Decision Point - Repair or Replace 2007 Century?

Still a good looking ride JahB. I really can't advise you here, but it is refreshing to hear a driver realize that the truck is a tool to earn money. Here is my off handed analogy...Back when hammers had wooden handles, you didn't replace the hammer just because you broke the handle. You put a new handle on it. If the hammer itself was so worn that you couldn't strike the nail head dead on...then you replaced the whole thing. Not sure if that helps, but I do know there is a lot to be said about knowing your equipment....and you certainly know your truck.

 

You can replace the transmission with whatever transmission you want. The important thing is that you have at least the same torque rating as the transmission you are replacing and if your transmission is overdrive or direct that you replace it with the same. Also, it's probably a good idea to replace it with the transmission of the same letter indicating the steps between the shifts. So I guess I'm saying you are looking for the same exact transmission, lol. You could put any Transmission in but that particular transmission is specced with the spacing between the gears to match your engine. I'm sure someone else could chime in to tell you how important or not that is.

If you have a 10 speed now, a 10 speed would be a direct replacement. A 13-speed is longer and would require you to shorten the drive shaft.

 

Fix it, stretch it and put a lift axle on it if you need one, and keep on trucking. You know what you have and it seems like it’s been a pretty solid truck for you.

 

Ok it is really simple and Dino put it in a good way, why would you want to get rid of it?

I would start immediately with oil analysis on everything, engine, trans and rear axles. Get this as a baseline to see where you are and going forward, do an oa every oil change or if you extend it, half way between an oil change.

if you are leaking oil, get it fixed, the engine may not need anything other than regular pm.

The trans is an easy fix, just replace it with something you may like, it should be a direct fit, I personally like 13/18 spd transmissions but if you like a 10, go for it. I would then do another oa with the new trans to baseline it, and do one every 100k.

Does the frame problem actually cause problems for driving or unusual wear patterns on the drives?

If not ... just leave it alone.

The shocks and torsion bar is a one day fix, I would change shocks every 100 to 125k anyway as part of the pm.

The injector cups, the fan clutch and steering pump, that can be done over the weekend. Some of my trucks have things like water pumps and so on replace based on the average life of the component.

Overall you put I think $7k into it, just put some more money into it, keep on top of the engine condition and pm, do a dyno some time in the future with blowby to get where you are on precentage of hp rating and how much blowby you have to see when you need to do an inframe or sell the truck, but overall I can see if all things are considered and the oa comes back good that you run the truck near the 2m mile mark.

Oh as for the interior, just find a truck junk yard and have the interior pulled out of a truck to put into yours.

 

In our area we have a shop that rebuilds wrecked tractors. they come out pretty good. (Body and interior, don't know about engine and so on)

If your drives are wearing ok and you drive pretty straight that frame is not yet too far gone.

Your transmission and engine is a little biggie. But not impossible. I have driven very high mileage tractors in the past with good engines even if everything else sounded like they are falling apart.

I would go with putting some money into it. You are better off with the devil you know than a unknown that might be sold by someone else because the engine in that one is fixing to blow or something. (The devil you don't know)

Once all of this is finished you build some form of savings off the top of your net income. In a year or so from now you should have a nice rainy day fund for something big to either fix or replace.

 

That's too much of a angle to me with that particular view of that bag. It goes without saying those bags want to be straight.

I think once you find the root cause of that leaning bag and fix it that frame will settle straight.

 

Have you tried to re- position airbag? They have a lot of leeway. Looks more like a spring bushing or a broken alignment pin on axle. Either can be fixed. New alignment pin can be built up by a good welder and bushings on all springs. Frame looks fine. Alignment just out of wack. I’d try jacking up and loosen both airbags and try to re/ position them. At least it may make it align better. Looks like they replaced air bags with torque rod removed then put on torqu rod on. Reman trans $3000-$4200 add clutch/ rear main $1000 Labor $1000 worst case scenario. Junkyard trans? Unless it’s from a low mileage wreck and bolt in match under $1500 I wouldn’t waste time/ Labor. Other repairs shouldn’t cost any downtime. Just run it,Finding a tri axle Truck in decent shape for a good price seems like a long shot. The good news as my friend with the Peterbilt says Junkyards are full of Freightliners. Lol

 

My airbag was like that for 500k miles and I never thought nothing of it. Maybe my ignorance thought it was normal.

 

That axle looks like hanger pin on spring got bent during the off road excursion.I guess the spring could be bent but I believe it would snap first as it’s tempered. More than likely u- bolts and block/ axle alignment pins sheared off. Make sure they tack weld blocks to axle after fixing. Will need new u- bolts too. Height may still be too low also. I’d say the torque rod was too long but other bag is straight. Loosen both and turn each for better alignment. I run an old Truck. I have a must do list and a wish list. I’ll postpone things on wish list indefinitely if needed to keep repair/ maintenance at $1200 per mo. I’d keep that Truck, since the engine is good. If engine was wore out and needed an overhaul I’d sell for $7000 and be happy I got that much.