Looking to buy a used truck, what to look for?

What are you going to do with the truck?

 

Things to worry about off the top of my head. With the low miles you might have seals leak if it has sit for a while. Any seal that has sit for a while and now has to work again might leak.

Might have to change the fuel filters a lot to start with from old fuel. Add some fuel treatment.


Other than that if that is the right mileage you should be in good shape.

 

It is illegal but it happens. Also it could be tripped or the odometer switched out. I doubt it but it could be. We currently have a 95 cab over with 680k on it, so low miles are true at times.

Someone more fimiliar with axle limits can tell you if that is enough truck for your needs unless you know it is ok. I have no idea.

 

European trucktors are generally single axel and I'd say it is a problem of correct weight distribution becouse you may have some problems on scales, that's why I prefere 6x2 ore 6x4 trucktors.

Old Volvo was a good truck, but was.... now it is too old rig and I cant say how reliable it would be.

There are operators who use made in 90-s Volvos and some of trucks maintened well and rebuilt are good, but generelly they are clunckers.

 

You may also run into wiring harness issues to the ECM as well.

 

Old volvos got 3 ECMs. Engine ECM (depending on engine, this one with Celect), ABS (old volvos had ABS-C by Wabco) and primitive protection ECM.

There was no CAN. CAN appeared in 1998

 

so things to look and questions. First question what has been done to it, has the motor been rebuilt, rears, tranny. do they have an ifta report from the ecm. that will show what the truck gets for MPG. look at the frame suspension and all componets. with that low of mileage and it being a military truck i would bet it sat alot. seals could be an issue. tires. yes you said the tread dept is good what about the casing. is it dry rotted. brakes. drums( rub your finger in the drum see if there is a lip if so when you do breaks you will need drums also. or have them cut) ask for a read out of the ecm with the ecm mileage.that will tell you if the odometer is right. other than the ecm things. act like your looking at a car just bigger everything. on a side note. is this something you want. i plan for the future. will a single screw do what you want. can you find other work for it if this fails. can you handle the weather with it. personal i could run a single legally with what i haul but i wont. weather changes to fast i dont want to be stuck in the snow. if work slows i can go over the road or regional with my daul screws and haul the full 80,000 lbs if needed.....