Medium Duty Truck

[Charlie175]

This is an example of one of the trucks I was looking at.
1994 4900 DT466. 261,000 miles. Eaton 2 speed (Doesn't say how many gears). Very well taken care of by the pictures with full maintenance records
$5k

 

[Hay Dude]

Beverage tractor. Very common and inexpensive to buy. Probably a 5 speed with 2 speed rear.
It値l be real cheap to buy, but they are usually run really hard with a less than experienced driver. Also lots of short trips and idling while unloading.
Ask seller how many hours are on it. If I had to guess, with 210,000 miles, I bet it has over 10-15,000 hours.

Probably only going to be 190-225HP, too. Many beverage tractors have numerical high gears, like over 6.xx.
Not going to be a good long distance or highway truck.
Good basic truck, but probably pretty worn-out.
Slow and uncomfortable for anything more than 1/2-1 hour trips. Hills will be slow to pull.

It would help if we knew your budget and distances you typically travel.

 

[Charlie175]

Drat. I thought that one was nice This company changed over to new trucks with Autos. They have to shut the tractors off when exiting the truck.
Distance would be 120 max each way.
Most of this is simple 2 lane 55 mph roads

Budget, well since this is a "want" to have not a "Got" to have, cheaper is better. $8k was my max.

Other one is this 1988 Ford L8000, 7.8, 10 speed, setup for Goose with brake controller. $6500 (Which I think is high)

 

[Hay Dude]

Depending on how it is built, the L8000 is probably more truck. The 7.8L Ford Brazilian diesel was a decent engine, but was discontinued 25 years ago. Parts could be tough. If it’s a HD 10 speed with a hi/lo built into the transmission (as opposed to a 2 speed rear), it’s a “big box” transmission. It should have counter rotating shafts and bigger bearings. The other truck with a 5 speed is a “small box” transmission. Lighter duty.

They’re about a toss up, but I’d keep looking. Knowing your budget and job description, you might be better off looking for a highway truck. 120 miles isn’t exactly a short trip, let’s say 2.5 hours. Be a lot nicer on an air ride seat than a bench seat.
Me? I’d take an Allison auto. They are really nice and they will flat out scoot compared to shifting.

You should be able to find a custom haulers truck with higher miles, but they’re easy highway miles.

Not trying to discourage you, either of those trucks would do the job, but you have to watch what you’re buying, or you’ll end up back where you started, looking for the correct truck. You’ll need air brake endorsement with either of those.

 

[Charlie175]

I have seen others with the autos but passed on them. I figure the manual would be reliable.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have seen others with the autos but passed on them. I figure the manual would be reliable.

It is more reliable. I just prefer the auto. I figure for the thousands of shifts I do not have to do it's worth a little extra un-reliability. Manual transmission is cheaper, too.
I am probably older than you, so I am kind of past my stick shift days.

 

[4570Man]

I kinda like driving my manual transmission trucks. Plus there’s less power loss than the auto. Now with that said I hate a geared tractor. I’d also recommend looking at dump trucks. That was the same idea I had when I needed a truck to pull my backhoe. I was going to buy a single axel day cab road tractor like you’re looking for. I decided I’d rather have a dump truck because it would be more useful. I’ve ended up dump trucking a lot more than the original goal of trailer pulling. I like pulling a GN a lot better behind a pickup but behind these trucks with a trailer that light is doesn’t make a lick of difference. I pull a pintle weighing 22k behind mine and there’s zero concern with sway, excessive hitch weight or lifting the front of the truck off the ground.

 

[Paystar]

Yes, and the 8.3 is a wet sleeve rebuildable unlike the 6.7. The 8.3 Cummins is a good engine.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I see Youtuber, DeBoss Garage, is replacing one with a rod sticking out the side.

SR

 

[Hay Dude]

I see Youtuber, DeBoss Garage, is replacing one with a rod sticking out the side.

SR

Is that unusual? It could happen to any engine. It could be an older engine, one that was abused, or vandalized. Or it could just be one that was a bad luck engine.
I’d take a Cummins 5.9/6.7/ 8.3 over anything else out there in that displacement range in a truck.
There’s other fine diesels out there, but Cummins is used everywhere including AG. Even when IH got out of AG tractors and merged with Case, Case-IH went with Cummins. That says a lot.
And I’m an IH DT engine owner....hahahaha

 

[QRTRHRS]

Hardly any of the single axels have lockers on the rear. It would definitely be a benefit if it did. I disagree with the higher gears especially with a limited motor. My Topkick is wound out to cruise 60 but it would be junk if it was lacking the low end grunt. Also keep in mind a 4.88 gear ratio is pretty high combined with the big tires. A lot higher than a pickup would be with the same gear. A trans with more gears would be a lot better.

I never checked the ratio on my FL70. Originally, like many medium duties, it came with a six speed. The man I got it from had the nine speed put into it. I had it up to 75 or so with room for more...

 

[QRTRHRS]

Me being on the taller side, I would take the L series Ford any day over an IH. That wheelbase on the IH looks to be on the shorter side? That can make for a miserable bouncy ride! My FL70 had a homemade bed on with tool boxes that was around twelve feet over all length. Made for a pretty nice ride empty even with an air ride seat, air bags on the cab and an air ride rear suspension. I have driven some short wheel base single axles with that combo and they make you feel like that bobble headed toy on the dash.

