Big trucks

[GeoffDiamond]

Even though i am years away from buying replacements for my Ford L 9000s. I am looking at heavy duty class 8 trucks, just trying to plan for the feauture. I just wonder what you guys have for big trucks, i am not totaly concerned about their plowing ablity. Currently my Class 8 ( L9000 ), do not plow, and wont. Wondering more about their durablity, maintmance, and performance.

Knowing my luck the truck manufactures will come out with a new model, buy or sell another company, and everything will be totaly different than it is today. For all i know ford may start building class 8 again, heard that rumor, not sure what to think about it. Only an F 950 sounds cool.

Geoff

[diggerman]

We use Macks,we have a 1996 CH612 that was a tractor I had the frame lengthened to accept a 13ft box then put a dual cheater with 16inch tires on it and then put floaters on the front,and its got all aluminum wheels.Then we have a 1999 and 2000 RDs with tandem axles and a cheater both have aluminum front the 2000 has all aluminum wheels.They both have 17ft steel boxes with interior steel liners because we haul alot of rip rap and broken concrete.The 96 is 350hp the 99 and 2000 are 400hp all Mack motors.We bought mack for durability and resale but I would not be afraid of Kenworth. The T800 is a really nice truck.When we haul side by side with Fords my guys in a Mack can just walk away from the Fords with a load on and its really bad up hills.Better be careful Geoff you start lookin its hard not to start buyin.

[Lazer]

Geoff,

We have a L8000 S/A 15' Dump w/Cat, 9 spd. No plow.
12' Stainless V-Bottom 10.5Hp.

We bought this and a 4x4 550 7.3 (Front&Rear plows) to replace our TopKick and GMC 7000. (Both with front plows)

The maintenance on the L8000 has been about the same as the class 7 trucks, but can hold, tow way more.

We feel this combo offers more flexibility for both summer landscaping and winter plowing/salting.

Plus, now we have 2 more FORDS in the fleet. (3 total, last year - NO Fords.) Figure if they're good enough for Geoff, they're good enough for us.

[Pauls Mowing]

Geoff:

I've had 3 Fords, a F800 with a 16' dump rack, a tamdem axel and a single axel tractor. The tractors, one a LNT 9000, and the other a LA9000 had Cummins, a 300 and a 315 HP, and both were excellent units. The Fords have a well laid out dash and cab. Expense wise, both were very affordable to maintain. I put all bearings in the 315 2 years ago for $2200, which included a water pump and all gaskets and labor. Parts are available at just about any Ford truck dealer. I'll be in the market for another 16' dump in the forseeable future, and I'd recommend the Fords to anyone.

Paul

[GeoffDiamond]

The Problem is ford doesn't build anything over 33K GVW right now. They sold the class 8 line to freighliner, and started the sterling line. However i have heard Ford may be getting back into the Class 8 not sure how, or if it is true. I am hope it is true, because i would like to replace a ford with a ford.

This may be possible because freightline has bought western star, which will operate under the steling name (i believe). It hard to believe one company would build two trucks in the same class.

Geoff

[Edited by GeoffDiamond on 10-12-2000 at 12:45 AM]

[plowking35]

And Diamler Owns just about everything.

[Lazer]

Geoff,
Paccar builds both Peterbilt and Kenworth.

[diggerman]

Look what has happened with Case and New Holland and they also own Fiat Allis talk about manufacturing same units in diffrent brands.I can not belive that Freightliner would allow Ford to enter that market again,you would have think they covered that when the bought the line.I also have heard that Mack trucks has been bought into by Volvo and will start using Volvo motors.(alot of this is because of California emmission laws)Getting to be tough to know just who is making what.

[Chuck Smith]

I remember back when White Trucks were White Trucks, and NOT owned by Volvo. Are White trucks even on the market anymore?

Looks like the big rigs are following the car manufacturers.

GM makes more trucks and SUV's than you can shake a stick at. Chrysler makes a slew of them too. I guess they'd rather compete with themselves, and still have a chance to make money. At least that way they have more chances of "winning" in the new SUV/Pickup buying surge.

~Chuck

[Snow Pro]

Chuck -
You're right about companies competing with themselves. The owners of General Motors don't care if you buy a Chevy, GMC, Saturn, Pontiac, Olds, Cadillac or Buick. They own them all.

How does this work in your snow plowing businesses? Imagine if you bought out every one of your competitors. You could charge anything you want for your service...and get it. That's why Uncle Sam gets involved in M & A's.