A view of the Past, Vintage Photos

A while back, someone was at the local breakfast stop in my town with a LTL 9000. Looked pretty sharp for an old horse. We had a loaner once for a couple days, non-sleeper, it rode a lot nicer than the short nose.
Can't go wrong with this deal, somebody got a steal, 4 two bits Cat, air ride ( although, probably that crummy Neway), be a cheap way to haul the mail, or RR containers.
USED 1987 FORD LTL9000 TANDEM AXLE SLEEPER FOR SALE IN PA #25505

 

I paid $2,300 for my Ford LNT9000... sold it 5 years later for $3,600... it went to Guatemala...

What was wrong with my Ford is that the clutch was worn out, other than that there was nothing wrong with it. Had to pay to have a new clutch put in.

 

I did like the look of the LTL but less $$ for this '87 and since I was only grossing 80K a 350 Cat was suitable.
I wanted smaller diameter fuel tanks for ice road hauling but that option was not available from ford. I guess in hindsight I may have been able to raise them a few inches....

 

Ford always had weak clutches. It was a good truck, if you were easy on them, it was no Mack, that's for sure.

 

Ford ran a different clutch than other manufacturers?

 

To raise them a few inches means to diamond weld plates over the filled in bolt holes with cut bolts welded in place. Then tranlate the entire tank bracking mount straps, it's bolt plates, bolts and drill holes else where on the frame. To accept these tanks at a higher location. Just be sure to make room for the fuel handle.

 

I think if you ran Cats or BC Cummins, but in the '80's, dealers were pushing the ( worthless) L-10 motor, and I thought it was a lighter duty motor than the BC. 300 horse my butt. On one Ford with an L-10, I let the clutch out, and sheared all the bolts on the bell housing mounts.

 

Had a Cat 350. Wonderful motor. But going up against a Vermont 25% upgrade three miles. It hurt the engine in some ways. Took 2 to 4 hours before all of the gauges (non computer beyond gauges) returned to anything near normal stress free needle pointing.

To this day I have NEVER see all of my gauges, (Transmission, engine, rear axle oils, coolant etc.) maxed out and essentially halfway up waiting for something to physically break while still 45 minutes left to go to the top at less than walking pace.

What I should have done is pull at 1800 and hold it there all the way up instead of 2300 flat.

 

But that has nothing to do with Ford.