Something I think not yet mentioned is that with air brakes is your emergency brake? The holding power on a good set of properly adjusted rear axle brakes is superior.

Have you looked at truckpaper.com? Lots of listings there or even on ebay.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Yeah but one of the nice things about my 550 is the 4WD- so commonplace on the 450/550 4500/5500 trucks. There's a scant few class 7 & 8 trucks with 4WD and they are extremely expensive to fix. I had a IH4800 4WD and it was more upkeep than I liked paying for. I frequently use my 550 off road pulling a trailer. In fact, all my loads of hay are loaded in the field and trucked off the field to the pavement and sometimes the field has snow, mud. A medium or heavy duty would be stuck-even with a rear locker. Been there done that. We end up pushing the trailer from behind with the farm tractor all the way to the pavement.
Now the OP may not have a need for off road capability. But my 550 with 4WD has saved my *** over and over again. Especially loading hay out of snow covered or muddy fields.

I do think an IH4XXX with a simple diesel manual trans set up and a flat bed with a ball, especially with air brakes would make a nice hauler IF you pretty much live on pavement, don't go off road, AND drive mostly flat ground. Put a trailer behind a 200-250 horse 4900 with a heavy trailer and climb a long steep hill...... You'll be doing 30mph at the top with the pedal to the metal and a 65MPH running start at the bottom. BUT they are relatively cheap, easy to fix and run a long time, tires last forever and they're pretty cheap ti insure.
Gotta remember the CDL if you're going over 26K and youll have to get used to cops looking at you very closely in some areas.

Hay Dude, years ago, Berks County popped a friend with his 5500 Ford and BP trailer with a load of hay on each. They had him drop the trailer which was over 10k. This was back around 2005 give or take. Not sure anymore but I think that he had to let the trailer sit and go and register in combination plus pay a fine before he could move the trailer.

 

[Hay Dude]

Hay Dude, years ago, Berks County popped a friend with his 5500 Ford and BP trailer with a load of hay on each. They had him drop the trailer which was over 10k. This was back around 2005 give or take. Not sure anymore but I think that he had to let the trailer sit and go and register in combination plus pay a fine before he could move the trailer.

Yeah that’s why I tagged my 550 at 37,500lbs. I’m pulling a 30’ 24k gooseneck of hay.
PA cops are real tough on truckers in most municipalities

 

[Big Barn]

Me being on the taller side, I would take the L series Ford any day over an IH..

I agree given those two choices. We ran Louisville’s on the farm. The L’s have a terrible turning radius. The LN’s were slightly better. LS with setback axle was best.

We still have a couple FL106 Freightliners which are a vast improvement over the Louisville’s.

 

[Seven Gables]

Here’s what I came up with when I needed a fairly HD truck /trailer combo to haul 20,000 up to 24000lbs payload short distances and up to 12-14000lbs ( tractors,6ton excavator) little longer distances. For the trailer I bit the bullet and bought a new load trail tandem dual 12000 axles with hydraulic disc brakes, 22’+5’ dovetail gooseneck. For the truck I wanted an auto and air brakes and fairly short wheelbase for manuverbility. Found a 2003 sterling sc8000 cab over 134”wb 5.9 cummins,Allison auto 5 speed fifth being OD. 33000gvw, 21rear 12 frt.Now here’s what makes it work, 2 speed air operated rear axle 5.86 in hi 8.17 in low range. 22.5 wheels.Was just a cab and chassis when i bought, had a 12’ steel bed with fold down 2 5/16 ball built for it. Was a street sweeper for small city hence the short WB and 2speed rear. Huge plus being in Michigan it never was used in winter/salt. It’s amazingly rust free for it’s age. Truck weighs 12,500 with bed, trailer about 8,000. Hauling fruit is when I have it loaded heavy 40-45000 gross but only short trips bout 7 miles one way or shorter. Does about 45mph tops in low then flip to hi range and comfortably 60-65. Sometimes just leave in low if I’m not in a rush and loaded to max. Lidhter loads just leave in hi range. Thing will stop on a dime and pull like farm tractor in low. Works like a dream for my needs.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Sounds like a nice set up Seven Gables!

Just wondering if anyone ever tried a deuce and a half for farm work or maybe a five ton minus one axle?

 

[JESSE1]

This is an example of one of the trucks I was looking at.
1994 4900 DT466. 261,000 miles. Eaton 2 speed (Doesn't say how many gears). Very well taken care of by the pictures with full maintenance records
$5k

That DT466 is a real good engine and that model year probably still has a mechanical injection pump. We bought a new '90 4900 with a DTA 466 245 hp and seven speed Spicer trans. We used it for oil field hot shot work for about five years and never had any engine problems. Wish I still had it for farm truck use.

 

[Big Barn]

Sounds like a nice set up Seven Gables!

Just wondering if anyone ever tried a deuce and a half for farm work or maybe a five ton minus one axle?

In our area five tons are considered heavy single axles trucks.

We don’t have any 5 ton tandems.

 

[Hay Dude]

The military trucks are great for farm use and they’re dirt cheap for what they can do. I’ve seen a couple websites where guys take military chassis and mount spreaders and bale haulers on them. Problem is when you want to use them over the road. They’re not terribly comfortable and fairly underpowered.