suggestions for a farm/ranch truck?

Hi peoples, I was wondering if I could get some advice.

I am still at this moment a near-total newbie (outside reading about big trucks), although i'm considering getting into driving for others too at some point, i'm trying to look for a "lowest cost possible" class 8 for doing heavier tow jobs for farm and ranch type duty. (basically all jobs over 10k, flatbed and van trailer)

This wont be a vehicle that will be doing alot of miles by trucker standards so it doesn't need to be state of the art, ie fighting for an extra half mpg with the latest computer controlled whatever in a 6x2 direct drive. Rather it's to simply have the ability to move real heavy stuff reliably more infrequently with a low risk of breakdowns, lower cost of repairs/replacements/rebuilds if needed, and being feasible to turn your own wrenches. In short I don't mind "technically obsolete" (vs what the most modern truckers are looking for), i'm more afraid of the cost of a breakdown 1000 miles from home. (i'm also not convinced that mpg wont be had when the shape of the Peterbilt 372 was beating modern trucks decades ago, i'm just looking for cheaper mechanicals)

Honestly i'm looking for things the market doesn't currently want but in their day were reliable and are still cheap to fix due to parts availability. Please help me narrow down the choices a bit starting with engines and transmissions. I'm looking for "million mile engines" that don't have a million miles on them yet (or were rebuilt) under the hope that passing a compression test and such means it shouldn't crap out in the next 100k. Engines that are also junkyard plentiful and not in modern use so that parts are cheap. I like mechanical injection because electronics is just another point of failure vs just needing fuel and air unless emissions regulations force me off the road. Transmissions that are 'market disfavored', maybe the double overdrive units and numerically high axle ratios are by now/nobody uses anymore because it's a few percent less fuel efficient?

From what i've read about the Cummins Big Cam series (especially the III) i'm wondering if there is anything likely to be a better fit. It sounds like they were million mile engines, still cheap to fix, still widely available, efficient for their day, and even capable of power upgrades. Is there anything else I should be looking at as well? Sounds like Caterpillars need expensive tools to DIY and are alot more expensive to rebuild or fix if needed. Dont think i'd want a Detroit 2 stroke, theyve been out of use for long enough that parts and such have gone up in price and doubt it's as reliable as a Big Cam.

I'm not against a cabover, actually i'm hoping some good deals might be found in them because most wouldn't want them. I'm aware they are harder on the body and less good in sleeper designs.

 

Sorry if my responses are slow, but it's a slow research project. I'm out of town for weeks at a time (but not class 8 driving) and can only post when I drop home every 2-3 weeks.

Well my rural location wont be super-near anything but i'm regularily and will continue to regularily be in the Twin Cities metro so i'm not as worried about local parts availability I guess, just assumed anyone of note would be in a million plus metro. Perhaps more of concern is a breakdown while traveling that can't wait until home where it can sit til fixed, and my routes could run absolutely anywhere because it's entirely jobs of opportunity, though it's more favoring central to west than east. As long as they're still a well established truckmaker or ample junkyard supplies i'm looking for trucks that are like the Saturn SL or Chevy Celebrity of trucking - cheaper to fix, generally reliable, last longer than average.

Noted. What i'd like to do is to start narrowing down some of those reputations but i'm not quite sure where to start. My biggest thing is keeping the truck on the road for the minimum total cost because I wont be using it with enough volume and it only pays for itself if the total cost of keeping it on the road is cheap enough. I've seen used class 8 semis for $1500-3500 in seemingly running condition, just old cabovers and such usually from the 80's and as long as I shouldn't be facing instant random failure without warning I was hoping repairs would obviously run less than the purchase price. And FWI that's not the max I can pay, that's just what made me notice old class 8's were cheaper than clapped out hotshotters, and I still cant move empty 53' air braked trailers on the latter which is one of the needs. As long as fuel is my biggest cost instead of repairs I can predict whether it's worth driving a given trip myself.

