy. Here a heavy front will give you an extra 5500lbs gross if I remember correctly. The pete also looks like it was just painted or just converted. There is no soot on the box behind the stack, and it has no tarp on it.

 

[Seaside LPS]

Thanks those are all things I wouldn't had noticed. Here is another one I test drove with my buddy who has been driving on and off a few years but the guy seemed to eager to get it gone without coming down on price.
http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=4042527

 

[DoyleX]

The sterling is a straight up dump truck. It is spec out as a better package than he pete or ford. Bring a big 1/2 ratchet and crescent wrench. Pull the trans and rear end inspection plugs, check the oil and magnet and you will be set for a long time. Run up the road get it hot and look at the breather on the motor for blowby

 

[johndeere123]

The sterling needs at least 1 new steer tire. Did it pull to one side when driving? The C12 is a good engine for a dump truck, and you will never have to worry about the rear suspension other than getting bounced around.

 

[denver m farms]

Well, if i was buying with someone else's money i would buy the pete for sure, but the ford will work and looks good to and 10000$ less and that is a decent amount of money so there is another side, but the sterling has lower miles a good engine and transimission it's newer and priced less than the pete, so there is everything you allready know the way i am looking at it, what i would do first is try to buy the pete for about 23000$, if that didn't work out foget about it and look at the other 2 some more. If that is the right range for a truck to cost out there i think you have 3 good ones to pick from.

 

[YEC1998]

From what I can see the Ford is a LTL9000 and that is the premium model they made. It looks like it has hendrickson walking beam suspension from the picture which in my opinion is the best for a dump truck. Both of my trucks have the same suspension and they perform good. I personally like a shorter box for what I do hauling equipment, dirt, and some rock. One of my trucks have a 12' bed and the other has a 14'. They are easy to get around on and off road and the fords all have locking diffs in them which is good because if you do all types of general work you will need them. If I had to pick from the two I would take the ford.

 

[Mike L]

has the dash fallen out of the sterling yet? they're notorious for the dash breaking and everything falling down and then your up the creek cause you cant find parts. I still vote for the pete. it might cost more up front but parts are everywhere for the truck and engine.

 

[Seaside LPS]

has the dash fallen out of the sterling yet? they're notorious for the dash breaking and everything falling down and then your up the creek cause you cant find parts. I still vote for the pete. it might cost more up front but parts are everywhere for the truck and engine.

Funny you should say that, was the first thing the guy said when we went to test drive it, and then said he would replace it. The thing that made me leary of the sterling was the guy wanted it gone but it was a truck he could use and had a full service shop where they were fixing a rolled truck they bought at auction. just didn't feel right. And it has been on truck paper for 3 months. we test drove it a month ago. The pete is still an option, im not in any rush but want to get something hammered down.

 

[Mike L]

yup, i'd steer clear of that truck. what part of maine are you in? i'm in burnham

 

[Seaside LPS]

I'm in Gorham just outside Portland That pete is kinda near you its over in Farmington at Haggan

 

[buckfever]

I have a 89' l9000 and a 87' LTL9000. The L9000 was a factory dump and the LTL9000 was a road tractor. Both have a 3406B the L9000 is set at 350hp and the LTL9000 is set at 425hp. Now that being said you can't go wrong with that LTL. It does not have the creature comforts that a Pete will have but the Ford trucks are work horses. My truck looks almost exactly like yours and i'm here to tell you that if it is speced like mine you can't overload load it. In PA I can legaly pile #57 stone till all four corners are full. If you are hauling in a housing plan you can fill that truck with dirt till it's spilling onto the cab protector and that truck will just shrug it off and keep going.

If that truck was closer to me we would buy it in a minute. $15000 for a truck that will last you a long time just so long as you keep up with the small things that break or wear out from use.

 

[johndeere123]

I would say try and find more info on the pete. Does it have service records, any engine work done. If you are serious about buying it, oil samples can be a deal maker or breaker. Defiantly worth the money. The front end would be the biggest factor for me though.

 

[Seaside LPS]

I have a 89' l9000 and a 87' LTL9000. The L9000 was a factory dump and the LTL9000 was a road tractor. Both have a 3406B the L9000 is set at 350hp and the LTL9000 is set at 425hp. Now that being said you can't go wrong with that LTL. It does not have the creature comforts that a Pete will have but the Ford trucks are work horses. My truck looks almost exactly like yours and i'm here to tell you that if it is speced like mine you can't overload load it. In PA I can legaly pile #57 stone till all four corners are full. If you are hauling in a housing plan you can fill that truck with dirt till it's spilling onto the cab protector and that truck will just shrug it off and keep going.

If that truck was closer to me we would buy it in a minute. $15000 for a truck that will last you a long time just so long as you keep up with the small things that break or wear out from use.

Thanks for your input makes me feel better about it because seems like a good starter truck for me at a price that is good for me where I can pay cash.

I would say try and find more info on the pete. Does it have service records, any engine work done. If you are serious about buying it, oil samples can be a deal maker or breaker. Defiantly worth the money. The front end would be the biggest factor for me though.

Yea anything I get serious on I will pull oil samples I have a good setup with my local cat dealer. Thanks for all the help being green on these larger trucks is really helping me on what to look for and what will work and what won't.

 

[YEC1998]

I agree with "Buckfever" those Ford's are hard to beat. I started my business in 1998 with a 1974 L9000 that I still use. My starter truck is still a daily runner. If it ain't broke don't fix it. That Ford will make you the same money that a Pete will make you for less money and remember dirt and rock don't know what is hauling it.

 

[buckfever]

Good point YEC1998. In what we do onroad trucks are a money pit. There is no sence in spending 50,000 on a truck that won't haul anymore or any faster then a 15,000 dollar truck. Not to toot my own horn but the LTL we have we got a auction for 9,200 a little over a year ago. Then put 3,000 in it to make it drivable and have been running it with out problems.

Now watch me go to work tomarrow start the truck and throw a rod.

 

[Seaside LPS]

Good point YEC1998. In what we do onroad trucks are a money pit. There is no sence in spending 50,000 on a truck that won't haul anymore or any faster then a 15,000 dollar truck. Not to toot my own horn but the LTL we have we got a auction for 9,200 a little over a year ago. Then put 3,000 in it to make it drivable and have been running it with out problems.

Now watch me go to work tomarrow start the truck and throw a rod.

Haha isn't that always how it is, brag about it then it breaks! I am still kicking myself there was an 81 LTL9000 an hour away last fall, 425 cat body was perfect, guy owned it from new, 383,000 miles was only asking 7900, should had bought it, but was worried it was too old!

 

[Seaside LPS]

well looked at the Ford 9000 today, seems fair shape, hole in the the dump that could be patched, dump hoist was leaking front end was tight brakes seem fine motor cold started right up but my concern is they haven't inspected it since 2008 and have been using as a site truck. Worries me because could be a big problem that could hold it up from passing and they are firm at 15k which seems too much to me!

Guess Ill keep looking!

 

[buckfever]

The only way I would buy it is if they would pay to get it inspected. For that price it should be damb near road ready.