Should I buy this truck?

[Hay Dude]

It’s gotten more strange.

So the seller said they would only share title pictures with my bank. He did share a picture of the title and a picture of the VIN in the trucks door jamb.
However on the picture on the VIN number on the trucks door jamb, the sticker looks like it was ruined. Then someone hand-wrote the VIN on top of the sticker in sharpie pen.
The seller said he was going to try to find the VIN number on another spot on the truck and send a picture of it to my bank.

It’s been a really weird journey trying to buy this truck.

 

[EddieWalker]

Red Flags mean it's time to walk away.

 

[Hay Dude]

Red Flags mean it's time to walk away.

So far the only red flag is the VIN written in sharpie.
If he can provide another way to prove the VIN on the title matches the VIN on the truck, I might still buy it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Spoke with seller again. He is getting the title and picture of the VIN stamped on the frame to me soon.
Looks like it might still happen, but who really knows…
I think the seller is OK, but he’s real busy like me and it takes a while to get things done.
Reason I am staying persistent on this truck is it has a lot of what I’m looking for at a low price.
Might regret it, but you have to have some faith and start somewhere…

 

[mrmikey]

Wonder if the jamb had been replaced and the VIN tag was off the replacement cab is the reason for the sharpie?

 

[Hay Dude]

Wonder if the jamb had been replaced and the VIN tag was off the replacement cab is the reason for the sharpie?

I think the VIN decal is sun-faded. You can still see some faded numbers near the sharpie hand writing, but I’m not sure.
Owner seems like a good dude, but again, I really don’t know.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Any update on this issue? Did you buy? Or did you move on?

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Still hanging out here. Whatever happened with this deal?

 

[civilian]

It is haying season for him. He is probably working sun up to sun down, then maintenance in the evenings. Jon

 

[Hay Dude]

Still hanging out here. Whatever happened with this deal?

Its still possible, but fading with each day. He left me a message last week that someone was looking at the truck on July-12. Have no idea if thats true, or just a way to “nudge” me.
I might know something by next week.
That truck suited me real well, but not being able to see/drive it was giving me hesitation.

I think if he reaches out to me again, he may be wanting to make a better deal, knowing the Saturday buyer didn’t buy?

It is haying season for him. He is probably working sun up to sun down, then maintenance in the evenings. Jon

Yeah it would have been great to do this in April or May. Right now I’m busier than a 3-peckered goat in a nanny pen.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’ve been eyeing this one, but its a lot more spendy. ($36,000)
Mercedes 450/1700. Allison 4000. Air to rear, pintle hitch for pup.
311K mi. Full locking tandems

 

[Hay Dude]

Learned a lot about tandems in the past few months. Generally, there’s 2 types.
There’s standard duty tandems, typically with a 7L to 9L engine 275-330HP and an Allison 3000 series. Usually a 12-14K front and 40K rears.
The standard duty tandems with have tandem axle interlock and usually an exhaust brake. Maybe locking diffs.
Then there’s heavy duty tandems with a 10L to 15L engine 300-500HP and an Allison 4000 series. Usually a 16-10K front and 44K rears.
The heavy duty tandems will generally come with locking rears, air to rear, jake brake and a pintle hitch.

I’m leaning toward a HD tandem. Mostly because if I’m buying a high mileage truck, I’d rather it be heavy-built. Also, I have pretty much put locking diffs on my list as a must have.

 

[ultrarunner]

A good friend works for a redwood logging outfit hauling…

It took him a very long time to get the rig he wanted because of the extreme terrain and loads… often just a rough trail at best.

I believe his current set up is ex Utility and low hours… the big problem is he must repower or the truck cannot continue to be operated in California.

Who knows… that might change in a Federal level so he is waiting it out.

 

[DK35vince]

Learned a lot about tandems in the past few months. Generally, there’s 2 types.
There’s standard duty tandems, typically with a 7L to 9L engine 275-330HP and an Allison 3000 series. Usually a 12-14K front and 40K rears.
The standard duty tandems with have tandem axle interlock and usually an exhaust brake. Maybe locking diffs.
Then there’s heavy duty tandems with a 10L to 15L engine 300-500HP and an Allison 4000 series. Usually a 16-10K front and 44K rears.
The heavy duty tandems will generally come with locking rears, air to rear, jake brake and a pintle hitch.

I’m leaning toward a HD tandem. Mostly because if I’m buying a high mileage truck, I’d rather it be heavy-built. Also, I have pretty much put locking diffs on my list as a must have.

Exhaust brakes are helpful up to a single axle, pretty much useless on anything heavier IMO.
Get the jake brake.

 

[civilian]

Had firewood delivered here a few years ago by a self loader. Truck had a boom mounted clam/grapple controlled by a hydraulic operator station. I think it had a lift axle after the three drive axles, plus self steering axle in front of the drives. And then the actual front steering axle. I had never seen a triple dual wheel drive axles on straight truck. Way out of HD's needs, but just another setup. Driver said if he locked them all in, forget steering, it ws going straight. Non drive front axle. Jon

 

[Hay Dude]

I actually started off a few years back looking for a 6x6 to avoid the problem of locked 6x4 rear axles pushing you straight forward.
When I lock the rear in my IH7500, it’s steering diminishes to straightline pushing a lot, too. Lockes 6x4 would be worse for sure.

The problem with the utility 6x6’s is they are usually grossly underpowered and often run by utility company monkey employees who ruin them.
I did manage to find a Freightliner 6x6 with big block diesel and an allison, but it was 2,000 miles away and gone in a few days.