I'm hoping the major parts (engine, transmission, axles) either shouldn't randomly die if I avoid trucks totally clapped out and if they're technically obsolete to modern drivers should be at least semi-affordable to replace, but i'm aware little parts or trouble spots could eat me alive just as much. So the better I research now i'm hoping to avoid long term problems. I mean what are the better truck makes/models that have a reputation for being reliable, cheaper to fix, easier to fix, used availability/heavy reliance on scrapyard parts, many parts in common availability instead of proprietary, etc. I'm aware that's a big wishlist but there will be trucks the opposite of all those things to avoid at least. The best truck is one just retired not for being totally worn out but because it's no longer state of the art for MPG and modern expectations. (maybe it's a cabover, maybe it's geared to run 55mph instead of 70mph, whatever)

You mention Macks for off road prowess, although I don't think i'll be doing too much soft field mucking about. I'd rather have the ability than not but my biggest concern is feeling I can take it on a trip out to Oregon and back on a personal run without constant fears of a breakdown. Proprietary parts concern me - you say many parts Mack specific, which trucks have the most 'general' of parts? Are any others still easy to turn wrenches on?

Thanks for the suggestion but it definately wont be only local hauling, I need something I can run 2000 miles on one way then back again with a load. Does that change it any? The difference is that I don't know if trips like that will happen more than a dozen or two dozen times in the next ten years so the economics of a newer rig doesn't work out. Yet even runs maybe 500 miles away would have me more concerned about reliability than something totally local (if that might be a concern). AC doesnt bother me, luxury neither when i'm considering paint shaker cabovers. In general I have a concern about military trucks having seen how clapped out many are unless they were on-road-only non-combat use or something and sharing parts with normal rigs. I'd think the 6x6 and Allison mileage would also take a dive over a long haul road rig unless i'm looking at the wrong models there/i looked at conventional tractors. (that said i'll agree they seem to be amazingly low miles and cheap otherwise but I was warned hummers can be totally clapped at 20k miles by an army guy...)

I'll keep it in mind but would like to know where to research more if you have suggestions.

Heavy should be notably under 65k gross. I'm not too locked into low mileage, somethings that has had an overhaul is fine as long as the compression is good, not obviously abused, aren't obvious leaks and such and it's a model known for being a million mile engine. (what else should I be checking, even if it's just a pre-check before letting a pro mechanic look at it before confirming a sale?) I'm really preferring mechanical injection - all electronics are just one more thing to break and even if it gives me 1/2mpg more that's not worth it to me - driving 55mph and aerodynamically modifying the truck can get me way more than that back. I don't mind older transmissions and axles just hoping servicing them could be cheaper if ever needed, back when double/triple overdrives were the norm instead of the direct drives everyone wants now.

I can't find anyone say anything bad about the Big Cam engines, though i'm curious what else might be in that era comparable (other "million mile engines") in the era just before those you mentioned. My dad the fleet mechanic raised me to love detroit 2 cycles but I know theyre not million mile engines and they've been out of use long enough overhaul prices and such have gone up to no cheaper than anything else at least. Caterpillars I know are great engines but not as good for DIY-ers due to special tools they apparently require, plus parts are $$$. I'm not sure if there were competitive engines outside the Big Three in the 80's.

I'm assuming Roadrangers have existed forever and will continue to do so, should remain serviceable, and esp for lower demand ones (ie not the highest torque handling, or ratios more suited for 80's overdrives maybe) should cost less even for a whole replacement unit if it comes to that. I'd love a 13 speed if I could get one for better ratio selection. I'm not sure if other manuals are as good or as serviceable or as desirable as an Eaton Fuller or if they were just as common in the 80's.

Thats the summary of my truck knowledge though and i'm not sure where to find other useful factoids about each make, model, brand reputation and similar. I'm kind of thinking 80's trucks will mostly be what i'm looking for - I can get mechanical injection, and prices are alot lower because theyre out of even second tier service whereas i've seen guys still running 90's trucks not infrequently since it sounds like they still get the mileage esp with the DD Series 60's. I'm just sure i'll never touch one of those for $3500 so i'm looking a little older. :- P I'm assuming 70's trucks would be no cheaper, harder to get parts for, less reliable, less efficient, and even underpowered for 55mph if a rockies run is in my future (and it is).