Would you overhaul or buy another truck?

Why even rebuild,is the engine using oil?poor mpg?having problems

 

It depends whether or not you could do that job yourself. In my opinion the really really expensive frames to do are the dump trucks with a double frames because the dump truck bed has to be taken off and both frames have to come apart and it's more involved than it is with a tractor.

You have a few options with the frames. If you could find somebody that isn't too expensive that would sandblast that whole frame and you could give it a shot of paint you might be surprised how it cleans up. I had a truck frame that was rusted really badly on a truck that I had it was from Michigan with all their rough Winters, and I sandblasted that frame and I painted it and it really came out nicely. It surprised me.

The next option is to either buy a wrecked truck or go to a junkyard and have them sell you the frame rails. If you find a truck in a junkyard that has the same wheelbase as yours the bolt-holes should all line up for your suspension and your fuel tanks and your rear suspension and your fifth wheel and everything. But you have to make sure it's the exact same wheelbase and you have to check that the battery box is in the same place and that type of a thing. But if you find the same model truck with the same wheelbase everything should go right back on including your drive shaft.

The last option is to take your frame rails completely off and send them up to PG Adams and they can give you brand new frame rails that are drilled exactly to what your original frame is is drilled and it will be cut and trimmed exactly the same. If you call them and tell them the the length and size of the frame and how many holes you have in it they can give you an idea of what that would cost you. The rails themselves are not as expensive as you would think. But I wouldn't be afraid of a frame out of a junkyard as long as the frame itself wasn't hit.

 

Buying new frame rails from PG Adams isn’t terribly expensive, not sure how many hours of labor it would involve to get them under the truck.

If the rest of your truck is in good condition other than what you stated above I would lean towards rebuilding and new frame rails. If the cab is getting loose simply because it’s a 16 year old truck you could get a rolling glider and drop your rebuilt 6nz into it along with a rebuilt trans and be good to go.

 

You have what a lot of people think is the best or one of the best engines ever built, I'd rebuild that thing till it can't be rebuilt no more, that or I'd get a glider to put it in. Your trans and rears needing to be rebuilt or you just thinking ahead?

 

Penske sells cascadias with blown engines for $20-25k. Last year on their website there was about 20 for sale.

My opinion is to rebuild. I have 3 trucks 1.9 million miles or over. You can rebuild engine, replace all hoses and pipes, replace anything broken, paint the whole truck, and it would still be thousands less than a newer truck and more reliable.

 

How many more years you plan to be in the bizz?