Buying Older Truck

Did that last week...blew an air bag at a quarry. Having SOME knowledge of pnematics, hydraulics, etc. Is wise as well. Reason I say this is got a free cap fitting at the quarry capped off the line (didn't have vise grips that were usable) and ran home on 3 bags. Knowing how to fix things on the road helps and can get you out of a pickle or back to your driveway but it's the parts cost that is the major issue. Even if you save 100/hour doing the labor yourself it still hurts at $180/air bag, $55/wheel seal, 4000/rear end, or $2000/turbo. Parts are enough to eat a man alive as well. Downtime is another factor I'll take my truck to a shop if they can get it done faster than I could myself especially if it isn't a weekend. It's easier that way faster too. Many factors go into a used truck and being mechanically inclined helps but it all needs to be taken into account and if you want to own your own truck you'd better be willing to turn a wrench on the side of the road. Know a guy who paid over 1000 to have a water pump put on on the side of the road. I couldn't help but laugh it's not a very big job and he could have limped to a shop and done it in a parking lot.

 

Where do you buy your parts? I buy my parts at a tractor/trailer parts supply shop, much cheaper than anywhere else..

 

I have always bought older trucks. My last truck had to change the front cover seal. N14 cummins. Estimate from garage $2100. Believe it Parts only cost $148 dollars for the gasket and some seal.
Took me 3 days, first time I did it. But I removed the Radiator and took it to shop had it dipped, flushed and cleaned. Replaced all hoses and belts at the same time. I think I only spent $500.

 

I bought an older truck and am in the process of rebuilding it. Bottom line, one can buy an old piece of iron and, for about $50,000-$60,000, one can have a brand new truck, well used brand new... No egr, def or dpf, no logs of any kind and no shoulder strap seat belt...lol Easy to work on, if your inclined anyway. Parts are trickier to find but with a little work, they can be found. Do as much of the work yourself as you can. Will take some investment of tools and what not but well worth it, in my opinion.

 

Another consideration is insurance may be cheaper on an older rig.

 

Some trucks have had “puff limiters” and they’ve been messing with the injector pumps to make them run cleaner and increase mileage for quite a long time. They didn’t really make much progress until electronic engine control came about though.

You have roughly 4 phases.
1) As I said, puff limiters and tuning mods on a mechanical engine. These can be easily changed to suit your needs by any shade tree mechanic. Most reliable engines out there, but fuel mileage isn’t great, and power can be lacking ( without spending a bunch). Until around 1994.
2) ECM engines. Quite a bit more complicated, and require a diagnostic tool to troubleshoot. Gobs of power and better mileage. Not as reliable as a mechanical, but not bad. Until around 2003.
3) EGR engines. Crap on the engine that has nothing to do with performance and is only there to reduce emissions and cause trouble. Personally, I avoid these engines. Until around 2008.
4) The whole DPF filter, EGR combo. About $20k of junk on the engine that for all intensive purposes is there for nothing more than to cause problems. Only way I’d ever buy one of these is brand new, and then sell it when the warranty ran out. Even then, it’s common for the emissions system to leave you stranded during the warranty period. Can be huge money pits. What we have currently.

 

I received my Insurance through OOIDA and paid about $175.00 per month, being leased onto a company. I could not get towing as an option though, due to the age of my truck. The industry believes that the old stuff brakes down too much. In reality, the newer trucks brake down a lot but cost a ton to fix.

 

Substantially cheaper here.
Parts are cheaper.
Jobs generally take much less time to get done, because they are simpler to work on.
No computer required to reflash or replace. Burn some more fuel sure, but largely offset by not needing to be filled up with DEF which makes diesel prices seem downright cheap in comparison per gallon/liter. But most of all its the reliability. They simply don't break down as often.

 

3 years ago my dad paid 22k for a 2 owner 1993 mack. Well maintained and all my dad ask for was get at least 100k miles out it then he'll inframe it. We did that back in the summer.

The 99 we got this summer for 26.5k with a mack crate engine with under 400k on it. 1.3 mil on the rest of the truck and its in excellent condition. Never left Texas.

 

Puff limiter, I've only heard that term for the old E-6 and mechanical E-7 with Bosch P pump.

here's a few pics of big red and the grey ghost