Offroadingrlife

Yeah I figured besides the usual good things to check if there was anything more specific

Alright. Going to look at another truck this weekend. Anyone have a good list of things I should check besides the usual tires, brakes, clutch, fluids, body, frame? Just want to make sure I give it a good look over

The weight difference doesn’t really matter. But I found a clean truck down south, no rust which is what I want, but it’s got an alum bed, it was previously used for paving.

Anyone have a preference on steel vs aluminum beds? Truck is only going to be doing asphalt and milling. The bed looks to be in good shape has some welds but not to terrible. Thoughts?

You got the message on here or your email? I got the email I got a pm but nothing in my inbox. Whatever you do don’t click the link!

I got the email too, is it a message from the site or they got access to our emails and spoofed the email?

The 96 ended up being not working out after looking at it in person. So while looking today I found a 03 that looks decent, but again almost 600k miles and motor hasn’t been touched. Going to take a look at it later this week. Trucks a 1 owner and extremely well taken care of but the miles still scares me.

While I will agree with you that I’m jumping into something I’m not fully prepared for, it’s a risk, and sometimes you have to take the chance and give it a try, if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world and I’ll move on to something else. I’ve always heard to make a million dollars trucking Start with 2 million. It certainly won’t make you rich but.

So it’s possible to drive an 18 as an 8 speed without issues, and I’d you needed to slit you can? To me with an 18 speed in a dump truck is imagine your going to be shifting nonstop and would get old fast with an 18 speed?

I decided to try to up by budget a bit, I found a 96 cl713 locally been rebuilt, has 7-800k total on truck. Price seems pretty fair for it. But it’s got a 18 speed. I don’t know much about the 18 speed but I feel like with an 18 your going to be shifting so much it’s going to get annoying. But just figured id throw in a little update

I’ve watched some videos on them, they look a bit complicated, but I’m sure after a few times it becomes a lot easier. Just something else to have to learn I suppose. But I don’t think it’ll make me pass on a truck because of it.

Any downsides to running Dayton style wheels? I found a 98 rd that every wheel is this style I believe it’s Dayton. I don’t believe they are the split style but could be wrong.

Is there any advantage/ disadvantage with the bed overhang over the cab vs the other style in the pics below? One sticks out more than the other style

Why is 2021 not the best time to start out? I’d anytime really the best time to start? Regarding the compliance I doubt that’s going to happen, if so a good chunk of the companies around here won’t be able to work their trucks and jobs won’t get done. But who knows what’s going to happen. Im Young, I figure what’s the worst the happens, I try and it doesn’t work out, I move on and rebuild. Atleast I tried

I really don’t have any interest in working for someone. I know it would be the better way to get into it, but that’s what I’m trying to get away from and work for myself. The whole idea behind buying the cheap truck with cash is that I then have a good size emergency fund for the unexpected repairs that can come up. I’ll have to see if there’s any local companies that are hiring, and explore that possibility. For now the truck hunt continues but with exploring the possibility of employment.

I understand what your saying, obviously I don’t want to buy a truck right out of the gate make mistakes and go broke! I’ve been researching this for a little while now. I do have some experience running a business, but not a lot. ive done a bunch of math on paper and if the weather holds out and I can work the truck as much as I’d like to, I think I can do pretty well. The issue before jumping into it is finding the truck. And that’s where I’m stuck, I have a budget in mind, but Eveything in the budget that I’ve found the rest is the trucks are clean but the frame has some seperation and I just don’t know enough about it to know if it’s going to cause me issues. The season is fast approaching here and I need to start making some decisions on if it’s something I’m going to do or not this year.

The part about paying the driver.. what I meant is I’m not hiring someone and laying them 25-30 an hour. I obviously will be paying myself a salary, but it won’t be close to that as I want to grow the business. I have some mechanical ability and feel as if I will be able to fix some things myself. I know it’s an used truck things wear out and break. No way around that.

Around here is seems like a lot of guys are running older Mack’s, but I don’t know why. I’m trying to find something newer but not having much luck, may have to keep looking at rethink about my plan and do this next year

Around here the rate is pretty close to that. I’m driving the truck, so I won’t have to pay a driver. Insurance is less than 5k a year. I have contacts at local companies and can get work. If you can’t buy a new truck, you have to start somewhere and an older one is what it has to be. If you can’t buy a new truck how do you get started then? I did the math and on paper seems like the numbers are pretty good.. but again I have no idea hence why I’m looking for help

I’m over in ma. I mean I feel as if miles are somewhat of a dealbreaker, if I’m buying a 96 one has 700K with no history and one has 400K with no history, I’d go for the lower Mile one. But I do suppose it’s all a gamble and just a chance you take, I’m looking for one that’s relatively cheap, 25-35k probably with the lowest miles and best shape. For the first truck just to get my feet wet I don’t want to spend more than I have to, that way I can keep a emergency fund.

Ahh, that makes sense, I’ve never seen it before so wasn’t sure what it was. I’m hoping to be able to look at this truck here soon and pick it up before asphalt season starts and get it working!

What’s the purpose of the red throttle knob next to the steering wheel? May be a stupid question but I have no idea what it’s used for? Don’t know how to inspect the engine, something I’ll certainly need to look Into

I found a 94 down south that is rust free and has only 300k on it, not sure how verifiable that is. Anything I should know about the 94s?

I know that, if I could predict if it was going to break or not I think I could be a millionaire! But it’s just all about risk, 800k miles without being touched I’d say is pretty risky, but on the other end it is cheaper than the other ones I’m looking at and appears to be in decent shape for its age

I have a friend who sent me an ad for a truck he found. It’s a 99 688s, has 800k on it, motor hasn’t been touched besides normal pms, it was running everyday up until end of asphalt season. The price seems like it’s a good deal but again miles concerns me. I need something that’ll make it through the season without breaking down every week. This ones about 5-6 hours away. What do you’ll think? If it’s cheap enough buy it and put money aside for when it breaks? Ideally would like to be able to get a new truck in a year or 2 and then have this as a spare