Buying a Peterbilt that it was used for logging.

As far as I'm concerned, these are the best stick haulers. ( Hayes HDX) They have water tanks behind the cab to cool the brakes. Awesome trucking.( note squatting drive tires) That Pete may have pulled loads like this. http://writefortravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/IMG_7148-300x224.jpg

 

As a log hauler I caution you. A log truck will age 5 times faster than a highway truck. Just because it looks good in the dealership yard doesn't mean it will be a good truck. Logging trucks see extreme rough roads and heavy loads every day. Hopefully you take a real good look at it before you make your final decision

 

What are you going to use it for otr or local how heavy of a load?

If you are running local like lowboy low miles etc probably be fine otr hauling bubble wrap probably would okay but I would want a little better ratio than what you got for fuel and top end

 

Pete 378 is a better off road rig than the 379. Sits higher and generally heavier spec. It depends on the last owner. I know some guys who's logging trucks are hammered to #### after a year and I know some guys who run their trucks in the bush for 10 years and they still look and run like new when they trade them in. If everything is mechanically sound and everything looked taken care of, I wouldn't have an issue buying an ex logging truck.

 

Shame they went out of business. Built in my home province of BC. I have a relative who's restoring a couple early 70's HD's (the smaller, highway version). Pacific is another outfit out of BC that built huge loggers like that back in the day.

 

As long as the truck checks out check suspension shocks and mounts the frame and cross members and have them fix anything that looks questionable before you get it and I think in my opinion you would be fine

 

The front leaf on the passenger side is notorious for breaking or shearing the pin out. Other than that they've held up great

 

Are you going to be more or less road bound, or are you doing actual site work and off-roading? You're talking a lot of additional weight that'll hammer you if you're being paid by the ton. If you'll be driving on unimproved surfaces, by all means, get the heavy axles, double frame, diff lockers, and hub reduction. If not, then it's just money out of your pocket.
When I owned an end dump, it was pretty much used for running stock to asphalt and concrete plants, and getting loaded with asphalt millings so I ran a regular, road spec LTL9000 with 3.08s and a low hole 13 speed. It had one locking diff, which wasn't really even necessary, since it pulled a frameless and never saw anything more severe than an asphalt plant lot. It did fine.